Home Sweet Lüneburg Past Review
By Samantha R (English, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) for
USAC Germany: Lüneburg - German Language, European and Sustainability/Environmental Studies
I fell in love with Lüneburg in my three months there. The town is absolutely beautiful. Coming from the US, it's crazy to see so many old, old buildings that go so far back. The courses aren't incredibly challenging, but if it's learning German that you want, spend more time out in the town and less inside the dorm room.
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. |
Not a challenge, by any means. I achieved a 3.9 that quarter without putting any more than a couple hours of work in per week - and that's with weekly tests. Great faculty, though! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration did a lot to help us with language acquisition, like offering to set up language partners; however, the field trips weren't successful, I would say. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was perfect. The girls treated me like family. The only issue I had was getting to know them, as they didn't officially move in and start school until a good month after I'd arrived. For a couple of weeks, I was on my own, and by the time they came back, I had already established a routine of not being at home often. |
| * Food: |
Enjoy Döner while you can. Cook (it's a big money-saver). Go to Pennymarkt or Aldi's when you can, as they're cheaper; Tschorn has everything under the sun, but you pay a price for it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Within the program, I made great friends and managed to travel most weekends that I was there. I think I travelled to a total of eleven countries in addition to Germany. In-town was also a great experience, though I wish I had branched out more with the other international students and the locals. That's my own social skills, though. |
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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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
The classes did nothing more than help me review, to be honest. I learned perhaps one or two things that I'd never heard in my German courses back home. Most of the language I picked up came from being out in the town, buying groceries, looking through Karstadt, drinking at coffee shops, etc. |
| 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?
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 who want to experience German life in a thriving, mid-sized college town, while still close enough to experience the city if you want, Lüneburg would be great for you. The academics are not challenging; so if that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere. |
