University of Wisconsin–Madison

Denmark: Claudia Delgado (Places and Routine)

A red, hexagonal sign with a white "S" is mounted above a rack of bicycles on the side of the road at dusk.
S tog stop in Sorgenfri, about a 5 minute walk from Basecamp Lyngby– where I am living in the suburbs of Copenhagen.

As I am writing this, I am sitting on the E line on the S tog– the train heading mod (towards) Sorgenfri— and my home away from home. The commute is around 45 minutes, but it is the highlight of my day. Right now the leaves are changing colors, and I love observing how every day there is something new to observe and appreciate. From architecture to people to fashion to weather, the train provides a glimpse at the interconnectedness between the human and the natural world. As I travel from the city center to the country, I find a reprieve from the hustle and bustle. I exhale. Sitting in the stillezone (quiet zone for those typical Danes who love their silence), I laugh to myself as I silently recite the stops and their respective announcements on the intercom, knowing that I will always remember the monotone Danish and British voices reciting: Her du skifter til busser, metro og andre tog: “Change here for buses, the metro, and other trains.” I gaze out of the window and see the journey–from high rise to neighborhood to lakes and long verdant fields– and I am reminded of how lucky I am to be right here, right now, in this city with abundant nature and people who utilize it with utmost respect. I will get home, go for a run, and wander in the woods of Lyngby, this beautiful place I get to call home.

 

Claudia takes a selfie in front of a rectangular fountain surrounded by pink flowers.

Claudia Delgado

Hometown: La Crosse, Wisconsin

Major: Global Health & Zoology

Program: DIS Copenhagen