Study Abroad in Germany: The Experience of a Lifetime Past Review
By Sarah Lude (Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 08/21/2018 to 12/17/2018 with
IES Abroad: Freiburg - European Union
I learned to have confidence in not knowing everything. And by learning this, I know that there is SO much more to learn. And the people who you learn with make it all worthwhile.
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. |
It was a very focused program. Yet, it was fascinating nonetheless |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Like any program, there were some issues. Just make sure that if there is a problem, you keep speaking up about it so it cant be overlooked. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my housing. I was lucky to be close to town center! |
| * Food: |
Of course the food was wonderful, it Germany! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because the program travels so much, it was hard to feel integrated. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
It was very on top of the safety of the students. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This is exactly what I want to do with my life. Travel and learn about other cultures. |
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) |
It is hard to keep up with, but if you try really hard to stay on top of it, it is manageable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Around 45 to 50 Euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you make a flexible budget. Something that can fluctuate easily in either directions. This will help with stress |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 131 |
| 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? | Practice with the people around you. And do not be afraid to make a mistake. This will only help you to get better! |
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? | Just how focused on politics the program is. It is all politics basically, just fyi. |
