Zoe Weiner on Starting JYAN in Denmark

Spending the fall semester of my junior year in Copenhagen, Denmark, I have noticed that while Copenhagen is a culturally homogenous city, it is extraordinarily welcoming to people of all walks of life. There is very little focus on religion, and because of this everyone seems to demonstrate their individual beliefs in unique ways. In general, religion is seen as a very private matter, and therefore there is little opportunity for public worship. Danes do not regularly attend church services, but rather choose to celebrate their beliefs in the privacy of their homes. Despite this, Christmas is considered to be on of the most exciting times of the year in Copenhagen. I am interested to see how the holiday is celebrated without an emphasis on its religious ties. As a Jewish student, I feel rather out of place among the blonde and blue eyed population. It will be interesting to see how I end up celebrating the high holidays, as I have yet to see a temple in the city. I have come to love the culture of this remarkable city, and look forward to being given the opportunity to share its wonders with the Georgetown community.