Having spent only about two weeks abroad in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, I've already recognized some key differences between the U.S. and this iconic European destination. Within my first day, despite some jet-lag, I was able to see some very apparent changes the next few months would bring.

1. How They Talk About Temperature

The only times I’ve used Celsius have been in science classes. People will say the weather in Celsius and I have absolutely no idea what it entails so I go to my iPhone. Why does America have to make things so difficult? Can we just get on the same page as everyone else?

2. Money

It’s all different sizes with different shapes and colors… And their change is actually significant sometimes (why do we honestly even have the penny?)

3. Time

Am I in the military? 21:00? What?

4. Small talk

I'm realizing more and more that small talk on public transit isn’t really a thing here. Don’t ask people how their days are. They think it’s a question that will lead to a longer discussion, not a greeting. These people are very kind, but are not game for pleasant chit-chat.

5. Everyone is attractive. No joke.

I see at least ten people each day that I am confident are models. I’m convinced they need to be compensated for their looks. Not even your fairly attractive catalogue models, but straight-up runway, high fashion models. But it seems that that is just a norm here - and that’s why I must move here.

6. Grocery Shopping

Besides the fact I still don’t know what a lot of the labels say, I know you need to get less produce, more frequently. There isn't any buying in bulk. They don’t have as many preservatives in their food here as they do in America (shocking), so your food will go bad quicker.

7. Public Transit

It’s a dream. It’s on time. It’s frequent. It’s clean.

8. Fashion

Everyone is fashionable. They always look nice. I’ve seen multiple women riding bikes in full dresses with heels and when I ride a bike I have my Nike shorts on, sweat, and get helmet hair. Simply not fair.

9. Open container laws

The first day I was here I saw a man walking down the street at around 3 PM with a beer, open, in his hand. He stopped next to me at the crosswalk and took a few swigs. I was in shock. My eyes were wide and I was looking for the police that were going to give him a citation. They never came though, because that ish is legal here!!!!

10. Smoking

The cigarette packaging here is wild. It straight up has photos of people dying of cancer and children in pain. And yet, I see more young people here smoking than in the States. It seems counterintuitive, but at least they know what they’re getting themselves into?