A Spring Abroad in the World. Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/24/2012 to 06/07/2012 with

Jacobs University: Bremen - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a ton of independence that I didn't have before. I also increased my love of travel and my appreciation of other cultures. It was extremely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I enrolled in a significantly lighter course load than most regular Jacobs students take (and fewer than 4 transfer credits at Wellesley), so I felt like I had a lot of free time. The history class I took was really great and consisted of only readings and 2 exams. Physics was very difficult and not very well-taught. The Math class I took was very well taught and pretty rigorous. I also enrolled in the Lafayette exchange class, German Politics & Culture, which was not very difficult, but included extremely valuable excursions and I would absolutely recommend to any students at Jacobs in the spring who can afford it.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The International Study department at Jacobs is great. They run a week-long orientation program and are extremely helpful with any problems encountered. They, like almost all of the faculty and staff are incredibly nice and competent.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dormitories at Jacobs are very nice. They are modern and consist almost entirely of two single rooms connected by a foyer and bathroom. The rooms are large for dorm rooms, with high ceilings, and the bathrooms are also large. Because I was housed in this way, I was not forced to interact with my roommate and many other students claimed to never speak to theirs, but I was extremely comfortable in my room. I would definitely recommend bringing decorations for all of the white walls though!

* Food:

As a vegetarian, it was difficult for me to find (healthy) choices in the dining halls and often out. If I had eaten meat, eating would probably have been a better experience. Vegetarian options were often starchy and/or involving cream sauces. The meal plan at Jacobs seems to be sufficient and there was a nice coffee bar on campus. The food is definitely not as good as Wellesley's.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Jacobs University is basically a bubble in the surrounding Bremen area. Many of the students rarely leave campus other than to go to the grocery store. Exchange students seem to put in a greater effort, and I relatively often went downtown in the city. It was not too difficult to integrate with the Jacobs culture, which is fascinating and unbelievably diverse. However, I did not feel integrated at all with the German culture. I rarely was required to speak even basic German.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did have any personal experience with healthcare, but those I knew who required some seemed to have positive experiences. As far as I know, there is no on-campus health services, but doctors in the surrounding neighborhood are easy to access and the school will provide contacts for ones who speak English.

* Safety:

The neighborhood of the campus is very safe and on-campus is also extremely safe. The city of Bremen is a pretty sleepy city, so following basic safety rules should keep a student away from any dangerous situations.

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

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)

After the initial cost of the meal plan, I spent very little on food. As far as other personal expenses go, the attitude is generally focused on spending & buying little. The vast majority of my budget was spent on weekend trips.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $30
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eating out can be very expensive in Germany/Europe, so my friends & I often shopped at the grocery store for sandwich fixings and other foods when we were traveling. Also, bring a full water bottle wherever you go and you will spend much less on drinks. Search online for cheap hostels & train/plane tickets, and you can see quite a bit of Europe for less.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Meeting people from all over the world.
  • Ease of travel all over Europe.
  • Amazing people.
* What could be improved?
  • Interaction with German culture.
  • Integration with Jacobs students.
  • Rigor of course load.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How much I would miss it when I was gone!