An Unexpected Journey, a Lifetime of Memories Past Review

By Amanda Greene (Central Michigan University) - abroad from 05/24/2016 to 06/11/2016 with

DIS Summer in Scandinavia

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

I learned to be SO much more independent. I got lost almost everyday (I'm not very good with directions) but every day was an adventure. I learned to laugh at my mistakes and look at the good in every day instead of the bad. When I would get lost, I would find something exciting on this new journey instead of becoming anxious or angry about being lost. It was definitely a worth while journey. I spent more time with myself than I ever have in the United States and it was a great opportunity to learn more about who I am and who I want to be without the influence of people who've known me for years at home.

Review Photos

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.	I took a Positive Psychology course in Copenhagen. Class was more centered around discussion than most courses at my home university. Everyone is so happy, excited, and having so many mixed emotions while studying abroad which helped to facilitate a family-like environment in the classroom. Lots of readings were assigned but it's easy to find a cool cafe to spend some time in and indulge yourself in some interesting reads.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I didn't have much interaction with administration while I was abroad, but our opening day there were some very influential speakers that helped to set the journey off to a good start!
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Our dorm was very nice, and many others had even nicer dorms/apartments than us. However, we did have a bed bug incident that was difficult to take care of. The housing staff came to eradicate the bugs within 24 hours of our complaint, but we still had some issues with them the rest of our stay. I think we really just got unlucky because I never heard anyone else with this problem.
* Food:	I didn't have a meal plan through DIS, but the food in Copenhagen is AMAZING. I will say I spent much more money on food than I anticipated to because it was difficult to walk by the dozens of amazing bakeries on the way to class and not order a chokolade croissant and a cappuccino. So many unique places to enjoy!!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Danish people are, in general, shy it seems.. While I was in Copenhagen I think I met more people from the UK who were visiting Copenhagen than Danish people. However, I encourage anyone studying abroad to try and meet some Danish locals to show you around to some hidden gems in the community. I lived in a Kollegium, but I strongly recommend the residential community!!
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I didn't have any experience with health care, but the insurance we were provided with seemed more than adequate if healthcare was deemed necessary.
* Safety:	I felt unbelievably safe while I was in Copenhagen. My roommate and I would walk home at 3am by ourselves, a few miles, without any fears. I felt way more safe in Denmark than I feel at my home university. I would never walk home by myself at my home institution but I had no fears in Copenhagen.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I would have never choose to vacation in Copenhagen. It's not a city that I've often heard remarkable things about. If I hadn't have studied abroad here I probably never would have experienced the amazing lifestyle Denmark has to offer. I've always wanted to go to Australia, Paris, Italy, etc. and I will travel to those places for leisure someday. But I'm happy I chose a place I didn't know much about, it was exciting to go to a country I really knew nothing about.

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 an expensive city. A coffee and a danish was often just under $10. There are places you can go to get a cheaper meal, but for the most part eating out is expensive. GO GROCERY SHOPPING. You don't have to eat like a king or a queen while you're abroad (I learned this after the first week). Pick a few nice restaurants that you want to eat at during your stay, and then try to save your money for experiences rather than food.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Around $125- $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Research the restaurants in the area and choose a few that you'd like to eat at so you save yourself from eating out too frequently. Go grocery shopping, get pasta and pasta sauce or something cheap. There's no need to eat like royalty while you're away, try the local cuisine but save your money for experiences like boat rides and concerts to really experience Danish culture!!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

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?	Interesting class options Unique markets and stores in Copenhagen Exploring a new city without direction
* What could be improved?	Transportation passes (I didn't understand how to use them)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	BUDGET YOUR MONEY. I spent more than I had anticipated to due to lack of planning. If you plan to travel during or after your stay, don't wait until you arrive to book your flight because prices increase A LOT as the time gets closer. I traveled to London after my class was over and I initially thought the flight would be around $30 (the price two months before I left) but ended up spending over $100 because I waited until a week before to buy my ticket. However, if money isn't an issue, go on spontaneous trips!! Make your experience an adventure :)

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:	Positive Psychology
Course Department:	Psychology
Instructor:	Gitte Vonsild
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course challenged me to become more aware of my feelings and emotions and how they can affect my life and the lives of those around me. Learning about the positive aspect of the human mind is an interesting contrast to the more prevalent psychology courses that focus on the negative, or malfunctioning aspects of the human mind. Class time was often spent out on the town in Copenhagen, meeting locals or writing in the Botanical Gardens. Our instructor, Gitte, was so open and amazing and helped to facilitate an open and interesting class environment. I participated much more in this course than any course at my home university. There were lots of readings, but they were so interesting it barely felt like homework. We had to write 2 papers, but they were also interesting papers to write. Grading was based on attendance, 2 papers, and a final group project.
Credit Transfer Issues: