Introduction
What is the first thing you think of, when Denmark is mentioned to you? A lot of people would probably say it was a town in Norway or Sweden. But Denmark is actually a country, a set of islands north of Germany. The main ones are called Jutland, which is attached to Germany, Fyn, and Sealand, where the capital, Copenhagen, is situated.
I was lucky enough to be allowed to spend a year there, at The Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby, just north of Copenhagen. It has been a wonderful year, both in my studies and on the social side. I am now quite proficient in Danish which is not an easy language to learn - the written danish is completely different from the spoken.
I stayed in a hall of residence ten minutes walk from the university. For the first week I had the company of two of my sisters but then they left and the real test started. It was pretty weird at the start, miles away from family and friends but gradually, as my danish improved, my confidence did. I have to say that it took a few bottles of Carlsberg beer sometimes!!
Denmark is full of things to see and has its fair share of famous people and products. I will just mention that Danes are not actually so fond of bacon as we are led to believe!! What they are fond of is beer, raw fish, called sild, rye bread and schnapps. One can visit the two most famous breweries: Tuborg and Carlsberg. Funnily enough, berg means mountain and it was Carl who founded Carlsberg on a small hill, hence the name. There is also Tivoli, the world famous amusement park and gardens with a spectacular firework display twice a week. If its more serious things you are looking for, you can visit Rosenborg Castle, where they keep the danish crown jewels. For an all round view of Copenhagen and the surrounding area including Sweden, one can take a trip up the Round Tower. If one is really lazy then one can just about get a car up!!
So says Piet Hein, one of Denmark's most famous poets and I have to say I agree with him. This is just a brief overview of the university and life in the student community.
LYNGBY
Lyngby is a town just north of Copenhagen. It is roughly the same size as Norwich, maybe a little smaller. It's full name is 'Kongens Lyngby' which means Royal Lyngby and is so named because there is a royal palace. More about the places to see later.
DTH
DTH lies just outside Lyngby. It is a 'campus' university, in that all the buildings are on one site. It is in four sections just off the main road through it called Anker Engelunds Vej - so called because Anker Engelund was the founder. LAMF, is in the third section, as are most of the departments you will have contact with.
Courses
Before you get to Denmark, you should have selected the course you are to take. Of course these are not concrete, so if you don't like a course then you can change. The courses are taught and assessed in different ways. A lot of courses are taught in english, especially if there are non-danish speaking student in the course. Don't despair though if the lectures are in danish. The lecturer should offer some form of support teaching, either by extra lectures or by an english textbook and the exercises translated into english. As for the assessment, it is similar to here. Exam only, exam and coursework, or just coursework. The exams are not quite as bad as UEA as you are allowed to take text books in. Again, ask about papers in english. Exam and coursework is as it sounds, exercises handed in over the period of the lectures, then an exam at the end. For the coursework only courses, this can either take the form of homework handed in every week, or a project, or a mixture of both.
Examinations take place in the four weeks over Christmas and during May/June. It may be that in the autumn semester, an arrangement is made so that all your courses are coursework based, so you can come home for Christmas. This however may not be so in the spring semester.
The three week courses are very interesting, especially if you like the applied side of mathematics. If you take the LAMF modelling courses, you work on a real life problem, for example satellites being put into orbit. These are all project based.
Danish
When you first arrive in Denmark and hear a conversation, you are probably going to feel quite lost. Is this really the language you spent nine months learning? But don't despair, the Danes are on your side. First of all get yourself enrolled in a danish class. FOF Lyngby is probably going to be your best bet as it only costs 150Dkr per semester. You just buy books. The difficulty will be finding the right class for you. You will probably find, your grammar is pretty good, as is your reading and writing. If the class you end up in is too easy then do not hesitate to let the teacher know. Once you find your level, you will find it gets easier. In the first few weeks, you might find it easier to speak english, but once you start understanding those in your class, and when you begin to feel more confident, don't be afraid to have a go. The Danes will laugh a little at first but they realise - and even take pride in the fact - that danish is difficult so they soon become impressed.
