Past Review
By Elizabeth F (Global Studies/European Studies, The College of William and Mary) for
IES Abroad: Freiburg - European Union: Politics, Law & Economics
I've traveled a lot before, so culturally this wasn't a stretch for me. However, the program itself did a good job of integrating local society and life into the academic setting, and I learned a lot in class that I could apply in my daily life abroad, especially about politics and culture. Leave your comfort zone!
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2010 |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought academics in the classroom corresponded well to the field study trips...it was easy to draw comparisons and relate the material. Professors required some adaptation on my part, but are for the most part excellent in terms of the material. The only difficulties arise in organization and out-of-class communication. I think the workload could be different, not necessarily less. It was definitely a stop down from my home university, a lot more busy-work - at times it was like returning to high school. At home the work is more independent, and if you don't do it, you don't succeed. The attendance policy is also bothersome; while I understand the necessity of attending class, several classes are simply overviews of the coursework, and seem completely superfluous if you've done the reading for the class. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration is extremely helpful and available; they always knew how to get places and loved to recommend events or locations for free time. Better than I expected. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing location was superb, close to classes and downtown. I always felt safe. German flatmates were great, I would have preferred to live with only locals or international students. |
| * Food: |
I love German food, I had no problems. I like how IES specifically shows you how to use Uni dining facilities. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
IES did a good job of keeping us informed of local events, suggesting regional destinations, and giving us opportunites to explore the country and take advantage of its assets. Sledding in the Swiss Alps was incredible! |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
Administration did an excellent job of arranging doctors' appointments in relation to healthcare coverage. Overall, the city is safe and beautiful. People seemed to get sick a lot, but my guess is it was due to their own health choices, rather than any fault of the city or the program. |
| 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) |
|
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Dining out is more expensive than making your own meals. Take advantage of supermarkets. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
The German class was excellent, it was conducted entirely in the foreign language but still manageable. The professor also catered to our needs, teaching material that applied in everyday life and interaction. Most people speak English though, so opportunities for use were limited. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be prepared for a decent amount of work and everything to be due at once...most professors don't want you to have to work during field trips, but this means everything tends to be due right before you leave. |
