Office of Study Abroad

Profile: Dani Kohorn '25

Major/minor: International and Global Studies, Economics, and East Asian Studies majors

Study abroad program: DIS: Study Abroad in Copenhagen, Spring 2024

Reason you chose this program: DIS offered a wide variety of classes in many disciplines which gave me the opportunity to study new subjects. I was also curious about the culture and lifestyle in Denmark!

Favorite classes: Pregnancy, Infancy, and Birth in Denmark and Neuropsychology of Brain Injury

How did you incorporate your Brandeis areas of study into your study abroad experience? I was able to take three out of five of my abroad classes in neuroscience! Two of them counted as elective credits which helped me out in completing my major.

Housing situation: I lived off campus in a Kollegium which allowed me to live with students from the U.S. as well as local Danish students. My Kollegium was a short bus or metro ride from the DIS hub and I loved the area I was living in! It was close to restaurants, grocery stores, shops, and parks.

What were some parts of your identity that you thought about while considering study abroad? Before going abroad, parts of my identity that I considered were my Jewish and Queer identity. In terms of my Jewish identity, I knew going abroad would be a big change from Brandeis since I have a strong Jewish community here. Through my program, I was put in touch with Jewish communities abroad and ways to attend Shabbat dinners and other events. Through these events and opportunities, I was able to form my own Jewish community that shared similar values to me. I was even invited to a student-run Seder for Passover! I also identify as a Queer woman and was unsure if I would be able to find a group of people that felt like a safe space to express this part of myself. My program had an Affinity Group which put on events and allowed people who identified as Queer to meet each other and form connections.

Favorite memory: I had the best time traveling with my neuroscience class to Florence! I loved being able to explore neuroscience through a different lens and enjoyed the variety of activities, lectures, and learning opportunities I had while being a part of this trip.

Greatest challenge: My greatest challenge was allowing myself to have down time during the week and on the weekends. Being abroad means an abundance of new places to explore and people to meet, but this can absolutely be overwhelming and it is so important to schedule in some rest time for yourself. I found that letting myself take some breaks allowed me to be more present when I was out trying new things!

Fact about Denmark that you think people would be surprised to learn: There is a Danish word, "hygge," to describe the feeling of being cozy and enjoying doing things with the people you love!