Deutschland is Awesome Past Review
By Kathryn C (Biology, Tufts University) for
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Tübingen
My study abroad experience was great. I didn't realize it as much at the time, but in retrospect, it was amazing. I loved Germany and it is truly a once in a lifetime experience to be able to live in another country.
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 workload was much different abroad. Classes don't meet as often there and there was little work during the semester for most classes. The end of the semester, however, was very busy. There were also more options with final exams- for instance, you could have a spoken final or a written final and you could take the final the next semester if you wanted for some courses. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Resident Director, Ute Link, was absolutely key to my amazing experience. I cannot emphasize enough how incredibly helpful, caring and knowledgable she was. She had an answer to every question and was always incredibly supportive. She went above and beyond what anyone could possibly expect of her, and was always there to listen when we were confused or lonely or missed home. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I spoke English with most of my suitemates, which was a choice of convenience. My arranged housing was beautiful, clean, roomy. It was a bit far from class, but quite close to an excellent bar. The bus system was amazing, so I never had much of a problem getting anywhere unless it was Sunday. I didn't need to buy anything for the apartment, it already had pots and pans and plates and knives and everything you could want. It was very safe and overall fantastic, if a little far away from everything |
| * Food: |
Food in Germany was fresh, tasty and incredibly cheap. The resident director gave us great recommendations on where to eat out, and I had two supermarkets really close to my apartment/dorm complex. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Berlin trip was amazing. Anything Tufts planned went well, and I found that Tübingen was very culturally and socially active |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Tübingen was very safe; I literally never felt like I was unsafe, even when it was 3 AM and I was walking home alone from a bar. I injured my hand while abroad and also got my wisdom teeth pulled out. The health care was great. It was so cheap, so simple, and |
| 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 lived very cheaply. I spent a ton traveling, but when I was in Tübingen, I ate at home all the time and didn't go out drinking that much. If I didn't go out, I could spend about 20-30 euros a week. However, you could easily have gone out one or two nights and had a few drinks and not spent more than 50 or 60 a week if you weren't going overboard |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Just know how you want to spend your money. Travel is much more expensive there than I thought. If you don't mind eating in for a majority of meals and not drinking every night, then you'll live cheaply. If you want to go out, you'll spend more. Living comfortably costs 20-40 euros a week. Anything more than that is discretionary. |
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? | German 21 (5th semester of college German) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
My German improved immensely in Germany. I could speak German with other Tufts students, though we typically spoke English. I typically practiced my German in every day interactions, with German students and with foreign exchange students from other countries (German was our only shared language typically.) A majority of people did speak English, but I tried to speak German with any non-native English speakers. I absolutely needed German for everyday interactions |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A student who wants to try new things but does want a safety net there just in case; someone who wants to be fully immersed in a language and someone who doesn't mind trying new things |
