Exchange Stories | Jaap Dickmann – Copenhagen – Denmark

At first sight Copenhagen might not sound like the most exciting city to live and study given the fact that it is only an hour away by plane, and may not speak to your imagination as places like Sydney, Boston or Kuala Lumpur would.

However, this city is one of the greatest cities I have visited so far, and I can definitely recommend coming to Copenhagen for an exchange semester. It’s a vibrant city, with heaps of sights, exciting nightlife and very friendly people. This, and the fact that everybody gets around by bike, made me feel at home straightaway.

One of the amazing things of an exchange is the fact that you meet so many new people from many different places and cultures. However, it is also fun to meet locals. Of course CBS (Copenhagen Business School) is a great starting point, but I’ve found out that getting a job in a bar is an even better way of doing so. From what I’ve heard Danes aren’t always that open to internationals, but I haven’t experienced this myself. On the contrary: I find the people in Copenhagen very open and friendly. Since alcohol is very expensive in Scandinavian countries, we tend to start partying at someone’s place before heading into town. There are a lot of cool bars in the city centre, but even cooler places can be found in Norrebro and the Meat Packing District in Vesterbro. These places are less touristy and have a more unique vibe. Moreover, the fact that I have a lot of time on my hands besides working and studying means I get the opportunity to travel around more than I do while I live in the Netherlands.

So far I have been on a road trip through Denmark, Gothenburg, Lund (Sweden), and Budapest. After my final exams I will also travel north of the Arctic Circle to Lapland, after which I hope to travel the Baltic States. Copenhagen Business School is located in modern buildings that are easily accessible by bike or public transport. The university is well organized and so far the lectures are of high quality. The level of the material is quite comparable to what we study at the VU, but more material is covered in a short amount of time. All in all I think it’s safe to say that Copenhagen is amazing and that my time abroad has been amazing so far. I don’t expect that to change anytime soon!