Erfurt: So-So Past Review

By (German and Studio Art, The University of Texas at Austin) for

University of Erfurt: Erfurt - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was a great experience, but I would have enjoyed a bigger city with more engaged professors. The fact that there were so many American students and all the other international students spoke English made it difficult to stick to speaking German. The most important thing I learned was that I love Texas, my home, my friends, and how convient everything in America is.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The international office was very unhelpful and hard to get a hold of. The office hours were ridiculous. The faculty were always late when we had to go meet up with them and when I had questions or an emergancy I was met with an unhelpful response.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I, unfortunately, got stuck with local German students, who like most of the other local students, didn't want anything to do with study abroad students. I had maybe 3 short conversations with each of the 3 roommates over the course of a semester. We had a kitchenette, but it was in poor condition.

* Food:

The mensa was disgusting and there are no places to eat near campus without going into town. I usually cooked pasta, pancakes, or grilled cheese. No oven, just a microwave. I got really tired of what I could cook.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made the most amazing friends and we traveled a lot. For me that was one of the most important things for an exchange program.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

It was hard to get medicine, though I never had any health emergancies. I always felt safe in Erfurt.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't buy books until you know FOR SURE that you will stick with the class, even if the prof says you need it right then.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

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

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

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Find a good traveling partner and take every oppertunity to travel. Erfurt will get boring, but the first 2 months are absolutely fantastic.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

VerWandlung und Identität

Course Department: Literatur
Instructor: Bräsel
Instruction Language: German
Comments: Very good, interested professor, a lot of reading, and a very long final essaay, but over all a good class. I learned a lot.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Wirtschaftsdeutsch (B2/C1)

Course Department: German as Foreign Language
Instructor: Kästner
Instruction Language: German
Comments: Difficult for vocabulary, but good.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Translation German-English (B2/C1)

Course Department: Anglistik
Instructor: Tim Bell
Instruction Language: English/German
Comments: Most American-like course I took. Homework and tests through out the semester. Participation was expected and required.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Österreich im Mittelalter (GLK, mit Exk.)

Course Department: Geschichte
Instructor: Schmolinsky
Instruction Language: German
Comments: Very boring class/professor, she simply talked at us the entire semester and expected no participation. She was very difficult to understand.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Hörverstehen (B2)

Course Department: German as Foreign Language
Instructor: Klopsch
Instruction Language: German
Comments: Klopsch is the best teacher. She is very engaged and fun.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Erfurt - meine Studienstadt (B2/C1)

Course Department: German as Foreign Language
Instructor: Klopsch
Instruction Language: German
Comments: The best, most fun class available. We always went into the city to see historical places.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Arbeit am Wortschatz (B1/B2)

Course Department: German as Foreign Language
Instructor: Klopsch
Instruction Language: German
Comments: Simplistic, but very useful for building vocabulary.
Credit Transfer Issues: