Meet Mika’el Chabeda (he/him)

Program and Location:

Spring, University of Copenhagen; Copenhagen, Denmark

Major/Minor:

Agroecology & Plant Biology

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I wanted to study abroad for the benefits and opportunities I foresaw it providing me with. The ability to live with people from an entirely different culture from my own and observe their perspectives was as unique of an experience I’ve ever had the pleasure of living through. Denmark is also a country that is very heavily invested in sustainable agriculture, an integral portion of what I study, so I wished to study at a University where this was at the forefront of their research.

What did you learn about yourself?

I believe my time spent abroad molded my own outlook on the world around me and what life can be. As humans, we create solutions with the information available to us, and if you are getting that info from mainly one source, your conclusions will likely be guided towards a certain selection. In spending time in Europe, I saw a different way of living that appealed to me and reshaped my thoughts on what it means to live a fulfilling life.

What was one of your favorite parts of your program?

My favorite part of my program wasn’t in the University (although I enjoyed that thoroughly) but on the football pitch. I was able to join a team in Valby, a municipality of Copenhagen, and play football with some Danes I met while abroad. The team welcomed me as one of their own and I made lifelong friends in the endeavor. We had a great season and even gained promotion at the end through winning our league!

What advice do you have to future study abroad students?

The biggest advice I would give is to not be afraid to try and interact with the locals of the country you’re staying. It may mean that you have to be comfortable going up to people you don’t know and engaging in conversation or allowing yourself to be the lone stranger in a group full people but in my opinion it’s the best way to immerse yourself. Definitely make friends with the people who come abroad with you as well, but sometimes you wont be able to make foreign friends if you only stick with Americans or other people who came to study abroad.

How were your classes abroad different than if you would have taken them at NC State? Did you take any field trips or do anything outside of the traditional classroom?

I loved the way University was conducted in Denmark. Each semester was run on a block schedule which split it in half. In the first block, you would take 2 classes and in the second you would do the same. This allowed me with more time to digest and fully understand the course material. As for field trips I had the pleasure of going on many. The ones I enjoyed the most were for my Enology and Viticulture course where we went to vineyards and did wine tastings.

Would you do it again?

100% I would