Fun but wouldn't do it again January 11, 2023

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Compared to Wellesley and the American system, the German educational system is very different and student dependent. The courses were not rigorous or even overbearing. Compared to Wellesley's rigor Jacob's was very easy to manage and overall easy to pass if the work was done. The material was not difficult to understand, coursework was not intense at all. Resources, of course, were available, such as help from the professor through office hours but other than that I did not hear of any other help (such as tutoring, etc). The overall educational experience was dependent on how much work was put into each course, as little to no work was done until around final exam time.

On-site administration of your program

At the beginning of the semester, we had 2 study-abroad advisors, Annie and Magdalena. Annie was promoted and no longer worked with the study abroad office about 2/3 into our program. When she was our advisor she was so helpful and kind! She helped me from the beginning I stepped foot in Germany and up until the day I left although she no longer worked with the study abroad office. She was one of the biggest resources for me and she always helped with a smile on her face! She helped me with academic accommodations, academic resources, travel advice, safety tips, housing advice, etc. I do wish the study abroad office had given us more information as to what to expect before coming onto campus, but most information was given once we arrived.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Unlike Wellesley, there are no communal bathrooms. I was in a suite with a shared restroom, therefore I had my own room, sink, and shared only a toilet and shower. The living space was nice and semi-private, rooms contained essential furniture and storage, and bedding was provided. Each dorm had its own common room and dinning halls which were great. At times the dorms could get to hot or cold as there is no central AC and only heaters that were at times off or did not warm up as much. Wifi was not great in most dorms and at times was unreachable.

Of course, the food in Germany and at Jacobs was less processed. Options were somewhat available, but most of the food was repeated. Overall the food was cooked with more grease but options were on the healthier side with very to no little spice/seasoning.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Jacobs itself is its own bubble, culture there is very diverse because there are so many international students! I was able to make friends with so many people from different places but I did not meet many Germans at Jacobs. Bremen in general was very different in terms to the people/culture/customs, which was very different which I never integrated myself into.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Prior to coming to Germany we were told about health insurance, how it worked, how we had to sign up for it, etc. I never had the need to go to the doctor since I had no health issues there besides the common cold. I do have to say health care was very accessible and I knew the resources that I had available to me. There is a health insurance office on campus that was more than happy to help with any questions. The program let us know what we had to get done to receive our insurance card and any paperwork we had to do. My academic advisor gave us personal insight to the health insurance so that is where I got more information.

I never felt unsafe in Bremen yet I always refrained from traveling alone since I didn't know much German and do not prefer to go out alone, specifically at night. But getting around Bremen was easy and when I did go out I always felt safe. There are people who do pickpocket you, fortunately, it never happened to me but I did hear from friends that it happened a lot. A friend of mine was pickpocketed during her final day in Bremen, and local authorities were not very helpful. Overall if traveling in Germany or anywhere I recommend doing it with a buddy and always keeping your things close to you.

The location of the study abroad program was super convenient, I was able to make so many friends that I plan to keep in touch with. Traveling and accommodations were super inexpensive and overall I was able to have a stress-free/chill semester. It was so calm and the party culture in Europe was amazing! Academically I did not do even 1/4 of the work I would usually do at my home university. I took a 300-level course and it did not even feel like a burden or that I learned as much as I should have. I did little to no work for the rest of my courses until the end of the semester when papers and finals were due. A lot of students mentioned never going to class or doing work since it wouldn't impact their grades since the final exam made up 100% of the grade for classes. Some professors weren't the best at teaching, some were rude, some were very strict, etc. Academically I felt as if I learned many interesting things but it did not feel as if I gained many things academically.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Although things in Germany were very cheap and inexpensive compared to the U.S. and Wellesley, I survived off of scholarship money given by Wellesley and money I had saved up for my trip. If I had not traveled as often as I did I would have had more than enough money to last a whole school year since many things were inexpensive.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Location
• Social Culture
• Academic and Study Abroad Advisors

• Expectations for things needed to be done prior to arriving to Bremen
• Academic resources and more courses catered towards study abroad students
• Communication with students

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