Hohbuch Reutlingen is Definitely Worth the Journey!! Past Review
By Calie F (Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication., Valparaiso University) for
Valparaiso University: Reutlingen - Hochschule Reutlingen
Absolutely. I gained such a different view of everything. Especially of my own country! Instead of coming home and hating all of the things that were different, I became so much more patriotic! Those things that people in Europe didn't like were some of the things that make me proud to be an American. I gained so much more pride while away. It also made me more aware of how foreigners feel in the States. I will be doing what I can to help those coming from Germany to Valparaiso University feel at home :)
Review Photos
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Hochschule Reutlingen |
| 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 professors were wonderful! I learned so much from the native German professors that we had. They were so knowledgeable and they truly wanted us to have a great time in their country. I felt really able to go to them for anything. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I really enjoyed working with Herr Veit. He was a wonderful man with a lot of knowledge to share. He also had a lot of connections that allowed us an even closer look into the country of Germany which was very helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living in the dorms could have really helped my German. However, I had a roommate who was learning German for the first time, so I felt rude speaking in a language she did not understand so I did not, unfortunately, get to speak the language as much as I wanted to. The housing was satisfactory, BUT I was afraid to talk to my Hausmeister. I had heard from many different people that he was a very unpleasant man and I had NO wish to ever speak with him. We had two lights out, and our internet connection was shaky because of a problem with the outlet, but we did not go to our Hausmeister because of his scary factor |
| * Food: |
The Mensa was actually pretty good food. The portions were HUGE. So big, in fact, that me and my roommate would always split a tray of food. Eating in the dorms was a MUST in this situation. That was where we met people from our floor. Whenever we were in the kitchen, we had a wonderful opportunity to hear about the people with whom we lived; where they were from, what they were studying, about life in general. . . It was nice. Another place (or places) that we ate at a lot were the Kabop shops. Doenner Kabops are HUGE in Germany. They are kind of like gyros, but they have a different sauce. VERY tasty, if you are going to Reutlingen, you have to try a few (they are different each place you go to) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I LOVED going on the class trips to Berlin and Budapest. It was great to spend time in these places as a class as opposed to our own weekend travels that we did in smaller groups. Obviously it made more sense to travel in smaller groups for weekend trips so that we could all go where we wanted to go and not miss anything important to us, but those bigger trips all together were such a blast. Faschingsfest was also a really great cultural experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The city was extremely safe; except for the cobblestone roads! Unfortunately, I tripped and sprained my ankle on said cobblestone roads and had to visit the German doctor. While my German is good, it is not THAT good. I worked through it, though. I had an appointment with a doctor made for me and my professor was unable to go. I went by myself and worked through it all. It was quite an experience! My advice: if your professor can't go, ask a German you know to go with you so you can understand all that is going on! |
| 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? | After we realized how much money you waste going out to eat for every meal, we spent about 20 Euros a week each (so 40 Euros for me and my roommate) to eat with preparing our own food. For the weekends, especially with travel, expect more. We learned to bring a bag of bread and a jar of peanut butter. Always expect it to be more, though. Also, make sure you keep track of your money in American dollars so that you don't lose track of how much you have spent (Looking at it as Euros makes it look like you spent a lot less because of the exchange rate. Let me tell ya - you didn't spend a lot less!) I brought $4500 and needed another $800 or so. I was traveling a lot, though, so depending on how much traveling you want to do, you may want more or less. I wish that I had had more. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't underestimate food! Also, hostels are NOT as cheap as everyone tells you. You will spend AT LEAST 20 Euros for a night in a hostel, if not more. Our average was around 30 Euros. You want to make sure to check out the hostels in the city you are going to not only for price, but cleanliness. Make sure to read quite a few of the reviews of the hostel you're looking at. We spent a few nights in hotels with our own room because it would have been about the same price to stay in a good hostel. ALSO, you will need to buy a NALDO pass (bus/train pass). That is an extra 60 Euros that I had not expected because I was told that I would not need to buy it. Remember that a lot of trains outside of Germany will require a seat reservation. It is AT LEAST 5 Euros for each train seat, if not more. I spent over 100 Euros on train seat reservations. Make sure to equate that in! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | FLGR 320 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I could practice the language in class and back in the dorms as well as in stores. Pretty much anywhere, really! Even in church. That goes with being in the country whose language you are learning. The bad part was that EVERYONE spoke English. I could easily have gotten through a day without speaking any German at all. I tried my best to speak German, but with my accent (although I feel like I didn't have that much of an accent at all!!) it gave me away. People would automatically switch to English after I spoke just one sentence of German, especially in restaurants. |
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? | Do it. You will not regret it. I made friends that I will never forget and created memories that will last a lifetime. ANYONE would benefit from this program |
