A Truly International Experience Past Review
By Michael H (Geography, Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 09/02/2015 to 12/19/2015 with
IES Abroad: Freiburg - European Union: Politics, Law & Economics
I gained perspective and awareness on many social and political issues, as well as problem solving and communication skills. I would recommend this program to anyone considering going abroad.
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. |
There were many interesting classes offered, but they may not be as rigorous as those offered by a home university. I don't consider this a bad thing though, because the real strength of this program lies in being able to travel and experience more of what if offered by the EU as a whole and this can't be done if you're constantly preparing for a class. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
On-site staff is friendly, helpful, and informative. They do a great job of keeping you informed and ready for the various excursions. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The student dorms were not exactly what I expected, but were still very inviting. They presented a real opportunity to get to know the local culture better. |
| * Food: |
|
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Getting around and functioning felt, for me, like I was able to integrate rather well into the local society, though when we were together, the program does amount to a group of Americans in Europe. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I only had minor illnesses and apothecaries were easily accessible in every city. |
| * Safety: |
I never personally felt unsafe or threatened (male perspective). |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The amount of travel and the relatively light (though not insubstantial) class load really encourages you to get out and experience the local and international cultures. It really is a program that stresses exploration and experimentation. |
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) |
The city of Freiburg is not so much more expensive than my home city, but the amount of travel done with this program does make it more expensive than others. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $60 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Get a dinner group together. Taking turns to make dinner for a group of people is cost-effective, fun, and builds community and friendships. |
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 |
The administration had German Fridays where they would speak to us in German, but since most of us did not know any German coming in to the program and English speakers are so easy to find, there was slightly less incentive to use it. I used more German because I had prior background and could actually use it to an extent. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | high school German |
| 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? | Talk to/listen to your flatmates. They will be more than happy to help you refine your language skills, if they are anything like mine were. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I had packed more lightly and had explored more of the various parts of Freiburg more thoroughly. I didn't expect to love Freiburg as much as I did, and lament that I didn't actually get to know it better. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
