IES Abroad Berlin Summer – Language & Culture

My first study abroad experience with IES had been a phenomenal experience. As a German major, I wanted to improve my language speaking skills, however, I wasn’t ready to submerge myself into the super German Bayern region. I fell in love with the city of Berlin because there was never a moment where I didn’t have anything to do. In addition, IES placed me in a very wonderful home-stay in Prenzlauer Berg- a neighborhood with a planetarium, small shops, and cafes. For courses, the IES program offered classes that were exciting and entertaining, such as Contemporary German films and Berlin Literature. With the literature class, I received full immersion to discuss texts verbally and write essays in German. The film class helped me understood the German cultural mindset after WWII. After class ends, I would go with a group of friends to have lunch in the vegan district of Friedrichshain, touring museums along the Museum Insel, or attend open-air concerts and operas. From the beginning of my arrival to Germany, I went from not being able to ask for directions to conversing casually with the Döner stand owner about how his stand was my favorite place to get Döner and how I will miss it when I return to the US. I am more than glad to have been a part of this program.

My name is Emma Roach, and I am a German and Linguistics double major at University of Vermont. In Summer 2018, I had the opportunity to live and study abroad in Berlin, Germany. I had visited Berlin for a few days a couple years ago, but nothing can compare to actually living in a foreign country. I spent 2 months this summer living in a homestay, taking classes, interacting with locals, and getting to know the city. I had never lived in a big city before, so it was a bit of a shock for me at first, but I quickly fell in love with the city. Berlin has so much to offer in terms of culture, art, museums, music, food, and people. There’s no way to see it all in such a short time, but through my experience with IES, I was able to really make the most of my time there. I've been speaking German for around 8 years, so I already knew the language when I came to Berlin, but that wasn’t necessarily true for everyone in our program - many students didn’t know the language at all, but IES offers multiple levels of intensive language classes, from beginner all the way to a literature class for those who already speak the language. I absolutely loved the literature class I took - it was really focused on literature about the city, so we were able to actually see the places our readings talked about. This made our course really unique, and different from any other literature course I had taken before. By taking this course, and living with a woman who only spoke German, my German improved tremendously during my time there, even though I could already speak the language well. IES offers such a range of language classes, which really encourages every level of student to come there. I’ve always been a strong believer in studying abroad, and my experience with IES only strengthened this belief. I would always recommend studying abroad to everyone, because it can truly open up a world of experiences that you never knew were possible. I can easily say that I grew so much during my time in Berlin with IES, and my abroad experience strengthened and inspired my desire to return to live and work in Germany one day. I would recommend IES for anyone interested in studying abroad, and especially for those who might be worried about a language barrier - the IES language courses, starting from the beginner level, can give you a really strong understanding of the language even in just a short time. IES is really helpful and understanding in all matters, and I’m incredibly happy that I got to have this experience with IES Abroad Berlin.

Ever since I began studying German, it has been my goal to visit, study in, or work in Germany. I feel in love with the culture and language from the start and being there for the first time, I was star-struck and in the honeymoon effect. I thought that was the reason why I loved my study abroad experience in Berlin (granted I do miss Germany a lot and plan on going back), but the IES Abroad-Berlin staff was phenomenal. Even though I arrived late to Berlin, the staff was friendly and made sure I knew what was in the center and who I could talk to if I had any questions. While I didn't have a lot of questions, they were able to help me find more information about what to look for when looking at Universities to come back to and study at. The thing I was most nervous about was staying with a host that only spoke German and Polish; speaking German with my host was not a way to improve my German, it was the only way I could communicate with him and that terrified me for awhile. It took me awhile to get used to but it was worth it in the end as my German speaking and listening abilities improved greatly. The classes I took while abroad were really interesting. I am a Biochemistry major, so I do not usually take a lot of Liberal Arts classes and I actually enjoyed them because the content was fun, my classmates were amazing, and the teachers were better than I imagined. I could not have asked for a better first experience in Germany. Bis zum nächsten Mal Deutschland.

I had many goals set out for my experience abroad, considering I thought it would be my only chance to travel. I certainly hope it won't be, at least based on the experience I had. I did almost every single thing I set out to do in Germany and in Europe, and I now have a list of things to do and places to go and return to if I get the chance to go back. It's also hard to believe how much I've grown as a person in seven weeks and fulfilling some dreams I thought might never happen! And I can barely believe the people I've become close to throughout the experience - I still write to my host! If I could I would love to come visit the IES Berlin Center again. This was probably the best summer I've ever had! No regrets!

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The IES Center in Berlin is a wonderful place to study abroad. The faculty is knowledgeable, helpful and completely approachable. They do their absolute best to make sure their students are adjusting well and are okay! The academics are commendable, the courses are interesting, and the workload is an acceptable balance between challenging enough to learn, and providing enough time to explore Berlin. The only downside is that it's hard to integrate into the German culture, it is really easy to stay in an American bubble, so branching out and meeting Germans takes an above average effort. But overall, IES offers a great place to study, to get some extra credits for school, and serves as a great starting point to explore the culturally rich city of Berlin.

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My trip with IES to Berlin for seven weeks last summer marks a before and after in my life. While seven weeks does not sound long, during this time I rediscovered myself, found a clear personal goal for the next few years, and changed my outlook entirely. The trip exposed me to all of the best characteristics of Berlin, including its history, its people, and its culture. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in Germany and having a hard time deciding what to do after college. This is a perfect trip (if you put in the time and energy) to find out what exactly is your calling, and who you want to be.

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The best part about studying in Berlin with IES was traveling to the sites about which we were learning in class. It just really helped broaden my knowledge, reinforce the material, and add a real-world component to the classroom. I study German history, and I really wanted to live in a city where I could practice my German and learn about the German past. I also wanted to try living in a big city because it was such a big change from what I am used to. I lived in a small two-bedroom apartment with an artist. My German improved a lot through conversations with my host. It was in the eastern part of the city and was very accessible through public transportation. I always felt safe in this area, and fantastic food options were all around.

The IES Abroad experience in Berlin was absolutely fantastic. It was truly such an enriching summer. The classes were extremely interesting and had very engaging professors. It was great to be able to travel to the sites about which we were learning. The staff at IES were very organized and helpful. Furthermore, the living situation was great - I lived in a great location that was not far from the school. I also learned general life skills about how to navigate a big city and its public transportation on my own. I feel like I grew so much over the course of six weeks, and IES truly made that happen.

The trip we took to Prague stood out for me. It was organized so that we had plenty of free time to explore, but we also had the option to join one of several groups going to various places, and the group leaders were awesome people, very fun to hang out with. I didn't know much about IES, so I was mostly looking for any program in Germany that offered a course in Art History. The accommodations were exceptional. IES pairs you with a host depending on the answers you give to a survey before you leave. I had an excellent match with whom I shared many interests, and who was perfectly suited to my language skills and desired level of interaction. I spent a lot of time exploring the city with another IES host family who my friend was staying with as well. These people reflect the attitude that made the IES program so great: friendly, intelligent and passionate.

My time with IES Abroad in Berlin was undoubtedly the highlight of my college experience. The staff at the center are all really special people who enjoy their work and go above and beyond to make your experience safe, comfortable and fun. I had some trouble on my way to Berlin (2 missed flights and communication issues) but with their support I made it safe and sound. In addition to the high quality of education they offer at the center, there are tons of opportunities to explore and socialize with the members of the center and other students, including group trips, dinners, etc. I didn't run into any problems during my stay. My homestay was well-chosen and enjoyable, and all of my needs were taken care of.