The adventure of a lifetime in Berlin Past Review
By Raquel Garcia (Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 01/11/2016 to 05/20/2016 with
CIEE: Berlin - Open Campus Program
I learned how to be independent and how to work against language barriers.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was a great experience overall. It was challenging but with the risk. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was fine for the program. The staff at CIEE was very helpful and informative. However, registering for classes was confusing and difficult. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was in a very lively part of town. Everything was easily accessible. |
| * Food: |
The food in the city was amazing. Plenty of places to eat and food markets. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt pretty integrated especially with the internship. The school had initiatives to have the CIEE students meet German students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was accessible and the residence life would help students receive healthcare in the city. |
| * Safety: |
The city of Berlin is relatively safe. The facility was also very adamant about safety. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was amazing. I loved the housing, the people I met, and my internship. The city was gorgeous. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
If you planned a budget, you could easily live on just $25 or $50 a week. It got difficult with public transportation costs. Walking is a great option. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20-$50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Walk wherever you can, save on transportation. Plan what events you want to attend. Maybe have a fund for spontaneous events such as going to a concert or going to dinner. When you have used that fund, just stick to your budget. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The students were not too adamant about speaking German in the facility, but we would practice a lot and had practice outside. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | German 101 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Just find someone who really wants to learn english and is really excited to teach you their host language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A little more German. Also that it is okay to ask for help from others. |
