I finally saw America from a standpoint that made me globally mindful. Past Review
By A student (German, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire) - abroad from 01/05/2015 to 05/22/2015 with
Philipps-Universität Marburg: Intensive German Studies Program
I gained much global perspective and respect for people of different countries, especially my new friends from the Middle East.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Stufa 2 and 3 were very intensive and we were always on task. However, we also took a lot of time to get to know each other on an intimate level that made learning easier. The Stufas were to be taken seriously, because we were all trying to learn as much German as possible in the weeks of time we met. The Literature course was less intensive and the class size was less than ten people. Only Americans were in the literature course. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our host administrator was nothing but helpful, friendly, and kind. She was very responsible and on task, she always had a game plan and I appreciated that about her. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in Fuchspass, and I had mixed feelings about the place. Kitchens were to be maintained mostly by the tenants, so naturally they were not very clean at all. If you left dishes out, the House Frau would take them. Once springtime came, so did the bugs. There were probably four or five different types of bugs I would see in the hallway and in my room, it was pretty dissatisfying. The social aspect of Fuchspass was very good because I was in close proximity of my friends, but the actual living and environment part was not as high quality. |
| * Food: |
We always cooked for ourselves, and I found that the grocery stores in Marburg had good things to offer, so I enjoyed that. The restaurants and bars that offered food were always spot on. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt fairly integrated, my friends and I participated in a lot of the student life like hanging out by the Lahn, grilling out, going to the bars, etc. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had an experience with the health care systems of Marburg. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Marburg, which is surprising because there was little to no police presence. I appreciated this about the city. I felt very safe and comfortable there. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would do this program again in a heartbeat because it wasn't too strenuous yet we learned so much of the language. We had a lot of free time and there were in-program excursions like the one to Berlin! |
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) |
Food didn't cost much if you went to Aldi and social events were also quite cheap. Since we had a semester ticket, we could go by train anywhere in Hessen, so we saved money that way too. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 60 Euros |
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 had to use German at all times when we were in class, so using the language was very encouraged. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | German 315 or German for Professional Communication |
| 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? | Practice the language by speaking it with others! The best way to learn is to learn from each other's mistakes and learn new words and phrases together. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Know the difference between Frankfurt International Airport and Frankfurt Hahn. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
