Living in Berlin - a new perspective on education, politics, and personal goals. Past Review
By Julia Karr (Brandeis University) - abroad from 03/08/2016 to 07/23/2016 with
IES Abroad: Berlin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
It was definitely worth while - I gained a new perspective on my own goals for education and work, learned a lot about myself, Berlin, and Germany, and improved my German.
Review Photos
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration and all workers at IES Berlin were extremely helpful and friendly, whether it was with health complications, filling out insurance claims, or just being able to sit down and have a chat about things to do in Berlin, life in Germany, etc. |
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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? |
I ended up having a medical emergency that required me to stay in a hospital for a few days. The international insurance required by IES handled everything and completely covered all expenses (after a small initial deductible). Staff from IES visited me every day, answered any questions I had, brought me anything I needed, made sure I understood what my treatment was, etc. From the US administration side, IES in Chicago were also extremely helpful and stayed in contact with my parents and IES Berlin to make sure that everyone was updated on my health care. I also received health care for a prior condition that IES Berlin helped me set up appointments with, so everything was very smooth. Health care was great, I'd say my time in the hospital in Berlin was better than any other hospital I've been to in the US. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES Berlin provided students with a great amount of support for any problems, I loved living with a homestay, the classes were rigorous and extremely interesting, and the program courses/excursions helped students learn a lot about Berlin. |
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? | $50-$75 depending on going on a day trip, visiting an art gallery, etc. |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 8 semesters / intermediate-advanced level literature courses |
| 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? | Try to make friends with local German students if you take classes at Humboldt, or join a club (like soccer or volleyball) as another good way to practice your German. |
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? | n/a |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
