Copenhagen is the most populous Danish city and also the capital of Denmark, a beautiful Scandinavian country located in Northern Europe. This famous city, where the newly Oscar-nominated film “The Danish Girl” was shot, attracts millions of people from all over the world because of its astonishing views and unique architecture.
This past fall semester, the two Rutherford sisters —junior Carly Rutherford and senior Chrissy Rutherford— both took part in the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) program and spent their fall semester in Copenhagen.
The DIS program’s slogan “Europe as your classroom” sparked Carly’s interest in studying in Copenhagen initially. It’s unusual to go on the same program as a sibling, but according to Carly, going to Denmark with her sister “made her feel safe, and to be frank, [Chrissy] was better at booking airplane tickets.”
While studying economics abroad, Carly loved to go to Tivoli, the most famous amusement park in Copenhagen. It is said that Tivoli was the inspiration for Disney’s theme parks. She also enjoyed just walking along the canal in the city center and spending time in small local coffee shops or cafes. She also described her favorite Danish food, the traditional Danish birthday cake, which features fresh fruits, three layers of whipped cream, and a thin layer of icing on top.
Carly also noted the differences between Denmark and the U.S. Saying that “there’s a different mindset over there, more socialistic, but it is a homogenous country […] They aren’t as open as Americans at the start, but once you get to know them, they are just like us.”
In addition to her studies in Denmark, Carly visited Russia and Ireland. She met UN members, heads of Russian-based companies and Russian government officials in Moscow. Most importantly, she got to apply the principles and theorems about Russia she learned in the classroom to real life. As a dedicated UR Celtic club dancer, Carly and her sister got to dance in Irish pubs with live music, after they left Russia and crossed the continent. “It was a lot of fun,” Carly commented.
Carly’s believes her experience has changed her forever. “I now believe that I have a more global perspective than I once had,” she said. “This came from both my classes and outside experiences. I think I have also become more tolerant of different perspectives and have learned to move forward from that. I have become more independent as well. Even though my sister was there with me, there were many times that I needed to settle something that no one else could.”
