Denmark - Architecture : Reviews (Copenhagen)

I've read online about how isolated the U.S. is from the rest of the world. It's huge and culturally expansive, and most people here don't have the opportunity to travel outside. But it's impossible to really understand how different parts of the world function until you experience them. Being exposed to Danish life and living in a European city made me realize what's missing from my life back home and has given me new ideas and goals to strive towards. The experiences I've had couldn't have happened in the U.S. and I had no idea that living like this was an option.

Having studied abroad in Copenhagen, I absolutely loved integrating myself into the local culture. I found living in a Kollegium, renting a bicycle, and learning the ins and outs of the city were some of the best decisions I could make for myself as they provided the best opportunities to meet locals, live like a local, and experience the city.

My favorite part of the program was being fully connected to so many different people while abroad. The program is designed for interaction between students, so there were so many opportunities for me to meet people I likely would not have met without going.

The study tours were my favorite part of the program. Both the short and long study tour allowed me to get closer to the people in my core course and see places that I wasn't planning on traveling to by myself.

In architecture classes often the building is digital or reduced to a scale model but in the furniture design course I was able to design a chair, build it, and then sit in it. This was extremely rewarding.

I think the most rewarding part of this experience was realizing that what I was learning in the classroom was reflected outside in the city. I took classes on the history of the city and was able to walk through the streets and point out if a given building was built in the 1700s or if it was newer and based on an old style just by looking at it and recognizing architectural features.

I found the people to be the most rewarding part of the program. Majoring in architecture, I had the ability to participate in studio coursework with individuals from all different backgrounds, and learn from a professor in a different fashion than at KU. While I'm excited to come back to KU to continue my education, I found the program to be refreshing.

The study tours were one of the most rewarding parts of the program. DIS completely organizes trips to explore new parts of Denmark and other countries, taking care of housing, food, and transportation. I was able to purely focus my attention on the places we were able to visit and to be with the people I was with. I learned an incredible amount from traveling to new places with new people.

DIS is a program that puts you together with American students from other universities, and may not be your typical exchange program. It's more like an American University in Denmark. All classes are taught in English and all of your classmates are other Americans. Make sure to keep this in mind when choosing the right program for you.

I would tell future students to say yes to everything. Your roommate is booking a weekend Airbnb in rural Denmark? Go! Your classmates are going to a new restaurant? Go! Living in a new country makes even what you would expect a mundane experience to be a memorable adventure!