Left my Heart in Copenhagen Past Review
By A student (English Language and Literature, Trinity University) - abroad from 08/15/2015 to 12/13/2015 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
My experience abroad was the best four months of my life. I woke up every day excited to go and explore Copenhagen and ready to try new things. There were times that living in Denmark pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but moving to Copenhagen was a comfortable and welcoming experience. Study abroad was absolutely worthwhile and I wouldn't trade it for the world! I feel very fortunate to have had the experience because it changed my perspective on the world and made me excited to travel and return to Copenhagen.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The professors and courses offered were interesting and unique. However, the classes weren't particularly rigorous and were sometimes unorganized. This really made a small impact, though, because the rest of the experience was absolutely amazing! |
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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? |
I lived in student housing and it was right in the heart of Copenhagen! Some homestays can be quite a ways outside the city and have over an hour commute to come to class, so I absolutely loved that I was close enough to bike to class everyday. |
| * Food: |
The food in Copenhagen is amazing! DIS doesn't provide any sort of "on-campus" food options, because there isn't a campus. Therefore, you either had to eat out or cook but they give you a food stipend card to use at grocery stores that will last you the entire semester. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
DIS offers a lot of ways to get involved but there is no inherent integration because you are not taking classes with Danes. Therefore, if you aren't living in a host family you have to be very intentional about going out to meet Danish people or signing up for the Visiting Family program or Buddy Network. However, although I didn't meet many Danes, I felt like I was integrated into the city because everyone is welcoming and Copenhagen is easy to fall in love with. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The healthcare system in Copenhagen is very different than in the US. First of all, it's free, so that's amazing! I didn't go to the doctor but I had friends tell me that the experience was much less personal and intimate than it is in the US. My health care experience was limited to the knowledge that it is much harder to access medication in DK and there are no over-the-counter medications so bring any medication you rely on (like DayQuil) with you to Copenhagen. |
| * Safety: |
Copenhagen is amazingly safe! As in any city, you have to be careful because there are cases of theft, especially bikes. But I do not know anyone that was pick-pocketed in Copenhagen and Danes are some of the most trusting people on Earth. I never once felt unsafe in the city so it's a great place for inexperienced travelers to live. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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, so if you're considering studying abroad there you need to account for this. However, DIS provides some financial support, especially for food. |
| 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? | DIS gives you a lot of time to travel. However, you need to consider that this also places a financial burden on you when you study abroad. I don't regret traveling as much as I did, because the experiences far outweigh the financial obligations, but I didn't think about how much it would be for me to travel on the 3 travel breaks DIS provides. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| 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 |
| 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? | If learning Danish is something you're interested in you need to enroll in the Danish Language class and it also would be helpful to live with a host family. Since I lived with other American students, I never had the opportunity to use my language outside of class but those who lived with host families could practice with their host parents and siblings. |
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? | I needed to save more money in order to travel as much as I did. Also, I wish I had known to spend more time in Copenhagen and not travel nearly every weekend because I wasn't aware that I would fall in love with the city as much as I did. |
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. |
