Popular Topics
Trip Report
Singing in Denmark and Sweden
This was a 9-day school trip for my choral group in Sweden and Denmark. We explored the many streets lined with colorful houses in Copenhagen and experienced marine life in Copenhagen and Karlskrona.
Highs & Lows
The highlight was living with my host family and learning how to cook Swedish meatballs with gravy.
The first day we got there, we already had to adjust to jetlag and we had a tour set up which everyone was tired for.
Itinerary Overview
The group flew into Denmark first. The first day was the hardest day, mainly because there was a 6-hour time difference that we were unprepared for and had a whole day of museum tours and sightseeing. Many of the students could not function with the jet lag and cultural shock.
The second day we arrived, we explored the city of Copenhagen and noticed the intricate, colorful houses that were perfectly built around the water.
On the third day, we took a bus to Karlskrona, Sweden, and were invited to sing at a church and participate in a Sunday Service. On this day, we also met our host families that we would stay with for about two days.
On the fourth day, we visited the MarinMuseum in Karlskrona, which was full of ocean artifacts.
On the fifth day, we took a 7-hour bus ride to Stockholm. This was mostly a travel day, but we got an experience at the rest stop that almost resembled a five-star hotel with five Michelin star food.
Early in the morning of the sixth day, we rode the subway to Gamla Stan (an island) and visited the Nobel Prize Museum. There, we had a workshop with a renowned Swedish singer.
The seventh day was full of tours and free time. Some people visited the ABBA museum, others went on a bike tour around the city. At night, we had our final concert at Eric Erickson hall.
On the last day of the Sweden trip, we took a high-speed train to Uppsula and sang at the Maundy Thursday Mass. We returned to Stockholm for a final farewell dinner.
Copenhagen It was on our way to our target destination (Sweden) and Copenhagen is part of the Scandinavian charm (ie. colorful houses, fairy tales).
We stayed in Copenhagen for two days where we had the wonderful privilege to sing on the streets. Although we were jet-lagged on the first day, it was amazing to see the Little Mermaid Statue of which many fairy tales have been inspired. We also lived right by the Tivoli Gardens so it was only natural that we visited the famous amusement park (contradictory to its name). Overall, a wonderful time in Copenhagen for the two days I was there. Additionally, the air quality was the best I've ever experienced.
Karlskrona concert singing, experience host family living
All the students had different experiences with their host families, but for me, I lived with a single mother and her son. They brought us to the MarinMuseum where we learned about the many sea creatures that are native to Sweden. Our host mother also showed us how to make Swedish meatballs and how to make the gravy using the excess meatball water. She also introduced us to a Swedish soft drink known as "Påck must" that many Swedes love drinking. I think living with a host family gave us an inside scoop of their lifestyle that we would not have gotten if we lived in our own.
Stockholm Concert singing, main tourist attractions of Sweden
This was where most of the tours took place, as this was where we stayed the longest. We also had more free time to roam the streets and go anywhere independently from the group. There were many Viking and naval base museums. We also tried a lot of sweets including the large-sized gelato and princess cake.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I would have avoided most of the tours and just traveled based on recommendations from the natives. However, that was not possible as this was with a school and I could not plan anything independent of the group.Anything go wrong during the trip?
I don't recall anything going wrong on this trip. It went swimmingly and according to plan. I think that was because we had adults on the trip to supervise and keep us on schedule.Restaurant recommendations?
The food was delicious--especially the Swedish meatballs. I feel as though much of their cuisine consists of bread, berries, and pork/fish.Tips you would give a friend?
Some tips I would give a friend would include bringing more cash than card because many of the stores/restaurants only accepted cash (or króna). Another tip would be spending your money wisely because it is true-- Sweden and Denmark have very high standard of living but that also means everything costs more!Packing tips?
It was important to pack comfortable walking shoes because most of the time we were walking (I think that is the case with most of Europe). In addition, the weather in April was unpredictable so we had to pack layers-- which included packing hats, gloves, and a warm coat.Transportation Tips?
I would utilize the subway if walking is not an option. But walking is nice because being outside in these countries was refreshing (especially with the nice air).Any surprises?
One of the big surprises was when they offered us a "mysterious meat" which many of us ate for dinner. They eventually revealed that we had just eaten moose- which was a surprise to all of us.Booking details?
The school booked all of our stays for us.
Lodging
Hard Rock Copenhagen - clean, small rooms but worked perfectly for two in each room
Host Family - clean, showed us Swedish customs, provided food
Best Western Kom Hotel - great location near the subway and had breakfast/pool/sauna included