For more Danish vocabulary, check out the “New Word Wednesday” series on this blog.
When I decided to study abroad in Denmark, advice started pouring in from former DIS students and friends who had visited Denmark. The most common piece of advice I received was “rent a bike!” At first, I was hesitant. Biking in a city can be scary, especially when there is snow on the ground! But after living here for the past three and a half weeks, I can’t imagine my daily life without a bicycle.
The Danish word for bicycle is cykel. The word isn’t pronounced the way you would think. In the US, our word “cycle” is pronounced SAI-kul. In Denmark, cykel is pronounced SOO-kul. It’s a pretty common word here, because Danes love to ride their bikes!
According to Denmark’s official website, over 50% of Copenhagen residents ride their bike every day. There are more bikes than inhabitants! What is even more surprising is the use of bicycles by political figures. 63% of the members of parliament commute by bike! Can you imagine seeing Nancy Pelosi hop on a bike towards the Capitol Building?
Bicycles at Nørreport Station, where I get off the Metro every day. Yes, there is a second level to the bike racks!
I love riding my bike every day! It makes my commute much shorter, because I can bike to the train station instead of walking. The hardest part of riding my bike is definitely when there is snow on the ground, although it’s easier than I thought. I think it’ll seem strange to be back in Boston or DC and have no bicycles around from November-April!
For DIS students, two companies have a really great deal on bike rentals. The school is also super informative when it comes to giving us all the information about traffic laws, bike safety, and more. If you’re considering DIS, read more about Cycling in Copenhagen here!
LBM in CPH 