IES Abroad - Study Abroad in Germany

I loved my study abroad experience and I loved the area. Freiburg is a medium-big traditional German college town in the Black Forest. This means that there were a lot of typical German traditions with a mixture of a feeling of open-mindedness. I feel like I connected with the locals by going to the student clubs in the city and the clubs in the dorms (which is a cool must-see). Although I didn't do that very often since that isn't something I find great joy in doing, but there were other things like going to the Christmas markets and going to see plays that helped me to feel more connected to the city. What was very helpful was how all the IES staff were very nice and good at giving us helpful tips on how to feel less homesick and trying to get students out of their dorms to explore the general area. I learned a lot about myself when I was away from my support group and family that feels way different from college. I felt like an adult which was incredibly exciting. I also learned to be more open-minded because I got to see the many ways that Germany tries to help its citizens through the development of different renewable energies like Biogas and how there is a cab service that is free for women after a certain time. The academics offered were tough courses that challenged students in their ability to understand and retain information in german. I also really enjoyed most of my professors. They were always there to help and would find many different ways to explain core concepts to us in German and English to help us understand. That being said the spacing of everything was weird because of where they decided to place breaks. That made it so that Midterms happened 2 weeks before the final and most teachers did not give prompts for the final until the week before the final essay was due which was terrible since everything was to be written and taken in German. Travel Tip: Freiburg is a great city to have as a base to return to when traveling in Europe because it's always very calming and small. Often if you plan to go to large cities that have a lot to offer and do having a medium-sized city to return helps with unwinding from weekends of traveling. Also, Freiburg's public transport is good for getting used to European public transport systems. Freiburg covers a large area and offers many modes of transport and train lines to get around which is helpful for when going to bigger cities that are difficult to navigate. For traveling Freiburg is a good location because of an amazing company called FlixBus. FlixBus is an incredibly cheap way to travel through Europe via Bus. Most trips cost around 30 euros less than the train like Deutsche Bahn. The buses come with wifi and a place to charge your phone. It's a nice bus and because of Freiburg's placement in Europe, it's a 1-hour drive to France and Switzerland and 4 hours to München

Let me start off by saying I wish I could have stayed longer. There is so much to get involved with that I found it hard to do it all! IES does a really good job laying out the activities, clubs, groups, and events at the beginning, and they give you many resources for inquiry. I found the Orientation experience extremely helpful at introducing us to the city and each other through guided tours, seminars, and fun ice-breakers. I felt well prepared to take on the city and the academic semester. I was nervous about taking all of my classes in German, fearing that I would not understand everything and struggle. However, realize that we are not native speakers and they are very accommodating to this fact. My German improved with great strides everyday and very quickly I found myself understanding everything in my classes with ease. It also helped that I lived with Germans! My living situation was ideal. I lived in a suite with 4 Germans and 1 person from Ireland who also spoke German. This allowed me to practice my German at home and build great friendships with native speakers. They also could help me with my homework when I didn't understand! My favorite thing was playing game night with them. I miss them a lot but we stay in touch! Overall, Freiburg is a great city to experience. It is close to France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria, so it makes traveling quite practical. IES is a wonderful and supportive program that aided me in this rare experience, and I would definitely recommend it for study abroad!

I studied abroad with IES Abroad Summer 2018 in Berlin and can't say enough good things about the program. It was definitely life changing. IES staff were great every step of the way as I navigated getting into courses that I needed, getting medication to Germany, and applying for financial aid. The host family with they paired me with was wonderful and quickly become like another family to me. All the stress that goes into studying abroad was quickly relieved by how well they support students.

