Letters from Abroad: All About Hygge
I’m entering my fourth week in Copenhagen and it all still feels too surreal to me that I’m abroad in Europe. Maybe this is because everyone here speaks English or being abroad in general just hasn’t hit me. With classes already starting there’s still so much more exploring to do in Copenhagen as well as Denmark. Every street corner has cute restaurants and cafés to check out and the beautiful Nyhavn is only a 10-minute walk from the DIS school.
I’ve really been investing my time in between classes at these incredible cafes around Copenhagen. Before even leaving America I had heard the term hygge. I was told that everything is hygge and that I’ll love it. This Danish word means cozy.
Denmark is a country where it can be sunny and beautiful one minute and then suddenly be raining and gloomy out. With that being said, I’ve found my spot, or multiple spots that embody the term hygge. Just one block away from my last class of the day is The Living Room. This café is hygge. Dimmed lights and candles everywhere, the baristas greet you with friendly smiles and warm free samples of their baked goods. The coffee is strong and warm, which is perfect for the typical afternoon showers.
Right next door is yet another café, of course called Next Door Café. Not only do they give student discounts of five Kroners off any purchase, but everything they serve is incredible. The vibes there are different than at The Living Room as the space is smaller and there’s more of an interaction with the staff at this café.
I feel that by spending time at these hygge cafes where I’m surrounded by candles, dim lighting, happy people and warm coffee, I’m getting a sense of the Danish culture and slowly but surely I’ll become a local, and hopefully a regular at one of these cafes so I can maybe snag some free goodies from time to time. I’m almost looking forward to when it gets colder than it already is so I can sit in a café, drink my strong bitter coffee on a comfy couch in The Living Room or feel warm Next Door.