Tuebingen: Great Experience Despite Incompetency of Stony Brook Past Review

By Amanda S (Adolescent Education: Earth Science, Utah State University) for

Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen: Tubingen - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

The experience was amazing and I would not trade in my time spent there. The city is small but I was never at a loss for things to do and I loved my time there; it has made me pursue the Peace Corps so that I may again experience the adventure of living a culture different from the one I grew up in. I would give my time in Tuebingen a 5 but my horrible experience with SUNY Stony Brook brings it down. The study abroad office knew less than I did about the program and never followed up on anything. I did not know until a week before I left that I was accepted by the University of Tuebingen even though the application was sent early. I had more luck when I dealt directly with the University of Tuebingen.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The courses for foreign exchange students were excellent. They covered a wide breadth of content and different levels of competency in the language. I also took some courses from other departments and struggled a little due to the higher level of vocabulary used. If I had known that the university had such great courses for exchange students, I would have taken more of them and focused less on the more linguistically demanding regular courses.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The office in Tuebingen is great, just make sure you understand that the working days and hours are not the same as in the U.S.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Housing was arranged through an office at the University and I think the study abroad office (at Stony Brook or Tuebingen) took care of it. I was responsible for paying the deposit and setting up automatic payments for rent but they told me what I needed to do. I lived in a small single apartment that had a large closet and sink with medicine cabinet. I shared the toilet, shower, and kitchen facilities with other young adults on my floor. The Germans rarely share rooms so everyone has their own room. The kitchen cleaning and garbage duties were shared by everyone on the floor. Although I rarely took the opportunity to get to know my neighbors better and practice my German, the opportunity was there. Besides, I picked up a few things during our quick floor meetings (to determine schedule of duties) and our major kitchen cleaning (good bonding time). Kitchen pots and pans were communal but most people had their own dishes and eating utensils. I brought my own sheets but a comforter was provided with the bed. The area I lived in had a small club in the middle of the buildings where you could get something to eat/drink and watch TV (usually soccer). They also hosted dance parties sometimes. Most of the night life was closer to the city but the busses ran late and several made a stop near the complex.
* Food:	I only ate on-campus once but it is easy enough to cook your own meals. There were 2 small stores near where I lived so I could easily get supplies. The busses will also take you to larger supermarkets where there is more selection. In the city, there are plenty of places to eat for a range of prices. Most students loved the inexpensive Doener stands, bakeries, and the market.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The intensive language program hosted a few trips that really helped you get some more background on the area and more fully appreciate it. I was also a part of the KHG Choir and we made a couple of trips for practicing. One of the courses I took was on the museum exhibitions in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, where we went after learning about some of the displays. There is also plenty of opportunities to travel on one's own. The trains and busses are free within a large area for students with a semester ticket (~30 Euros at the time). The busses would also make Saturday trips to other cities in Germany and surrounding countries for a modest price (~20-30 Euros). Oktoberfest is a must if you are in the country during late September - the biggest, most happy crowd of mostly drunks I've ever encountered.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I always felt safe, even when walking alone at night. Students are required to get inexpensive health insurance in Germany if they do not already have it.
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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
Language acquisition improvement?	In many everyday situations, I used German. Not only do you need it for interacting with merchants and teachers, it is also the only common language among all of the exchange students with whom it is fun and easy to practice. Although many students are taught English and are quite fluent, there are still plenty of countries that do not focus on English. However, most Germans, especially college-age, can and are willing to speak German. Interaction with older Germans usually requires speaking in German.
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?