Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best summer of my life. Past Review

By (Plan Ii Honors, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 05/27/2013 to 07/19/2013 with

IES Abroad: Freiburg Summer - European Union: Politics & Economics

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I think that anyone interested in any kind of International work must study abroad. There is no substitute for being at the source of what you are studying. You are more confident about what you know, more motivated to learn, and become more passionate about what you are doing.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Good, but the courses were structured as three hours of one of the two courses, we choose to take, each day. It becomes monotonous after three hours of the same course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff was great with providing activities and outings and planning events and the field trips for us during our stay.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in one of the more unconventional apartments (there were plants growing everywhere inside), and I had about seven roommates, six were german and one was french, so I made a lot of international friends as well.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was Germany so there wasn't a huge adjustment. The program gave the students two classes on basic German, but everyone speaks English if you're not good with language, so I could order etc, which helped. Also, living on your own allows you to explore and integrate as much or as little as you want. Two months wasn't a long time, but if I had spent a semester I would've felt very integrated.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Safe.

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)

Germany wasn't that expensive, but the Balkans was very cheap. For the most part, I didn't find myself spending exorbitant amounts of money, but I'm sure you could if you wanted to.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? There's a cheap cafeteria with lots of food by the international center, but the food is so-so. There's also a grocery store right next the apartments where you live, so we found ourselves making food a lot.

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

I had a total of fours hours of German. I used it to order food or to understand numbers (which is surprisingly useful), but beyond that I spoke in English.

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
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? If you know German, that's great, but it is not at all necessary. Only a few people actually knew German in the program , and no one had any trouble getting around.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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 field trip was amazing
  • Vauban (the area I lived in)
  • The topics of study
* What could be improved?
  • Co-ordination between professors and staff
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known that I wanted to study abroad for longer

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.