I found my new favorite city! Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/23/2018 to 08/04/2018 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Berlin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was initially terrifying to live in such a big city in a foreign country, but I quickly fell in love with Berlin and the diverse, international atmosphere. I learned a great deal on the art of independence and I improved my language skills.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everyone working for the program genuinely cared for the students and I always appreciated their concern for our wellbeing. They are some of the most genuine people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	It would be great if the program provided more help in finding affordable housing, especially if choosing to look for your own apartment.
* Food:	The program has coffee hours every once in a while in addition to program dinners which I really enjoyed. Otherwise, food is an on your own type of thing.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	The program did a great job at providing help in finding a care provider. You can tell that they care that their students are well taken care of, both physically and mentally.
* Safety:	I was worried about living in a big city, as I had never had that experience before, but I almost always felt safe in the city, even late at night.
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)	Grocery shopping and cooking at home was generally very cheap, but my financial aid package failed to really take into account the variable cost of housing when renting an apartment and the initial deposit which cost a lot upfront. As a student very dependent on financial aid, I wish I could have relied more on aid instead of more student loans.

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	Apartment
* 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?	Support from the program staff
* What could be improved?	Middlebury Course
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	As a biology major, I found it almost impossible to take any biology courses due to the schedule of classes available at the host university. Luckily I was personally able to be flexible with my choice in courses, but I would not recommend this program for students who want to take biology courses here.

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 Urbanite A 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Internationale Agenden und lokale Praxis – Klimawandel, Katastrophen und Nachhaltigkeit
Course Department:
Instructor:	Theresa Zimmerman
Instruction Language:	German
Comments:	The professor was great and you could tell she made a great effort in her classes, but I found the material to be less engaging than it could have been. The class atmosphere also left a lot to offer.
Credit Transfer Issues: