A Semester of Growth, Change, and Independence Past Review
By Zach Cohen (Occidental College) - abroad from 08/29/2016 to 12/18/2016 with
IES Abroad: Freiburg - European Union: Politics, Law & Economics
I learned how to be independent, and improved my leadership abilities. I learned how to navigate around places I hadn't been, and to travel on my own as well. I also learned A LOT about the European Union, which I believe is a fascinating and very important organization.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Fun and engaging clasroom learning, complemented by very interesting meetings all across Europe on field trips. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Excellent staff and organization all around. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES Abroad European Union provided me with a combination of academic and personal growth. I learned a lot about the countries I visited, and the politics in them, but I also learned a lot about myself in the process. I made a lot of friends and will cherish the memories I made while abroad. |
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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| 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? | Eat at the Mensa, the student cafeteria - it's very cheap, very filling, and very delicious! |
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? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | 0 |
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? | It might be hard to really get to know the German culture, especially given that you are often traveling around in other countries - so it may take more of a concerted effort in order to feel more integrated. |
