Big-town Kid in Small-town Germany Past Review
By Ryan Mascheri (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 01/11/2016 to 05/06/2016 with
WHU–Otto Beisheim School of Management: Vallendar - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned much about myself and what I want to do in the future. I was able to look at my life back home in a third-person point-of-view to see what I have going for me and what I need to improve. I learned what friendship really is, how others see the world around us, and what the world has to offer. The world is not a bubble, it is an opportunity to do with it what you want to! I have so much more drive to achieve my goals and see even more of the world now. But I also realize now how much I love my university here in Austin and everything that comes with it. I have had such an amazing college experience to this point and being abroad made me see that more than I ever would have!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was in deed challenging, about as much studying was put in for my final exams as would be put in while at UT Austin. The fact that most courses were 70-100% final exam made it an easier semester, though. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was extremely helpful whenever I needed anything. I never had to wait long to have an email answered and the German's as a whole are very efficient with not wasting time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a one-bedroom flat to myself. Everything, and I mean everything, was amazing and modern except for the small kitchen and no oven. I survived, though. |
| * Food: |
4.5 because I began to miss American breakfast and ranch dressing (it sounds crazy but it is true). German food (basically the main foods of Germany, Austria and Eastern European countries bordering these two), Italian food and food in Morocco were the best. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was heavily involved in the society but still was mostly involved with Americans that were abroad with me. I only made close friends with a handful of locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
It only took a day to get my healthcare taken care of. There were no issues since I just had to show proof of insurance that had international coverage. |
| * Safety: |
There were no issues in small-town Vallendar. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I met some of the best friends that I have ever met in my entire life and know that I will keep up with them. It was amazing having a small town to come back to after spending weekends travelling Europe with my friends. I could not have asked for a better experience and truly believe that I had a true German experience since there was no tourist attractions near me. I really do not know if I can say enough about WHU and Vallendar. I felt totally at home and know it will always have a special place in my heart. |
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) |
The actual living expenses are definitely minimal and was actually cheaper than living in Austin. The issue is travelling around Europe. That could not be done on a student's budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Roughly 250 euro per week to about 400 if I traveled somewhere more expensive. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy your tickets early (planes, trains, etc). That is the main key. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Only while in class. Germans do not like when foreigners attempt to speak their language. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 4 in high school |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | It is hard, but try and find a buddy to speak with a few hours a week. You will only master it by practice. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have known more about costs of being abroad and more about the cities that I was visiting. I had to do a ton of research during the week leading up to trips to know what I wanted to do and what there was to do. I would not have wanted to know much more because it was amazing learning about cultures while being in it and learning from experiences. I believe you can only understand what you see in the books about cultures and cities once you are there in person. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
