Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An Experience like No Other! Past Review

By (George Washington University) - abroad from 08/26/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

IES Abroad: Freiburg - Environmental Studies & Sustainability

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My program really gave me a chance immerse myself in a completely different way of life. I learned how rewarding experiences can be when you do tings because they sound interesting or they challenge you, not just to fulfill some requirement. And I really learned how to just take a breath, calm down, and take life a little less seriously. Everything I did in Freiburg, even if it didn't necessarily seem so at the time, was extremely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

I fell in love with my city, the local culture, the people, and my program. I'm actually thinking of returning to Freiburg for graduate school - that's how much I loved it!

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)

Freiburg itself was not very expensive, but travel got to be pretty expensive, as did going out often.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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 class structure (1 class at a time for 3 weeks)
  • my housing situation - I loved the people I was living with, and the neighborhood I got to live in
  • the trips - I got to go on some incredible hikes and excursions
* What could be improved?
  • The integration of the language classes with other classes - we sometimes would have conflicts between our language classes and our regular classes, which would mean missing whatever happened in language class that day
  • the program with the housing tutors - I saw my housing tutor at the beginning and end of the program, but not really throughout the semester. It would have been nice to see her more often/maybe have some events or activities with them!
  • n/a
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known that it's totally okay to go somewhere new, even when you don't speak the language. I went to Freiburg not speaking any German, and I spent so much time stressing out about how I could communicate with people and if I was going to be able to make any German friends that I missed out on some really cool initial opportunities and impressions of the city. By the end, I had obviously learned some German, but it was also still kind of cool that I was able to function pretty easily in a country where I didn't speak the language! (Also, everyone there speaks English, so that definitely helps).

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 Adventurer
The 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.