a truly life-changing month away from home Past Review

By (University of the Incarnate Word) - abroad from 05/26/2016 to 06/25/2016 with

European Study Center: Heidelberg - Summer Program in the EU

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
definitely worthwhile. i learned life skills, how to travel to other countries alone on the bus, how to speak simple words in many different languages

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

great experience with helpful interns

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

very helpful when in the office

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

the dorms are nice and clean. classrooms are just below the dorms so it is convenient. the school is in a great location for grocery stores and walking to the city center

* Food:

welcome food and snacks were delicious and german-based. grocery stores are close as well as restaurants

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

it was difficult to sometimes understand the locals or to have them understand you. but if you try to speak their language they are very willing to help. the longer i was here, the more i became comfortable with the language and culture. it was neat to see how other cultures differ from our own

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

na

* Safety:

i felt very safe on this campus and in the whole city. the school is in a very nice neighborhood. once you get to know the city you become comfortable

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

i would want to travel more and to new places on the weekends if i did this program again. it was an incredible experience and i have grown as an individual and learned many life skills

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? 100-200$
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? i wanted to endulge in the culture, but if i was concerned about saving money i could have cooked more often

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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?
  • the experience
  • the excursions
  • meeting new people
* What could be improved?
  • cheaper laundry coins
  • more diverse students- not all 1 or 2 colleges
  • not the worms excursion
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? i wore only about half of the clothes that i brought

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.