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The classes that explored a sustainable society and the time I spent with friends helped me grow as a person.

Kazuki Tan, 4th year student, School of Law

In Southern Copenhagen, in the vast Amager Common that stretches to the sea

Why are new experiences valuable? I think it's because you learn by tackling and overcoming things you can't do. My 10 months studying abroad in Denmark were filled with new experiences, and each one helped me grow as a person.

I studied at the University of Copenhagen, where international students from all over the world gather. In one class that particularly made an impression on me, "Sustainable Development of Denmark," we analyzed data on Danish society's history, current demographics, happiness levels, and other factors, and discussed solutions to existing problems. For example, in one class, the professor first introduced a summary of a paper that analyzed the reasons why Denmark has achieved such a high level of SDGs achievement. After that, we used data such as average life expectancy and happiness levels from countries ranked highly for SDG achievement to think about policies that we would like to apply to our own country.

The biggest hurdle I faced in this class was that it questioned my own purpose in life. Many students were proactive in speaking up, and I felt like I would be left behind if I didn't say something, so I made an effort to be the first to speak up among the students. Then, I gradually became aware that the important thing was not English ability but the content of what was being communicated, and little by little I was able to express my own opinions. I think that realizing the elements I lacked that are necessary for speaking up in English led to great growth.

In this class, there were also critical opinions that the SDGs are a slogan that ignores the cultures of each country, and I realized that the issues that exist in society are complex and intertwined, and there are no simple and clear answers. However, by meeting people from various countries, I was exposed to many values, which made it easier to imagine people living in each country, and the resolution of my view of the world improved, which was an invaluable experience for me.

As part of a class, we visited Amager Common, which has been transformed from a waste dump into a natural area. A walk around the hill that was once a pile of waste (left). Professor talks about the story of how Amager Common was reborn as a natural area.  (right)

Outside of my studies, I was really touched when my friends gave me a handwritten recipe book with recipes from their home countries as a farewell gift just before I returned home to Japan.

The background to this gift lies in the countless meals we cooked and ate together during my study abroad, meals from Denmark to Italy, Korea, the US, and Japan. One dish that made a particularly strong impression on me was a Somali dish I made with a friend of Somali descent: pasta in a tomato sauce with coriander, garnished with bananas. I was surprised at first, but the sweetness of the banana and the sourness of the tomato sauce went well together, making it a delicious dish. According to my friend, this dish was created by adding locally grown bananas to pasta, which was eaten under the influence of the food culture of Italy, the former colonial power. I think it was a valuable time that allowed me to get a glimpse of a part of the culture of each country through meals with people from various countries.

Left: A recipe book I received as a gift. It contains recipes from various countries, such as Indian curry and Danish chocolate cake. Of course, there is also Somali pasta!
Right: Somali dish made with friends: pasta with tomato sauce and bananas with coriander

～What surprised me when I went to Denmark～

Friday Bar just after the start of the semester

It's a culture called Friday bars. I was surprised to find that on Fridays, several bars open on campus, alcohol is sold, and loud music is played. It was a chance to casually chat and make friends with people I knew from class but had never spoken to before, and it was a good memory of my study abroad. There are Friday bars in companies too, which is similar to what we call "hanakin" in Japan. Apparently, a business plan that was discussed over drinks was even realized.

Denmark Information

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy located in Northern Europe. It consists of the Jutland Peninsula between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea and over 400 islands. The capital is Copenhagen on the island of Zealand. It has a population of about 5.98 million (as of 2024) and an area of about 43,000 square kilometers. The official language is Danish. The time difference is 7 hours behind Japan. In winter, the daylight hours are very short, and people spend more time at home, so it is famous as a design powerhouse that produces a lot of comfortable and well-designed furniture.