Felicitas Tananibe
CAS ’26
Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
SA: Danish Institute of Study Abroad (DIS)
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A unique experience about the Danish Institute of Study Abroad was their Long Study Tours. Each core course, students spent a week visiting a specific country and applying what they learned in class to the new environment they were introduced to. A week before this trip, students focused on a specific topic in class and were given assignments that involved exploring the country they were visiting.
I had the opportunity to visit Vienna, Austria, and Prague with my classmates. Since my core course focused on European art and cinema, I first visited Vienna for three days, where I learned about Gustav Klimt and the Art Nouveau. I explored the Belvedere Palace. There, I saw several famous pieces such as The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele’s Tod und Mädchen, and many other art pieces.
For the rest of the week, we traveled to Prague, where we visited the NaFilm: Národní filmový muzeum. There, we had a lecture from a Czech film director and learned the importance of breaking through the film industry.
Throughout this trip, students were also allowed to visit different parts of the city. I was able to see the Hofburg Palace, which holds the Austrian National Library, which has been a dream of mine since the eighth grade. In Prague, I also visited the Charles Bridge, which holds 30 Baroque statues of patron saints venerated in Prague between 1683 and 1714. Through this long study tour, I was granted a chance of a lifetime opportunity!
My Experience Abroad
As a double major in Biology and Fine Arts, I knew that selecting a program that corresponded with my academic background was essential.
I was first introduced to the Danish Institute of Study Abroad (DIS) through the Department of Fine Arts. With my hopes of pursuing a career in both the arts and sciences, I was recommended to explore the courses offered through DIS. Upon finding the Illustrating Science class, I realized that this opportunity abroad was the right fit for me.
With my mind set on pursuing medical illustration post-graduation, I knew I needed to take a course that focused on scientific illustration. Discovering DIS was a dream come true for me. I was able to take this course abroad, meet with professional medical illustrators, and be in a room surrounded by people with similar interests. This experience not only helped me fulfill a course requirement but also strengthened my love for both fields. Through this course, I was able to maintain contact with illustrators who were willing to mentor me and offer guidance in the field.
Secondly, I was enrolled in the core course, Modern Frames: European Art and Cinema. This course mainly focused on European art history dating back to the 1600s. I immersed myself in the art world, exploring works from the Baroque to the Danish Dogme. This class helped establish my foundation in world art history, a course which I will be taking this coming fall semester.
Other Highlights
My study abroad program was an institution designed for American students who wanted to study in Scandinavia. However, it also gave us the chance to explore Danish culture by providing housing options where students could live in college-style apartments with students from the nearby universities.
I lived in student housing provided by the university. Although I had my bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, there were several activities each week where DIS students and students from Kobenhavn Universitet would meet and plan their weekends together. I discovered the Danish delicacy smørrebrød through a picnic I had on the beach with some Danish friends. DIS also gave us a $600 stipend for grocery shopping. This was helpful as I was able to save my own money and use that for different experiences.
Another highlight from my program were the resources given to each student. Before arriving in Copenhagen, DIS sent us an app that we had to join. The DIS Navigate app provided us with everything from free toiletries to travel care packets. There was never a time when my worries were not answered. I was given a Canon camera by the DIS supply center for a month for my trips around Europe. My friends made plans to go hiking and were given free supplies for their trip. Faculty from each department were on standby just in case students had any questions about their time abroad. My favorite highlight from this experience was traveling to Aarhus with my class for the week. There, we went on a food tour, which was filled with lots of wine tasting and a trip to the AROS museum.
