Our first week of class, all in Copenhagen, has come to an end, so let’s recap:
- Day 1 (Friday): met at 3:30pm, sent students stalking people on bike at 5pm to learn how cycling works here, had a pizza party in a park for dinner after getting very lost and very found
- Day 2 (Saturday): evening city bike tour with Bike Mike – history, culture, Danish dry humor, and tons of the city
- Day 3 (Sunday): Student scavenger hunt, exploring all parts of the city while responding to silly prompts; watched Women’s world cup in a packed pub (USA wins!)
- Day 4 (Monday): meet with Copenhagenize CEO for lecture and bike tour
- Day 5 (Tuesday): meet with two people from Gehl for lecture and walking tour; traditional Danish dinner at Puk
- Day 6: (Wednesday): meet in a park and listen to our accompanying professionals on what they are thinking; meet recent UO alum living in Copenhagen for some peer to peer questioning; beautiful bike ride along the Green Route to Palace and grounds
- Day 7 (Thursday): meet at the Traffic Garden (perhaps the cutest spot on the planet) to hear about staffed playgrounds in Copenhagen then students find at least five playgrounds in the city to explore
- Day 8 (Friday): meet at the offices of BIG, one of the premier architecture (and more) design firms in the world, for overview of work
And in between all of these bulleted items were individual trips to museums, cafes, neighborhoods, and much more. Almost all of it by bike with an occasional walking or transit trip for some. Not a single motorized vehicle used in over a week and we’ve probably been traveling more than the average US household does daily in a car.
And equally great to what we have learned, seen, and experienced, is that the group of students (and professionals) have formed a close community already! We are all doing this journey together and it all feels better because of it.
Jazz parade in Copenhagen. Picture by Sarah Mazze.