My time in Freiburg Germany over the summer of 2018 was one of the best experiences I have had. The IES program is extremely organized and the classes I attended were so interesting. The information I learned in these classes was not only relevant to my major, but I have been able to use the information I learned and apply it to classes I am currently enrolled in at Indiana University. Beside having a great class experience, other aspects of the program such as my living situation and the friends I have met all made my experience that much more special. I chose to live in a communal apartment where I shared my common living space with other German students. I was intimidated at first because I did not know any German and was afraid there would be a major language barrier, but my roommates proved to not only be nice, but people who made me feel very welcome. A few nights throughout my time in Germany, my roommates made me traditional German meals. It was such a fun experience to not only cook a variety of different foods but sit and talk to my roommates and learn more about their culture as they learned more about mine. Because my program was during the summer it was a much smaller program than a normal semester one. I really enjoyed the small size of my program as I was able to make friends with everyone I attended class with. I lived in the same complex with five people from my program and the rest were located in two different locations. We all really enjoyed spending time together so even though we did not live in the same building we all still found ways to spend time together and explore the city. Freiburg is an extremely easy city to navigate and so most nights were spent either doing homework or hanging out with my classmates at a nice restaurant or park. Since leaving the program I have stayed in touch with many of my friends and we are planning on getting together over break this year. Studying abroad is an experience unlike any other because it not only allows you to understand a different culture from your own, you meet new people, and are encouraged every day to step out of your comfort zone and experience the world around you. I had an amazing time while in Freiburg and hope to go back one day. The city is not only beautiful, but full of history. Walking to class everyday was always enjoyable, and the food and places to go out were very unique. I highly recommend this program because I know it will not disappoint.

I spent the entirety of the 2016/17 academic year in Berlin with the IES Language and Area Studies programme, and at the end of it my only complaint was that it wasn't longer! The classes offered by IES were all wonderful, taught by a great faculty, and I also really enjoyed the courses I took directly through the the local universities. The IES courses especially really made being in Berlin even more worthwhile. Learning about German literature and politics (to name just two examples) while actually being in the country made IES a complete experience. One of the best things about IES for me was having the student centre right in the middle of Berlin. It was great having a place to meet up with other students and hang out between classes, and the location couldn't have been more conveniently located. I loved nothing more than getting out of class and walking a few blocks to the nearby park to have lunch. The staff at the centre were all wonderful. The few issues that did come up over the year were all easily handled and I never had a concern that should something go wrong, I would be on my own dealing with it. I can't stress enough how amazing Berlin is as a city, and experiencing it through IES was one of the best years I've ever spent. I learned loads and greatly improved my German, worked an internship, and made many new friends. It was everything I hoped and more!

My experience in Berlin was beyond incredible. I had been dreaming of going to Germany for study abroad for so many years and this program experience will be tough to ever beat. I lived in teh trendiest part of Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg, in an apartment with a host and it was truly immersive. I spoke more German than English during my time in Germany and that was given the fact that I studied in English. The staff and professors at IES Berlin were always there to encourage my growth as a student and as a person. So I can honestly say the program changed me for the better. Plus, the trips I took with my friends as part of the program to Dresden and Paris were unforgettable. In total, I visited 9 countries: The Kingdoms of The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark, Germany, Poland, France, Switzerland, Austria and my personal favorite, the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein.

Photos

Studying abroad in Freiburg with IES, I experienced perhaps the most ideal lifestyle as a college student. I lived in a suite-style apartment with six Germans and one other American on my program -- communal living, hiking and becoming very close with both Germans and Americans made my time unique. I bought a bike and was beautifully mobile, getting from point A to point B as the Freiburgers do (along with walking and taking the light-rail tram). Freiburg's urban planning is a green exemplar for the world. It's nestled into the Black Forest, where we would hike almost every weekend and during the week, often based on suggestions from our IES staff. And the IES staff in Freiburg were truly wonderful -- helpful and caring to the utmost degree. They crafted our time there so we were not too overwhelmed in the beginning, gradually introducing more information and opportunities as we were there to explore the city, the surrounding areas, and meet Germans and learn the language and culture. My experience in Freiburg was a surreal chapter in my life that I will always look back on fondly.

Photos

Studying with IES in Berlin provided me with everything I had hoped for when trying to decide where to study. I arrived having done the minimum language requirement for the program and was worried about how that would translate to my courses. What I found was that the courses were challenging, but incredibly helpful in developing my German language skills. Additionally, we went on field trips as part of courses throughout Berlin and we were able to visit and see things that I know I would not have known or been able to do otherwise. The structure of the courses also made it easy to be involved in extracurriculars, travel, or just explore the city. The staff would post on a bulletin board whenever a cultural event was coming up, in addition to any information about local community events. The staff were also always willing to help and any questions I had (whether it about a course, housing, or travel) were answered quickly. My time abroad was one of, if not the most, amazing experiences of my life and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone I meet! So I’ll end this by saying that this is an experience that I won’t soon forget and I hope the same goes for you!

I had a fantastic time on the IES Abroad Summer Language and Culture Program in Berlin. The program staff were available to help me with any problems I had and even checked in with me before I left to see how I was feeling. Once there, all the staff were very accessible and available to answer any questions I had. The program has got safety down to a science, there are phone calls to check you can be contacted in case of an emergency and a special website that warns you of any threats present in Germany. The home stay experience was one of my favorite parts of the program. I was initially very worried about living with a German family, however my host mom was very friendly and helped me improve my German speaking skills greatly. My classes at the IES Center were also very good and interesting. The professors are very qualified, and also understand that you are there to experience the culture of Berlin. I went on field trips around the city and saw things relevant to my classes, such as museums and even the buildings where historical events took place. Berlin is a beautiful city which is full of history, and I got to experience that first hand! The city of Berlin is a fantastic city on it’s own. It is full of green space, history, food of all kinds, outdoor markets and events going on everywhere. The public transportation is great, and IES provides you with a pass to get around the city. The center is right in the heart of Berlin and in a very safe area. The center itself is very well laid out and includes a lounge and an area to study in. Overall, I had an amazing time in Berlin with IES and would highly recommend this program!

Considering that this was my very first trip to Germany and just my second to Europe overall, I came into this program hoping to discover and explore what it has to offer. And it certainly did not disappoint. Through this program, I would often discover the different and amazing qualities of Germany, and have fun while doing it. My classes allowed me to come up with and use different and creative approaches to learning and accomplishing tasks. There was a diversity of different places to go to study Germany's history, politics, and art. I had the opportunity to travel to different countries within Europe and experience their unique and awesome cultures, while meeting up with some old friends while I was at it. And all of this either as a sanctioned part of the program or as an opportunity provided by it. All in all, this was one of the most educational, illuminating, and certainly most worthwhile experiences of my life, as well as one of the most valuable insights into Europe, and by effect, into the world.

Photos

To say that my study abroad experience in Berlin, Germany was the best four months of my life would be an understatement. It not only completely changed my life in various ways, but also made aware of ignorances I was unaware that I had. The IES program and administration was a large part of that life changing experience, being extremely helpful and organized with whatever situation presented itself. The staff was always willing to answer questions, and also pushed us to go out and experience the city, even offering suggestions on what to do or where to go. The two group trips that we went on as a program were well planned out, and not only included historical and educational exposures to the cities, but also fun and cultural experiences that made the trips unforgettable. The classes were educational not only from the readings and lectures, but from the discussion that challenged all of us to consider historical and cultural factors that we don't get exposed to in the States. There is an incredible amount of history in Berlin, and to be educated on topics from a different lens was probably one of my favorite parts of the entire program. The professors were also extremely helpful and open to discuss almost any topic, and would even offer personal experiences when appropriate. Not only will the connections that I made with professors and other staff at IES will be beneficial for my future, the fellow students that I was lucky enough to have studied with will be forever in my heart. You really can't prepare yourself for the study abroad experience, but having an amazing program like IES behind you to help you along the way definitely makes that uncertainty worth it. I could not be any more grateful for the large roll the program played in changing my life forever. I am already looking forward to going back to Berlin - die beste Stadt!!

Photos

I had an amazing time in Freiburg and the region. My German language skills improved, thanks to formal instruction and casual conversation. My travel skills improved, thanks to excursions in the Black Forest, Munich, Berlin, France, and Switzerland. The program office was very supportive and helpful as I adjusted to life here. I built connections to the people, organizations, and places in Freiburg. The most important experience so far was learning about and participating in a green lifestyle. Freiburg is renowned for its sustainability and environmental awareness. My locally and internationally based course content was supplemented by real-life actions: using the extensive bicycle and public transportation networks, purchasing fresh local food, participating in climate-conscious events and rallies, meeting community leaders, experiencing sustainable urban development. I was able to prioritize how I spent my time and energy.

Photos