Winter Texan Past Review
By Joseph M (Economics, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 09/12/2017 to 01/31/2018 with
University of Copenhagen: Copenhagen - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
There are literally too many things that I learned from my time abroad to list them here but one critical thing I think I learned was the ability to engage with people of all different backgrounds and have conversations. As simple as that sounds, it's not as easy as one might think because people are offended and interested in many different things so being able to talk to others in a comfortable way is critical when in a foreign country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought that the rigor of the courses was not too difficult but mainly consisted of self-motivation to adhere to the daily task of readings. The in-class lectures were a combination of lectures from the professor and in-depth discussions with the students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were very helpful in providing me the resources to organize my time both before and during the study abroad semester. Providing me with a timeline of due dates and links to helpful information, there was much ease into the trip. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Finding off dorm accommodations in the city of Copenhagen was very difficult mainly consisting of searching through Facebook pages in order to find a place. However, once I did find a room, I grew to love my little loft. |
| * Food: |
Eating out is very expensive, so it is important to meal plan for the week. Often, we would as a group of friends schedule to have weekly dinners together to both save money and time. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the local culture mainly because I did take the time to learn a bit about some of the culture's history and the basics of conversational danish. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Denmark has a universal healthcare system which was fantastic as you were assigned a local healthcare provider to deal with your needs. |
| * Safety: |
Denmark has strong social norms which help to create an environment where you can feel safe throughout the city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I choose Copenhagen because of the poler experience that I aimed to get given that I'm from Texas. I wanted a place that was cold, whose main transportation method wasn't cars, where there was a strong sense of community instead of individualism, free healthcare, good food and architecture and safe. |
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) |
Copenhagen is a very expensive city for eating and drinking and since those are often activities that students like to engage in through social events e.g. going to bars or eating out, it is very easy to go over your budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $300 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Create more meal plans, try to drink at home before going out, plan dinners with friends as it lowers the individual cost of food, leave your cards at home and only bring an allowed amount of money with you to ensure you don't spend more than expected. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | I wish I would have known how hard finding housing would be once I good there before I left. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
