Mainz SoSe 2022 October 27, 2022
By A student (International Global Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/29/2022 to 07/22/2022 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Mainz
I learned that I am capable of living in a foreign country and speaking a foreign language! It was incredibly empowering and rewarding.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses were not too hard, nor were they too easy. I found myself well supported by both TAs and professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Absolutely phenomenal. Heike is responsive, kind, and incredibly helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was of high quality. However, the heat in the summer made the room unbearable to sleep or work in. |
| * Food: |
Food in Germany is wonderful, and of low cost. Most of it is self-made. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was very easy to get to know other students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
It was very easy to get the vaccine QR codes needed. |
| * Safety: |
Mainz and Frankfurt are incredibly safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Very easily! Kulturgeld helped to fund cultural interests, and food was very affordable in Germany. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 40 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Meal prep! Plan out what you need ahead of time, and go into ReWe/Aldi with a list. |
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 |
We took a "speech pledge" to only speak in the language while in the program. |
| 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? | A 400-level German course. |
| 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? | Go to Germany ahead of time. If on campus, go to language tables or Kaffestunde. |
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? | There is so much more to do in the area than you think! Do some research ahead of time, talk to other JGU students, and always say yes to some adventures. |
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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Kultur und Komposition |
| Course Department: | Middlebury |
| Instructor: | Heike Fahrenberg |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | The class was not challenging, and was incredibly helpful in preparing me for German coursework while asking me to reflect on my time in Mainz. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Soziologie des Kinderkriegens |
| Course Department: | Soziologie |
| Instructor: | Laura Völkle |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | The course was not too challenging, despite being a master's level seminar. There was good participation from all students. It was easy to participate (even as a non-native speaker), and to ask both textual questions and questions about vocabulary. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Deutschland in Europa, Europa in Deutschland |
| Course Department: | Political Science |
| Instructor: | Dr. Alexandru Filip |
| Instruction Language: | German |
| Comments: | The course was not super challenging. I found Dr. Filip could be hard to understand at times, but he was always very welcoming to questions via emails or office hours. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Make sure to send the syllabus ahead of time if you are counting it towards a major (ie, regional courses for IGS)! It's a pain when you get back. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Eine Immer Engere Union? |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | Bastian Knautz |
| Instruction Language: | GErman |
| Comments: | The course was incredibly well-instructed, and the course content was clear. The only downside was that, as an intro-level seminar, there was a lower level of engagement from students. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
