The Semester I Made The Best Friends! October 02, 2024
By Katie B (German, Butler University) - abroad from 02/26/2024 to 06/15/2024 with
IES Abroad: Freiburg - Language & Area Studies
IES Abroad does a fantastic job of offering authentic experiences with the host country’s culture and educational system while catering to students with experience in the American education system. Orientation is in-depth for culture shock, language (regardless of experience with host language), educational system, and so many opportunities to make friends with international and local students. IES hosts several recurring events which allow students to get to know each other better throughout the semester, such as Wellness Walks (with complimenary ice cream at the end!), Crafternoons, and movie nights, both at the center and at local theaters.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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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? |
I had no experience with healthcare abroad, but my friends did and had no issues! |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
A few times a semester, IES offers faculty-led trips within the host country/surrounding area, which require prior registration and are incredible. They do a great job of picking cities with a rich history and that would be difficult for students to plan a trip encompassing the maximum number of highlights with enough time to enjoy the city. The staff also book tours of the cities with professionals who are always willing to speak at a lower level of fluency with students and explain concepts and events in several ways to that students all understand their point within the host language (if different that native language). These trips also allow students to bond in a non-academic setting: several hours on a train, shared hotel rooms, group dinners. I shared a room with the same person on both trips and we stayed up for several hours both trips talking about every random topic we thought of. |
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? | ~50 Euro |
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 |
Professors adjust their language to students’ understanding of the language and are always open to questions. It’s obvious that professors genuinely enjoy both the subject they are teaching as well as interactions with students from all over the US and are very interested in comparing their experiences to students’. |
| 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? | 490 |
| 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? | watch movies, listen to podcasts and music, and watch/listen to/read the news in the target language! Kids shows and books are also great once you have some experience. Start with books and movies you are already familiar with so you can focus on the language rather than the plot. |
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? |
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? | Professors want you to succeed in their subject and in the target language. Everyone there is excited to see you develop and advance language skills. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
