Terrific Four Months in Copenhagen Past Review

By A student (HISTORY., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/19/2014 to 05/18/2014 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Studying abroad in Copenhagen was amazing. Copenhagen really is the best city--everyone who goes loves it. I would not change a thing. You gain whole new cultural lens. Living in a socialist state gives you a new outlook on the world. It's all invaluable; I loved it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	DIS offers you a great opportunity to learn outside the classroom; the experience is invaluable. That being said, the actual classroom experience is nothing to write home about. Some classes are better than other. My best class was Danish. It was not particularly rigorous. Students from other schools, however, disagreed.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	DIS is really helpful more or less.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The DRC I lived in (with fellow DIS students) was fine. I had my own bathroom, which was nice. The building was not exactly clean though. I got bed bugs art one point, which I got from elsewhere in the building. That results in one less star.
* Food:	I cooked for myself. There was a Netto (a grocery store) nearby. It was fine.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	DIS has many opportunities that allow you to integrate with local culture.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Healthcare is free! I actually got rather sick while abroad, and the hospital took care of me. That being said, you have to deal with it entirely by yourself.
* Safety:	It is ridiculously safe. I never felt uneasy walking around alone at 3 in the morning.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)	This is the only downside to studying abroad in Denmark, besides the weather. Copenhagen is RIDICULOUSLY expensive. You cannot go to dinner for under $20, honestly. So you have to adjust like that, unlike if you lived somewhere like Prague.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	You have to budget accordingly. Make your own food instead of going out to eat. Don't have the $8 latte every morning. Rather, that money should be spent on all the cool abroad experiences and travel adventures you will have.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	The Danes love when you speak Danish.
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	French 205
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Really embrace the language. Even though you will only use it for four months, you can learn a lot. And you get so much more out of your time abroad by learning Danish.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Copenhagen Immersion in Danish Culture Travel
* What could be improved?	Classes Living Expenses Commute
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I really wish I understood just how expensive it was. I knew Copenhagen was pricey, but it took me about a month to really learn how to budget over there. I wish I had set some constraints for myself early on. But that's just a little thing. If you go over there determined to try new things and embrace change, you will have a great time.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Danish
Course Department:
Instructor:	Suzanne Cunha de Bang
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Suzanne is the best! She is not the easiest Danish teacher, but you will be amazed at how much you learn in four months. Learning Danish is actually a lot of fun, and you get a lot out of it. Definitely take Danish if you go abroad.
Credit Transfer Issues: