Why study abroad and being a terrible blogger...

My apology comes with an explanation. I've become a terrible blogger. Since starting both blog and Youtube vlog, I seem to be finding it difficult to dedicate equal amounts of time to both. Previously I was terrible at vlogging but now I seem to have neglected this. So this week I promise a proper blog post. 

In the mean time I have a new video:

Byeee for now!

Vlogging again

I've finally gotten round to making a second vlog, so please head over to my youtube channel if you are interested! 

I'm still new to this vlogging idea - there are a few things I still can't get right (like why the video isn't full screen) but I hope you enjoy :)

Byeee for now!

Home sweet home!

Hi there!

No no, I haven’t been kidnapped or accidentally died – I have just had two of the most manic weeks to date (surprisingly). HOWEVER I realise that this is not a valid excuse completely ignoring my blog like I have. So where on earth have I been since I last posted?!

Well.. I’ve finally moved into my own place! Last weekend, my dad took the almost 1000 mile drive from Derby to Copenhagen to bring some of my things for the next two years (which I am extremely grateful for) and on Sunday we moved myself out the hostel (hurray!!) into my new room at Tåsingegade Kollegiet. 

Welcome to my home for the next year-ish!

My building (and room)

I love finally having my own space and stuff rather than living out of a suitcase. I feel relaxed now and can finally start learning the city and my surroundings, rather than playing the waiting game of settling in – I can unpack, buy groceries, do washing etc… As you can see, the walls are still a little bare but I plan on decorating it over the coming weeks and making my 17m² feel like a proper home!! The building is pretty big and not the most sociable i've been to but i've met some nice people so far. The room is not perfect as there are a couple of hiccups, like the lethal floor.. but all issues are solvable and I think I’m going to enjoy it here for the next 10 months. The area I live in, Østerbro, is quite residential which makes it feel like a safe place to live, but I’m also not far from shops (supermarkets on every corner) and just a short distance by bike to campus and the city centre. 

Pretty sure that isn't normal, or safe..

Speaking of bikes – I have acquired one myself!  I feel like I’m slowly becoming a Dane, despite not being able to speak any Danish, not having the blonde hair/blue eyed Scandinavian look and not eating pickled herring (just appealing to the stereotypes here…). Having not ridden a bike in god knows how many years, I have felt a bit shakey at times, especially when I fell off on my first day (typical). I’ve sustained a few injuries, dinting my ego more than anything but as they say ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ and I still find myself alive and feeling more confident everyday. I love the ‘damecykler’ style of bike over here but not such of a fan of back pedalling to break. Also I’ve been told that cycling slightly under the influence on a night out is somthing you have to get used to. I personally found it a bit terrifying..

MY BIKE :D

Please enjoy the lovely result of my clumsiness

Also this last week has been filled with 9-4 days of introduction lectures which have been both interesting but exhausting. It’s been great to meet people off my course and I really like the informal relationships between lecturers and students. So far we have been on a hike around a Copenhagen park, been out for dinner/drinks and had pizza & beers over discussions – it’s so unlike the UK style of University but so far, so good! I fall into my proper routine next week so posts hopefully will be more frequent. I also start Danish lessons very soon, so hopefully I’ll know more than just ‘Hej’ and ‘Tak’ (hello and thank you, just in case you weren’t aware..).

Enjoying the last of the summer sun, mentally preparing for the oncoming cold!

I’ve also got a few vlogs planned for this week, so keep an eye on my youtube channel for that. It feels pretty empty right now so I promise I’ll be better committed. Well, as long as i'm not too engrossed in 'Dexter' (new obsession)....

Typical night in, skyping my cat...

 Byeee for now!

Welcome to Copenhagen, Demark!

