Wunderbar Past Review
By A student (International Relations, George Washington University) - abroad from 09/01/2015 to 12/18/2015 with
IES Abroad: Berlin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I learned what it was like to live abroad and it proved to myself that I could adjust and be happy in a completely different setting. It taught me to be more open to new experiences to care less about what others think about me. Berliners really do things for themselves and aren't worried about others' perceptions of them. My time abroad exposed me to places and events that I never would have experiences anywhere else. I learned so much about Berlin and the people there and had so much fun exploring the city.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program provided me with a great way to challenge myself and experience new things. It was really easy to adjust and everyone at the center was really helpful whenever you had any questions. The city is amazing; it's filled with fascinating history, great parks, cheap and delicious food, friendly people, and really cool clubs and bars. Everything is really easy to access on public transit and most people speak English if you're ever confused and need help. I really think it's the best place to study abroad and I wouldn't change it for anything. |
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) |
Berlin is one of, if not the cheapest European cities I've been to so it's pretty easy to get around and have fun while not feeling too much pressure to spend so much money. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to take advantage of student discounts because they're almost everywhere! |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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? | French 3006 |
| 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? | Really try to force yourself to use the language wherever you go, whether it's at a coffee shop or interacting with someone on public transportation. Don't be afraid! |
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? | I wish I knew that I would meet pretty cool people on the program whom I could explore with. I went in kind of scared of not meeting anyone I could really click with but we all grew pretty close in a short amount of time and had a lot of fun together. |
