Switzerland stole a piece of my heart :) Past Review
By Amy S (Biology, Birmingham-Southern College) for
University of Fribourg: Fribourg - American College Program
It was a time to grow as a person and to experience new things. There's nothing better than getting out of your comfort zone and really exploring another culture and yourself.
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 set up of the course work is very different than the American system. The classes meet much less often and there is more independent study. The mentality about exams is also different, with typically only one final exam at the end of the course. It's less of a am I going to make an A or an A- and more just passing, which was a little shocking. But overall, the classes were really beneficial. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It's a nice small program so you really get to know the American students studying at the University at that time. I made some really great friendships and relations that are unforgetable. Overall, the program was organized, but sometimes I thought communication was lacking. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorm was right across from the main campus building which was really convenient. The rooms were nice, bedding was provided and there was a kitchen on every floor. |
| * Food: |
Love the cheese and chocolate!!! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I went to a classical concert in the capital, Bern, that was organized by the program. The rest of my weekend trips, to all parts of Switzerland, was organized by some of the friends I had made. The well-organized, timely trains of Switzerland made traveling super easy and really enjoyable. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt really safe in Switzerland. It's such a beautiful and orderly country. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I had tandems where I met with people for coffee on a weekly basis and we spoke 1/2 in French and 1/2 in English. I spoke French in everday interactions at the grocery stores, post office and with some people around the dormitory that I lived in. A majority of people could speak English which was kind of frustrating at times when I really just wanted to speak French. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you're interested in improving your French fluency and possibly picking up German too, Fribourg, Switzerland is the place for you. Their French sounds beautiful and they're much more patient than the French. Fribourg is a bilingual French/German city and the university environment was really great. Switzerland is a beautiful country with so many different areas of the country to explore, from the Swiss-Italien region to the Swiss-German region to the overlook of Lake Geneva in the Swiss-French region. |