Well I’m finally here, sat in the bar area of the Generator Hostel in Copenhagen. My blogging hit an all time low in my final few days as i’ve been so busy with packing, planning and spending time with family and friends. It’s been a pretty emotional weekend, but it didn’t really hit me that I was leaving until my last goodbye at the airport. I had been so concerned that I would miss my flight and couldn’t check my baggage in because I was late that when it was time to say goodbye to my mum, the emotion that had been building over that weekend burst. I had become so fogged by making sure I had all I needed and would be in the right place at the right time, when she put her arms around me, it final dawned on me that it would be the last time I would see everyone for a long time.

My life boxed up for shipping

Delayed for departure...

This then made for an strange flight, taking a plane independently for my first time. I’m a nervous flyer as it is but I just sat in a daze for most of it. The flight was quick and comfortable but I don’t really remember much of it. Arriving at Copenhagen airport was easy, having made the journey only a few months ago. The train station is situated directly below the airport entrance and although a slight delay, I reached my stop perfectly fine. I’m pretty good in orientation situations and found my hostel with ease (although I looked like a such a tourist with my giant pull out map, wheeling around oversized luggage).

Copenhagen airport from arrivals

I have to admit that my first night was a lonely one. Because I was already feeling sad and it was my first night in a hostel, I found it difficult talking to anyone and having to find some dinner alone..

Perhaps this post has taken a slightly more depressing tone than I originally set out for it to be but I think I’d rather be honest than mask it with false feelings and pretend I had the best time ever.

BUT as they say in the Book Of Mormon (which by the way is the best musical ever!!).. ‘it’s time to man up!’… So I did! I woke up for my first induction day and have had an excellent day so far. I met lots of people in the same situation as me so it made introductions and conversation easy. I even met a girl who eventually checked into my dorm in the hostel so it’s nice to have someone to chat with.

It’s going to be a tough few weeks and a bit of a culture shock but I’m feeling more positive after today about what I have in store. I also know that it won’t be long before I see people again and that Skype is my saviour!!

Byeee for now!

Last picture with the girls 

Departure: T-minus 20 days

So it’s finally done, my flights and temporary 2 week accommodation is booked. Officially less than 3 weeks to go. The confirmation emails pinged through and.. I panicked. I can’t lie, the realisation of just 3 weeks left in the UK is a sad one. Although I enjoy change and doing new things, I've enjoyed my home comforts since graduating and have so far had one of the best summers to date – family holidays, visits to London, going to Harry Potter World (UK) for my belated birthday present, seeing Mumford & Sons/Vampire Weekend/Ben Howard live, graduation day etc.

To sum up, it’s been a good one, especially since the UK managed to locate some sunshine this year. I've gained a slight tan and haven’t even left the country? Preposterous! However, I won’t view these last few days negatively. I think a slight panic is a good thing, as it makes me plan my time as efficiently as possible. I still have things to look forward to: another London trip, my mums birthday celebrations and a leaving party to organise.

So what’s next? When I finally pack away my life for the 900 mile move East in 20 days, I’ll be moving into a hostel for 2 weeks so I can attend an induction programme. ‘A hostel?’ I hear you question? A bit contradictory to my previous post, I realise. Do you remember me saying that the university had a reputation of being pretty terrible at handling accommodation? Well, they decided to hold the induction 2 weeks prior to term without allowing me early access to my room or providing/helping with other short term lodgings. So a hostel has been booked, the Generator Hostel in fact, sharing a 6 bedroom female dorm. It looks clean and modern so i'm looking forward to it (although the lack of a kitchen may mean a lack of food for a few days..). Being a hostel virgin, I’m pretty nervous, but also excited to meet some new people and the adventure ahead :) Until next time…

Byeee for now!

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I won’t be homeless in Copenhagen!

Since applying for my course, I had been rather anxious about my future living arrangements in another country. When applying for accommodation through the university’s department, I looked up other people’s recommendations on what type of housing to apply for and found worrying reviews on the service they provide. It appears they have a reputation for not being able to deliver halls of residence to a large proportion of students, particularly the international kind (aka me). Not that being in another type of accommodation would have been the end of the world, but from personal experience of first year of university life, I found it a great way to meet and mingle with lots of different students. However, worry faded a couple of weeks ago when shopping in London. An email pinged through on my phone alerting me that not only did I have some accommodation sorted but I had also managed to bag a room in halls of residents too!