Necessary Formalities
About six months before you come to Denmark you should contact the Danish Embassy in London for a form for gaining a residence permit.
When you arrive in Denmark, there are a few things you HAVE to do.
- Go to the IAESTE office to collect your key to your accommodation. The office is in Building 101, the main administration building on DTH.
- Register with Lyngby-Taarbaek Kommune. This should be done within the first couple of days. You will need your passport. When you register, you will be allotted a ten figure number. This is your personal number and will get you all sorts of things including a bank account and library membership. A week later, you should receive a yellow plastic card with your name, address in Denmark and your personal number. It will also have the name, address and telephone number of your doctor in Denmark. You should appoint one when you register. I would recommend:-
Steen Kjalke & Henrik Pedersen
Carlshojvej 53
- Collect your 'Student Legitimation' from the Student Office in Building 101. This gets you discount off books in the student book shop.
- Open a bank account. Den Danske Bank has a branch on the DTH campus so it is probably better to open it there. If you are transferring money, then it might be wise to have a Eurocheque card until the money comes through. Or it can be as cheap to use your Lloyds or Barclays payment card as it is through the visa system. You will only get a cash machine card.
Travel
There are two main ways to actually get to Denmark - ferry or plane.
Plane
This is the quickest and easiest way to get to Copenhagen. You can travel from any of the main international airports and the most it will cost you for a return (with an ISIC card) is around £120. There are plenty of flights a day as well each lasting around two hours.
Ferry
The ferry costs about £50 on Scandinavian Seaways from either Newcastle or Harwich to Esbjerg. On top of this there is travel from home to the ferry terminal then from Esbjerg to Copenhagen. The journey lasts about 24 hours in all so you will need to eat food, either your own or have a meal on the ferry.
There are also a few coach companies who go to Copenhagen. You will have to check details about this yourself.
Student Life
Accommodation
There are various halls of residences or colleges in and around Lyngby. The ones I know of are:-
Professor Ostenfeld Kollegiet - ten minutes walk from DTH
Kampsax Kollegiet - on DTH campus
Villum Kant Rasmussen Kollegiet - on DTH campus
P.O.Pedersen Kollegiet - in Virum, nr. Lyngby
There is also one in Naerum, just north of Lyngby.
All the rooms are En-suite. You are responsible for the cleaning of your room, including bathroom. Some cleaning aids are provided but you may find you have to buy cloths etc. Linen is provided, but you may have to take a duvet with you. The colleges are like a self-run business, where students on each 'kitchen' work together. There is beer, soft drinks and ice cream on the basis that you tick off every time you take one and then pay so much every so often. There are also food clubs, where you cook meals for the other members of the kitchen. Various items are also bought for 'kitchen use'. So you will find that you will get to know the members of your kitchen more than maybe those on your course.
Activities
On the colleges there are various parties and get togethers. These are fun and they can go on until 6 o'clock the next morning!! Some colleges have a 'Tuesday Pub' which happens once a month. You will find that licensing laws don't seem to exist in Denmark!!
"You know you are danish when you find extra holidays so you can discover a new type of beer!!"
"You know you are danish when it is three o'clock in the morning, there's not a car in sight in a 25km radius and you still wait for the green man!!"
IAESTE also have events. If you go to the new international students meeting at the beginning of the semester, you will be invited to be in a 'Tankel group'. These are small groups led by a danish student, who will show you around the main building 101 and also arrange small get-togethers. You may find, though that you spend more time with your danish friends.
Transport
Most people get around on a bike. You may be able to borrow one but otherwise you should find a second hand one. Lights are a must after dark as you will be fined 250 Dkr if found without them.
If you are going into Copenhagen or to anywhere in the Copenhagen area, then you will either use the bus or the S-train. They both work on the same pricing system, so is slightly easier to understand than the english system. The Copenhagen area is split up into zones. When you are at a bus stop or station, there is a sign showing all the zones in different colours. The zone you are in is red. All you have to do is find the place you are going to. The colour of the zone corresponds to the number of zones you travel through. You can either buy a ticket for that journey, or a ten clip card or a monthly card. Sample prices are below:
Two Zones Three zones
Ticket : 9.50Dkr Ticket : 14.25Dkr
Ten clip card : 70Dkr Ten clip card : 85Dkr
Monthly card : 235Dkr
Going further afield, there are three main modes of public transport - train, bus or even aeroplane. The bus is the cheapest way and is often as good as travelling by train.
