First time abroad was above and beyond! March 24, 2022
By Corena P (International Studies, Miami University) - abroad from 08/30/2021 to 12/11/2021 with
IES Abroad Berlin - Security Studies & International Affairs
I wouldn't trade my experience in Germany for the world! I got to understand who I am outside of my homeland, and understand the U.S. in an unique way. I also developed deep affection for Berlin and its history. All of these things brought me personal development, but also furthered my studies in International Affairs. It was great getting to know the other students in my program, who were from all over the U.S. and studied in a variety of universities. Plus, this gave me a taste of what living away from family as an independent adult will be like, and that was a nice break to have in the middle of the pandemic.
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. |
All of my courses had a good amount of rigor to them, and to some extent I felt more stress for a few than I've previously had at my home university. We used a lot of helpful academic resource inside and outside of class as well. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Center staff were always so helpful and kind to us. I felt very welcomed from our pre-departure meetings prior to our arrival, all the way to our last day together. They gave us many tips to adjust to life in the city, and made us feel like long-term residents! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our student housing was a really great property. I loved having a place to myself, and the building was in good proximity to public transit, restaurants, and grocery/drug stores. We felt very welcomed by the other residents in the building! |
| * Food: |
Berlin's diversity provides endless food options; very rarely did I have sub-par meals here. I got to explore cuisines I never had before, and I certainly indulged in as much German fare as I could! The grocery store experience was unique but the availability of common brands allowed me to cook dishes that reminded me of home. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt incredibly immersed in Berlin's culture through my coursework and my individual exploration of the city. I got to interact with many new people as I traveled throughout Germany, and it was always a treat in the rare times where I came across other Americans. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I always felt safe in the neighborhood our apartments were in, as well as where our study center was at. General spatial awareness is needed because its an urban metropolis, but I was never overly concerned about personal safety anywhere. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES Abroad was very organized and my parents and I were impressed by their administration at headquarters and in Berlin. The academics were great and they really immersed us in German culture. |
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? | $350 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Since there are so many English-speakers in Berlin, we knew that we'd be able to get around relatively easy with minimal knowledge. It was not required to have prior knowledge so my classmates and I were at different proficiencies. Ordering food and shopping likely was where most of us did our German-speaking outside of class. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | 301 |
| 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? | Don't be afraid to make the attempt! Many Germans will recognize your accent and respond to you in English for practicality, but keep pushing if your vocabulary allows it. |
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? |
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? | How difficult it would be to leave the country and everyone in the program at the end of the semester. I developed an incredible amount of love for place and people studying abroad here, and those goodbyes were difficult to see through. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