My new global location according to Google Maps

A quick google search of what I had been provided, I found I am staying in Tåsingegade Kollegiet in the district of Østerbro. According to the university’s website, this accommodation houses 270 students with a mix of Danish and international, and is situated just 15 minutes north of the city centre. My search pulled up few images but from what I have found it looks nice, and I have my own bathroom and kitchenette.. a bit like having a mini apartment!

Photos from the university website

I never thought I actually would be homeless… but it’s nice to confirm living arrangements at least for my own peace of mind. I guess this has also made the move even more real. Although a move date is yet to be confirmed, I know that it is fast approaching and there is still plenty to organise. Typical me though, I’ve been putting it off.. definitely need to get myself in gear.

So if anyone else finds themselves in Tåsingegade Kollegiet from this September (though I highly doubt it).. come knock on room 215 and say hello! (or Hej!)

Byeee for now!

Why Copenhagen?

To start, an apology for the late arrival of my 2^nd post. I started this blog the evening before my holiday and have only just returned. Blogs will be much more frequent in future!

I wanted to set the scene for the purpose behind my move. When I have been asked where I am studying for my master’s degree, people often appear taken aback when I respond ‘Denmark’. This is a completely understandable reaction, as this time last year someone had told me I would be moving abroad to continue further education I would have laughed at them. Finding myself at the end of my second year of my undergraduate, I was close to dropping out rather than thinking of a further 3 years of studying. This changed when I found myself in the careers centre at uni, being told that in order to get employed in my preferred job sector, I required more than just a bachelor’s degree. However even then, moving abroad still wasn’t on the horizon.

So why Copenhagen? The initial consideration was the cost. For anyone who isn’t British, UK undergraduate degrees are funded with help of government loans however this is not provided for postgraduate studying. When searching options at UK institutions, I was looking at forking out between £7,000 – £10,000 just for 1 year. A suggestion from my dad to look outside of the UK, I found my perfect course that would last 2 years and costing £0 for any European students. Although other costs would have to be factored in (accommodation, food, travel etc.) it seemed like a cheaper option.

 Secondly, Demark is a beautiful country. I was 12 when took my first visit to the country, on an exchange with my school. I spent 6 days with a lovely Danish family in a town north of Copenhagen. Although I was young, I had a great time and loved their culture. I was hoping to include some nostalgic photos from my trip but I have yet to locate them in the huge boxes of family photos in the loft (I promise to keep looking for them, mostly for the entertainment factor of 12 year old me). My most recent visit was back in March, when my dad and I spent 24 hours visiting Copenhagen for the open day. Below are some photos.

Nyhavn

A bit breezy... (my face says it all)

Looking around one of the 3 University campuses

Dinner with dad, and his chilli crab

Views from the Copenhagen observatory

Although it was deathly cold (officially 0°C but with a wind chill of -6°C!!!), we had a very short but sweet visit. We tried to fit as much in as possible, attempting to capture a snapshot of the city for me. Some of it was a trip down memory lane, such as the Nyhavn canal and Tivoli Gardens, but it was mostly to get a feel of whether I could picture myself living there.. and I could! The city is so different to cities I have experienced in the UK, particularly the cycling culture. The astonishing thing was that Friday 5pm (typical rushhour time), the roads were awash with bikes rather than cars. It appears a clean place, quite peaceful for a capital city and most people seem to speak fantastic English – even the food menu for dinner has printed English translations.

For now, I am pleased with my choice. Although this could change in the future (touch wood it won’t), I’m excited to experience living in a different country – even with the unforeseen challenges I am bound to face while adjusting to life in a new county. I am also extremely grateful to my family who are supporting me through this experience and without them, I wouldn’t be able to do it.

In the last 2 weeks, a lot has happened involving my move so I have a lot of catch-up blogging to do since being away. I also have my graduation next week which I’m very excited about!

Byeee for now!