Less fear, more confidence; more confidence, more independence! Past Review

By (Eastern Illinois University) - abroad from 04/24/2017 to 12/18/2017 with

Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg: Wurzburg - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gain self-awareness and confidence. I wasn't comfortable at first, but I got out of my little bubble a bit late, but I believe it changed me for the better. I made better decisions, became more independent, and gained a lot of knowledge on the way.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It challenged my way of thinking and perspectives over certain issues. I had no idea how much I lacked in German and EU history until I studied in Germany. My professors were tough core from what I was used to in the states from the paper assignment to exams and speeches.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were so many things that were lacking which made me stressed and frustrated. I felt some of the people I was told to get in contact with were not prepared to answer my questions, were not available, or incompetent.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Moving in was great, however leaving was a hassle. The semesters in the U.S and Germany are quite different, so when the semester ends in December for the U.S, it ends in March so terminating the housing contract was challenging, and there are fees for leaving early. Another downside was that my contract was given to me in German, at that time I was only a beginner in German so luckily for me, my fiance is German, and he translated. Apart from that, the building and area were beautiful, I was near a park, and it was easy commuting from where I was located.

* Food:

I loved German food. It was very diverse and healthy, so there is nothing negative in this matter.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I am not entirely sure how I feel in regards to being integrated. I often had gotten looked down by people especially older folks. It was a bit easier making friends from those around my age, not so much German but international students. Over time I realized that it's just how Germans behave, it takes longer to build relationships however those that I did become friends with are there for life. I picked up a lot of German, I now understand conversations, but I lack in speaking skills. The number one thing to becoming fully integrated is learning the language. At first, I thought it was just a textbook thing, but nope, they prefer you to speak their language or attempt. It was hard, not going to lie, but I pushed through.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had a bit difficulty signing up for health care at the beginning, but everything worked out. It was more affordable than I thought. There were some occasions where I had to be seen by a doctor, it wasn't a hassle and didn't take long.

* Safety:

During my stay, it was around the time where there was an influx of refugees and Germany was accepting most of them. As a liberal person, I welcomed this move as a sign of progress. However, it was during my 4th week of class, and I went out with Koreans but had to leave early, and as I was walking home an Arab refugee spoke to me, I wasn't uncomfortable at first. He gave me compliments on my makeup and lipstick color, but then he kept wanting me to go with him. There were hardly any street lights where I was located, and I politely refused him, he then grabbed me and kissed me on the lips. I called my fiance, and he told me to call the German police, at that time I was drunk and scared for my well-being. I ran to the nearest people available and pretended that they were my friends. It was the scariest moment in my life. I don't view all Arabs like predators, but it prevented me from going out at night. My advice is to always stay with a group of people at least 2-3 others.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I said no, not because of the faculty but because I want to try new places as well.

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)

It was affordable as far as a budget. However, since my fiance lived only one hour away, I was able to do more spending and site seeing than most.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? l spent around 160 euros on food and I traveled between Stuttgart and Würzburg so that cost 25 per weekend.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you plan on visiting other countries while staying abroad, then I suggest putting at least 20-30 Euros aside per week just for travel fees and eating. It wasn't as expensive to go to other countries as I thought it would be, so that's a plus. I also suggest traveling with groups, especially if you are going by train because there are group tickets and discounts for students. Always bring your student card, discounts saved me 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

Learning the language is the key component to successful integration so from the first day of class we spoke only German with a little English in between when explaining.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? German A1
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? Speak with German students; they will work with you. At first, I was always scared to speak German because I thought they would be critical or laugh, but later throughout the year, I found that they were very understanding and willing to correct mistakes, plus they would probably ask you to help with their English. They have the same feelings when speaking English; everyone has to be willing to try.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Teachers
  • Students
  • Location
* What could be improved?
  • Communication
  • Competence
  • Guidence
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To have things go exactly how you want it, you have to plan every step of the way and check even more than you would like to make sure you are on task.

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 Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

German Politics

Course Department: Political Science
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English and German
Comments: German Politics was the most challenging courses I have ever taken. There is no questioning of whether the instructor knew his stuff, he did. The downside to his course was the perception of Americans, sometimes I felt uncomfortable just being in the room. It was a seminar course, the professor would start the topic off and then those who were the discussion leader for that day would take off from there. International students had the options of doing a paper or giving an oral speech of the subject they desired as long as it was about politics. I had written a paper, the only requirement was it had to be 15 pages long. The professor wasn't big on giving homework, he felt that if students really wanted a high grade then they should come prepared. From this course, I learned beyond WW2 and can really say as well as discuss German politics.
Credit Transfer Issues: I did not have problems with this course, it was 5 credits which transferred to 3 credits at my home university. With that being said, I did have problems with other courses, some came with no credits upon arrival and others with not enough. I suggest that others really press both their home university as well as the program advisors to give the correct information over courses and credits before departing.