The trip of a lifetime! Past Review
By Isabel Smallman (University of Tampa) - abroad from 08/27/2018 to 12/14/2018 with
AIFS: Berlin – Freie University
Upon entering Berlin, I chose to live with a homestay family as I had four years’ language experience and hoped to widen my perspective on the German culture even further. Through the duration of the semester, the homestay option was very challenging as I had expected. With every day came a new lesson learned as I practiced my German speaking with my 11-year-old homestay sister. She did not speak any English but was currently learning, and I had been very rusty with my German, so we began to teach each other. It is important to understand the cultural norms when entering a new country to not offend locals around you. In Germany, we would have breakfast at 7 A.M every morning which would consist of a baguette and an apple. Lunch was typically the largest meal of the day and dinner occurred later in the evening with soup or pasta and yogurt for dessert. AIFS did an excellent job in placing students in the right homestays, but if one goes abroad, they are expected to try new dishes and be open to a difference in cuisine.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
No cultural immersion on campus, would've preferred Dahlem campus |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very organized |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great homestay |
| * Food: |
Döner, sausages, käsespaetzle |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Lankwitz campus limited this |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Very safe on streets, not a lot of poverty |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Being a student who has been out of the country three times before turning the age of one, I have always had a passion to see what’s beyond The United States and gather insight into how people differ across various cultures. Upon entering Berlin, Germany for the Fall Semester, my greatest concern was window shopping for the right affiliate program to study with so I could have a rewarding three-and-a-half-month experience. After researching the various study abroad programs to choose from both at fairs and online, I confidently landed my decision with AIFS. I weighed my benefits based on price, included itineraries, housing options, and location. The program clearly matched my budget while including various social events, trips, and activities for us to engage in right in the heart of Europe. AIFS provided our flight package with a 2-day layover in London, England where we connected with other AIFS members and got familiar with each other before beginning the semester. We were given time to explore the city with our new friends and participate with the program on a double deck bus tour to the London Eye, Big Ben, and Buckingham palace. The architecture was incredible, but don’t forget to bring your rain jacket! London was a great opportunity to ease the crazed emotions of culture shock upon entering a new country for the first time and familiarize ourselves with the transformation. Many students’ greatest concerns are the academic aspects of managing homework while traveling the world. With AIFS, we were enrolled in three classes with two of choice and one for learning the German language. These courses were difficult, but they assigned little homework and dedicated their time towards teaching you through valuable lessons and given paper assignments. I never felt that I was behind on my homework while traveling and I found these classes to be very interesting because they pertained to Germany. Although we were enrolled at an off-site campus of the main city campus, but we were still immersed into German culture through the variety of clubs and sports they offered during the semester. With one of the most central locations in Europe, it’s easy and cheap to travel all around the continent. I was given the opportunity with AIFS to attend a two-week academic excursion to both Belgium and The Netherlands where accommodation and most meals were provided. We also traveled with them to smaller cities in Germany and to the Baltic Sea to learn about more of Germany’s history. When I wasn’t on a weekend academic trip, I was traveling with friends or solo to various countries surrounding Germany. I will never forget the döner kebab in Berlin, the white sausage in Münich, or the Glühwein in Dresden. These recipes are one’s that cannot be forgotten when visiting these hidden treasures, and AIFS makes sure of it. Many students do not choose to go abroad or feel they aren’t given the opportunity to do so, but through AIFS, I experienced the academic trip of a lifetime. I feel much more knowledgeable in current news and connecting with European citizens. This was a chance to become independent and explore myself without the pressured guidance of friends back home. With the endless cuisine to sample, the multitude of museums to take in, the various ways of ordering a coffee, and an appreciation for the cultural norms that surround each city, I discovered a better version of myself and I want to spread that knowledge to others. There is limited free time to travel the world and a lifetime to work and regret a valuable opportunity. AIFS provided me with positive takeaways and after studying with them for a January term in both Ecuador and Spain as well, I can guarantee that this program is worth every dollar and will succeed in your ambitions to make this trip memorable. |
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) |
$3,700 in total for 3.5 months |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat at sit down restaurants often, grab and go because tipping gets expensive. |
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 |
German class 12 hours a week |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate German 202 |
| 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? | Order in German in coffee shops and get used to saying simple sayings, don't be nervous of messing up |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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 knew that we would not be studying at the main Dahlem campus, but at the off Lankwitz campus. There were not many German students to engage with here and the school was not as nice so looking at pictures of the other university to be surprised by Lankwitz was a disappointment. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
