BEST Summer Ever! Past Review
By Natalie J (University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 05/28/2013 to 06/29/2013 with
FUBiS - International Summer and Winter University
I learned a lot about Eurozone economics and the German culture as a whole. Given the chance, I would drop everything and fly back immediately.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There's a lot crammed into 5 short weeks! Lectures are 5 hours a day and there's tests for each of the 7 courses that are pretty in-depth, so be ready! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Malte and Jörn are the best. They will literally bend over backwards for anyone there, and they're young enough that they'll still hang out with you! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The Hotel Rheinischer Hof is amazing. The Kümmels run a tight ship, and the rooms are much better than you normally find in Europe. There's breakfast included in the program and it is awesome. |
| * Food: |
If you're not a fan of pork, Germany is not for you. That being said, the Mensa at the school works to provide for all tastes, and there's a magnificent little currywurst stand called Pommes Express right next to the hotel. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It's impossible to learn enough German in the few classes you take to get fully integrated. I already speak German near-fluently, so I felt like I was able to really understand my surroundings. It all depends on how much you're willing to invest in the area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
While I personally did not have any health issues on the trip, there were some in my study group who did. You are required to buy German health insurance as part of the program, which means you can go to any hospital for free. One girl needed stitches and another caught bronchitis, but they didn't pay a cent out-of-pocket. |
| * Safety: |
Other than the crazy drivers and cyclists, Duisburg is ridiculously safe. The best advice is to always look both ways when crossing the street and NEVER walk in the red bike lanes! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
I like to shop, so I spent a little more per week than most would have, but there are lots of stores with permanent sale areas to help with the spending. Always remember your exchange rate! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | €90/wk on food, €25-45/wk on other expenses |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Find the discounters! Netto is across the street, and you can get a 6-pack of beer for the same price as 1 bottle in the bars. Rewe is the more expensive store, but it carries more. Don't buy what you don't need! |
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 |
Malte, Jörn, and the German teacher Angela would always tell students to use what German they could in the area. There were two people other than myself who are near-fluent in German, so many of the other students would ask us how to say things and I think some people may have actually learned something! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | AP German |
| 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? | Pronunciation is key, so learning to differentiate between umlaut and non-umlaut letters is very important. Also, the biggest tip I can give for German is that every letter is pronounced, so learn what the German letter-sounds are. |
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? | Malte's a guy, everyone. Don't embarrass yourself in your emails like some people did! |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA 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. |
