Denmark consists of a peninsula and 400+ islands in the North Sea. A bridge between Scandinavia and continental Europe, this friendly northern country is a confluence of modern, cosmopolitan cities; simple, historic architecture influenced by Nordic tradition, and fairytale villages with town markets, country churches, and castles. The flat country, with moors, lakes, farmlands, and woodlands, and traffic-free pedestrian streets are ideal for riding bicycles or chatting with friends at a cafe. Danes value their personal space and love to be cozy and comfortable—following the concept of hygge.

Weekends for teens are often mean parties, hanging out at cafes, and the cinema. Although soccer is most popular, don’t miss out on swimming, sailing or rowing since you’ll be an hour away from the seashore.

AFS Youth exchange in Denmark

Culture & Community

You can live anywhere in Denmark, including Greenland and Faroe Islands, however, you will likely be in a rural or suburban area. Danish towns are close together and you can comfortably rely on the public transportation system. Families in Denmark are very close and most prefer to cook dinner at home together every night. Follow the lead of your host siblings: Be independent, do your homework and help out around the house on your own.

School

You’ll either attend the first or second year of gymnasium (a university preparatory high school), or folkeskole for students between 6 and 16 years old. School runs from August through June, Monday to Friday (8 am to 3 pm). You will probably have five or six mandatory subjects and one ortwo electives, in addition to  Danish language classes throughout the year. Schools and community organizations offer extracurricular activities: sports, music, crafts, drama or scouting clubs.

Language

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Fiona A (@dr_fsa) am 12. Sep 2017 um 2:46 Uhr

The main language spoken is Danish, while Faroese, Greenlandic and German are also recognized as official regionally. Danish people tend to be quite proficient in English, so a basic knowledge of English will be helpful. AFS will help you find language courses in the first few months or provide you with materials to learn the language on your own before going on your exchange.

Food

Danish food includes a wide variety of meats and vegetables. Danish lunch is a traditional open-faced sandwich, called smorrebrod. Dinner is usually the main meal and typically a time for the whole family to gather and talk about their days. Danish people enjoy pickled herring and salted black licorice.

Explore the Programs Available in Danimarca