Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Past Review

By (International Studies: Diplomacy, German, Susquehanna University) - abroad from 09/04/2014 to 12/19/2013 with

IES Abroad: Freiburg - Environmental Studies & Sustainability

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about the culture I was in. Germans can be very outgoing when you really get to know them. They are just as curious about us as we are of them and some amazing friendships can come out of that. I also learned so much about ethnocentrism. Americans are the epitome of it. I gained an understanding about our cultural differences and some aspects of our culture are appalling. The hardest thing may be re-adjusting to your American lifestyle. Don't be afraid of it, but learn to accept the differences you learned about and teach others to be a little more understanding.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved my courses abroad. The only real trouble I had was trying to find a balance between the European style of university and the American style of university. Regardless, all of the professors were easily reachable and the homework was just enough of a load to keep me busy while also allowing me to enjoy my free time.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I loved my advisers. They were always helpful and always accommodating.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It's not that we didn't get along, but my flatmates and I always had separate schedules. We had a few nights together, but it would've been nicer to have more together time.

* Food:

I mean, it's Germany. There were influences from around the world and all of the food was delicious. I also had the opportunity to cook for myself and some friends on multiple occasions. It was fantastic.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I ended up joining a gym while I was in Freiburg and it helped me get in touch with the culture and improved my listening skills.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I actually hurt my ankle within the first two weeks of being there. One of my advisers ran over to an Apotheke and got me some bandages and ice. It wasn't the worst that could have happened, but it was enough to see that my program cared about what we did.

* Safety:

For a larger city than I'm used to, I felt surprisingly safe. I was in an environment where it seemed like everyone took care of each other.

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

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)

It was very easy to live on my budget. Sometimes I went over, but most of the time I was well beneath it. It really depended on what I was doing from week to week but it was relatively easy.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 25-50 Euros depending on activities
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget before-hand based on the currency of the host-country. Always assume that it will be the higher exchange rate for the best budgeting. Also, always keep some money aside for absolute emergencies such as healthcare and last-minute travel needs. As a normal tip: pull out money from the bank in bulk. Sometimes the exchange rate can be costly and you don't want to pull out money every two to three days.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We had language intensive courses that not only helped with language skills, but also learning about the culture we were in.

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 202
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? Practice the basics before you leave. I even ended up bringing a cheat book from AAA just in case I got too nervous. It really helped. Also, while you're abroad, see if the program has a "partner" program-- some students from university are looking to learn English just as much as you want to learn theirs.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* 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 friendships I made
  • The helpfulness of the administration
  • Culture values
* What could be improved?
  • A little more balance between university teaching-styles
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It doesn't matter if you go to another country with students from your home university or not, you're still going to gain so much more knowledge than if you didn't go abroad. Before, I wished I had someone I knew going with me, but I learned that I didn't need someone next to me all of the time. I had the friends I made there and I learned so much. It was an invaluable experience.

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!