A Semester(ish) at Hogwarts: Noah Henchen

Name: Noah Henchen

Major: Business Administration with a Marketing emphasis 

Year: Sophomore 

Program: University of Glasgow- Spring 2020

 

Why did you study abroad?

Growing up I was always looking forward to the day that I could study abroad. I love traveling and seeing things different to what I am accustomed to. Studying abroad allowed me to travel and see different cultures, while receiving credits for my major and minor. 

 

Why did you choose this location?

I chose Scotland because I love being outdoors and hiking and with ⅔ of Scotland being uninhabited and mountainous it was the ideal place to study. I was also fascinated with the history of Scotland and their fight for independence, as well as the abundance of castles in the country. I chose Glasgow in particular because it is the largest city in Scotland and there is plenty to do no matter what interests you may have. Glasgow was also a perfect springboard to travel to other countries with the abundance of airports in the area (two in Glasgow, one in neighboring Edinburgh). The University of Glasgow also has a reputation of being one of the world’s most prestigious universities. It is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world and was founded in 1451. When I looked up pictures of the university before I left, I kept seeing pictures of the main building (pictured above). As soon as I saw that and with everything I read it seemed like the perfect place to study abroad (not to mention that I would be studying at Hogwarts). 

 

What was the best part of studying abroad? Favorite Experience?

Everything! However, if I had to pick the best part about studying abroad it would be the people that you meet. Studying abroad allows you to meet people all over the world and form friendships that will last a lifetime. Despite COVID-19 limiting my study abroad experience, my fondest memories are the memories that I made with the friends I did make. Before I left we all agreed that had we all known that we would be sent home early, we all would have still picked to study this semester because otherwise we would not have met each other. Many people say being able to travel all throughout Europe for so cheap is the best part of studying abroad (which is great), but it does not compare to the friendships you make while abroad. Making friends abroad gives you great connections and gives you a reason to keep traveling in the future.

Every experience during my time abroad was my favorite experience. If I had to narrow it down to one thing it would be experiencing living in a different country and having Glasgow to call my “home”. My fondest memories are experiencing the city of Glasgow with my friends and finding new cool places to go. The university is located in the vibrant west end of Glasgow and there is so much to do in that area. Glaswegians (name for people from Glasgow) are the friendliest people you will ever meet. You could sit down with a random stranger and have a two hour conversation with them. I miss the hospitality of the locals more and more each day. Glasgow is a really cool city with a great music and art scene and I highly recommend studying here.

 

What did you struggle with? How did you overcome it?

The way in which courses are run was a major difference compared to courses in the U.S. For most courses in the U.S. you are constantly assessed whether it is through essays, projects, or exams. However, for many classes at Glasgow you will have an essay and a final exam which make up your course mark. With that said there is a lot of pressure to do well on these assessments as they are the only way in which you are assessed. There is also a lot more stress on individual learning as you are not being constantly assessed on the material. A lot of classes have an assigned reading list for the specific section you are covering and you are responsible for reading these and making sure you obtain the information. I knew a lot of this information going in, but when you first get there it can be a little daunting. I overcame this by making sure that I was staying on track and finished all of the readings that were assigned. I also regularly tested myself to assure that I remembered the information that I learned. It can be difficult at first, but you will get adjusted quickly. 

 

Were you able to travel to other places?

Yes! I chose to go during the Spring semester at Glasgow because you get a three week break during the semester. I saw this as a perfect time to see a lot of Europe and Scotland. Unfortunately, given the circumstances of COVID-19 I was sent home before I had the opportunity to partake in the plans I made. However, I still was able to see a lot of both Scotland and Europe. Before arriving in Scotland I traveled to Iceland. While in Scotland I took weekend trips to Prague, Amsterdam, and Warsaw. In Scotland I traveled to Edinburgh, Isle of Arran, and Loch Lomond to name a few. Again, Glasgow is a great springboard to see the rest of Europe and is also the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. 

 

What advice do you have for those who want to study abroad?

Go for it! If you are on the fence about studying abroad, do it! You will not regret going, I promise you that. You often hear the saying “you will regret not going, but you will not regret going”, which is corny but accurate. Also, if you have the chance try to study abroad for a whole year. For some majors this may not be a possibility, but if you have the opportunity, take it. My biggest regret is not studying abroad for a whole year. It is truly a remarkable experience that you will not regret. 

 

Evening Advising Sessions

Want to know more about study abroad options but only on campus in the evening?  Have a busy class schedule?  Check out our Evening Advising Sessions!

 

Evening Advising Sessions

5:00-7:00pm in the OIE (CL 108)

Monday, September 16th

Tuesday, September 17th

Monday, September 23rd

Tuesday, September 24th

 

NO appointment needed- just walk in!  Contact the OIE to confirm a time/date.

 

Questions? Contact the OIE at oie@uwgb.edu or visit www.uwgb.edu/studyabroad

Summer in Alicante, Spain!

Navatnie Etchin recently returned from a month in Alicante, Spain!  She participated in the Spain: UWGB in Alicante faculty-led program, hosted by CEA (a study abroad provider).  While abroad she wrote two blogs for CEA, check out the links below!

 

https://www.ceastudyabroad.com/blog/mojo/2019/06/13/my-arrival-in-alicante-first-impressions

https://www.ceastudyabroad.com/blog/mojo/2019/07/08/12-best-places-in-alicante-spain

 

Navatnie also is a photographer, check out her Spain photos by searching for @uwgb_oie or #uwgbstudyabroad on Instagram!

 

Navatnie

7 Months in Europe: Brigitta Kaiser

Brigitta France 1   Name: Brigitta Kaiser

   Majors: French, History

   Minors: German, Education

   Year in School: Super Senior

  Programs: Spring Semester in Pau, France (with USAC) and International  Summer University in Kassel, Germany (through UWGB)

 

 

 

 

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I have always been a bit of a travel bug and culture nut, so studying abroad was always on my list of things to do in college. I really wanted to immerse myself in a new culture and get a taste of what it was like to live like the people in those countries do. I had already been to Europe a few times before, once for a choir trip and the second for a semester study abroad in Scotland, and I was dying to get to see more of Europe and get to know France and Germany better. I also studied abroad to improve my foreign language skills.

 

Why did you choose to go where you did?

Brigitta France 2My reasons for choosing France and Germany were because I study both French and German, so I naturally wanted to spend time in those countries immersing myself in the languages. I’ve studied French for almost eight years, and love the language and culture, so I was dying to actually spend time in France and experience everything the country had to offer for myself. I chose Germany because I also love the language and culture, but also because Germany is also a very important country for me. My family comes from there (my grandmother was German and my mom was born there), and I also have several close friends from Germany. The summer program in Germany was a great opportunity for me to get to know this country a bit better and also get to see friends and family. I also designed my seven months in Europe (four months in France, two months of travel, one month in Germany) so that I also had to opportunity to explore the rest of Europe and visit friends.

 

What’s the best part about studying abroad? Favorite experience?

Brigitta Germany 1It is honestly so difficult to pick what is the best part about studying abroad. My seven month stay in Europe was such an amazing and life changing experience, and I definitely did a lot in those seven months. I guess I would say that the best thing about being in Europe in particular is the opportunity to travel to many different countries since many of the countries are relatively close. In total, I was able to travel to eleven different countries with relative ease and for relatively cheap. It was amazing to see how different neighboring countries in Europe can be from each other.

 

However, despite all the traveling I did, my favorite experience was actually just the time I got to spend with my international friends. I hadn’t seen some of these friends in one or two years, so it was such an amazing experience to just have the opportunity to hang out with them in their own country, since we had mostly only seen each other in the US. It also gave me the opportunity to go to places I might not have gone to, such as Finland and the Hague in the Netherlands, which I visited because my friends live there.

 

 

What did you struggle with? How did you overcome it?

Brigitta Germany 3I think that I struggled the most with being confident and willing to put myself out there, especially when I wanted to practice the languages I was in Europe to study. With a group of friends I can be the life of the party, but once I am put into a situation where I don’t know anyone, or where I need to approach someone I don’t know and talk to them, I get really shy. I think that I could have improved my language skills a lot more if I had been more confident and willing to go and talk to people. The key to learning a new language is practicing it and being confident in your ability to speak that language. You can’t get caught up in what words you don’t know, you just have to make the best of what you do know. Though I still could improve my confidence, my study abroad experience helped me to start getting over my fear of talking to people I don’t know.

My advice is just to go for it and be confident in yourself and your abilities. I was so surprised by the positive feedback I received from native speakers when I pushed myself to speak the language. When studying foreign languages, you are often better than you think you are. Once I pushed myself to try to only speak in French and German (which was easier in France because less people are fluent in English than in Germany, including the young people), I saw myself improve so much more and my confidence grew, because I saw that I really could communicate fairly well with the natives than I thought I could. The key was just putting myself out there and going for it.

 

What advice do you have for those who want to study abroad?

Just go for it! Don’t hold yourself back from anything and be ready to take a chance on something new. It’s going to be challenging and you’re going to have to go outside of your comfort zone, but it will all be worth it in the end. The time you spend abroad may be some of the most difficult months abroad, but it will also be among the best months of your life. The friends you will make and the experiences you will have will be worth the cost. So just don’t be afraid to make that leap! Get out there and explore what the world has to offer! One of my regrets is just sitting in my room when I could have been out exploring the city, trying new food, practicing my language skills, and generally just experiencing new things. So don’t let the fear of getting out of your comfort zone hold you back from a life changing experience.

 

 

How has studying abroad personally helped you?

Brigitta Germany 2The time I spent in Europe helped me in so many ways. First, it helped me to improve my language skills. Though I didn’t improve as much as I wanted to, my ability to speak French and German definitely improved much better than it would have at home. Second, it really helped me to build my self-confidence and made me more responsible for myself. I often had to face challenges by myself and had to learn to put myself out of my comfort zone. It pushed me to try new things which I may not have done before, such as going on a three week long, seven city, three country trip all by myself. I really had to learn how to be confident in myself and my language abilities, which will be a huge asset to me in the future.

 

 

 

What are the differences between your home country and the country you are studying in?

  1. Public transportation. Most places in Europe have fantastic public transit systems. You really don’t need a car like you do in the US, and cities are so easy to navigate and get around with public transit compared to Green Bay. There are also amazing train and bus systems that make traveling around Europe so easy! However, Europeans also walk much, much more than we do in the U.S., so just be prepared to do a lot of walking in Europe!
  2. The social system. France and Germany are socialist societies, so while they are still democracies, they have a lot more social benefits for their citizens. They enjoy benefits such as universal healthcare and family support, which is very different from the U.S. European countries tend to be more communalistic and have systems that focus on the collective good than the U.S., which is a very individualistic society.
  3. Europe is generally a more relaxed society and they really value vacation and family time. Stores are often closed on Sundays and French and German people tend to get around six weeks or more of paid vacation. It was definitely a very different outlook from the U.S. Europeans are generally more “chill” about certain things, such as body culture and alcohol. For example, in Germany you can drink alcohol in public places, so expect to see people drinking in public parks or sitting on the curb with friends having a drink.
  4. Protesting in France. I thought that Americans liked to protest and complain about the government, but the French take it to a whole other level. The French are well known for their strikes, and I witnessed two large strikes while I was in France. The first was a student protest against education reform. There were several occasions where my class had to be held in a different building because the students had taken all the chairs and tables out of the classrooms and blockaded the building I normally had class in. The second was the nationwide railroad strikes. For three months you had to be careful what day you took the trains because the strikes often caused some or all of the trains to be cancelled. Thankfully they announced the days ahead of time, so you could plan your travel around the strike days, but it made travel difficult. I once had a train be over an hour late in leaving because workers were standing on the tracks in protest.
  5. You often have to pay for water in restaurants. In France you can often get a “carafe d’eau” for free, which is just a jug of water. Often that water is at room temperature. In Germany you cannot get this free water. Also, in Europe you generally do not get drinks with ice in them, and expect to pay for refills. I never knew how much I loved unlimited ice water and fountain drinks until I couldn’t get them in Europe.
  6. In France they do the whole kiss on the cheek thing, which for me is so weird because you will do it with people you don’t even know that well. However, if they recognize you are a foreigner, they often won’t do it. Depending on the region the number of kisses is different; sometimes it is two kisses or three, and usually they will start on a certain side of your face.
  7. In France lots of people have dogs and you will often see them being walked without a leash! Dogs tend to be more well trained in Europe, so don’t expect a friendly pup to walk up to you randomly. Also, in France people let their dogs go to the bathroom on the sidewalk and won’t clean it up, which was very frustrating. You always have to watch your step in France.
  8. Dinner time in France is often very late. My host family generally ate dinner at 8 pm, which was a shock for me when I first arrived because I was starving by 6 pm.
  9. Bathrooms/restrooms! The stalls in European restrooms are much more private. You will not see a European restroom with large gaps on the side and bottom of the door. It is even rare to see a stall with a gap at all, as most tend to be a completely closed off little room. In houses it is common that the toilet is separated from the shower. Most houses have a “toilet” or “WC” with just the toilet and a small sink, and then they have the actual “bathroom” which has a tub or shower.
  10. The friendliness of Europeans is very different from in the U.S. Americans tend to be generally more outgoing and friendly to strangers than Europeans, who are often very reserved. They aren’t necessarily unfriendly, but they aren’t going to chat with someone who they don’t know.
  11. Recycling in Germany is the absolute best. Germans will recycle everything. Their recycling bins are way bigger than the garbage, and they will put items in the recycling that we would generally consider trash, such as plastic wrap. Germany also has this great plastic and glass bottle recycling system. When you buy anything in a bottle, such as soda, you have to pay a “pfand”, which is a deposit of usually 25 cents. You can later take those bottles to a grocery store where they have a machine you feed the bottle in and get your deposit back. The amount you have to pay or get back can depend on the type of bottle, such as ones that are made of harder or softer plastic. This also serves as a sort of income for homeless or poor people. You will often see someone digging around in public trash cans to grab out bottles which they can turn into for money. Germans will often just set bottles, especially glass bottles, next to trash cans so that people don’t injure themselves when they are digging through the trash.
  12. There are definitely many more differences, but you will just have to go out and discover them for yourself in these amazing countries! 😉

