The Happiest Time of My Life in the World's Happiest Place Past Review
By A student (PSYCHOLOGY., Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/23/2012 to 05/18/2012 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
This past semester at DIS was a truly life-changing experience for me. I learned a lot about myself and the world. DIS stresses the point that the best experiences will happen outside of your comfort some, and they could not have been more right. I was challenged in so many ways, but had the time of my life through it all.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
DIS is incredibly organized, which broug me a lot of comfort. I knew I could rely on the administration and faculty. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There is a wide range of housing options available at DIS. |
| * Food: |
Food in Denmark - really, everything in Denmark - is expensive. Unless you were living with a host family, you had toned up spending extra money on food past your stipend. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
With a little bit of effort, it's easy to become immersed in Danish culture. Though Danes are generally not the most outwardly friendly people, they're proud of Denmark and excited to help you experience it if you show interest. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50-100 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
If you took the Danish Language & Culture course, you learned some useful words, but Danes are so proficient at English that I never needed to try to use my Danish with a local. |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Bring toiletries with you - they're much more expensive in Denmark and you can use the extra space at the end of the semester to bring things back. |
