Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fascinating country and wonderful host family! Past Review

By (Neurobiology, Neurosciences, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/19/2015 to 05/16/2015 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about Danish culture, as well as other parts of Europe. I gained a more international perspective of the United States. It was definitely worthwhile!

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.

The workload was less than that of my home university, but I was still challenged and intellectually stimulated by my classes.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everything is run very smoothly and it is easy to communicate with the administration to work out kinks.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family took me in as one of their own and was very attentive to all of my needs. The house was small but nice. I had my own room, so I was able to seek privacy when I needed it.

* Food:

My host parents cooked for me. They are excellent cooks and used high quality food. We had red wine with dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Normally breakfast was just quick cheerios, but on the weekends we had a family breakfast with bakery bread and an array of toppings.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My integration was mostly limited to what I did with my host family. I didn't live in the city, so I chose to engage more in family life. I did not make Danish friends outside of my host family.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any need to take advantage of the health care system in Denmark, but they do have an excellent health care system. All residents are assigned a doctor, and I was able to request the same doctor as my host family. The people that I talked to that did use the health system had good experiences.

* Safety:

Denmark is generally a very safe country, and I always felt safe, whether I was in my homestay town, in Copenhagen, or on the train/bus going between the two. There was a terrorist attack in Copenhagen during my semester there, where two people were killed. One of the locations was a spot that I walked by every day to go to school. However, I was home at the time of occurrence, and I never felt I was personally in danger following the event. This was an extremely rare event for Denmark, and the government took extra precautions to keep the public safe for the following weeks. Another incident I heard about was that a friend of mine got robbed while he was drunk on a subway, but he was not harmed. I personally never encountered any threatening situations.

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)

Denmark is an expensive country, but I didn't have to buy things often enough for it to be a real problem.

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

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?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Everyone can speak English, so you are the one that has to take the initiative to practice. I found that ordering my food in Danish was a fun and easy way to practice.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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 ability to travel during my time abroad
  • the interaction of the classes with the city and Denmark
  • the enthusiasm of the professors
* What could be improved?
  • the proximity of the homestays to the city
  • the weather
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew to bring my own art supplies from home because my art class did not provide them, and art supplies are expensive in Denmark.

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!