A Summer in Portugal: Leah Zorn

Leah EIA

Name: Leah Zorn

Major: Business (minor in Computer Science)

Year in School: Senior

Program: European Innovation Academy (Portugal)

 

 

 

Tell us about your program & experience abroad!

leah 2Being part of the world’s largest accelerator program not only taught me a lot about entrepreneurship but also introduced me to amazing peers and mentors from around the globe. At the European Innovation Academy, my team, PLUM, developed the business plans for a food delivery mobile application meant for homemade food. Our target audience is students in Qatar. Within the three weeks I served as a the Chief Design Officer. This involved prototyping our mobile application. Along the way, we, as a team, worked with mentors to pivot when needed and made sure our business was going down the right path.

 

 

leah 4The last day of the program served as “pitch day” where each team pitched to an investor, PLUM pitching to VP of Sales at Disney, Paul Holliman. With great feedback, we headed to the afternoon where we would find out who made the top ten. With much gratitude, we did make it to the top ten! This meant pitching on the “big stage.” In conclusion, we received an in-kind award for design mentorship.  As our Chief Mentor, Daniel Vila Boa said, “you resemble the very best of what is possible at the European Innovation Academy.

 

 

Were you able to travel during your free time?

barcelonaApart from EIA, I was able to explore more of Europe on my weekends there and decided to take short trips to both Paris and Barcelona. Overall, I am walking away from these three weeks with lifelong friends living on different continents, a full belly of European cuisine, and so many memories to share for years to come!

 

A semester in Scotland: Brittany Blohowiak

Brittany Blohowiak

Major: Mathematics

Year in School: Sophomore

Program: Stirling, Scotland – Fall 2016

Why did you choose to study where you did?

I chose to study in Stiring, Scotland based on the size and the similarities of the campus to UWGB. I have never been out of the country before, or away from home, so I thought that a campus that feels familiar would help make the transition easier. I chose Scotland purely because it is absolutely gorgeous and there is so much to see in all corners of the country.

 

What was the best part about studying abroad? Favorite Experience?

Reading Break in London
Reading Break in London

I have the most memories from trips that I took with my flat mates. During reading break I went to London and Oxford with my flat mate Maddie. We are both pretty big Harry Potter fans so we made it our mission to see all of the sites where the movie was filmed (very nerdy, I know). Of course we had to go to Kings Cross to get a picture at Platform 9 ¾, like every other tourist who likes Harry Potter, but it was well worth the wait.

Another highlight was my trip to St. Andrews. I went up there by myself and stayed for the weekend to see the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the Old Course. To be in the birth place of golf was just surreal. My dad and I are pretty big into golf so I knew I had to make a point to get up to St. Andrews if there was ever a tournament going on.

 

 

 

 What did you struggle with? How did you overcome it?

Climbing Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh
Climbing Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh

The biggest learning curve for me was figuring out how to live on my own. I commute from home into college normally at UWGB, so I have never been on my own before in my whole life. Honestly, I have never done a load of laundry before coming on this trip. So it was a learning curve for me to determine what groceries I needed for the week, cooking healthy meals, while still studying and doing school work. I was anticipating being homesick because I have never been away from home for such a long time; however, it has not a problem for me. I think it was the fact that I adapted to the culture so quickly and became so close to my flat mates very quickly; they became my family. It is just astonishing to think that I have only known them for a few months, yet we know each other so well.

             Another aspect that was difficult was trying to balance school life and travelling. My flat mates and I usually would try to plan weekend day trips whenever we could because Scotland has cute little towns in every corner of the country. With the weekends booked it became harder to get my readings done, which lead to a few late nights on multiple occasions. I have learned to balance out when I have the time to travel and when I need to say no, in order to study.

What advice would you have for those who want to study abroad?

For anyone even considering studying abroad, I would tell them to go for it. I can honestly say that studying abroad has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. All of the new experiences, cultures and lifestyles that you face in day-to-day life makes it worth every penny.

 

Hiking up to the top of Dumyat
Hiking up to the top of Dumyat

How did studying abroad personally help you?

Studying abroad really helped me get out of my shell. I was never very involved in extracurricular activities and I am a quiet person to begin with. So, this whole experience helped me become more comfortable putting myself out there and making friends from allover the world. I can now say I can couch surf in places like Canada, Spain, Ireland, Paris and Copenhagen. It has been such a great experience for me and I am sure that it has made me more outgoing in return.

 

Dunnottar Castle in Stonehaven
Dunnottar Castle in Stonehaven

 

 

 

 

Want to read more about my experience abroad? Follow my personal blog posted below!

http://www.travelpod.com/members/brittany-b

A Summer in Scotland: Katie Prigge

Name: Katie Prigge

Year in School: Senior

Major: Design Arts and Communication

Year in School: Senior

Program: University of Stirling- International Summer School over Summer 2015

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I chose to study abroad because I had never been out of the country before. I knew college would be a good time to go because I don’t have any other obligations

Why did you choose to go where you did?

Faerie Glenn, Scotland
Faerie Glenn, Scotland

Honestly, I knew I wanted to go somewhere in the UK because they speak English.

I chose Stirling, Scotland specifically, because of the beautiful landscapes and they offered classes that would count for credits in my major.

What’s the best part about studying abroad? Favorite experience?

The best part about studying abroad was I got to meet so many people and make new friends with different perspectives. My program had around 140 other students in it, and it was kind of like freshman year all over again except we were all in this new country for the first time.

I have two experiences that stand out the most; each for different reasons. The first was the Heartland Tour, where a group of about a dozen of us went to the Isle of Sky, Loch Ness, and explored all over the very northern parts of Scotland. Our tour guide, Nory, told amazing stories about how the mountains got their names. The entire trip really made me appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature. It sounds so cheesy to say, but a lot of us on the group were so in awe of the amazing mountain landscapes, that we were in tears!

Heartland Tour, Glencoe, Scotland
Heartland Tour, Glencoe, Scotland

Another great experience was shopping in London! There was one place on Oxford Street where you could stand, and if you looked around in all directions, you could see four H&M stores from the same place! I loved how the UK has many of the same stores as us, but the styles you find inside are totally different! I’ve been following a few fashion YouTubers from the UK for a while, and it was amazing to go to stores like Asos, Primark, and Topshop, which they always mention, and experience it for myself.

What did you struggle with? How did you overcome it?

I think the biggest struggle was the homework. I never realized how the US grading system is very different from the rest of the world. I’d seen a trend of Tumblr posts about how ridiculously easy the grading scale is in the UK, and it is true that a 70 and up is considered an A. But the thing is: these grades aren’t based on the percentage of correctness. It’s more like only 3% of the class can get an 80 or above, and they really enforce the bell curve of the majority of students getting an average grade, which is around a 60. The grading itself is done by “the external.” I’m still not quite sure what that means, but it is a person who is pretty high up academically, who doesn’t know you at all, so they can’t have a bias.

