Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I'm sad that I'm not in Berlin right now. Past Review

By (Trinity University) - abroad from 06/06/2017 to 07/21/2017 with

IES Abroad: Berlin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that it's okay to slow down and experience life from time to time. Not everything has to be a mad dash to the finish line, and that sometimes it's okay to just pick a direction, start walking, and see what happens along the way. It was absolutely and completely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were well structured and interesting, but less strenuous than those at my home institution.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

The availability of cheap, easy to access restaurants/stands around the IES center was great.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt highly integrated with the local culture, but that's because I chose to be. I think that it could be easy to not if you were less inclining to integrate yourself. This is probably highly up to the individual.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues, but any of my friends that happened to get sick seemed to be extremely well taken care of.

* Safety:

Berlin never felt unsafe to me, my biggest advice for future students is to, first and foremost, avoid looking like a tourist/visitor as best you can, and to simply be aware that you are in one of Europe's biggest cities, not a playground. You have to be smart to be safe, but I never felt like that was an issue.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The integration of history, art history, and culture while exploring Berlin was everything that I could have asked for as a student of European history.

Finances

* 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)

For me, it seemed like the majority of spending was on experiences and dining. I didn't do any souvenir or general shopping, but did eat out quite often. I would say that I spent roughly $150 a week or so on personal expenses.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I would say between 100 and 150 USD, or ~80-100 Euro.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Food is always cheaper in grocery stores than at restaurants. Don't spend your money on things, spend it on experiences and going to do stuff in the city you're visiting.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
  • Host Family
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The city that I stayed in was the single coolest I have ever been to.
  • I have at least three new friends that I will keep forever.
  • I got to see so many major historical/art historical things.
* What could be improved?
  • The number of outside/program sponsored trips could be higher.
  • A more standardized schedule for classes, so that scheduling the rest of one's time can be made easier.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To study a few more German phrases and words, while people in Berlin spoke excellent English, it definitely felt better to be able to communicate with others using their language rather than my own.

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 Linguist
You 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!