Living in a Design Capital of the World Past Review

By A student (Architecture., Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/16/2014 to 12/14/2014 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

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

I really enjoyed my experience in Copenhagen. My host family was amazing, and I made some great friends at DIS, all of whom I keep in touch with. I learned a lot, and appreciated being able to take mostly design classes, some of which I would have not had the opportunity to take otherwise. Overall, studying abroad is an exciting experience, one that you learn a lot from both academically and socially. It was a chance to explore new things and meet new people, and focus on what I am interested in.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I chose to stay with a host family, and couldn't have been more pleased. I connected with my family from the moment I met them. From spending time together and meeting family and friends, to just eating dinner together, they made me feel more than welcome. They were loving and caring. I felt like a part of their family, and that is exactly what I consider them to be now- family.
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
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)

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
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	I would suggest to try and use some of the basics when you're in the store for example.

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Host Family Classes Copenhagen/Friends
* What could be improved?	Host Family Local Network
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	That the time really goes by quickly- make the most of it!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Danish Language and Culture- Level 1
Course Department:	Danish
Instructor:	Charlotte Bjerre Beuck
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Danish Language and Culture was a great class in terms of being able to have some more exposure to Danish culture and traditions, as well as some language basics. This exposure allowed me to feel a bit more at ease, knowing that I had some background information on the new culture I was living in, as well some language skills. We took field trips in Copenhagen, visiting sites that allowed us to understand further some Danish traditions. The instructor was passionate and very thorough in her teaching methods. She made her class enjoyable, and stressed the importance of speaking in class, so had us do a lot of conversational exercises with our classmates. I think that this was very helpful in becoming comfortable with what we were learning, putting it into practice, and maintaining a good grasp of it. We were assessed through participation, homework, tests, and presentations.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I didn't have any issues transferring credit.

Course Name/Rating:	Sustainable by Design
Course Department:	Architecture and Design
Instructor:	Leslie Lorimer
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	In Sustainable Design, I was able to delve into how architecture interacts with the environment, an important topic in the Architecture field today. The instructor was amazing- very passionate, knowledgable, and approachable. She was always ready and willing to take a further step to explain something and meet with us if we needed extra help. Her assignments were fair and useful ways of testing our comprehension, as they were exercises that required us to demonstrate particular skills. One paper and presentation involved analyzing different buildings in Copenhagen and their sustainable features, linking our work to the local setting, and another video assignment involved analyzing our commute to DIS from home, which was interactive.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I didn't have any issues transferring credit.

Course Name/Rating:	New Nordic Design
Course Department:	Architecture and Design
Instructor:	Birgitte Borup Kristensen
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	New Nordic Design provided me with the opportunity to study something that I have been interested for a long time- Scandinavian design. We were able to visit workshops, studios, and showrooms in Copenhagen which related to the course material. I participated in class discussions frequently, and had several one on one conversations with the instructor, who was very knowledgeable and passionate about her work. She went out of her way to give me advice and answer any questions I had, even those pertaining to my project for another course.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I didn't have any issues transferring credit.

Course Name/Rating:	Architecture Foundations Studio
Course Department:	Architecture and Design
Instructor:	Jacob Nørløv
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The Architecture Foundations studio was challenging. Our projects were based on sites on Copenhagen that we were able to visit and analyze, making our work more personal. Our instructor was knowledgeable and provided one-on-one critiques every studio session. I participated in class in terms of group discussions/critiques, as otherwise, our studio consisted of personal work and one-on-one reviews. We were assessed through our process and presentation of our projects.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I didn't have any issues transferring credit.