Literally the best time of my life so far Past Review
By Tricia Pelkington (Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne / IPFW) - abroad from 09/01/2016 to 02/20/2017 with
ISEP Exchange: Marburg - Exchange Program at Philipps-Universität Marburg
I feel like a much more capable adult. From doing paperwork to handling travel details I handled a lot of stuff that normally makes me nervous. I mean, I'm still nervous about doing such things but I have the experience and I draw confidence from my real world experience. I feel much more confident interacting with strangers as well. I deal with a bit of social anxiety and this semester really showed me how successfully I can overcome my own barriers. Definitely worthwhile.
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. |
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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? |
The German healthcare system is top notch. My insurance covered everything. I felt like my doctors wanted to help me rather than squeeze money out of me. |
| * Safety: |
I would walk home across the city at 2am and I always felt safe. There were some incidents I heard in the news that made me a little nervous, but not so nervous that I felt too unsafe at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | 50-100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook at home. |
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? | 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? | The highest level available at my university |
| 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? | Socializing. Going to bars, joining a theatre production. The tricky part is just finding a native speaker to engage with. |
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? | Time flies. |
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. |
