By Jess Daninhirsch '26
Maryland-in-Copenhagen, Fall 2024
At the end of 2024, I returned from Maryland-in-Copenhagen with a newfound sense of strength, resilience, and a deep appreciation for traveling and global cultures. Now, as I prepare to graduate from UMD, I find myself returning to my semester with Maryland-in-Copenhagen, hosted by DIS, more than I expected. Not just as a collection of memories, but as a set of moments that shaped how I see the world and my work. UMD has provided me with a stellar education and life-changing experiences that I couldn’t imagine my life without, and my semester abroad was the perfect supplement to enhance my time at this university.
As a journalism student and aspiring photojournalist, I brought my camera everywhere while I was abroad. Looking back, those photos capture more than just where I went; they capture the lessons I didn’t fully recognize at the time, but understand more clearly now. I’ve compiled a collection of my favorite photos from my semester abroad along with a list of lessons I took away from these savored moments.
1. I'm right where I'm meant to be.
Nice, France | A stranger took this photo of me on a beach in Nice on my birthday. I was visiting my friend from UMD who was studying abroad at the same time as me with the Maryland-in-Nice program. The day before this photo was taken, I was stuck in the Brussels airport for hours. My flight to Nice was delayed eight hours. I had never been more frustrated in my life. I had technically turned 21 on the plane, as we didn’t take off until 12:30 a.m.
While my friend was in class, I spent some time alone on the promenade taking photos of the gorgeous sunset. A French-speaking woman came up to me after taking the photo and offered to send it to me. I nearly cried because she captured me in my true element: falling in love with traveling while doing the thing I love the most, taking photos. On my birthday, no less! In this moment I felt the true spirit of studying abroad: finding yourself, learning who you are, and growing as a person. Having interactions with people who you may never see again but will always be a part of you. Even when it feels like nothing is going according to plan, you are right where you need to be.
Stevns Klint, Denmark | I became the de facto leader of DIS’s “hiking club.” I took the initiative to organize a group of people who’d be interested in going on hikes throughout the semester. Soon, people were reaching out to me asking about when our next hike would be. I often find myself falling into leadership roles, but doing so in a new environment and among new people gave me the feeling of finding my place. It felt natural; it was right where I was meant to be.
Most countries in Europe are a lot smaller than the U.S. and better connected, so it is easier to travel around to different places. You should absolutely do that – heck, I went to 13 countries (including Denmark) during my semester in Europe – but I also strongly encourage you to get to know your host country. Believe it or not, only two of the countries I visited were on weekend trips. DIS emphasizes traveling, so we were offered a few “travel breaks” in addition to a Thanksgiving break. I achieved the other 10 during my travel breaks or on day trips. This meant I spent a lot of time in Denmark and gained a deep appreciation for Danish culture.
Salisbury, England | I made one of my lifelong dreams come true while I was studying abroad: visiting Stonehenge. I’ve dreamt of seeing it since I was a kid and finally standing there felt surreal. It’s a mysterious place, and experiencing it firsthand was overwhelming, as if my dreams were being fulfilled right before my eyes.
Study abroad allows for such unique learning experiences; there’s no better way to learn about a culture than by seeing and experiencing it hands-on, in real life. The most important lesson I learned from my visit to this ancient monument is that you can’t let anyone make fun of your dreams. Otherwise, you’ll never fulfill them.
2. There is space for creativity in photojournalism.
Copenhagen, Denmark | While this photo was taken in a classroom, it was not a normal classroom experience. This photo of me was taken by a girl named Noa during our storytelling through photography class. We were organizing props to use for a photoshoot as an exercise in creating a character background for a subject. It was such an experimental class. I mean, who lets you sit on a table during class other than a study abroad professor?
This class shifted the way I view photojournalism. It took me back to the roots of why I take photos in the first place, and it brought back the fun in telling stories artistically and creatively through photos. I’ve taken UMD’s photojournalism classes, but those focused more on the mechanics of photography and capturing the right things to suit the news. This class at DIS focused on the actual stories being told through the photos. If I hadn’t gone abroad and taken this class, I may not have acquired the enhanced storytelling skills I have now.
3. The hardest part is showing up — everything else follows.
Copenhagen, Denmark | In these photos, students rush through the DIS Student Hub before the first day of classes in search of their textbooks. The buzz in the air is infectious as students excitedly exchange their class schedules and meet new people. I was excited to start learning on my first day of classes, but in some ways it felt like the start of freshman year all over again, filled with new people who were all trying to make friends and find their place. A month in, as things settled, people found their rhythm and found their friends. I’ve been lucky enough to keep in touch with some of my friends I made while abroad.
Copenhagen, Denmark | As students settle in, they get more comfortable with the place they will call home for the next few months. Taken from the second floor of the Student Hub, I could see students on the floor below and the reflection of the room around me on the second floor. I felt as if I was looking in from the outside. I tend to be an observer first before diving in head first – that’s why I have a camera in my hands. It allows me to observe and capture the moment as it was when I first discovered it. Later, the images find new meaning. I remember feeling nervous when I first got to Copenhagen, when I took this photo, but looking back at it now, it reminds me of the incredible organization and place that truly did become a home away from home.
Copenhagen, Denmark | Near the end of the semester, as the city is gearing up for the holiday season, DIS hosted a holiday party specifically for students staying in homestays and their families. The scene of Danish families and international students making crafts together and enjoying each other's company was so special to witness, even though I myself did not stay in a homestay. I spoke to a few students, and they said even though they're not living with other international students, they never felt isolated because their Danish host families immersed them in their culture and they got to connect to other homestay students through events like this one.
4. Sharing culture allowed me to connect deeper to my own.
Copenhagen, Denmark | I stayed in a Kollegium with about 75% DIS or other foreign students and 25% Danish students. I personally loved this option because I had the comfort of American culture while still getting exposed to Danish culture. And now, I have friends from all over the world!
In my Kollegium, each week my floor of 12 had a “family dinner.” One person would be in charge of the menu and two others would help them cook. Each person ended up making a meal inspired by their own cultural background. My meal happened during Rosh Hashanah, so I got to cook traditional Jewish foods for my floor. My parents, who have supported me throughout this whole journey, were also in town. They helped me share our culture with my new friends in a new country, which made it one of the most special nights of my semester.
As we cooked, my friend said, “I’ve never made matzo balls before.” Then I realized, neither had I! I had eaten the dish my whole life, but I’d never made it myself. Sharing that “first” with someone who had never even had matzo ball soup was meaningful and eye-opening. It allowed me to look deeper into my own culture, how I explore the world through the lens of Judaism, and how I choose to share my culture with other people.
Copenhagen, Denmark | At DIS, if you are not staying in a homestay, you have the option to participate in the Visiting Host program. You and possibly another DIS student will be matched with a Danish family that you can visit in their homes, eat home cooked meals together, and explore the city together. My hosts, Jette and her family, and my fellow DIS student, Sara Maeve, and I ate dinner together every single week at Jette’s house, and we met in the city often. It was one of the most valuable experiences I had in Denmark because I got to witness normal Danish life, get out of the city every so often, and make deep and meaningful connections with a lovely family. I learned more about Danish life and culture than I may have in a classroom.
5. Community can be found in unexpected places.
Copenhagen, Denmark | Jewish life in Denmark may be sparse, but it is not hard to find if you look in the right places. The Chabad of Denmark hosted a welcome barbecue for new students during the first week. I instantly felt at home. I had found my people in this unfamiliar country. The connections I made were some of the most memorable and special ones I made while abroad because finding people like me made the whole experience feel less lonely, and now I have a network of friends around the world. I went to Chabad for Shabbat dinner nearly every Friday night, and numerous events throughout the semester for holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot.
For my aforementioned photography class, my final project was a printed photo book. I called it 0.12%: A Book of Danish Jewish Life. 0.12% is the size of the population in Denmark that is Jewish. It is small but mighty. I took a photojournalistic approach to my photo book, interviewing people I met at Chabad. They graciously invited me into their worlds. Because of my experiences with Chabad in Denmark, I now make it a point to engage with Chabad or at least with the Jewish community in some way whenever I travel.
I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to study abroad through DIS and its partnership with the University of Maryland. I was one of three UMD students in my program of over 1,500 people in my semester, so I always felt like I was representing UMD. I loved sharing where I go to school and then telling my friends back home about the experiences I had abroad.
Everyone collects something different from their time abroad — memories, friendships, moments that stay with them long after they return home. For me, it was photos. I took thousands over the course of the semester, not just to document where I went, but to understand what I was experiencing as it was happening. Looking back, those images hold more than just places. They hold the lessons, the growth and the moments that changed me.
My advice to any student who is even considering studying abroad: just do it. You will come back with cherished memories, new perspectives on the world and maybe even a few photos to help you remember it all.