An Amazing Semester! May 23, 2023

By Katherine K (Neurobiology, Neurosciences, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/14/2023 to 05/14/2023 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

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

I learned more about Copenhagen (as well as other countries that I visited), living with new people, and living in a country where I do not speak the native language. I also learned more about navigating different cultures.

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.	The teachers were relatively accommodating and understanding when assigning work, especially given that a large part of the study abroad experience involves traveling. The teachers struck a good balance between adequate academic rigor/intensity and not over-assigning work.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I had a great living situation located in a very central area of Copenhagen. The people I lived with were nice, accommodating, friendly, and fun. The facilities services were very quick when there were issues with the building and we also had an "RA" who would help us with things that did not fall under the responsibility of facilities.
* Food:	Eating out is very expensive in Copenhagen but there are some cheaper options at the grocery store. It would have been nice to receive a larger stipend for groceries in order to use it for a larger period of the semester.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Taking Danish made me feel a lot more integrated with the local culture. I really enjoyed learning a little bit more about the place I called home for 4 months.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had one experience with healthcare, in which I had to schedule a doctor's appointment and receive a prescription. It was an easy and efficient process!
* Safety:	Copenhagen is the safest city I have ever been. I felt safe in the day and the night time. The trust system is heavily relied upon by the citizens and it works well.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Yes! Copenhagen is a beautiful and safe city that is a perfect choice for study abroad.

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)	1
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$400

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?	None!
How many hours per day did you use the language?

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	Local Students Americans International Students
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?	The beautiful city The safety The classes
* What could be improved?	Instructors for classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew more about how expensive it would be

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Public Mental Health
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Comments:	It was sufficiently challenging and I attended all classes and field trips. The teacher was often late to class and was not timely with her responses to emails. However, I enjoyed the course's content. We were primarily assessed on a group essay due at the end of the semester.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Philosophy of Mental Health
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Comments:	This course was challenging and was similar in workload to a course at Middlebury. I attended all classes and participated an equal amount to a course at Middlebury. We had a series of 4 essays that made up our grade. Though the workload was heavier than other classes, I enjoyed that there were more assignments that contributed to our grade rather than only 1-2 large assignments.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Danish Language and Culture
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Comments:	I loved this course! We were assessed periodically throughout the semester, but I really enjoyed learning about the culture and language. It really helped me integrate more and feel more comfortable reading menus or labels in a grocery store.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Cognitive Neuroscience of Creativity
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Comments:	This course was not particularly challenging but the instruction was often unclear, which made it a bit more challenging than it needed to be at times. I enjoyed the course's content but was a bit unsettled by the fact that we had almost no graded assignments before finals week approached. Regardless, my instructor was a very nice person and cared about facilitating good class discussions.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No

Course Name/Rating:	Art in the Making
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Comments:	I liked this course! I would not say that it was challenging, but I would only recommend it if you have a somewhat solid background in the arts. It focuses less on teaching skills and more on allowing free time in class for you to explore/try different styles yourself. There is a decent amount of work outside of class but I always enjoyed completing the assignments.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No