Good to know
Weather
As Denmark is a country with a long coastline, the weather is close to unpredictable. The weather can change radically from day to day and every season has it's own "dress-code".
Winter
December to February.
The winters in Denmark are relatively mild compared with the rest of the Northern countries, but expect at least a week with snow and degrees from 5 to ÷ 5 °C. Sometimes warmer, sometimes colder.
Summer
June to August, but both May and September can be very summer-like.
Expect the average degree to be from 20 - 25°C…but always be prepared for both warmer AND colder weather.
Spring and Fall
The most unpredictable seasons.
Especially the fall is characterized by wind and rain and the nature is coloured in orange and brownish nuances.
Spring is pale green and very mild.
You will experience that the Danes live a lot in their homes because of the long periods with rain, wind and chilly weather. But as soon as the sun peeps out between the clouds most Danes run out to get the most of it, no matter what temperature the barometer shows.
With snow it is the exact same story.
Check out local weather forecasts at the Danish Meteorological Institute, DMI.
Means of Transport
As Denmark is a small country connected with bridges, most of the travelling happens by train or bus.
Before your arrival you can easily check out how to get to your specific school at Rejseplanen. The site has an English version and connects the timetables of various danish bus- and train-companies.
DSB, the Danish state-owned railway company, covers most of the rolling network in Denmark.
If you have not turned 26 yet DSB offers a youth discount with their WildCard which can be bought at the train-stations. If you plan to visit different parts of Denmark during your stay, this could be a good investment.
Another discount-possibility is their orange-tickets.
In some areas of Denmark you will find trains and buses from Arriva.
Arriva has a youth discount similar to DSB - it is called arriva4u.
Another cheap way of travelling if you have to go from Copenhagen to mid- and northern-Jutland is bus888 (Abildskou A/S).
Weekends and Holidays
Weekends run from Saturday to Sunday. Usually the schools expect that the students stay at the school every second weekend.
Most shops and supermarkets are closed on Sundays and trains and buses go by the national holiday-timetable.
Most of the national holidays are religiously founded and most shops, supermarkets and institutions are closed.
List of national holidays:
New Year's day (1st of January); Easter (Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday); "Store Bededag" (4th Friday after Easter); Ascension Day (40 days after Easter Sunday); Whitsunday and Whit Monday (7th Sunday and Monday after Easter); Christmas Day and 2nd Christmas Day (Boxing day) (25th, 26th of December).
Be aware that the 24th of December is not a national holiday - but this day and especially the evening, the evening before Christmas, is a holiday of great importance to most Danes.
Alcohol
In Denmark you are allowed to consume and buy alcohol from the supermarktets (not at bars and restaurants) by the age of 16. Most Danes have their first alcohol experience in their early teens and it is a natural part of their social life and party culture.
Some foreigners are surprised by the Danish use of alcohol and that they really do party on until morning.
Do not ever feel obligated to drink more than you wish to.
Most folk high schools have an alcohol policy and some schools forbid the use of alcohol in the weekdays. Drugs are prohibited and means expulsion.
Country of Bicycles
Most of the citizens in Denmark have their own bike and you will experience, that many students bring their bikes to the Folk High Schools.
If you have a bike and it is possible it would be a good idea to bring it.
Otherwise some schools have bikes either to lend or rent for a small fee. On occation you might be able to borrow a bike from a fellow student.
Religion
More than 80% of the Danish population are members of the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The majority of the members see themselves as Christian, but do not practice or act very much on the religion and its doctrines.
Many of these Danes go to church at Christmas, for weddings, funerals, baptisms and confirmation, but very seldom every Sunday.
Religion is regarded a private matter and usually you will not see explicit signs of people's religion in public.
You should be aware that some Folk High Schools are based on Christianity. You find both Lutheran and Pentecostal schools, and also schools not explicitly run Christian but still defining themselves as Christian.
If you are specifically interested in these schools - or if you wish a more secular school - you should make sure on what the schools of your interest is founded. Do not be afraid to ask the schools questions on this matter.
Food
On a Folk High School you have at least three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most meals are served as a buffet.
Many schools serve warm food for lunch and a cold buffet for dinner.
If you have special needs concerning your diet, because of allergies, religious conviction or being a vegetarian, make sure to let the school know. The meals will be supplemented according to the different needs among the students as far as possible.
Songs
Attending a Folk High School you must be prepared to sing - a lot!
The Folk High School has a long tradition of community singing - especially from their own Folk High School Songbook. The songbook came in a new edition in 2006 - updated with both new and old songs in both Danish, English, German etc.
Singing is a strong part of both the Danish culture as a whole and the Folk High Schools alone. The song promotes the atmosphere of togetherness and transcends the differences which might cause troubles in the everyday life at the schools.
International Students
The number of international students at the Folk High Schools in Denmark varies from school to school. Some schools takes as many international students as possible while others take none.
A general rule is that the schools can take 50% of their students from other countries than Denmark.
25 % of all the students at the courses at the Folk High Schools throughtout the year is made by international students.
Children
Not all schools have the capacity for you to bring your children at the long courses - but some do. These schools offer either childcare full- or part-time during the day, help you find kindergardens and schools near by or expect you to take care of finding choildcare and schools yourself.
It all depend on the single school.
Check out the list of schools open for children. The list is in Danish, but you will find both contact-information and links to their websites.