WORK PLACE: BOOK2WHEEL
My days in Odense are mainly characterized by going to the office, where I do my internship. It’s a super dynamic and engaging environment, which allows me to be in touch with the young world of start-ups, take on tasks and responsibilities, as well as broaden my basic knowledge and skills. I work as a Marketing Manager and my daily tasks include dealing with Market Analysis and Digital Marketing.
The company is called Book2wheel, which is an online portal for sharing and renting cycles and motorcycles. The company allows local people in the market to rent out their motorcycles for incoming tourists. Therefore, they can earn extra money and clients could explore the countries or cities comfortably and for affordably. So it is a win-win situation.
The sector is therefore mainly tourism and my work through the various social platforms is directed to the promotion and dissemination of info and offers. As well as analyzing the sector, looking for new foreign markets and identifying the best strategy to apply to them.
A NEW WAY TO GO AROUND
Regarding to the company’s concept after ten days in order to fully settle into the Danish lifestyle I decided to rent a bike, through the Book2wheel.dk website.
Denmark is a “bike friendly” country, ideal for cyclists and lovers of cycling in
general. The advantage derives from the lack of mountainous reliefs and large climbs.
The great Danish plains, in fact, boasts a system of avant-garde cycle paths in Europe, for a retricted area the cycle network is 12000 km long!
It does not usually meet traffic for the cities, or at least not so much as we are used to in Italy. You can see a lot of bikers waiting at the traffic light on the bike roads.
As for Odense, the third largest city in Denmark, which has about 200.000 inhabitants, and the cycle track is about 545 km long.
It is enchanting to see the children going to school in a group by bikes or seeing them carried in a Christiania bikes by their parents. I think they enjoy their bike ride to school because it is fun for them.
It can be really surprising how one’s lifestyle changes according to the circumstances and the place where one lives, simply adapts to the new culture and tries to absorb as much as possible to fully understand it
ABOUT ODENSE
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ACCOMODATION
As for the accomodation, I started looking for a place to stay before I arrived in Odense, therefore I joined groups on local social platforms. Here I indicate one of these International students in Odense. That’s how I found a great house, a cozy place with a garden and in a great position with the station and the city center.
The prices of the apartments are affordable, not far from the Italian rents of medium-large cities.
The home system is different, with shared laundry spaces and shared green areas.
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INSTRUCTION
The city is on a human scale, you move easily, having everything at your fingertips. It is rich in services and events, for every age.
There are a couple of universities here, but the two main establishments are “University of Southern Denmark” or better known as the SDU and the “Erbvervsakademiet Lillebælt” known EAL. The office where I do my internship is part the before-mentioned EAL, and is called EAL Incubator.
Precisely for the wide range of training, the diversity of paths, job opportunities and any other aspect concerning innovation and avant-garde, which every year the city of Odense, gathers thousands of international students, ready to undertake a period of studies abroad as Bachelor, Master, PHD or Erasmus.
Many grants and funding in research and study come from Danish State, and this is also the reason why it is chosen as an academic destination. The university in Denmark is completely free for European students, plus there are contributions to the scholarship for those who are student-workers.
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CITY
The city of Odense is certainly a place for families, the attention to the well-being of the citizen is high, with numerous parks and green spaces, playful and entertaining areas, markets and festivals around the city.
Pastel-colored houses, sloping roofs, large windows, dormers. These are the typical houses here! In the historic center you can see the first buildings of the city, the small-sized wooden houses. A long time ago artisan shops were to be found in the city, but nowadays there are mostly of quaint restaurants what remained of ancient second-hand dealers.
It is precisely among these houses, in a small village, in to the center, that the native house of Hans Christian Andersen is positioned and the places he visited. A tourist destination is also the museum dedicated to him, aforementioned man of letters. The whole city, with the numerous statues that portray it, address a tribute to the creator of the innumerable fairy tales, known all over the world.
It’s an amazing experience following the city through the research of fairy tales, depicted by numerous artists and located at the city center or walking and biking on the tracks-footsteps of HCA in Odense.
Not far from the small center you can see ancient cottages dating back to the nineteenth century, surrounded by houses of contemporary construction or immersed in bucolic landscapes.
DANISH GASTRONOMY
Regarding gastronomy, Denmark is distinguished by first of all the “smørrebrød”, simple rye bread with a choice of dressing above, the “røde pølser”, hot dog purchased at the various “pølsevogn” stands, the “frikadeller”, meatballs, accompanied by vegetables.
I prefer sweets than all various dishes mentioned before. Among the various pastas I remind:
Wienerbrød, today a local dessert, but finds its origins in Austria and Kanelsnegle, the famous cinnamon swirl.
Denmark is also a place with high attention to the other cultures, in fact there are some “Street food” centers, covered markets where you can taste different local and international dishes, in mainly cities.
In Odense, in the market square, every Wednesday and Saturday it is possible to meet local producers and bring home the flavors of the past.
Not only food products, there are also many occasions at various vintage markets, for example at the harbour or at the city’s areas.
I recommend that you have a look at the following page for more info, advice, humility and any kind of curiosity about Denmark: visitdenmark.com.
Following the third part of my article, where you can read more about places to visit in Denmark: