Great Experience in Mainz July 28, 2022
By A student (International Politics and Economics; German, Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/29/2022 to 07/22/2022 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Mainz
I improved my written and oral German skills significantly. I also got to experience a new culture. I developed my independence further. It was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Challenging academically; all courses were in German. Professors were understanding and fair. Definitely a worthwhile experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Middlebury on-site administration were super present and helpful. The only |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms in Germany are sufficient with beds, closets, shelves, and refrigerators. The rooms themselves are fairly nice. Each hall has a shared kitchen; this is the largest downside as the kitchens tend to get dirty, making it difficult to cook. |
| * Food: |
In Mainz you definitely have to provide your own food, as the cafeteria food at the University is not particularly good. It is, however, a good opportunity to learn to cook etc. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very well integrated. The city of Mainz has fun events almost every weekend, and these are a great way to immerse oneself in the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues, but I believe that if I did, I would have been able to access resources easily and quickly. |
| * Safety: |
Very safe as far as cities go. Public transport, walking, etc. all safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I really enjoyed my time in Mainz. My main goal was to improve my German skills and experience a new culture, and I achieved both. I think Mainz was better-suited for me than Berlin or Potsdam would have been. |
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) |
It was difficult to cook in my kitchen, as my hallmates were consistently untidy and this spilled over into the kitchen. Therefore, I ate out more often than I could have. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 130-50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make your own coffee + food generally, but also be willing to go out, as it's part of the culture and experience. |
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 |
Middlebury has a language pledge which all students must follow. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| 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? | 400+ |
| 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? | Follow the language pledge and be persistent. If you continue to speak to people in German, they will respond in German eventually, even if they can speak English. This is super important for improvement. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 much free time I would have, especially in the first weeks of the program/orientation. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Culture and Composition |
| Course Department: | German |
| Instructor: | Heike Fahrenberg |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | This challenging course was an effective introduction to German academic writing. It was intense and incredibly helpful. Weekly meetings with the "Babel Guides" were great for improving writing, and I felt well-prepared for my Hausarbeits, largely because of this course. I also found the assessments, such as the Diagnostiks, Capstones, and participation to be fair. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | none |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Seminar Neuere Geschichte: Der Siebenjährige Krieg |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | Prof. Dr. Sebastian Becker |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | Really interesting course about the history of the Seven Years War. The Professor was an effective instructor and was fair and understanding. He led discussions effectively and I felt comfortable participating, even though the course was in German. My final Hausarbeit was challenging but I enjoyed writing it, and Prof. Dr. Becker was helpful in that process. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not yet |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Deutschland in Europa, Europa in Deutschland |
| Course Department: | Political Science |
| Instructor: | Prof. Dr. Alexandru Filip |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | Really interesting course about European integration, primarily focused on the EU. Readings were relevant and digestible, and class discussions were interesting. Prof. Dr. Filip was knowledgable, enthusiastic, and well-prepared. I felt comfortable participating in this class, even though it was taught in German. I felt well-prepared for my Hausarbeit. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Vom Regen in die Traufe: Die politische Ökonomie der Eurokrise |
| Course Department: | Political Science |
| Instructor: | Prof. Dr. Helen Callaghan (Treanor) |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | This course was challenging, as it was a master's seminar. Despite this, the course was interesting and I was able to understand the subject matter quite well. The professor was knowledgeable and well-prepared. Some of the readings were challenging for students without background knowledge in economics, but other than that it was smooth sailing. I felt comfortable participating even though the course was taught in German. I felt well-prepared for my Hausarbeit |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
