Hej, my name is Darcy Harris and I’m going to be a junior at Franklin & Marshall college, where I am studying biochemistry. I really enjoy traveling, and I’ve always wanted to study abroad. I first encountered DIS at my school’s study abroad fair and was immediately interested in the public health courses offered. The location was also desirable. Scandinavia has one of the best healthcare systems in the world and I’ve also heard amazing things about this program from upperclassmen at my school.
This summer, I will be in Copenhagen for six weeks and Stockholm for four weeks. I choose to study abroad in the summer because as a biochemistry major, I have to take a ton of classes with four-hour labs. Scheduling my semesters are difficult, so going abroad over the summer was the best option for me.
I’m taking Human Health & Disease: A Clinical Approach first, which involves the treatment of different diseases and how to diagnose them. In the second session, I’m taking Medical Biotechnology and Drug Development, which has a study tour in Edinburgh, Scotland! The third session, I will be going to Stockholm to take Public Health Policy in Practice, with a study tour in Belfast and Dublin, Ireland!
I’m excited to be able to explore both Copenhagen and Stockholm this summer. The first week is wrapping up, and I feel like there’s still so much more to do. I’ve signed up for study tours and also plan to travel with family.
Strangely, I’m also looking forward to being independent in a foreign country. I want to see how I will manage in a brand new country with an official language that isn’t English. I want to acquire skills of a traveler, not a tourist, and be able to explore a new culture. I’m also interested to see how I will emerge from this experience. Ten weeks is quite a long time, and hopefully, by the end, I’ll be able to pronounce some Danish words correctly.