Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best Adventure Of My Life! Past Review

By (Music., University of Redlands) - abroad from 01/10/2013 to 05/18/2013 with

IES Abroad: Vienna - Study Abroad With IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was more than worthwhile! Going abroad more than anything opened my mind to the fact they are so many other experiences and opportunities available to me I knew nothing about previously. Looking back, I feel like I used to live in a little America bubble and knew little to nothing about other countries as much as I hate to admit that. I had always based my goals on options available to me in America previously but now I see I have so many more (and often times more fitting and interesting) options outside of the country in regards to my future education, career and living situation. Also, it is almost humbling in a way to find there are so many other and quite different cultures out there. I often found some aspects of a new culture meshed better with my personality and values than those from which I had come. It is simply refreshing to experience a new society first hand!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were engaging and challenging but did not take up all of your time with homework, so there was always still more than enough time to explore the city and beyond. Many classes took advantage of all Vienna has to offer by going on field trips around the city often to make real world connections relevant to the course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff was always friendly, knowledgable, approachable, invested, helpful, and fun! Squeeze the juice!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a beautiful old fashioned apartment, fully furnished including a piano. I lived with other students in my program and our apartment building had about five other apartments with students from our program as well so that made for a fun living situation conducive to bonding. Also, we conveniently lived within walking distance of the IES center.

* Food:

Suffice it to say, this city ruined all other food for me, especially pastries and sausages.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wish I had gotten to know more locals, but as a student who had never studied German previously that was always a little intimidating. Once I got to know the city though, I did not feel like so much of a foreigner. It is an easy city to figure out too, because it is built in a logical way and not terribly big. Also, our administrators made of point of filling us in at the beginning of the semester on small but significant differences in social customs in Vienna versus America, so that was very helpful.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I never felt unsafe. There is not a "bad" part of town unlike most big cities. I often traveled around the city alone and never had any problems.

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)

I probably lived on about 100euros a week so about $130. I knew other students in my program who lived on maybe half that much, though. I was probably at the lower end of the average.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I mostly cooked for myself to save money so I might have spent 50euros on groceries a week. Vienna can be expensive but if you do your research you can find cheap food and other necessities. In regards to transportation around the city, I walked and used the city bikes (if you use them for less than an hour at a time they are free) as much as possible. That way I saved money too (not that transportation in Vienna is terribly expensive at all anyway) and I got a chance to see the city a lot more.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Book plane reservations as far in advance as possible. I can appreciate this is difficult since you have so little time abroad, but I heard of students booking plane reservations around Europe months in advance and only paying a few euros. Also, buses to relatively close cities (like Prague) are super affordable. You can get cheaper flights out of Bratislava than Vienna too. Finally, take advantage of the trips IES offers and sign up early!

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

They always encouraged us to practice our German but they did not force it upon us by any means. Also, they teach most of their classes 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
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had never taken a German language course prior to departure.
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? I can appreciate it is scary but practice with locals as much as possible. It is so helpful! They may act bitter about you butchering their language but they will probably act even more bitter if you only speak to them in English. I always felt so accomplished when I used a phrase I learned in class and locals understood me or vice versa when I could understand a phrases locals said to me I learned in class.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • Classes
  • The city in general but particularly the music scene
  • How they organized a lot of events for us
* What could be improved?
  • Longer term
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had familiarized myself more with the city prior to departure which I realize is only so possible to do 6,000 miles away but I felt like I spent a lot of time getting to know the city and figuring out what I wanted to do there so by the time I did all that I did not have enough time to do it all.

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 Linguist
You 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!