I had to write a lot of research papers while I was at Stirling, and that was kind of difficult because I don’t think I’ve had to write like that since I took Expository Writing a couple of years ago. I overcame these struggles by staying in the lab for an entire day and forcing myself to get everything done instead of going out with my friends.

Another thing I struggled with were the accents! Before I went to Scotland, I don’t think I even realized Scottish accents existed; I thought everyone had the traditional British accent you hear on TV. Once arriving, I learned it was easier to understand most of the Scottish people close to my age, but sometimes I had to pay really close attention to understand the middle-aged locals. It never really got easier because I was only there for a month, and spent most of my time among students.

What advice would you have for those who want to study abroad?

My advice would be to just do it, travel as much as you can while you are there, and don’t worry too much about money! You really do only live once, so see as much of the world as you possibly can. I had the chance to go to Ireland for a few days, but I didn’t because at the time I didn’t think I could afford it. Once I came back home and started working, I realized I definitely could have, and should have. I can’t speak for everywhere, but in Europe it is so easy, and pretty cheap, to get anywhere you need to go in the continent! I took a nine-hour overnight bus from Scotland to London for around $36. Unlike America, there are constantly trains and busses running to wherever you might want to go, so definitely take advantage of that!

The Hub, Edinburgh
The Hub, Edinburgh

Also, just for fun, stay in one of the cheapest hostels you can find! Since almost everyone in my program was American, this was the major way I got to meet people from other countries like Brazil and Australia. It’s kind of scary to share a bunk bed with a total stranger, and a bathroom with 20 of them, but it builds character!

How did studying abroad personally help you?

Studying Abroad helped me in so many ways! First of all, it was my first time in an airport without my family and it was nerve-wracking to navigate alone, especially when my flights kept getting delayed and had gate changes (I would try to avoid flying with United if you can!), but now I will be able to find my way around an airport fearlessly. Studying abroad also helped me understand another culture, monetary system, and way of life. I loved that the friends I made were all so different, but we could all grab a few drinks and debate politics (to the point that some people would be screaming!). But at the end of the day it really did make us better friends.

Also check out a blog I wrote for one of my classes, Photographing the Urban:

http://katieprigge.blogspot.co.uk/

 

From Denmark to UWGB: Line Nørgaard

Name: Line Nørgaard

Major: Communication and Digital Media

Year in school: 3rd

Program/Where you went: I went from University of Aalborg-Copenhagen to University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

My name is Line (Pronounced Lee-Nuh) I’m 22 years old and I’m from Denmark (The country, not the city). I study at the University of Aalborg-Copenhagen, where my major is Communication and Digital Media.

This is a picture of University of Aalborg-Copenhagen, which is in the South-West of Copenhagen, 15 minutes from the center.
This is a picture of University of Aalborg-Copenhagen, which is in the South-West of Copenhagen, 15 minutes from the center.

Reasons to study abroad

There were a lot of reasons for me to study abroad. In terms of my education I was able to take some courses at UWGB, which my own university did not offer. By studying abroad, I could therefore make my education profile much more specific to what I envision for my future.

I work in marketing in my everyday life, in the heart of Copenhagen, for an entrepreneurial business. By going abroad, I have had the chance to study Mass Media Advertising, which is very useful for my job. In fact, my bosses encouraged me to go abroad because they see great value in me developing my skills. If you ever consider studying abroad, don’t be afraid of losing your job, as it can be a way of you showing that you want to improve your skills.

And lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I love traveling and learning about new cultures. Sure, you learn a lot by studying, but the skills of adapting to a new culture, traveling, and learning about other cultures are priceless. This is the second time I have studied abroad, and there’s a reason why I keep doing it – you learn a lot about the world you live in.

American Football isn’t big in Denmark, so going to Lambeau Field was quite exciting.
American Football isn’t big in Denmark, so going to Lambeau Field was quite exciting.

