German Studies in Marburg: Awesome! Past Review
By Whitney H (Child and Family Studies, Berea College) for
Speak + Write Marburg: Intensive German in Marburg
I have a better understanding of how others see me, my country, and my situation in general. I was not aware of how my place and my outlook can affect the repuation of my "people" in the home country so much. It is important to help others understand that everyone is different and everyone can have much more in common than expected. I loved my experience meeting new people and discussing all of the many issues that surround the different cultures. I really bonded with many students while abroad, and continue to keep in touch with many. I would love to go back to the same location in 3-5 years.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The teaching methods varied from course to course and all had their advantages and disadvantages. I was very pleased with the instruction overall. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was very informative and helpful for all students involved. I think the program is sufficient but not overwhelming for the semester prior to going abroad. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was not ideal, but was sufficient for any basic needs. The host family tended to be less welcoming and helpful than predicted, but provided the basic needs as one would require. |
| * Food: |
I primarly ate breakfast with my host family, lunch at the cafeteria, and dinner at a restaurant or cooking at my home. I had to eat all meals as cheap as possible and be very careful with budgeting each week. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent anywhere from 100 Euros to 200 Euros on average. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | When traveling, it was best to pack sandwiches or another low cost meal rather than relying on restaurant or other food on-the-go. Many of the prices were much higher than expected from city to city, regardless of the currency used. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300/junior level |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The language could be practiced with all students, faculty, and community members. The language was the primary language for the country visited. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students should keep in mind that Marburg is not a huge city with countless youth activities, but neighbors bigger cities that can fulfill that need. Marburg is small, yet large enough to keep one entertained if they reach out and meet students from the University. The language program is ideal. Marburg is certainly a "University Town," in that a large percentage of the community members have engaged in higher education. This also means that a large percentage of the community members do speak enough english to make international students feel comfortable in choosing products or services. If you are a german student, you will find that the community members do prefer to speak German if possible. |
