A Concordian abroad: 'It was hard to believe I was in the same wet, stormy Denmark'

Meagan Boisse is an undergraduate student in the Department of Journalism, and a member of the Institute for Co-operative Education. For her last work term, she was employed as a roving reporter at Concordia.ca.

Now, through Concordia International, Boisse is spending the winter 2016 term studying at the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus, Denmark.

If you could come up with the recipe for happiness, I’m sure sunshine and the sea would be key ingredients. Nothing quite says summer like the combination of the two. 

Now that spring has officially sprung in Denmark, Aarhus benefits from both. The city hugs the Kattegat Sea and offers many awesome beachy spots where one can stop to revel in the warmth.

Nothing is as quintessentially relaxing as the glimmer of light on the water or a fresh, cool breeze wafting up from the shoreline. And trust me, all this sunshine feels especially good after braving the Danish winter, in which grey is the country’s dominant state.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of meandering around Aarhus and enjoying this long-awaited bout of glorious weather while taking in the city's sights, tastes and sounds.

Speaking of tastes, who would have thought that one of the best gelato places (and I backpacked in Italy for a month, so I know a thing or two about gelato) would reside in Trøjborg, an idyllic little neighbourhood snuggled in Aarhus’ northern reaches?
 

Fortunately, I made a Danish friend while working on my last class assignment, who has a wealth of insider knowledge regarding the go-to eateries in and around the city.  

Given that sunshine and ice cream are inextricably tied, my Danish connection brought me to Dolce Vita Is this weekend — an Aarhus must-try. I knew I was in for a treat when I got there and was greeted by a line of hungry Danes eagerly queued outside the shop’s door. A real gem!

I opted for a scoop of grapefruit, coconut and pistachio gelato, but if you ever want to truly embrace the full Danish experience, there is liquorice among the more traditional flavours. But be warned — black, salty liquorice is definitely an acquired taste.

After inhaling what can only be described as heaven in the form of churned milk, we moseyed down to the bay, conveniently located only a short stroll from Dolce Vita Is. As I lounged on the hilly coastline and watched a bunch of Danes sunbathing in a park below, it was almost hard to believe I was in the same wet, stormy Denmark I’d known since the start of my winter term.

As an aside, if ever you feel awkward and ghostly after the long winter and hesitant to show off your snowy white skin, the Danes are pretty much the pastiest sunbathers around, so you’ll fit right in.

For those of you considering a Nordic location for your exchange, while you might question your decision in the middle of February (why did I not choose Spain?!), come springtime, you’ll be happy to be where you are. These northern cities are different places under the warmth and light of the springtime sun!

Start your application for exchange today! To read Meagan Boisse’s previous dispatches, follow the links at the top-right of this page.