DIS summer students have just arrived this past Monday, and Session 1 is off to a fantastic start. Throughout the summer, DIS Summer Writers will update you on their study abroad experiences, as they live, learn, and navigate cross-culturally. We’ll have a few updates each week, so be sure to check back and follow them here on the DIS Blog!
Name: Jackie Gaffney
Home University: Indiana University
Summer Session 1 Course: Corporate Social Responsibility: Business of Ethics?
Summer Session 2 Course: Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism from a European Perspective
Who am I? My name is Jackie Gaffney, and I am a rising senior in the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, although I am originally from New Jersey. I am majoring in Marketing and International Business, which pairs well with my excitement for international travel. I grew up watching my dad fly off to faraway places for business trips and always wished I could hide in his suitcase to tag along. However, now it is my turn and I cannot wait to see what Europe has waiting for me to explore!
After years of wanting to travel overseas, I finally had the chance. Where would I go? I decided to go somewhere I did not know much about. When I looked more into the DIS program in Copenhagen, I knew it was perfect. The fact that it was a beautiful city with a population well-versed in English made Copenhagen the best option for someone with little to no foreign language skills, like me. The 2 sessions equaling 6 weeks seemed like a good starting point for my international experience, as I have never gone abroad and would have felt too nervous to go for a full semester. For the first session, I am taking a business class called Corporate Social Responsibility: Business or Ethics?, which pertains to my majors and for the second session, I am taking an international relations class called Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism from a European Perspective to gain more insight on the world around me. It will definitely be a challenge trying to study when there is a whole city out there to explore, but I hope to learn the most I can about Danish culture and see how well I can assimilate in a new country.
First impressions can make or break an experience. For me, riding the shuttle bus from the airport to my DIS housing made me even more excited for this summer. It was chilly and raining, and I was completely exhausted from the 2 flights I had just taken, but it did not even matter. The buildings here are incredible and allow you to see what is around, as they are not skyscrapers like the cities I am used to back in the United States. Each building seems to belong to Copenhagen, and they share many of the same aesthetic and architectural factors. I have only been here for four days, but I have already experienced so much, including wandering lost in the city for an hour. Don’t worry though; everyone gets lost the first few days.
On the first day of class, we participated in a scavenger hunt to acquaint ourselves more with the city. After that, I met up with some friends from class to wander around the rest of the day. Check out a few of the photos from my first full day in Copenhagen. I cannot wait to see what else I will learn in the next few weeks!
Awesome post 😀
wow that’s fantastic! Have a safe great trip Jac!