Germany is super! Past Review
By Alex L (Undeclared, University of California - Merced) for
FU-BEST: Berlin - European Studies Program
The program was very worth it. Culture exposure, while meeting people from all over the world. I also took courses that helped me decide whether or not I would want to pursue in that field or not in the near future.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was quite different than from my home university. At my home university, courses are taught more with lectures and discussions. However, at my host university power point slides weren't used as often. In addition, the professors used a lot of information from the readings, and we would start off each lecture with the topic of the assigned reading. The grading system was also different from the American system. The American system uses letter grades of A, B, C, etc. However, in Germany, the grading system was based on a numerical system; ex: 1,0 = A+, 1,3 = A, 1,7 = A-, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program coordinator and student assistants were quite helpful. They were knowledgeable as leaders of the program. The housing situation was very well organized. Everything was set up in advance and we did not have to worry too much about the housing situation. The school building was closed to the apartments, which was a definite plus. The professors were very enthusiastic about teaching the course and knew the material well. However, I felt that if lectures were taught with the usage of powerpoint slides, each student would've been able to have an easier time learning, etc. The monitoring of health issues was also fantastic. For example, a couple of unlucky individuals in the program were contracted with scabies, but were treated immediately after the program coordinator was aware of the issue. Overall, the program was excellent. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The neighborhood of Celsiusstrasse was very safe. The apartments were located in a suburban neighborhood, which quite and peace was found. One of the best things about living in the apartments was that they were quite close to the classroom buildings. The apartments were already fully-furnished upon moving in. |
| * Food: |
The food was amazing. In fact, the price of German food is actually on par with that of American food. On average, I spent 12 Euros a week on groceries, which lasted me for the whole entire week. Some supermarkets close to the apartments are: Kaulfland, and Aldi. Both supermarkets have everything one would need to prepare some delicious meals. Eating out was also quite cheap. One food I definitely recommend one to eat would be donors. The famous donors are 2.50 Euros and are sold by street vendors. They consist of usually lam (but can also include: chicken and beef), salad, a very special type of sauce, all wrapped with some sort of soft taco roll. They are a must have for anyone visiting Germany! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The night life/social life in Germany is fantastic. There are many bars, clubs, museums, and historical places to explore and have fun at. One of the most memorable excursions was a one week trip to Munich and Vienna. We explored many famous sights and had a blast. We even visited the death site of Hitler and of course saw the famous Brandenburg Tor. The clubs and bars are awesome, as the drinking age is only 16 over in Germany. It will be a great experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There was a case of scabies just weeks prior to our one week excursion. However, once our program coordinator was aware of the situation, it was treated immediately and the infected were able to go on the excursion. The crime rate compared to that of the US's is very low, so one should be relatively safe. As always, just be sure to be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent an average of 12 Euros a week on groceries. Buy groceries at either Aldi or Kaulfland (they are very close to the apartments and there is one Aldi that is at Rathaus Steglitz (very close to the classroom buildings). Try to budget if you can. Don't buy unnecessary items if you do not need them. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | None. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I have never taken German prior to the departure. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced German with the other students from the program and with my language teacher. I tried to speak German everyday. For example, when ordering food from a restaurant, I would order in German. However, I also spoke English in difficult situations where my German wasn't sophisticated enough for the situation. |
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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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? | Always keep an open-mind and don't be afraid to try new things. Learn as much as you can. Make the most of your experience. Don't be the one to wait for others to talk to you, but the one to approach others. You will never have such a unique experience that is so readily prepared for you. Even if you go abroad again, you will never be here as a student again, so make the most of your experience and take risks! You will have the time of your life, no doubt. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Transatlantic Relations |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Rolf Schnell |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Professor Rolf was very knowledgeable on the course. I learned quite a lot about the transatlantic relations between the US and Western Europe since 1945. Much of the course was based off of the books we had to use. The field trips were educational and entertaining at the same time. However, the course would've been better, if lectures were taught with powerpoint slides or something similar. I felt that I participated more in this course than in my home university, thanks to the small size class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
