Wesley Burdett ’08, a mechanical engineering student in the Product Design & Innovation program, studied at Denmark Technical University in Copenhagen during the spring of 2007. Burdett chose this particular study abroad program because of its affiliation with RPI’s PDI program. The affiliation allowed him to receive full credit for the studio course that he took while at DTU, which is an important aspect of the PDI program.
In addition to the studio course, Burdett took courses that covered topics such as the construction of sustainable buildings. The daily class schedule was structured around two four-hour blocks. The first two hours were dedicated to lecture, while the second two hours were reserved for completing homework with the professor. This allowed the students to ask for further explanation regarding homework problems when necessary.
Burdett found differences between the Danish and American higher education systems. For example, he noted that the Danish usually take a year or two off between high school and college, and about one-third of the population is drafted into a year of military service during this time. “It isn’t uncommon for a freshman to be 21,” he observed. Typically, Danish students spend three years at the undergraduate level, and an additional two years at the graduate level. Danish students receive a stipend from the government for attending school, “so it is also not uncommon to see people getting their second or third degrees.”
Burdett found that nearly everyone in Denmark speaks English, so studying there was a good option for someone who does not speak a foreign language but still wants to study abroad. He noted that Danish children have a choice in school whether to learn English with an American or British accent.
Studying abroad in Denmark influenced Burdett’s understanding of other cultures, as well as his perception of American culture. One thing he noticed was his perception of public transportation. “If I saw an adult who rode the bus or a bike, my gut reaction was to judge them for not being able to afford a car,” Burdett said. He learned, however, that “very few people have cars and even less choose to drive them to work everyday. Instead, they will bike the three miles to the train station and ride the 30 minutes to their work on the train.”
Burdett also found that drinking was an important aspect of Danish culture. The school scheduled many of the initial activities during orientation week at bars. Burdett commented how each of the university’s departments had its own bar, and so did many of the dormitories. “It would be normal for a student to have a few drinks in the Mechanical Engineering Bar after their Friday class, then move to the School Bar for a bit, and end the night at a specials night at one of the dorm bars,” he explained.
Burdett also noticed a very low crime rate, which reflected the high moral standards of the Danish culture. He “never met a Dane who would walk through a traffic light when it said don’t walk,” regardless of whether there were any cars on the road. Despite the positive moral climate, the city of Copenhagen was home to a series of riots in March 2007, with respect to the rightful ownership of a university dormitory. There were protests when the government stepped in to kick out the demonstrators. “There were some burning cars and stones thrown, but no one was seriously hurt,” Burdett commented.
During the semester in Denmark, Burdett spent his free time attending international dinners hosted by different classmates. He also reciprocated by hosting an American dinner consisting of grilled hamburgers. Burdett also spent a lot of time walking along the canal streets in the city, and he played American flag football and rugby. Through a friend on the football team, he got a job at a company in downtown Copenhagen, where he worked for the duration of the summer.
Burdett did travel a bit during his time in Europe, including a three-day trip to Prague, and a trip to Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day, “along with every other American in Europe,” he said. Burdett noted that it seemed common for American students to try to fit “every country” into one trip, but that this whirlwind way of traveling often detracts from the experience, as it is difficult to appreciate a city or culture if one has only one day to take it in.
Burdett believes that his experience studying abroad has made him much less shy. It also made him more introspective, as he has learned that many aspects of his behavior are reflective of his American upbringing. He feels strongly that going abroad was one of the best decisions he has ever made, and he hopes that more people will take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad.