A question I get asked a lot is: Why UWGB? Well, my university in Denmark has an agreement with UWGB where we send a couple of Danish students to UWGB, and UWGB can send a couple of students to the University of Aalborg. This was partly the reason why I chose to study here. In Denmark we can choose from a lot of different universities to study at, and UWGB was the one that fit my profile the best. If you’re considering going abroad, and you have a lot of different universities to choose from, I suggest you write down what you want out of the stay and research which universities live up to your expectations. For example, I thought the 360-degree of learning approach of UWGB was very appealing, and therefore another reason for me to choose this university over another.

Worries of going abroad

The application process is the part that scares most people away from going abroad. I’m not going to lie; it’s an incredibly difficult and time-consuming process, but it’s absolutely worth it. The amount of things you get to experience and learn about another culture is absolutely amazing – a privilege really. If you find the application process to be really overwhelming, don’t worry. I found it to be really helpful to make a list of the different deadlines, and don’t be afraid to write to your Exchange Coordinator – they are there to help you. I also found it helpful to talk to people who were in the same position as me, and we would help each other write our applications and support each other.

One of my courses at UWGB is Practicum in Print Journalism, where I work with video production for Phlash TV.
One of my courses at UWGB is Practicum in Print Journalism, where I work with video production for Phlash TV.

Another worry a lot of people have is: will I be able to keep up with the educational level? Now, this isn’t really a worry that should keep you away from studying abroad. Your professors will know about your situation, and they will understand that it takes some time to adapt to their system. Also, most universities offer help to write assignments, so take advantage of what your school offers. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask your classmates for help. They will probably be more than happy to help you out.

My experience in America so far

I have been in America for a month and a half now, and I have already learned so much, met a lot of cool people, and experienced many things. This is the first time I have been to America, and growing up watching 90210, I had a lot of expectations for university life in the states. One of my favorite things so far, which may seem like a normal thing to Americans, is that everyone lives on campus. In Denmark we don’t live on campus, and universities are often placed in big cities. So for a student in Denmark, we would probably be more connected to the city we live in than the community surrounding our campus. I really enjoy the close community surrounding the university here in America – it almost feels like being on a 4 month long camping trip.

A bunch of exchange students went to see a Packers game to see what the hype was about.
A bunch of exchange students went to see a Packers game to see what the hype was about.

Going to a different country will mean that you will have to adapt to a new culture. It’s very important to stay open-minded about how another culture does different things. And hey, you might learn something from it. If you have this attitude people are more likely to want to tell you about their culture. You don’t have to agree on the differences there are between the country you come from and the one you’re staying in, but it is important to respect the differences. For example, I can respect that cheese soup is a thing over here, but I don’t necessarily understand its hype.

Differences between Denmark and America

There are a lot of differences between living in Denmark and living in America. For example, everyone drives a car over here no matter how far the destination is. In Copenhagen, where I live, there’s a culture for riding your bike instead of driving a car. I will bike at least 11 miles a day, all year round – in the simmering heat of the summer, through rain and snow, and heck, I have even ridden my bike during hurricanes in Copenhagen. This is partly because Copenhagen is a city that focuses on being environmental friendly, but also because cars are insanely expensive in Denmark.

A bunch of exchange students went to the kayaking camping trip a couple of weeks ago.
A bunch of exchange students went to the kayaking camping trip a couple of weeks ago.

Another thing where Americans and Danes really differ is the way we express excitement. In Denmark we understate most emotions, so if I were to get an A grade, I would say it was fine. This doesn’t mean that I’m not excited; this would be me when I’m extremely excited. This contrasts quite a lot to Americans who use words like “amazing” and “excellent” quite often. It’s not unusual for Americans to ask us why we aren’t more excited. Danish people are pretty content and happy most of the time. We are after all the world’s happiest nation; we just express it in a different way.

Going abroad is an amazing opportunity and it’s really rewarding—especially since the world is becoming more globalized. I feel lucky to say that I have been able to study abroad twice, and I encourage anyone to go for it.

UWGB students in Chile

This August a group of UWGB students traveled to Chile to learn about sustainability.  The course was led by two distinguished faculty members:Dr. John Katers from the UW Master of Science in Sustainable Management and Dr. Alex Godoy from the Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago.

Check out the article below for more about the program and look at photos on the UWGB Environmental Management and Business Institute Facebook page!

http://sustain.wisconsin.edu/blog/chile-sustainability-course/