Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A travel-based cultural sampling Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/11/2019 to 05/11/2019 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Independence, culture (mostly by traveling to various European cultures), topics from my coursework, and how to interact in a culture with people who have different values.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

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?

You go to school with Americans, live with Americans (in most cases), and have to go out of your way to meet/interact with Danes. There is excellent cultural engagement on study tours and in the Danish Language and Culture class, but beyond that this program is sincerely lacking in cultural immersion.

* 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? No

Though I did end up loving the program, I thought that cultural immersion was seriously lacking. To do it again, I would either live in a homestay or folkehøjskole for further immersion, or choose an entirely different program.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $30
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Groceries are quite cheap, but eating out is extremely expensive. Plan to cook for yourself and pack lunches if you are trying to save money.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* 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?
  • Danish culture
  • Ability to travel
* What could be improved?
  • Immersion
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how non-immersive the program was so I could have set myself up better to interact with Danish society

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Neuroimaging of the Disordered Brain
Course Department: Neuroscience
Instructor: Julian Macoveanu
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was not particularly interesting, as Julian's lecture style was dry and disengaging. Only the first third of the course really related to neuroimaging techniques, while the rest was a broad review of psych disorders.
Credit Transfer Issues: None
Course Name/Rating:

Arctic Glaciology

Course Department: Unknown
Instructor: Susanne Lilja Buchardt
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was an AWESOME class!!! Susanne is one of the most passionate people that I know, and her excitement regarding glaciology is contagious! She did a great job of relating glaciology back to climate change, which gave the course a global relevance. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is remotely interested in learning about glaciers and the climate, even if you don't have any experience in such fields (like me).
Credit Transfer Issues: None
Course Name/Rating:

Complexities of Cancer
Course Department: Unknown
Instructor: Morten and Jakob
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was challenging yet informative, and the professors were engaging.
Credit Transfer Issues: None
Course Name/Rating:

Psychopharmacology
Course Department: Neuroscience
Instructor: Jesper
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course content was interesting and challenging, and it certainly strengthened my understanding of drug-body interactions and psychological disorders, yet the professor was not a great human. He would never give the class the benefit of the doubt with regards to preparedness, and he generally did not foster a respectful classroom environment.
Credit Transfer Issues: None
Course Name/Rating:

Danish Language and Culture
Course Department: Danish
Instructor: Bianca Liberski
Instruction Language: English with Danish interspersed
Comments: Danish is a difficult language, but Bianca made it fun and accessible. We had stimulating discussions about cultural differences and interesting lectures on Danish history. My danish skills are fairly poor despite my full participation in this course, but proficiency in the language didn't really seem to be the goal.
Credit Transfer Issues: No