Orientation and First Weeks
During my exchange, I was provided with a lot of information, and I was given a schedule for international students. I always knww what events are going on and I could catch up with all the events. There were a lot of orientation events such as Intro Day, International Student Party, Dinner. I was able to make a lot of friends through these events that the school organized.
Accommodation and Living
I struggled a bit with finding accommodation in Aarhus and was able to secure a place one week before my arrival. The place I live at is Skjoldhojkollegiet, a residential area. I had a studio-like apartment to myself with my own kitchen and washroom. I was quite surprised by many different housing rules and contract terms.
Learning and Adaptation
The lecture hall in Aarhus university was much smaller and there were less students which I found to be more comfortable. All my classrooms were located close to each other at the same campus, so it was very easy to navigate. I felt like a lot of the lecture format was similar to SFU. Instead of Canvas, Aarhus university use Brightspace, I could also find course outlines on Brightspace same as on canvas. Different from most courses at SFU, the courses I have at Aarhus university did not have regular exams or assignments. Instead, there was only one final exam for each course. I took 3 courses and I went to classes 5 days a week. Classes at Aarhus start 15 minutes later than the time that was put on schedule.
Cultural and Environmental Observations
I really enjoyed learning about Denmark culture and their ways of living. In Denmark culture, they value spending time with loved one, friends and family. “Hygge” is a term refers to Danish spirit, coziness, and contentment with life. I feel like this spirit is integrated in Danish everyday lives from the way they interact with one another to their lifestyle. Even though I do not speak Danish, I could still speak English to everyone in Denmark. People were always willing to communicate with me. Danish people always made me feel welcome and willing to help me. They made my time in Denmark very comfortable and I learnt a lot from them. In Denmark, it was very windy, and could get very dark during the winter months. I had to purchase extra coats and scarfs for the winter months there. I found Denmark weather to be quite similar to Vancouver weather as it was rainy and dark during winter months. The only thing to be aware of is how windy it can get; therefore, a scarf is a must while staying in Denmark. In Aarhus, I particularly enjoyed the restaurants, cafés and bars in the city center. Everything is located close to each other in the city centre, and it is fun to explore all of the places while living in Aarhus. I have also visited Den Gamle By, a historical museum in Aarhus, which was really close to Aarhus University. The city centre was very lively and is always packed with people, especially on weekend nights. On the other side, Aarhus also offers a lot of nature such as Marselisborg Deer Park and the beach.
Social and Extracurricular Activities
Around early September, there were a lot of student activities that was organized by the university and the city. Around late August early September, the city organized Aarhus Festuge (10 days festival) in the city centre and there was one festival night for welcoming students at Molleparken. This was one of the most amazing social activities that I found to be memorable. During orientation week, there were a lot of events that were organized by the schools like international student party, or fun bar night and these activities helped me make a lot of friends and good memories. During my time in Aarhus, I signed up for a dance class in the city centre and I really enjoyed my time there. The class was in Danish; however, I was still able to learn the dance moves and make friends in the class.
