Great Opportunity to Improve German Language Past Review
By A student (Spanish and German Education, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 05/21/2015 to 08/07/2015 with
USAC Germany: Lüneburg - German Language, European and Sustainability/Environmental Studies
Overall, I would definitely recommend this program. I would only make small recommendations to improve the program
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took all German language classes, and I absolutely loved my classes and my instructors. I feel like I learned so much over the summer & I became a lot more confident in speaking German. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The two program advisers were great and always very helpful when I had a question. Sometimes I felt like they didn't know the answer to a question I thought they should, but overall I was very happy to have them there for any questions or problems I had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Overall my housing was great. I lived in a shared apartment with three German students, which gave me a great opportunity to practice speaking. They were all really nice, and so was my apartment. The only disappoint was how far away from the city center I lived (over an hour walk) so I had to rely on taking the city buses everywhere, which was sometimes frustrating as the bus hours were inconvenient on the weekends. |
| * Food: |
Food is not included with the program, and I really wish at least some of it had been. I ate lunch on campus everyday (cheap prices and large portions for students) & the food there was usually pretty good. During the first session I was also able to eat dinner on campus, but during the second the dining hall was closed for dinner, so I had to make dinner for myself or eat out with friends. I ended up spending a lot of money on food. I would rather have paid a little more money up front & have had some food included. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt fairly integrated with the local culture because I lived with three German students, and I did a lot of things with one of them in particular. Outside of that, I didn't really get to know that many Germans. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues so I can't really comment on this. |
| * Safety: |
I felt completely safe in Luneburg. The city is fairly small, and even though I lived outside the city in a suburb, I never had a situation where I didn't feel safe. |
| 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 spent way more money on food and personal expenses than I was planning. I would rather pay a little more money up front for the program cost and have a few more inclusions, and less surprise expenses when I was there. |
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 |
I spent so much time using German! I took two German language classes during each session of the summer, so I had 4 hours of German a day. I feel like I improved so much over the summer. I also usually spoke solely in German with my roommates. |
| 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? | GER 311 |
| 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? | Try to spend time speaking German with your host family or roommates as much as you can! They don't care about your mistakes, so it's a great environment to practice in. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | The public buses are really easy to use in Luneburg, so don't be nervous if you live outside the city & need to use them! However, they stop running by 9 pm on weekdays & 8 pm on weekends, so you will need to adjust your schedule around them. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
