BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE IN GERMANY Past Review
By Jennifer (Eastern Illinois University) - abroad from 03/04/2017 to 08/04/2017 with
Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg: Wurzburg - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I gained a second language, friendships that will last a lifetime, I know now that I can depend on myself, and I have a new sense of compassion for foreigners in America. 100 percent it was worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought the levels that my classes were at was absolutely perfect. I could not ask for better instructors or classroom materials. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Best country I have ever been too. This country has taught me so much and I will forever be grateful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had the opportunity to start fresh. I stayed in the dorms in Germany with all other international and German students. It was the best way because it was exactly like freshman year of college I had to knock on doors and make friends. |
| * Food: |
The bread in Germany in amazing. Nothing can compare.. but everything else is so very boring. I like to try new things so I ate everything but I didn't enjoy everything. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I am sad to say that my 6 months in Germany I only made 1 friend from Germany. All of my other friends were international. Italian, spanish, colombian, English, ect. This is because I took language courses not at a very high level and of course there was only other students who didn't speak the language either. Now that I think about it, this is a very funny concept that I went to the country and was only friends with international people. I felt that I was completely emerged in the culture and that is exactly what I wanted |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I pray that the next person who goes to Würzburg never gets ill. The doctors in Germany are unreal and are not willing to give you medicine. I think it is because they are a very environmentally friendly but when someone is sick they need medicine. I went to 4 different doctors when I was ill and they all said the same thing "Trink Wasser" which translates into "Drink water".......... seriously that is what they said to me. I do think it is a cultural thing that they are very healthy types of people but I am american and always will be so give me some medicine. |
| * Safety: |
I was not placed in a big city so my type of public transportation was buses not subways. I never once felt unsafe or in danger. I accidentally left my window open when I left for Barcelona on the weekend and i lived on the first floor but when I got back everything was there and my neighbor shut my window for me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Nothing can compare to what studying abroad was like. I will never forget the feeling I had when I discovered something new everyday. |
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) |
I had a bad habit of spending money..... I would be at the cash point every night. My parents needed to shovel me money because every penny I saved was gone in 3 months.... I spent over 8 grand in Germany. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Including drinks on a night out i spent nearly 200 a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | My tip would be to take out a loan. You're going to have a billion dollars worth of student loans anyways so whats one more. Who cares. |
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 |
10/10 I was encouraged by myself my teacher at EIU and this program. |
| 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? | 1400 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Don't be nervous. No one cares if you say something wrong. The only way to learn the language is to speak it. The country will take you more seriously if you speak the native language. |
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
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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? | I wish i knew how to budget my money.. I wish i knew i needed basic things like sheets. I wish I knew I would be so sad for the first month. I wish i knew I would be so sad coming home from studying abroad I wish i knew not to fall in love with someone from a different country I wish i knew it would be so hard to like Eastern again. |
