DIS Semester Program Past Review
By Anneka B (Fine Arts, Studio Arts, English Writing, Whitworth University) - abroad from 08/15/2015 to 12/13/2015 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
It was absolutely worthwhile. It is impossible to sum up everything I learned, but for starters I learned a ton about what it means to be American through the eyes of non-Americans. I gained a more complete perspective of international issues and feel more connected to world events. I gained friends and another language, and a sense of confidence in my ability to see and explore be a meaningful member of a global society.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There were positives and negatives to the DIS program academically. I really appreciated the focus on field study, as it gave a great opportunity to see Europe on a deeper level than tourism. On the other hand, while DIS is reputedly one of the more academically rigorous study abroad programs out there, I found that in many ways it did not measure up academically to the sort of rigor to which I am accustomed. For the most part, my disappointment lay with classes within my area of study and expertise. They try to make the classes open to students of all backgrounds, so a student taking a class in his or her area of study should essentially expect another basic introductory class. For precisely that reason, I would recommend taking classes outside your normal area of study to expect a fantastic experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I had no issues with DIS administration. They were generally helpful and easy to work with the few times I had questions or needs, and the class field studies and trips were organized impeccably and were entirely free of issues. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
LIVE WITH A HOST FAMILY!!!! It is an unforgettable experience and an opportunity to gain lifelong international friends. I absolutely loved my host family and they took wonderful care of me. However, don't expect to live with a host family and do all your normal college stuff, like going out every night. It is an amazing experience, but it takes investment on your part to truly make the most of it. |
| * Food: |
Denmark has the best bread in the world. Period. Most of my food was provided by my host family, and I was fortunate enough to have a host Dad who is also an amazing cook. My understanding is that is fairly common in Denmark. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It really helped to live with a host family, and I made a great effort to learn the language, which is also very important. There were still awkward moments, but coming back to the U.S. I realize just how much I internalized Danish culture over the semester I was there. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no issues, but I had a Danish medical card and am confident that if there were any issues they would not have been difficult to get help for. |
| * Safety: |
In my experience Copenhagen is an extremely safe city. I did not spend much time in the city at night, but I never felt threatened or endangered. I would recommend keeping an eye out if you are in the train stations at night, as I have heard of rare instances of violence, but if you are looking for a safe place to travel you won't get better than Copenhagen. |
| 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) |
my host family provided essentially all my food while I was in Copenhagen, so essentially all my expenses were personal travel. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50-80 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Grocery stores are a thing! Denmark has a lot of grocery stores and they sell good food. Also for traveling - go to weird places. Find the cheapest plane ticket and go. The really touristy cities are generally more expensive and not nearly as much fun. |
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 |
The program itself did not encourage a lot of use of the language outside the classroom, but staying with a host family I had a chance to use it more than I might have otherwise. You will have to take the initiative, but it is absolutely worthwhile. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 2nd year high school |
| 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? | Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Danes are really good at English and a lot of times they will switch to English immediately once they realize you are not a native speaker. Don't be afraid to insist on speaking Danish. Order your food or your coffee in Danish. Listen to Danish music. Watch Danish television. A lot of movies and programs in Denmark are in English with Danish subtitles - watch them and read the subtitles. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | 10+ |
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? | There is actually very little that I wished I had known before and didn't. If anything, I would have liked to research Denmark more and gotten a better feel for the place I was going before showing up. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
