Summer Abroad in Berlin Past Review
By Hannah Conroy (Pennsylvania State University - University Park / Penn State) - abroad from 06/06/2016 to 07/23/2016 with
IES Abroad: Berlin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I learned too many things to count while abroad. I learned how to roll with the punches, how to deal with whatever life throws at me. I greatly improved my German and my confidence in speaking. I learned about the EU and German film through my classes. I learned how to meet new people, even those who do not speak my language. Overall, I learned to be comfortable trying new things.
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. |
Very qualified professors. They understand you are abroad to experience the culture and take you around the city on relevant field trips. They try not to overwhelm you with out of class work so you can enjoy your time in the city. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone who worked at the program was always available to answer any questions, even "silly" ones like where to eat or what train to take. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The home-stay was amazing and I loved my host mom! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was hard to meet other "Germans" outside the host family, but living in the city, eating German food, and attending German events made me feel very integrated! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very, very safe in Berlin. If you use common sense (don't take the U-Bahn alone at 2am on Saturday and stay in a group at night, for example) you will be fine! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES was incredibly supportive and knew exactly what they were doing. They had safety and support down to a science. Any problem was met with an immediate solution, and that was very comforting. They know what is going on and how to fix it. The classes were very informative and interesting. I feel like IES encouraged me to explore Berlin and Europe, while being realistic about safety and gave me tips on how to travel safely. |
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) |
Food from the grocery store was very cheap, however eating out was not. If you cook your own meals and don't get too many souvenirs you should be fine! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $65 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat meals at home. |
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? | 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? | 400-level college course/8 years of study |
| 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? | Talk to your host family in 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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| 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? | Everything will be okay! The program knows you are worried and does everything possible to put you at ease. Even if things go wrong it's not the end of the world and it all will work out in the end! |
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! |
