CPH: best city of work-life balance May 18, 2022

By (Public Health, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/16/2022 to 05/13/2022 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to plan trips and live alone in an organized way.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The instructors all have profound working experiences in the field they are teaching so they could share a lot more than that in textbooks. I enjoyed all the case studies and research problems I've done but the general academic rigoress is not as much as in Brandeis.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was not very satisfied with the roommate matching system regarding our schedule (my roommate was always on her phone during midnight though we had some oral contract); Though I applied for the visiting family program, due to the high volume of students this year I was not matched with one and that's a minus in my study abroad experience. I do love the place where I live and the view is good.

* Food:

I cooked almost every day and Copenhagen has a lot of different restaurants to explore!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Free covid tests in the first half of the semester and DIS covered the departure-required antigen test.

* Safety:

CPH is very very safe!!! I literally feel comfortable walking home near Christiania late at night.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I really love Copenhagen! The natural view, the people, the tidy streets, and convenient public transportation... I feel that this city is welcoming and cozy. The relationship between professors and students is also close instead of a hierarchy.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cooking is the best money-saving thing to do in Copenhagen and that's also what locals do. Keep track of the discounts in grocery stores!

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
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? none
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? I don't have much advice because all people in Denmark speak English and learning Danish is more like a way to understand the culture.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Close relationship with instructors
  • Nice city to explore
  • Chances to travel
* What could be improved?
  • academic difficulty
  • housing selection process
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It's very important to set the expectation of your work-life balance before departure (do you want to enjoy travelling more or focus more on your academic work?)