My favorite part of the program was living with a bunch of Danish students in a kollegium. I was the only American on my floor and made many new friends that I still keep in touch with!

DIS integrated independent travel time as well as guided study tours, giving me a broad range of travel experiences that balanced the academic course load.

Living in central Copenhagen, in close proximity to all necessities was convenient and helped the students become more immersed in the Danish culture. Program field studies and long study tours were very informative and well planned out.

I think my favorite part of the DIS program was the way they approached their academics, it was a perfect mix of time spent both inside and outside of the classroom. Mixing field studies and site visits with what we were focusing on class made for a very intriguing class environment.

Throughout the semester the program had multiple travel components that allowed me to see different parts of Europe while also still learning about my studies. I went to Sweden and Finland for part of my travels and got to see amazing architectural buildings that I may not have seen other wise.

My favorite part of this experience is a bit broad, but it's that DIS is a school specifically designed for students studying abroad, so I've been able to have opportunities for travel and cultural engagement that I never could have had studying at a regular university. DIS organizes travel for students to both Western Denmark and to other countries, and also has several breaks built into the schedule for personal travel should you want to travel around Europe on your own. Additionally, DIS provides a lot of unique opportunities to get involved in Danish culture, such as clubs both sponsored by and outside of DIS that are a mix of Americans, Danes, and people from all over the world, and opportunities to live with Danes or a Danish host family or to meet up with a Danish visiting host family on your own schedule. I've learned so much about Danish culture thanks to these opportunities, and have gotten to travel all over Europe. I'm eternally grateful to DIS for providing such a rich cultural experience, in addition to having really unique classes with small class sizes that help students stay engaged in their learning while abroad.

The professors at DIS are mostly Danish, so it was rewarding to be taught by professionals who grew up in another culture. We were encouraged to broaden our thinking while completing assignments, and try to do things that we would normally not be able to do at our university back in the United States.

I loved living in the Arts and Culture Living and Learning community. The events and activities we participated in allowed me to experience the underground arts culture in Copenhagen and broadened my understanding of what art is and can be. It challenged me and pushed me to be more open minded.

One of the most rewarding element of the program was the cultural experience. I absolutely loved my housing (rented room), living in an apartment in the city centre with two other Danes, biking everyday. frequent visits to my neighborhood bakery, it felt as if I was just living in Copenhagen and doing everyday normal life. I also really enjoyed meeting other Danish people, immersing myself in the culture, spending time with my roommates, their families, new foreign friends, and new friends from my program. I think the most rewarding element was what I gained from this experience, this opened my eyes to a new global perspective and gave me a lot of courage to do things on my own. Being abroad can be scary but I think this experience was very helpful in making me grow as an individual.

The complete design and production of a chair was especially rewarding, as we were able to realize and practice in real life many of the design techniques and traditions that we learned about in class. The study tour was also very influential because we got to see construction, application, and real life examples of many of the items we learned about in class. It was also a helpful study of proportion and joinery techniques.

The most rewarding elements were certainly those that allowed me to get to know Danish culture on a really intimate level, such as living with a Dane my age studying at Copenhagen University and meeting up with my visiting host family often and getting to know them. These memories that I've shared with the Danes I've grown close to are the ones I will keep long after returning to America, and are certainly the ones that shaped my experiences while abroad.

I would step out of your comfort zone and try to meet Danes while abroad. They can introduce you to their culture and you can make life long friends and connections that live abroad. It was helpful to pick a housing choice that did not just limit my to living with Americans because it gave me the opportunity to meet many new people.

Studying abroad is an invaluable experience that can be scary and sometimes uncomfortable, but it is the best thing you could ever do. Take the leap. My semester abroad was the best four months of my life. Be open-minded, be spontaneous, and do what interests you. Take study abroad as an opportunity to get to know yourself and explore your interests.

Denmark is a fairly homogeneous country, and though I expected a large amount of culture shock, it was a pretty easy place to settle in. Danish people are very friendly and helpful, but often keep to themselves unless otherwise necessary.

I think that the biggest thing I quickly learned is that it is ok to ask for help! Being half way across the world can be daunting but there is a very large support system for you both in Denmark and back home at KU. Don't hesisitate to reach out to the student information desk if you have any questions or if you're overwhelmed with the metro system. Coming into study abroad, there are a lot of unknowns, which is exciting but also terrifying, knowing that there is a large support system of people in Copenhagen and also back in the states makes it seem a little less daunting. Never be afraid to ask for help, you may learn something you didn't expect to!

I learned so much about the Danish approach to design on many scales as well as traditional construction and woodworking techniques. This was a very interesting lense through which to experience Scandinavian culture, and will influence my future work greatly.

You don't need nearly as much clothes as you think.