Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

It's a love-hate type of thing with Berlin. Past Review

By (Linguistics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 03/13/2013 to 07/15/2013 with

Wellesley College: Wellesley-in-Berlin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was completely worthwhile. I think the program was poorly organized and didn't help me as much as I thought it would (I did, however, find my German program tutor to be fantastic). I learned more outside the classroom, living in a foreign city and immersing myself in a culture/language. That was completely worth it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Writing, reading, and communicating in German itself was challenging, but the classes themselves were relatively easy in comparison to anything Wellesley offers.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The Middlebury in Berlin staff and tutors are incredibly kind, helpful, and accommodating. Yet I found their program to be vastly - at the same time - unorganized and too invasive into the personal lives of the students.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I found my own apartment with no help from Middlebury before the semester started. So this review doesn't not apply to Middlebury.

* Food:

I cooked in my kitchen and at times used the Mensa at the university. All was good and relatively cheap.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt integrated but also had a group of German friends before I arrived. Making friends at the university was near to impossible.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Middlebury was absolutely helpful and fast-moving when it came to health care issues. I always felt supported. I was never alone.

* Safety:

I always felt safe walking alone in Berlin at night. But I also tried to travel in groups with native Berliners/Germans.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Berlin is relatively cheap. Wellesley provided me with housing and food money every month. The groceries in Berlin are cheaper than the US.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Including museums and trips? Maybe 20-60 Euros a week depending on where I was.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan out your trips to other cities/places in advance. Avoid posh grocery stores. They're overpriced and you can often find organic (bio) produce in the cheapest of grocery stores (Lidl, Netto, Aldi) in Berlin.

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

We took a language pledge to only speak in German at the beginning of the semester.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? A course in German on German short stories after WWII (German 248, maybe?)
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? If you're afraid of your accent, don't be.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
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?
  • Speaking German
  • Meine Tutorin (through Middlebury)
  • Living in Berlin
* What could be improved?
  • Organization
  • the Moodle course
  • giving Referats even though they don't count for a grade
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It you want to be surrounded by only native German speakers, do not pick a program that is in Berlin (a very international population). Still... Berlin is awesome.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!