A Semester of Social Democracy and Travel Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/25/2016 to 05/20/2016 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

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

Mostly, I learned an entirely different culture than the one I grew up in. I understood how people grow up with different values, and how these values permeate their life choices like jobs and families to their social and political views. I also was lucky to experience the joys of traveling across Europe, and seeing important historical places like Berlin, Rome, and Auschwtiz, just to name a few.

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?
* 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)	Copenhagen is very expensive!
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Plan travel in advance to avoid overpaying for flights/hostels, cook as much as possible as opposed to eating in restaurants.

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?	0
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?	Use it when ordering food, talking to people on the street

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* 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?	Independent travel Danish culture Living independently in a city
* What could be improved?	Some of the professors were not qualified
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish that I had spent more weekends in Copenhagen rather than traveling to other cities for 48 hours because I felt that even after four months in Denmark there were still places I regret not visiting.

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 Urbanite A 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Equality in Scandinavia: Challenges and Developments of the Welfare State
Course Department:	Political Science
Instructor:	Kristian Wiese
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The professor runs a Danish think tank, and while he seemed knowledgable about Danish politics, he was ill-prepared to teach a college-level course. He often let class discussions unravel and he did not effectively use class time to convey new ideas.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Religion and Politics in Europe
Course Department:	Religion, Political Science
Instructor:	Jesper Peterson
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Terrific professor, I learned an enormous amount about the complex history of religion and politics in different areas of Europe.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Danish Language and Culture
Course Department:	Language
Instructor:	Ditte Marie Egebjerg
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Great teacher, allowed me to engage in local art/culture
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Sustainable Development in Northern Europe B
Course Department:	Sustainability
Instructor:	Inger Kaergaard
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The professor was extremely ill-prepared to teach this course. Her expertise is in biology, while the course was described as an introduction to economic and social policies aimed toward sustainable development. I learned far more about small-scale, local sustainability initiatives than large-scale policy solutions, because I felt that our professor knew very little about the latter.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Sociology of the Family
Course Department:	Sociology
Instructor:	Deivida Vandzinskaite
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The professor led good class discussions and provided some interesting insights into Danish culture through the lens of family institutions.
Credit Transfer Issues: