Best way to learn German Past Review
By Lucas K (Music Theory, Temple University) - abroad from 06/03/2012 to 07/30/2012 with
Temple University International Programs: Leipzig - Intensive German Language
I learned a lot of German. Arriving in Berlin before the program I was almost helpless in finding a hostel, and I could hardly communicate. When I returned to Berlin at the end, everything was so much easier because I could really speak such better German. Definitely worthwhile.
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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. |
This program was great. I learned more German in one month then I had in a year of study in a classroom in America. Leipzig is an interesting and fun town with loads of history and culture. The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is the amount of mandatory extracurricular activities required, outside of classes and projects. While these were often interesting and educational, they placed you with a large group of english speaking people, and the usual consequence of that is speaking English, as opposed to Deutsch. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There was class every day at the scheduled times, and all the events and trips were introduced ahead of time |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing definitely has all the essentials, but not all the rooms are created equal. Some bedrooms are bigger than others, while some kitchens are tiny and others large and spacious. |
| * Food: |
German food is awesome and you can eat well on a budget. Döner Kebap is filling, cheap, tasty, open late and everywhere. Bratwurst stands abound, there are bakeries on almost every corner, and fresh fruits and vegetables are easy to come by. Throughout the course you will probably get the opportunity to go to some nice restaurants on the Temple Abroad program's buck. This is where you can eat some of the more traditional german specialties which may cost a bit more, like schnitzel or pork knuckle. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I think that the amount of time outside of class spent in large groups made it a bit hard to really get in touch with local culture. But if you take some initiative to explore and talk to strangers, you can really get to know the place. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I have no idea. Many folks, me included, got a bit of a cold from the weather and the confusion of the first couple days in Berlin and Leipzig, but I just took it easy, got some honey and chamomile tea, and laid low til it passed in about two days. There definitely was healthcare available, but I did not choose to use it. |
| * Safety: |
If you're from temple and you've been living in North Philadelphia, you should probably already know a good amount about keeping out of trouble in cities. Leipzig is much, much safer than North Philly, and I never once felt even the slightest danger. |
| 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) |
Depending on how you live, you can get away with $100/week, but not much less than that. Probably more than half the days require you to buy all your own food. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 plus |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy food at the Rewe near the apartments and cook and eat group meals. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intro to German II |
| 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? | Force yourself to speak it. Go out to bars and talk to people in German. Ask random questions to strangers on the bus. Get lost and ask people for directions, or pick a place you want to go and ask people for directions. |
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? | 0 |
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? | Nothing. The only way to really know some things is just to experience them. Many of the mishaps or mistakes I made helped me learn German too! |
