Unforgettable. Past Review
By Drake Sifuentes (Johnson County Community College) - abroad from 01/02/2020 to 04/30/2020 with
European Study Center: Heidelberg - Study Abroad in the EU
What didn't I learn here? If I'm completely honest I learned too many things to just list here, and yes, it was very worthwhile.
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 workload for each class here has been just right for me, and I have found it to be enough for a challenge but not too much. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
From my experience, administration has been friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was pretty satisfied for the most part. My room's not very big, but I also don't need much space so that's fine. I do wish there were one or two more showers available on our floor, though. |
| * Food: |
Chicken döner's have been one of my best friends here. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It didn't take me very long before I felt completely integrated with the culture, and now I feel like I have a place here. It has been amazing to experience that. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I haven't had any major health issues yet to where I've needed a doctor or anything, but I have heard that health situations are usually handled well. |
| * Safety: |
This is a pretty safe area, and while you should still be mindful of your surroundings, there shouldn't be any problems with anything like that once you get here. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would do this again, as it opened my mind up to lots of new things and introduced me to lots of new people. |
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) |
It's really easy to live cheaply here. You can spend just 20-30 euros per week on groceries and will be living fairly comfortably. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | On average, 60-70 euros per week is what I ended up spending. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop for deals, especially at stores. Don't go out too often either, as it can be very easy to think money's not an issue, especially at the beginning. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
|
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
|
| 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? | A1 German |
| 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? | Even just asking really basic questions or using really basic words as responses can be beneficial. Just go slow and don't worry about it too much, as typically, Germans have very good English. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I'd have known how easily I could get around here and how easily I could support myself, as most necessities are pretty cheap and accessible. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
