To Copenhagen with Love Past Review

By A student (Architecture, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/17/2015 to 05/18/2015 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

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

DIS gave me exactly what I was looking for in terms of studying in a city and learning from its architecture. I knew that along with that I was going to be lonely and miss home, but I thought the education would be worth it, and it definitely was.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Always friendly, and so helpful! They answered all questions patiently.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Chose housing for the location, and because my program kept me working late, it was perfect. I'd encourage anyone in the Architecture/Design programs to live as close to campus as possible; some students who didn't actually ended up moving closer to campus halfway through the semester to alleviate the problem.
* Food:	Really appreciated cooking my own food
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Taking classes with fellow Americans was sometimes a bummer, but I worked in a Danish cafe to balance it out!
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	No experience with healthcare, none needed However, DIS made signing up a very straightforward process
* Safety:	I've never felt safer in a city!
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)	I was definitely worried about using all my money up over study abroad, but once I got into a rhythm I realized that I was going to be okay. I was comfortable with the amount of money I spent.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	About $75-100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	The most expensive things in Denmark are one-off beverages: coffee and alcohol in coffee shops and bars. I didn't go out much, so I saved money there, and I volunteered at the Student Union cafe, and a perk is getting free coffee. There are definitely solutions!

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	In taking a Danish class, there was some half-hearted encouragement, but everyone speaks perfect English or wants to practice if they don't, so I didn't feel particularly encouraged to 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?	No Danish (but Spanish literature in college)
How many hours per day did you use the language?	0

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?	The knowledge I gained The friends I made (both American and Danish) Proving to myself how independent and adaptable I can be
* What could be improved?	More emphasis on learning Danish Fewer "freebies" and nice things, and therefore lower tuition
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Re-entry to America is not what you expect it to be. I thought it was going to be challenging, and it is, but in a much more subtle and multi-layered way than I thought. It's been interesting!

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Visual Journal
Course Department:	AD
Instructor:	Courtney Coyne-Jensen
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This was one of the most enlightening classes I've taken in a while. I really feel like I learned valuable skills about visual note-taking and communicating design aesthetics. I feel very lucky to have taken this course!
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Architecture Foundations Studio
Course Department:	AD
Instructor:	Jacob Norlov
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Being surrounded by a city environment was hugely influential in this course. I was definitely challenged to think outside the box and I think I did so more successfully here than ever before. I think I could have used better feedback from the professor, but I really enjoyed this class overall.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Strategies for Urban Livability
Course Department:	Urban Studies
Instructor:	Bianca Hermansen
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This is another class that I felt so lucky to have taken. I think it was essentially Urban Studies 101, but since I've never had the opportunity to take that before, I gained a lot from the class. (I think Urban Studies majors might find it redundant, but I found it fascinating.) The class and the people in it really opened up my eyes to the problems and successes in the built environment around me. I made sure to save all my notes and readings.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Danish Language and Culture
Course Department:	DLC
Instructor:	Jens-Christian Linde
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Professor Linde was great, but I wish the class had actually been a little more challenging. I feel like we could have learned much more of the actual language than we did. I wouldn't have minded more quizzes and even language drills. We did spend a lot of time on culture though, so I came to have a clearer perspective on Denmark as a whole.
Credit Transfer Issues: