Hamming it up in Hamburg Past Review
By Christina Barrera (Maryland Institute College of Art) for
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences: Hamburg - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I gained self confidence and maturity knowing that I could enter a country knowing very little of the language and knowing nobody, and yet I flourished despite it all. I have a better grasp of the world, different politics, and people in general. My art is also much better because I got the chance to take my time on projects and put quality into them, instead of just churning out mediocre art simply to meet a deadline. However if you are not self disciplined this could potentially backfire on you. I have seen this happen. At any rate study abroad really makes you mature and face the realities of the way the world is. It is different than you probably think it is.
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. |
What I really liked about this school was it's encouragement of personal creativity. In contrast to my own school, there was a lot more freedom in terms of assignments. So, I was able to pursue projects of my own subject, and work at my own place. Instead of being graded on how much you worked, rather you were graded on the quality of the work produced. I feel like less pressure led to a better outcome, honestly. However there was not as much teaching of technical skill. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Many teachers/administrators left work around 2PM or 4PM. Most were only in school 2 or 3 times a week, and were pretty hard to get personal contact with. Appointments are absolutely necessary. Do not expect them to be in their office during working hours. I don't think this is unique to this school, however. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I got to practice german with both german kids and international students. However it was not necessary to learn it because I was often around english speakers. Also, one of my room-mates was an alcoholic who sometimes got violent. This was unpleasant to live with. |
| * Food: |
The food at the cafeteria was good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made some wonderful German and non-German friends. The festivals were great. Schlager-Move Parade was a lot of fun, as well as the hofbrauhaus, the reeperbahn, and more. And this was in Hamburg alone. Germany has some great sights so see and I strongly advise traveling! Learning to travel by yourself and learn another culture/language definitely made me grow up in the best ways. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
When I got sick I just went to the pharmacy and the prescription was given to me. I didn't get sick enough to see a doctor so I wouldn't know what the real medical services are like. Sometimes I didn't feel safe because one of my room mates was a raging alcoholic. |
| 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 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I needed to learn basic German to talk to most of my professors. All of them spoke english, but some not so well. It is good to know basic terms. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Be prepared to not know what anyone is saying when you first get out on your own. I thought I knew German before I left, but boy was I wrong. I strongly advise taking some classes and making both international and German buddies to hang out with. Make sure you don't get carried away with the excessive partying some of the international students will try and push on you. Some is fun, but if you indulge too much you will not grow as an artist/student. I saw this happen to many people. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Bestiarium |
| Course Department: | Illustration |
| Instructor: | Jonas Lastroer |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | A wonderful course that explored the anatomy of animals. The course featured trips to museums all over Hamburg and Berlin. I really liked the opportunity to draw real fossils from life. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | All credits were fine. Counted as a studio course for me. |
