Worthy experience of the country, not of the university Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 10/04/2016 to 07/28/2017 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Berlin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot from being alone in another country and figuring out how to be independent.

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.

I was disappointed in the classes offered by my host university, yet the program was very rigorous and not flexible at all when it comes to choosing classes and examinations. I learned German this year, but very little in my other majors.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

It's not a bad program but I think could take easy steps to better support their students. Things like host families, language tandem are easy to put in place and would make a difference in learning the language. On the other side, I think it should also leave more freedom to students when choosing their classes, especially if you stay for an entire year.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Those were not taken care of by the program /

* Food:

Not taken care of by the program.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

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

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
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • nice people
  • mostly ready to help
* What could be improved?
  • communication
  • flexibility
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How disappointed previous students had already been in classes at the host university, something that I only discovered after.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Was heißt: realistisch? Die Wirklichkeit der Künste (Malerei, Fotografie, Film)

Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Peter Geimer
Instruction Language: german
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Kunst und Migration. Perspektiven auf Nordafrika

Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Sarah Dornhof
Instruction Language: german
Comments: Interesting topics and readings, but the students and professor did not seem to prepare or care.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Internship

Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Anne Breiemaier
Instruction Language: german
Comments: My best class was not a class: Anne Breiemaier helped me in my research for the paper I had to write related to the internship I did at an art gallery. Really supportive and interesting professor.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cultural Portfoliio

Course Department: Middlebury school abroad in Germany
Instructor: Heike Fahrenberg, Barbare Bosch
Instruction Language: german/english
Comments: I found some parts of it useful, like the IDI. However, the topics of the essays were tedious and repetitive.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Künstlergruppen

Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Fiona McGovern
Instruction Language: german
Comments: Interesting material, poorly led seminar.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Der Holocaust in West- u.Osteuropa

Course Department: History
Instructor: Grzegorz Rossolinski-Liebe
Instruction Language: german
Comments: Interesting readings and somewhat active discussion in the seminar.
Credit Transfer Issues: