Cesare Pavese, a respected Italian poet claimed, “Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” Being an individual who thrives on challenges, I decided to emit myself in an unfamiliar state, unaware of the language, culture, and history of my destination. More so, I had adopted a case of hyper-organization; I would pre-plan my schedule and take pride in being one step ahead of the plan. My decision had been made: I would challenge myself to explore foreign boundaries, where a weekly planner is not only unnecessary but also inexistent. I wanted to release my guards, and spend six weeks, “off balance” and forced to” lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends.” Although I am known for my outgoing personality, I had always been fortunate to embark on new territories such as new schools, cities and organizations with a companion or assistance of a friend. Before the opportunity passed me by, I wanted to overcome the battle of gratifying loneliness in a country abroad.
I always had an imaginative mind, wondering what effect living among foreign people, amidst their culture and language would have on me. I wanted to study at an unconventional spot in Europe where most students and travelers oversee. I wanted to explore a city where old meets new, where the must-see sights were as eccentric as the people and night-life. My fascination for the medieval times and art deco guided me straight to Copenhagen, Denmark, known to be the happiest country to live in! I was so excited to explore Vesterbro, Copenhagen’s hippest quarter, visit The Little Mermaid statue honoring Hans Christian Andersen’s and my personal favorite fairy tale, visit museums and more museums, immerse my soul in music at the Roskilde Festival, window shop at Stroget, and appreciate the beautiful city on canal tours. I knew that studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark would help my independency and expand my passion and interest in European cultures, architecture, and people.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
- - St. Augustine
A few words that describe Danish culture are: chic, civilized, modest, pleasant. Danes are one of the most down-to-earth people I have met who exercise their mouths and minds intellectually. It was a great difference to surround myself with such modest people, especially when I am a native to Los Angeleses pretentious lifestyle. The Danish culture is more accepting of emerging social norms and can be classified as more liberal than the U.S. culture. These people, small in size, embrace their culture and practice the arts, whether it be music, festivals or beer drinking. I felt more at ease among Danes and their culture than I do back at home in the States; I felt like I would not be judged among them.
Fortunately, the majority of people living in Copenhagen speak fluent English so I did not feel like a foreigner at any time during my time abroad. The only time I felt a bit hopeless was during the first day in Copenhagen when I was trying to order pizza with my new friends. To our luck, none of the workers spoke very much English and could not translate the menu for us. That was the first and last time we experienced that problem.
Because Danes learn English at a young age, I did not have any problems with communication with anyone from my host country. I did, however, have some difficulty carrying a conversation with others in my program who were international students.
I made unforgettable connections with people during this trip that taught me new ways of seeing, thinking and living. Some of the best friends I hold true to my heart were from the program who I can, now, only communicate with via internet. I am so grateful to have made these friends from Germany, UK, Australia, Finland, and even from other parts of the U.S. They each made me find out new things about myself and I am so thankful for that.
The unique experience of my program was that not only were the students international, but also the professors. My "Value-Based Leadership" course was taught by a professor from Oxford, UK; my "Introduction to Marketing" course was taught by a professor from Indiana, USA. I believe this was beneficial to my education because I was gaining an international, well-rounded education. Classroom examples ranged, and students were able to discuss observations and experiences in the field from the different home countries. For example, I learned that the meaning of leadership differs in the United States than it does in other countries such as Germany. This was important for me to learn for when I participate in international business interactions in the future.
I think the most stressful aspect of my study abroad experience was not being able to venture out and eat Danish cuisines at Danish restaurants. This was because Copenhagen, Denmark is ranked in the top 10 most expensive cities in the world. That mild stress was not harsh enough to be a burden in any way, however.
On that note, ironically, one of the most enjoyable experiences being abroad was cooking dinner with my "family" abroad every night and enjoying a meal at the balcony at Tietgenkollegiet under the setting sun. This daily routine made me feel at home. And food has a magical power to bring people together and bond them over a good meal. For this reason, I never felt homesick or lonely. Another consistently enjoyable aspect of my study-abroad experience was the whole concept of "change" from what I was used to at home. This included my responsibilities, chores, & even family and friends. I wanted to disconnect myself from everything and everyone for two months and see what I was capable of on my own.
I am definitely one of those people who say "studying abroad this summer was the best time and best experience of my life!" I recommend it to everyone and encourage them to study for a semester, something I wish I had done myself.
Returning home was harder than I expected it to be. I got so comfortable with the European lifestyle of walking everywhere, taking the metro, relaxing, being stress free that I forgot that home was the exact opposite. The first two weeks of my return were tough; I missed my friends, and the beautiful city of Copenhagen. To this day, I compare every city to Copenhagen. Coming back to school in Orange County was a rude awakening of what I want, and don't want in my life. I realized that I am not fit to live in Orange County and, now, anticipate graduating in June 2010. However, I am grateful for the organization and academic excellence at the University of California, Irvine.
I was recently informed that the Copenhagen Business School has been ranked as the third best business school in the world! This will have an ever-lasting impact on my resume and career. As I apply for MBA schools in a few years, I will, now, consider getting my MBA from a European university. Furthermore, the "Value-Based Leadership" course I took has had an impact on how I approach coworkers and colleagues and my views on leadership and the skills I possess and lack. Lastly, my perspective on happiness has changed. I know that upon graduation, I no longer wish to be a music supervisor (which was my dream before going abroad), that I want to travel, travel, travel, and that I can calm my nerves and still be organized, responsible and capable of everything (without the unnecessary stress). I know that I have the character that blends well in a melting pot; my confidence has strengthened and I am ready to face the "real-world."