For example I travelled to Aalborg in the Easter holidays. It would have cost me £30 to go by train - each way. The bus was £20 each way and it took six hours, the same time it would have taken by train.
Air travel is understandably more expensive. Further details can be obtained from the tourist offices.
Shops and Banks
This is just to tell you rough opening times.
Shops:
Monday to Friday : 1000 to 1800 (some 1900)
Saturday : 1000 to 1400 (first Saturday in Month to 1700)
So don't get up too late on a Saturday!! The cheapest supermarkets are Netto (Have you noticed that the UK have introduced Netto? Just remember the Danish one came first!) and Super Brugsen. Magasin and Illums (in Copenhagen) are the most expensive but not quite as expensive as Harrods in London, I found.
Sample prices are:
1 litre milk 4Dkr
1 loaf Ryebread (500g) 5Dkr
1 loaf bread (ordinary) 9Dkr
Cheese (500g) From 30Dkr
Margarine 9Dkr
Cornflakes etc. 25Dkr
"You know you are danish when you know you will miss rye bread, once you return home!!"
Just a word of warning: The Danes I lived with were very "domesticated" when it came to the kitchen, ie they often cooked their own bread. Very rarely did they use packet meals. A typical days food would consist of:
Breakfast: A type of harvest crunch cereal with 'thick milk' or yoghurt
Lunch : Ryebread with various toppings
Dinner : Frikadeller (beefburgers - homemade) with potatoes and vegetables
Ok, it wasn't always like this, but most of the time!!
Banks:
Monday to Friday : 0930 to 1600
Closed on weekends.
But if you are in Copenhagen, Den danske bank at the Railway Station is open.
Things to see etc.
Lyngby
Jaegersborg Dyrehave : Large park where the royals used to do their hunting. If you walk east for about 15 - 30 mins you will come to the east coast of Denmark, looking out towards Sweden.
Dyrehavsbakken : Large amusement park in the Dyrehave. Open April to September. Contains wooden roller coaster and various other rides.
Frilandsmuseet : Open air museum with lots of little old houses etc. I missed this one but on good authority its well worth a visit.
Copenhagen
Tivoli : Open May to End September. Well worth a visit. Rides and beautiful gardens in one. Wednesdays and Saturdays, there is a spectacular firework display.
Amalienborg Castle : to see the 'toy soldiers'. Every hour they change the guard rather like they do at Buckingham Palace, but its a much more relaxed affair. They don't take it that seriously!!
Sealand
Roskilde : Cathedral where all the kings and queens of Denmark are buried. Viking ship museum.
Frederiksborg Castle, Hillerød : Magnificent home of Christian the 4th.
Helsingør : In english, Elsinore, home of the famous castle of Hamlet.
"You know you are Danish when you are proud of H.C.Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard, Legoland and Tivoli!!"
To see all these attractions at a discounted price (or free) and travel all over the Copenhagen area on the bus or train free then you should buy a Copenhagen Card. They last for one, two or three days and are well worth the money, especially in the first few days when you want to get to know the place. One day costs 120Dkr
Two days costs 200Dkr
Three days costs 250Dkr
Outside Sealand
Møn : White Cliffs, more spectacular than the famous ones in Dover.
Aalborg : Town in Jutland. From there, you have fairly easy access by train to Skagen, the northernmost tip of Denmark. Just south of Aalborg there is Rebild Bakker, where they hold the festival celebrating links between the USA and Denmark on American Independence Day.
Legoland : Not forgetting the all important park for children and adults. There are trips by train and bus costing around 300Dkr.
Information
Other useful information can be found in '1-2-3 open and see'. It sounds like one of those books you start reading when you are five years old, but it contains a lot of things which are necessary.
If you want any more information on spending a year in Denmark, then contact:
Professor John Johnson or Professor Norman Riley