A semester full of personal learning and change Past Review

By Wendy W (Public Health, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/17/2015 to 05/17/2015 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

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

I didn't realize until I came back how much I had changed while I was abroad. I learned what to prioritize in life and what made me happy. It was definitely worth every hardship and existential crisis!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Quality of teaching was really lacking compared to my home university but academic rigor was also much less intense, which was refreshing!
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	First host family was a pretty terrible match, but I switched with about a month left in the semester and it was the best decision I ever made. Housing department was supportive.
* Food:	Danish food is lacking in both variety and affordability. Didn't have a real, balanced meal until I moved in with my second host family. Restaurants are expensive (even sandwiches for lunch were at cheapest $8-10 USD) and deli meats from the grocery store came in packs of 4 slices for $1.50 USD.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The nature of Danish attitudes and collective personality made it really difficult to integrate oneself with Danes--trains and buses are mostly silent. I only felt integrated when I moved in with my second host family.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	The Scandinavian health care systems are, on the whole, incredible. I didn't have any issues, but my friends had differing experiences with health care--emergency issues are taken care of very well, but for non-emergency situations there's a long waiting list.
* Safety:	Never felt unsafe in Copenhagen! Only times I felt slightly uncomfortable was walking down the street late at night with drunk people wandering around, but I never had any issues.
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)	Really quite difficult. There's a 25% tax added to everything, plus Denmark imports a lot of things, even food. It's possible to live on a low budget, but prepared to be hungry!
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$80-$100, much more if I was traveling
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Try staying with a host family! Besides meals, you also get transportation passes that many students living in DRCs or LLCs don't get.

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	I was required to take Danish through my university. But English is so prevalent in the country that very little Danish is needed to get by.
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
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Live in a Kollegium, or actively try talking to host siblings/parents in Danish!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	International Students Host Family
* 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?	My friends that I made (including 2nd host family) Traveling a lot across Europe Lack of academic rigor
* What could be improved?	Not limiting the program to American students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Be prepared for a lot of American students! And if you're on a tight budget, you have to plan carefully, as food is really expensive in CPH, and there's a lack of ethnic cuisine.

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:	Creative Travel Writing
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:	Probably my favorite class! Topics we discussed were relevant to being abroad and documenting traveling experiences, helped a lot with reflecting and analyzing my travels.
Credit Transfer Issues: