Lin Li-Yu
Age: 30
Nationality: Taiwanese
Year: 4th
Why did you choose Design School Kolding? I have always wanted to study abroad and especially in Europe. I applied to schools in the Netherlands and London but didn't get accepted. A friend told me about the Danish design schools and I applied to Kolding and Copenhagen both. Copenhagen didn't accept me because they thought my English language skills weren't suffieicent. Fortunately Kolding did accept me and I'm very impressed with the level of both students and faculty.
Have you experienced any language difficulties in connection with your study? English is the second native tongue of the Danish people and the students are very patient with me when I speak slow or use the wrong words. I appreciate that a lot.
Tell about a project you did in school. I participated in a workshop in Shanghai about 'Play and Design' where we investigated the play habits of Chinese children in collaboration with LEGO. Based on our research we had to come up with new types of toys for the Chinese children. Working with a big organisation like LEGO was very exciting and I was happy to get a four-month internship at LEGO afterwards as part of my MA programme.
What is interesting about LEGO? I want to learn about children's creativity and the process interests me as much as the product. Also I would like to learn more about the link between play and learning. In Asia the notion is that play should also be learning. I think I can learn more about this at LEGO.
What do you like most about the school? The freedom. We get to do what we want and the teachers really want to help us figure out our skills and how to improve them.
Was this also your experience at the design school in Taiwan? No, Asia is very different. There is a great difference between teachers and students and we are not equal like I feel you are in Denmark.
What do you like the least? The wheather and the Danish language! It's really hard and all the instructions and posts are in Danish. For instance, it's hard for me to use the copy machine and I need to have my phone close by so I can use Google translate. It's the same when I go shopping for groceries.
What has surprised you about the school? Nothing about the school really, but the fact that the Danish population truly appreciates the value of design has been a pleasant surprise.
How do you experience this? I made some figures and landscapes from paper and sold them at the school's Christmas Bazaar. They were in high demand and nobody questioned the value of the design even though it was made from paper.
In Taiwan you could never ask a high price for paper because it's a cheap material. In Denmark you can because the Danes are willing to pay for the idea and the creative process.
A woman told me that I was selling them way to cheap and she insisted on paying double. They were worth it, she said. I was happy about that of course and it convinced me that I had made a great product that matters to people.
What do you hope to do in the future professionally? I value the craft of design and want to work with art.
Where do you live? Alone in a student flat.
What's it like to live alone in a foreign country? I skype with my friends and family in Taiwan a lot so I never really feel alone.
Is it easy to socialise with Danes? They are nice to me but I don't have any close friends yet. However, I've gotten to know a lot of people through group projects at the school.
What do you do outside school? Learn English and study.
Do you have any advice for others who would like to study in Denmark? It's a really nice country. Except for the wheather - it rains all the time. My best advice is to come here with an open mind because everything is very different. My advice to the school would be to keep in mind the foreign students when writing instructions and information.
