The best four months of my life. Past Review
By meggoCopenhagen (Sustainable Development, Olin College) - abroad from 01/17/2016 to 05/14/2016 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
I learned a lot about various forms of renewable energy, waste management, sustainable development, and what it means to live in a welfare state (it's awesome!). I learned that I am able to navigate places on my own (without data!) where I don't speak the language or know my way around, but I prefer to do so with others who have a similar traveling style. My worldview has been considerably expanded from my cumulative experiences abroad. It was absolutely a worthwhile experience.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were less rigorous than at my home institution, but that was to be expected, coming from an engineering program. The instructors are all experts in their field and very passionate about what they are teaching. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The building itself was a bit dated and in need of some attention, but functionally well-equipped. The people in the building were fantastic. |
| * Food: |
I had to make my own food, but the stipend provided for shopping lasted me the whole semester. Not true of all students, though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living with Danish students in a kollegium allowed me to meet and become friends with a lot of Danes in a very casual way. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
It was a different experience than in the US, but once I got my CPR number, seeing a doctor was simple and the visit itself was free - the medication prescribed, however, was not. Denmark is a safe and healthy country - no vaccines were required for the program. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe walking alone in my area of the city, or in a small group in any part of the city. However, it seems as though petty crime was on the rise in the area where I stayed, so I would recommend students to take normal precautions to protect their belongings - lock your room when not at home, don't leave things out in the open, always lock your bike, etc. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
DIS has some amazing sustainability courses - my area of interest. The instructors are knowledgeable, passionate, and available and courses provide real-world learning opportunities - I climbed a wind turbine! DIS has also been around since 1959, so they are very good at supporting students and doing everything they can to make the experience a positive one. |
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) |
I don't eat or drink too much, so my food stipend lasted the whole semester. Any additional expenses were accrued through my own decisions to travel or go out. That being said, Denmark is a very expensive country, so if you drink coffee or like to eat out, be prepared to spend a lot. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Maybe $50-100, but much of that was covered by the food stipend. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat as much as you can where you live, since buying prepared food/coffee in markets, cafes or restaurants is pricey. Drink in moderation/have lower standards for drinks (buy the cheap beer even if it doesn't taste as good). |
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 |
Many US schools had a requirement that their students take Danish Language and Culture. Mine did not, so I can't speak to that, but I tried to learn some Danish using Duolingo and by talking with my Danish floormates. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Most of Duolingo's Danish course. |
| 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? | Try to speak in Danish when ordering a coffee or food. If you use a translation app, don't just mindlessly read the English, but try to actually go back and see what means what - the structure is pretty similar to English, so words don't get too jumbled. Push yourself to speak and read Danish as much as possible. It's a confusing but cool language. |
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? |
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? | Don't travel outside of Denmark during (all of) every travel break. Copenhagen and Denmark have a lot to offer that I wish I had explored more, and international travel is expensive and tiresome (at least for me). |
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! |
