Experience of a Lifetime! Past Review
By Nicole S (Finance, The College of New Jersey) - abroad from 08/19/2015 to 12/19/2015 with
European Study Center: Heidelberg - Study Abroad in the EU
From studying abroad I learned how to be more independent. Cooking for myself was a challenge and managing my time efficiently taught me how to take care of myself more. I learned about different cultures and societies and got to see different places unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was most definitely worthwhile and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses at the ESC are educational and interesting. They will give you deeper insight by analyzing the effect of how you being in Germany relate to the topics and issues. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was nice to have everything that I needed in the same building I lived in. So if I needed any help with anything I would go into the office downstairs and ask. The people who work here go out of their way to try and accommodate your needs. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was very satisfied with the living arrangements at the ESC. The building is historic and beautiful and the rooms are nice as well. I was lucky enough to have a single and it was a good amount of space and not cramped. |
| * Food: |
Cooking for me was interesting because I didn't know how to cook beforehand, but people living with me taught me and German food is always very fresh and there are a lot of options for people who have various preferences. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living in the international house with students who also spoke english made it much easier to integrate into the culture, because we had people to explore and try new things with. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick a couple times this semester, but I was able to go to the apothecary nearby and get the medicine I needed, the people that work there speak english very well. |
| * Safety: |
Heidelberg is a very safe town and easy to get around with the use of the tram system. |
| 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) |
5; living on a student budget in Heidelberg is simple. The food here is not expensive at all - I would spend about 20 euros a week on food which filled me up. If I went out that costed more money but overall I tried to limit the time I spent at restaurants and cooked for myself. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Each week I spent about 20-50 euros for food and other expenses like going out or runnings to get coffee. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think budgeting and keeping track of your money is a great way to save and not get carried away with spending money. Just being aware of what you are spending money on is important. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Russian |
| 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? | Germany is definitely a country that takes pride in their culture and language, however the majority of people here do speak english. Heidelberg, especially, is an international town with younger individuals who typically tend to speak english more. |
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? | 0 |
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? | Before going on this program, I wish I knew more of the people going beforehand. It would have been nice to meet some of the people I was going to be living with. If TCNJ could have done a small meeting sessions it would have been beneficial. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
