Times North of Copenhagen Past Review

By A student (Health Science, Society, and Policy, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/18/2014 to 05/18/2014 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned more about what I want from my life. I grew in independence and in world experience. Most people are inherently good, nothing teaches that like having to ask a million people for directions.

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 Public health core class and Health Economics were too similar and not as strong as the excellent HSSP program at Brandeis. Overall, the academics were good, especially for a study abroad program.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	They were really nice and helpful!
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	It's complicated. It also ended up not being the best match besides but yeah, request to live in the city.
* Food:	DIS provided great food on trips except the vegetarian food in Latvia. My host family food was also good, we had a ton of bread the last month. Accommodations for dietary restrictions were easy. Pastries are amazing.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I didn't go out much because I lived far away but I met a lot of nice people and had unique cultural experiences also because I lived far away.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had free healthcare once I had my residence permit but never used it. My host mom was super sweet when I was mildly sick. Someone else in my program had a bad doctor and ended up going to the hospital (again it was free). She ended up okay but I would use host families or other resources to navigate the system.
* Safety:	Denmark is very safe! Don't be stupid but you shouldn't have to worry too much.
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)	I was not very good on budgeting. Also, Danes don't really snack so many Americans bought more food than provided. I had a really long day away from home so I bought more pastries and snacks.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$25 maybe on a non travel week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Budget! Also plan trips out early to figure out costs of travel.

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	We had Danish Class but people didn't really talk to us in Danish. It was useful to learn key phrases, I think I was shortchanged at one of the 7-11s when I spoke English.
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?	N/A
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 practice with your Danish friends or host family.

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
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?	Study tours used our money wisely Field studies incorporated into class Right in the center of the city
* What could be improved?	Putting required events late at night and students far away- it was hard to get home from required DIS programs sometimes which was stressful and took away from the evening Organization Some of the facilities could be updated
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	You have to be very specific and blunt about what you are looking for in your housing. You also have to make an effort to explore the city, especially beyond the tourist points, and immerse yourself in the culture. I found this was actually more difficult for people living right in the heart of the city, but with American students.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Health Economics
Course Department:	Public Health
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Don't take it if you already took Health Care Technology. Otherwise, it's a decent class.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Hans Christian Andersen and the Danish Golden Age
Course Department:
Instructor:	Janis Granger
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Amazing class! The professor is very sweet. We went to Tivoli and the Royal Danish Ballet as our field studies. The book is huge but all the stories are interesting except for one or two which you then get to trash. Love this class!
Credit Transfer Issues: