Absolutley Incredible, Trip of a Life Time Past Review

By (The College of New Jersey) - abroad from 01/05/2017 to 05/13/2017 with

European Study Center: Heidelberg - Study Abroad in the EU

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live in another country with a completely different culture and way of life. I learned how to be more independent and self sufficient

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

some classes were more difficult than others, overall not as difficult as my home institution

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

i felt right at home, i had no homesickness what so ever and really loved the culture. i loved germany and heidelberg and intend on coming back

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved Heidelberg and the location of the ESC but i didnt enjoy how disorganized the program was as a whole in terms of administration

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $3,000 maybe?
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? budget and plan your travel and trips in advance

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? Spanish 203
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? Use DuoLingo or read some books that help you with common phrases and getting around

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • ESC location
  • Heidelberg
  • Ability to travel
* What could be improved?
  • The wifi
  • Organization
  • Professors and Classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how to better pack and prepare

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.