Coziness in Copenhagen

Dear reader,

I'm writing this sitting in a cafe down a narrow road in the city center of Copenhagen. I'm at a small table in one room of many cozy spaces in this cafe, surrounded by small groups of people chatting or studying quietly. The lighting is dim and warm, with a small candle burning brightly at each table. I ordered a chocolate croissant and a warm chai, served in a large mug, the perfect size around which to cup my chilled hands. This, to me, is the definition of "hygge"--one of my favorite aspects of Danish culture. It centers around the coziness of winter, big sweaters and scarves, indulgent desserts, creamy warm drinks, and, of course, candles upon candles. It captures the best parts of this otherwise cold and dark season. 

Not only does hygge incorporate these items of physical warmth, though, it includes those intangible feelings of warmth and satisfaction that come to the surface when you spend time with the people you love. These things, the Danes excel at. They seem to put family and friends above everything else, having one of the shortest work weeks of any country in the world and maintaining a strict work-life balance. In fact, this is such an integral part of their lives that cafes don't allow you to take out a computer to complete any amount of work during the weekends. I made this mistake, as I am still learning much about the culture through experience, and was approached by a waitress and asked politely to put away my computer while I enjoyed my drink. 

Even having only been here a week, I already feel so inspired by this lifestyle and have found myself focusing much more on finishing my schoolwork during the week, so that the weekend can be solely reserved for spending quality time with friends, exploring the city, and relaxing with a warm drink. I find myself looking forward to the next five weeks in my eagerness to continue immersing myself in the culture of Copenhagen. I sincerely hope that I'll adapt fully to these principles of Danish life while I'm here, carry those values with me back to my life in the U.S., and, hopefully, have enough time to soak in this slower, comfortable life before I move on to the bustling heat of the Mexican summer!

Love, Grace