A Semester in Berlin: Exploring the Culture, City, and Language Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 04/11/2016 to 07/22/2016 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Berlin
After a semester in Berlin, taking classes at a German university and speaking with my friends and professors in German for four months, my language skills have dramatically improved. I became more familiar with German and Berlin culture and was able to critically compare it not only to the cultures of the United States but also different cultures of surrounding countries, such as England, Italy, and Austria. My weekly cultural journal entries forced me to critically evaluate my observations and to define exactly what made an action or event "German." My experiences abroad definitely made this semester worthwhile.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
* 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? |
I was very satisfied with my housing, but I found my apartment on my own and did not use Middlebury's optional provided housing. Therefore this rating is not reflective of Middlebury's housing options. |
* Food: |
The food in Berlin and at the university was delicious! It was sometimes difficult to find vegetarian options, however. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would have liked more opportunities to explore Berlin as a group with the other Middlebury study abroad students and program administrators. Much of our culture course was online and I would have welcomed more hands-on experience applying what we learned in this culture course to actual day-to-day life in Berlin. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I found the Middlebury program to be extremely helpful and responsive to my health needs. I always felt that there was Middlebury personell available 24 hours a day for me if I were to need them in an emergency. |
* Safety: |
I felt very safe while in Berlin. There were some attacks in Germany during the time that I was there, and immediately following each of these attacks, our program director contacted us each individually to make sure that we were all right. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I enjoyed the Middlebury study abroad program. The directors were available and willing to help, the other students in the course were friendly, and the resources at Freie Universitaet such as the library and the Mensa (the dining hall) were freely available to me. It felt very liberating to be a student at a university in Berlin; much more so than at my home college, where everything is located on campus. While this is very convenient, having to travel across the city in Berlin just to get to class really made me familiar with the city and the culture abroad. |
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) |
Berlin is not an expensive city. I was able to survive very easily on a student's budget in Berlin. There are so many things to do in Berlin, though, that it was easy to spend money on a day out in town or at restaurants or exploring a beach. The Middlebury program reimbursed us for culturally relevant expenses (such as museums, exhibitions, concerts, etc.). |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $70 |
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 |
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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? | A 200-level German course at Wellesley |
How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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 that I had explored my surrounding area more. When I went abroad, it seemed like a good idea to go to all the big touristy places, but I neglected to explore the streets and cafes surrounding my apartment until the last two weeks of the program. I also wish that I had known to stay on top of my work from the very beginning of the program, because it can really build up towards the end! |
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 LinguistYou 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! |