Cologne made me a more confident independent person. Past Review
By Nicole W (Economics and German, Hamline University) for
Hamline University: Cologne - Cologne Business School
I learned that I can do things by myself.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
German University is much different than American. Be prepared to take a final that is worth 100% of your grade. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Hartwig is great! He was there for us every step of the way. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Germany is not that accommodating to vegan/vegetarian diets. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Cologne Carnival is awesome. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100euros should be enough for a week unless you plan to travel then plan for other expenses. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you are not flying into Cologne, book your train ticket at bahn.de to Cologne BEFORE. Ticket prices on the train is expensive. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Professional German |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced language with my host parents because they could not speak English. I also spoke German with almost all of the natives, although most of them do speak English. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | must be independent. |
