Surprising: worse in ways I wasn't expecting, better in ways I wasn't expecting Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

On-site administration of your program

I really liked the program in Mainz and my feedback would be to try to improve the orientation a bit. The first few days we did errands with the Bable guides in Mainz and I feel like what we did in maybe 3 or 4 days could have been completed in like 1 day, had the time been more efficiently organized. For example we had no appointments at the Bürgerampt and had to wait several hours. The outsourced grammar review was pretty dry and I think it could have been more effective explaining the similarities between German and English essay styles rather than the differences. There should really be a mechanism set up to pass down bedding and kitchen ware through midd students. It's wasteful both environmentally and financially to buy new stuff every semester.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Room was big and building was close to town and a nice tram ride from the uni.

Did my own cooking for the most part

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I had a hard time integrating and didn't meet too many people. I had a huge huge issue getting over self-imposed fear to use my german.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No health issues

I had a couple creepy experiences of strange men creeping on me at the Mainz main station, at Schillerplatz, and on the tram. I was amazed by the frequency this was happening to me within the first couple weeks I was in Mainz. After that nothing more happened, but I also started to be more vigilant regarding where I waited and how I behaved. I tried to avoid being along late at night at the Hbf and tried to appear occupied with headphones most of the time and sat towards the front of the tram near the conductor.

Lang pledge emersion is the only way to get under the skin of a culture

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

Food is cheap and didn't eat out a ton except when traveling

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Language pledge

Select all that apply

• Dorm
• Apartment

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• International Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The other Midd kids
• Getting to know my Babel guid and Heike better
• Independence

• Orientation
• Email clarity: which important emails in english and which in german
• Passing down bedding and ktichware

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