Unbelievable! Past Review
By mary.bachmann (Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, University of Rochester) - abroad from 02/22/2012 to 06/22/2012 with
IES Abroad: Freiburg - Environmental Studies & Sustainability
I learned what it meant to be truly independent and I learned how to view the world from many other perspectives. I loved to hear what other Americans or international students had to say about world politics, economics or even sports.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
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 |
I think that the one major complaint I have is that we didn't have a finals study week before finals and we also had class during finals week, which in college level classes in the US is unheard of. Also, I heard that other IES programs had a finals study week, so I was confused as to why Freiburg didn't have one. However, other than that, I thought that the administration was very attentive and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was clean, spacious and well-equipped. I had no problems with my suite mates either. My only problem was with the laundry system, but I'm not sure how much IES can do about that, because it's a University dorm. |
| * Food: |
I loved the food! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wish I had more planned opportunities to meet the locals, but then again it wasn't too hard to meet Germans, because I was living with them. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no problems with the healthcare. |
| * Safety: |
Same as healthcare. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan to spend a lot wherever you travel, because you have to pay for every single meal and for overnight expenses. |
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? | Beginner |
| 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? | 152 |
| 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 speak as much of the foreign language as you can, especially in the first month. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 much that I would be affected by my experience there and to cherish the time I had there more. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Between Conformity and Provocation: German Art from 1933 to the Present |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Hans-Peter Hagmann |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | It might have been a better class, if the professor had been more experienced with IES and the way that classes in the US function usually. As it was, he was not a very affective professor and I did not enjoy his class really at all. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
The Contemporary German Stage I |
| Course Department: | Drama |
| Instructor: | Peter Oidtmann |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | This was my favorite class, because I never felt nervous about speaking and I felt that I truly learned a lot. Part of it, was learning how to think differently and by the end of the course, I honestly appreciated specific productions that I never thought I would. The professor truly makes this class that best out of all the classes I took while abroad. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
