FU-BEST: best thing I ever did! Past Review
By Kat S (European History, University of California - Merced) for
FU-BEST: Berlin - European Studies Program
Being inundated in a different culture is one of the best things you can do. It opened my mind to new ways of life and ideas that I had never though of before and now that I am back in America, it makes me want to start using all of the things I learned there. My experience abroad has impacted me more than I could have ever thought, because I now would like to work in the study abroad field, at a University or in a foreign country helping others that come to study abroad there.
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. |
Classes are longer, but you only have content courses once a week. Not so much homework, but a ton of reading. Only one midterm, one essay and one final for every class, as well as two independent out of class projects for each class. Classes only have about 15-20 people so you become very close to professors. Professors are very willing to help and answer any questions, even those not regarding class. Some professors have heavy accents, this can distract some students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Great staff and professors. They need another administrative person because they seemed overwhelmed at times. The T.A.'s were great helpers and became great friends. Things were done in a very timely manner and everything was very organized, but that is how Germany is as a whole. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My homestay was an 8 minute walk to the program building which was great (most students had to take the Ubahn/Sbahn or Bus for 30 minutes to get to school. My host family really made me part of the family, let me have free range with whatever I wanted. My room was huge and my host mom cooked breakfast and dinner for me every day. A 10 minute walk for me to the closest U-Bahn station, but every persons homestay was different. There are also apartments for program participants who would like. I highly recommend a homestay though. |
| * Food: |
GREAT food, and lots of it. Just tell your host family if you have any dietary restrictions, germans are very open to vegetarians and such. German food is also much less processed than food in the US, and very healthy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All of the mandatory day trips around Berlin were very informative and fun. Our week trip to Munich and Vienna was absolutely amazing. They did a great job of organizing just a few things in that week and then letting us explore on our own. Make sure to go to Mauerpark on a Sunday afternoon with some beer and a blanket :) |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Berlin is a very safe city. Even at 4 in the morning, walking around by myself felt completely fine and comfortable. Going to other countries I felt unsafe and then when I got back to Berlin I was never afraid of anyone pick-pocketing me or anything like that. Healthcare is very easy, although make sure to find a doctor that speaks fluent English. Its also very cheap. The program gave us a list of providers that were near to the school. The healthcare system is better than in the US, because it is cheaper and you don't need insurance. |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
3 hours a day, 4 days a week with a language teacher. Yes I used German every day. Most people did, however, speak english. It's the best when after speaking for a while you can order something at a German restaurant and they don't start speaking English to you. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Any student who wants an amazing, satisfying program where you can meet people who will become your lifelong friends, this is the program for you. Berlin is the type of city where you won't want to leave on the weekends. There are endless things to do because it is so big, you can never see everything in 4 months, but trying will be the time of your life. I can honestly say that choosing Berlin would not a mistake for anyone because it is affordable, fun, and there is so much history there. History, political, and German interested people will all benefit from this program. I can't say enough good things! |
