Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Lovely semester full of language learning and self-growth September 10, 2023

By (International Relations and German, Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/27/2023 to 07/21/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Mainz

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
i gained a lot of self-confidence in myself and in my language abilities.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* 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

i had the best time!

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)

if you grocery shop and plan ahead, a student's budget is quite reasonable to stay on while in mainz

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100-120/week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? grocery shopping is super important! Also, don't forget to return pfand

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? 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? I did the Middlebury Language School at the 300 level
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? just go for it and don't be afraid to make mistakes as you speak

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local 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?
  • the support we got from babelguides and tutors
  • the program trip to weimar
  • biweekly kaffeestunde
* What could be improved?
  • providing us with routers
  • some students had more academic responsibilities- i feel like this was frustrating at times
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? i wish that we had known that there wouldn't have been wifi in our rooms before we arrived. other than that I felt super well prepared and had a good experience as a result!

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Musik im Black Atlantic
Course Department: Afrikanistik
Instructor:
Instruction Language: German
Comments: We read an african short story every week, which i really enjoyed. the professor was knowledgeable, accessible, kind and didn't assign too much work during the semester. an eight-page hausarbeit was required and made up all of our final grade. i participated in class a great deal.
Credit Transfer Issues: no
Course Name/Rating:

Wasserknappheit als Gerechtigkeits- und Steuerungsproblem
Course Department: Politikwissentschaft
Instructor:
Instruction Language: German
Comments: the course was challenging because it was in german and the vocabulary was super niche. i really enjoyed the readings and learned a lot from then. the class offered a relevant field trip which i was unable to go on due to scheduling conflicts. i participated in class less often than i normally would because the environment was a little intimidating, but the professor was kind, knowledgeable, accessible, and always willing to be helpful! i did a presentation and a hausarbeit for my final grade
Credit Transfer Issues: no
Course Name/Rating:

Politische Kultur, Wahlen, und Partizipation
Course Department: Politikwissentschaft
Instructor:
Instruction Language: German
Comments: It was a challenging course because of the very subject-specific vocabulary. the course also required a decent understanding of econometrics, which i was not expecting. the professor was knowledgeable, well-prepared, kind, and always accessible through office hours! I participated in class and went to office hours quite often, as the class was smaller and i felt quite comfortable in it. I was assessed by one presentation and one hausarbeit
Credit Transfer Issues: no!