Denmark 2025

Day 2 - A Student's Perspective

Grace Long '26 shares her adventures from Day 2 in Copenhagen and Quinn Weggler '25 provides a photographic exploration of the city. Plus, a few extra photos from your chaperones.

The day began at 11:30 am for me! I have been super jet lagged since arriving here and slept for a little over 13 hours last night. I woke up and enjoyed fresh pastries from a popular Danish bakery. They are much more fresh here than in America. I then took the metro with my hosts to Rysensteen Gymnasium (their school) to meet up with students from the grade below. There, we were divided into groups of three and went with three Danish students to do a scavenger hunt around the city. We visited many children’s parks, we explored a church, and went into many different restaurants. We walked around after the scavenger hunt, but still in the same groups, and my group stopped in a bookstore. I spent a lot of time reading the backs of the books. They had a whole section filled with English books. I bought two books that are by Danish authors, one discussing women’s roles in American politics and economy. The other is also by a Danish author but more self-help. It talks about ways to stay creative and authentic to yourself. After our shopping, we went back to regroup with all the Tabor students and other Rysensteen students at a park. The other groups made it in time to play in a field game, similar to baseball but my group took too long in the bookstore so we didn’t play. After that, some Tabor students and Rysensteen students went for a walk just to see what was around. We went into a thrift store and an ice cream shop. Next we went back to the park to meet our hosts again. All of the girls went to lunch together at a burger place and talked about the culture differences and Donald Trump. Then, we took the metro to explore Christiania, which there are no laws. It is not what it seems though, it is filled with art, jewelry, music, and clothing. Most Tabor students bought something from here because everything is very unique and rich in Danish culture. After that, we all separated to go back home with our hosts. I had some down time so I read some of my book and journaled while dinner was being made. After dinner I played cards with my hosts and ate dessert. I'm excited for tomorrow!!

-Grace Long '26

Day 3 - A Student's Perspective

Mareya Barboza '26 shares the adventures of Day 3 with us, including some time with Anders Schultz of Rysensteen Gymnasium in the morning, followed by a city tour with "the other Anders," and finally some more exploration of Copenhagen by boat!

Today the Tabor Students started their day meeting at Rysensteen with their host. After we all met in a classroom, our host left us with one of their head-teachers, and he explained to us the difference in Cultures. He conversated with us about how things are similar and different in Copenhagen then in America, as well as why our schools do the Global Program. After we discussed, us Tabor students then met up with our hosts again and did a city walk. The views were amazing and the people even better! Once it was time for lunch we split up with our hosts and found a place to eat. My host, Linnea, and I went to a sandwich and juice spot called John's and got a Tuna-Avocado sandwich, it was very good. After lunch, our Danish hosts went back to school and us Tabor Students spent the rest of the day together. We first went walking around, and after that we had to get ready to go on the Wilders Kanal trip! But before the boat ride, my friends and I decided we needed another snack. Right in front of the Kanal was a hotdog stand, which my host says is very famous in Denmark, so we all ordered sausages in a bun with mustard, ketchup, onions, pickles, and some type of breadcrumbs on top. It was the perfect, but messy, thing to eat before our boat ride. Once it was our turn for the Kanal, we all got on and enjoyed the wonderful view of Denmark, Copenhagen. Finally, before we met up with our hosts again to go home, we spent about an hour or so shopping in Strøget. It was overall a beautiful experience, and I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Kindest Regards,
Mareya Barboza '26

Day 4 - A Student's Perspective

Today, Juniors Michael Leney and Lilah Clearly share with us their writing and photos, respectively, to share their experiences of Day 4 in Denmark. It was a lighter day in terms of walking; your Copenhagen Crew took a train out to Helsingør, also known as Elsinore, to visit the Danish Maritime Museum and Kronberg Castle.

Today, the Danish and American Students took a trip away from the city that they've come to know. By train, the two classes embarked from Copenhagen Grand Central Station to Elsinore, a small but famous maritime village. the day itself was rather grey and cold; characteristic of Denmark; So, we explored the M/S maritime museum, a collection of pictures and model boats that tell the stories of maritime history all around Scandinavia, The museum itself was conceptualized by the famous design and contracting firm BIG, who chose to put the exhibits rather fittingly in an old dry-dock where the former shipyard was.

After that, we visited the nearby Kronborg castle, famous in its history for the conflict it caused over canal tolls with Sweden, and even more so known for being the setting and castle of Shakespeare's Hamlet. At this point, everyone had gotten cold and hungry, so we went into town to explore, shop, and find some lunch. After that excursion - we re-boarded the train and returned to Copenhagen to relax or explore with our hosts individually for the rest of the day.

- Michael Leney '26

Day 5 - A Student's Perspective

From shipping containers and contrails (those white cloud-like formations that planes leave behind) to castles and Kings (yes, we saw the King!), today was a busy day in Denmark. Tonight, Juniors Sophie Dart and Charlie Jackivicz take us through the day via blog and photos, respectively.

Today, students embarked on an adventure around the city and to classes! We started off the day with two classes, physics and English. In physics we talked about the environmental impacts of aviation. In English, American students mingled with the other students in their Danish grade where we did bonding exercises and rubbed each other’s shoulders which was a culture shock for all the Americans! 

After school the Tabor students went to a food market for lunch which had all types of foods and options. Most students ate pizza and had a sweet treat! 

After that we took on an adventure to go visit the Rosenborg Slot and the Maersk Museum. The Rosenborg Slot is a summer house for the royal family converted into a museum and treasury for the Danish Crown Jewels. All students took lots of pictures at the cool architecture and gorgeous jewels while we were all remarking about how we wish we were princes and princesses! We also got to see the King! They were doing an award ceremony for a medal of excellence to the royal guards which was incredible to see and a huge bucket list item that none of us thought we would accomplish! 

After the Rosenborg Slot, students moved on to the Maersk Museum which is a shipping and cargo company that is worldwide. While there we learned both about the history of Maersk and how they have adapted to the progressive push of sustainability. Students were engaged and asking various questions about how the cargo world works and the intricacies of such companies.  

Following the museums and academic endeavors we met back up with all of our hosts at the Absalon, which is a community center that holds large and cheap dinners. Students mingled between groups, ate vegetarian chili, focaccia, and played various card games. To finish the night off most hosts and students went to a very famous Danish ice cream place where we all stuffed ourselves with sugar and more specifically a Danish topping called guff, which is similar to marshmallow fluff. It was a long but exciting day in Denmark!

- Sophie Dart '26

Day 6 - Student Perspectives

It's hard to believe that today was the last day in Copenhagen! Tomorrow, we say goodbye to our friends at Rysensteen and travel home. It has been a blast for all involved. The final day was jam-packed with activity—12 hours of it! So much so, that we had to divide and conquer to get it all in. The group started together for one activity, before breaking into two groups to visit Copenhill and Roskilde. Adeline Wiesel '27 and Luke Peabody '25 bring you the blogs below, outlining the activity, while Ben Hebbel '26 and Leo Kavey '26 share images from their respective days. Plus, your chaperones can't help but share a few more of our own great shots of your students.

Day 6 - Part 1 by Luke Peabody '25

Today we all woke up a bit earlier than normal and made our way to the gymnasium to get ready for our day. We first as a group visited the University of Copenhagens and got a tour around the modern and contemporary circular dorm [Tietgenkollegiet] by a student. 

Next we slipped off into our two groups for the day, mine was the group going to Roskilde a town west of Copenhagen. We took the train and arrived in 20 minutes were we all went to a huge cathedral [Roskilde Cathedral] where the old kings and queens [are buried].

After that we visited a Viking Ship Museum where we saw ships from the Viking age. As we walked back to the train station to return to Copenhagen it started to snow!

Then we arrived back in the city and went to a rooftop pizza place with some very good pizza and ended the day off with a walk around an art museum [Design Museum Denmark] showing different designs and furniture in Denmark from old designs to new. Then our hosts picked us up and and we all headed home for our last night here in Denmark.

Day 6 - Part 2 by Adeline Wiesel '27

I started off my morning by enjoying some sugarless cereal and a cappuccino! Very different from my normal Tabor breakfast. My host, Annika, and I then took the extremely safe and clean metro. At Rysensteen Gymnasium we started our morning off bright and early 15 minutes earlier than the Danish students normally arrive (which they were not happy about). Once we said our farewells, we started our twelve-hour day in the city. Yay! Kevin and Mike purposefully led us to Tietgenkollegiat, which is a dormitory for university students in Denmark and from all over the world. Upon entering the dormitory, we were prompted with the two questions: How does the architecture affect social welfare? And how do the materials make you feel? Which were very enriching questions, and I am sure everyone put a lot of thought into them.  

Given Kevin and Sophie’s infatuation for Danish design, our tour guide, My, was an architecture and design student. She explained that the Dormitory is an independent building where you can apply to live without going to any specific university. The dormitory is layed out thoughtfully and the buildings were cool to see. However, the highlight for the group seemed to be the colorful mailboxes and washing machines, which I took many pictures of. 

At 10:30, Group A, the walking group, split from Group B, the chill group. My group (A) began our walk to Christiania. Kevin and Sophie, our group leaders, led us to Bodenoffs Bageri where we bought some coffees and pastries, which was a much needed and delicious treat. Isa and I split a Pizza pastry and a Cardamom pastry, and the vanilla chai was AMAZING. Next up for our group was the Vor Freslers Kirke, where we walked to the top of a very high and slightly scary church steeple. I tried to pronounce the name of the church to my host family, and all they could do was laugh because they had NO idea what I was saying. Our group of 10, climbed some steep staircases before finally reaching the outside steps that circle around the steeple, and surprise … there were more stairs! I didn’t think I had a fear of heights until this moment. And let me tell you, I always had at least one or two hands on the railing. Once we reached the top, Kevin hosted his very own Copenhagen skyline photo shoot, where he took individual pictures of everyone. Very thoughtful of him, but hopefully he took a selfie for himself. Then I made a few TikToks, because the perfect time for a TikTok is when you are 300 feet off the ground! And we all successfully made it to the ground in one piece. 

For lunch we headed over to Lille Bakery. I got a delicious baguette with ricotta, tomatoes, and garlic. In Copenhagen the food is extremely fresh and has been a highlight for me on this trip. After lunch, we entered a “dystopian” feeling area of Copenhagen and allegedly trespassed into Copenhill. But we all made it safely under the barbed wire! Copenhill burns Copenhagen’s and other cities' trash and produces water vapor as a result. However, the incinerator also functions as a recreational ski hill and rock-climbing wall. Copenhill embodies Copenhagen’s goal for having zero carbon footprint while still maintaining accessible and beautiful places for the public. It is very interesting to see how focused the Danes are on having minimal environmental impact, when it doesn’t seem to be a concern for American leadership. Despite having the opportunity to take the bus, Group A decided we would walk to the Strøget, how very Danish of us! 

When we arrived at the Strøget, we wandered around for about an hour, poking in and out of shops. Isa and I successfully helped Leo pick out a sweatshirt, which I think was his first purchase here, and I have made many … At 5:40, we met up again with Group B and dined on a cute rooftop. Pizza was a great way to spend our final dinner and evening together in Copenhagen. 

Our final adventure of the trip took place at the Design Museum. We walked through many rooms featuring fabric, chairs, technology, and many bright colors. Naturally, Grace had to be told to only look and not to touch the art. I took a LOT of photos that I will be posting on my instagram, so yay! 

Now I have been writing for a very long time, and I’m not sure how many people will keep reading to this point. But I think I speak for all of us when I say that we had an amazing time on this trip…and maybe it was even life-changing?!! The cultural differences were interesting to observe, and I loved having conversations with the Danes … especially political conversations. But I am so happy that I got to write about our final day and express how much fun I had with my host families and the Tabor students and faculty. See you (hopefully) soon Copenhagen!! 

Copenhagen - A Student's reflections

Your Copenhagen crew has made it back stateside, and the students have started reflecting on their experiences. Today, Leo Somma ‘27 takes us through the week.

After an incredible week in Copenhagen, our time in Denmark has come to an end :( From the moment we landed to the final night spent with our hosts, every day was packed with adventure, culture, and unforgettable experiences. 

Our inital morning arrival was met with warm welcomes, Danish flags, and sleepy teenagers ready to show us their city. Some of us jumped straight into exploring, while others wisely caught up on sleep before diving into the week. The first day set the tone—lots of walking, biking for some, incredible food, and, most importantly, lots of time with our Danish hosts. 

Throughout the week, we experienced Copenhagen through a mix of structured activities and free exploration. A scavenger hunt with a younger Rystensteen led us through hidden corners of the city, where we visited grocery stores, a park, a park, and subway station and another park. Some engaged in deep conversations about politics, cultural differences, but most about a which Danish pastry was superior, or if Raising Canes is “actually good”. We navigated the metro, I tried smørrebrød(a very colorful open-faceed sandwich), and spent time wandering through unique neighborhoods like the “lawless” Christiania, where art, music and aimless hippies filled the streets. 

Academically, we got a glimpse of Danish school life, sitting in on classes at Rysensteen Gymnasium and participating in discussions about global issues. The hands-on learning extended beyond the classroom, with visits to historical and cultural sites, including the M/S Maritime Museum and Kronborg Castle, and later the Maersk Headquaters and Rosenburg Castle where we had the unexpected honor of seeing the Danish King during an award ceremony. More importantly we realized that the very scary looking castle guard was allowed to talk to us, and he was quickly swarmed with Americans taking selfies and making Tik Toks with him, which I’m sure he appreciated.  

Our final days were spent reflecting on all we had experienced, which we had more than enough time to do considering the amount of walking integrated into the agenda. We all toured a unique dormitory, then Group A did some walking and hit up Vor Frelsers Kirke, Lille Bakery, and Copenhill and group B... did something else. We ended the day strolling the Strøget (pronouced “stroll,” get it...) made some memorable last-minute purchases, and shared a rooftop dinner. A late night visit to the Design Museum wrapped up our epic last day. 

Finally on Friday we said our last goodbyes to our Danish hosts and ended our truly unforgettable journey. Then came a forgettable journey including an 8-hour flight and lots of sitting around at airports. 

I will now end with a quote: 
“I think I speak for all of us when I say that we had an amazing time on this trip…and maybe it was even life-changing?!!”  
-Adeline Wiesel, “Day 6 in Copenhagen” 

SHOUTOUT! Kevin “Big Kev” Arnfield, Sophie Arnfield, Mike Bodall, and Stacy Jago. Thanks for babysitting us for a week and spitting some knowledge while you were at it.  

-Leo Somma ‘27