Germany: Land of Good Food and Great Friends Past Review
By Kirsten W (History And German, Presbyterian College) - abroad from 03/01/2012 to 08/08/2012 with
Karlsruhe University of Education: Karlsruhe - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a lot about different cultures, especially about Germany. My experiences showed me that there is no wrong way to approach life and that the human race is very creative. It was definitely worthwhile!
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. |
I found the resources plentiful, but the classes themselves were far less demanding than I am used to. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was easily accessible, but canceling it was a bit of a chore. It was quite different and made things a lot cheaper. |
| * 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) |
I had some issues myself, but i believe it is quite possible to live on a student's budget. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Be careful about how much you spend on things like clothing and other items. Save that money for food or souvenirs instead. |
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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | German 301 |
| 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? | Talk to people, even though it's really intimidating. If you tell them from you are from abroad, they are very forgiving of mistakes! |
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
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish I had known more about how the entry and exit process were going to work. It was very confusing on both counts and I was often unsure about what I was supposed to do. |
