A taste of Bavaria! Past Review

By (University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 06/18/2012 to 08/04/2012 with

University of Kansas: Holzkirchen - Advanced German Language at Freunde der Universitat Kansas

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a better understanding of the culture and daily life in Germany. I can now understand the language better and my vocabulary has grown extensively.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Lunch at the cafiteria was not always good.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues while abroad.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100-150 Euros a week

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • living with a host family
  • traveling around Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Bonn)
  • living in a small town, but having a big town close by for entertainment
* What could be improved?
  • Cafeteria food
  • more weekend trips
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that not all host family's will be able to communicate in English too.