Jonathan Gibbs

Braunschweig July 2000

Study Abroad Survey

Program and Preparation for Study Abroad

1. Where and when did you study abroad? (Which program ?)

"Internationale Sommerkurs" at the Technische Universitaet in Braunschweig, near Hannover, for July 2000. I was there for the first three-week segment, some students stayed for all six weeks, and some came for the second three-week segment.

2. How much German did you know before you left for Europe?

A fair amount. Three years study in High School plus a year at Northwestern, completing my language requirement with Intermediate German.

3. What was your major and how did German fit in with your overall academic plans?

Comparative Literary Studies and International Studies. German literature was to be an area in my Comp lit major and the summer was to serve to strengthen and solidify my German language skills.

4. What foreign contacts did you have before studying abroad?

None really.

5. Which courses do you wish you had taken before leaving for Europe?

European History.

6. How do you feel you could better have prepared yourself for your study abroad experience?

Not sure.

Program Description

1. How would you describe and evaluate this study abroad program and the opportunities it provided for learning German? How many students in a class? How many students in the entire program? Teachers? Special features? Positive aspects? Negative aspects?

The program consisted of the daily instruction, excursions once a week, a German film once a week, and some parties. The excursions were really great and they included Celle (a nice small town) and a weekend-excursion to Hamburg.

4 classes: Middle-level Ia, Ib, and II, and the Advanced Level. I was in II Middle-level (Mittelstufe II) and I found it very challenging. There were about 15 students in my class and I think about 65 in the whole program. A really international group, coming from Russia, Chile, Taiwan, France, etc. It was very fun and interesting to interact with students from around the world.

About the teachers… students in the Advanced Level were VERY dissatisfied with their teacher.* Many of the students from her class complained: She wouldn't do any grammar or give writing assignments, although they asked. Halfway through the program they even signed a petition asking for improvements, but she wouldn't do anything they asked for. One day, when some students who were supposed to give a report that day didn't have it ready and she was very upset with them and didn't have a back-up lesson plan.

However, my teacher seemed very nice and I learned a good deal in class. She even invited the class over for dinner once.

The program was rather serious, with midway and final examinations (oral and written) and an in-class report. The instruction (4 hrs. total each day as I recall) included language (1.5 hrs), culture (1 hr), and a module (1.5 hrs, I chose the Literature module). One receives grades at the end.

There are also extra-curricular activities available. For example, I played soccer and lifted weights from time to time.

2. What were the strongest aspects of the program?

The instruction was the strongest aspect. It was relatively strict and (at least my class) good. The organization, on the whole, was good.

3. Where do you feel the study abroad program needs improvement?

Many of the activities planed on the excursions were free exhibitions (i.e. the Program makes more money by collecting the excursion costs and not having to pay as much for the excursions) that were boring and a waste of time. Also, there was in general far too little time to explore the cities independently. Toward the end of the program, the leaders started caring about the students less and less. One student was left behind for a weekend excursion and they didn't even try to find out why he wasn't there before the bus left. They would have the bus leave exactly on time, and stopped bothering to count and make sure everyone from the group was on board. One time, the bus was driving out of the parking lot as a friend of mine and I showed up to board it &endash; very disturbing! I think one of the most important improvements needed would be in the attitude, flexibility, and friendliness of most of the teachers. The program was too much toward the extreme in the area of strictness and punctuality.

4. How would you describe the housing? (Where did you live? Who else lived there? Were there cooking facilities or a meeting room with T.V? Was there much opportunity to practice German?

I had a German host family in a suburb of Braunschweig. Also on the second floor of the house lived an adult architect student, Volker. Kitchen and room with T.V., etc. on the second floor. I talked a good deal in German but also in English (as he wanted to practice his) with Volker, but I didn't see that much of the family, as they lived on the ground level and I was out in the city a lot (downtown was 20-min away with S-Bahn). One time I saw "the Negotiator" in German with the two sons of the family and Volker. Volker also talked with me and helped me understand Emilia Galotti, which I read for the Literature Class in the program. The Holdorfs are a very nice family and invited me to join them for a couple meals. The best opportunity for me to really improve my German was spending a lot of time with friends from the program whose German was much better.

5. Describe a memorable experience where you made effective use of your German.

When my sister and brother-in-law visited me the weekend after the Braunschweig program, I used German a lot, helping us figure things out, because they don't speak German. I remember that we were at the World Expo in Hannover on Saturday and weren't sure which train to take back to the main station, from which we would depart for Braunschweig. It was certainly good I could read the signs and ask people how to get there.

6. What do you wish you had done while studying abroad?

Hmm… stayed over there longer!!! Traveled to and explored more cities.

Location

What were the advantages or disadvantages of the town or city where the program is based?

Braunschweig: Medium/Big city. Lots of beautiful churches scattered throughout the city and many good, not-too-expensive restaurants. There are a couple cool clubs, visit the Jolly Joker once or twice. Students from the program went out a lot to bars, which are nice places and plentiful. There's a municipal swimming pool which is fun, and going for walks in the parks with friends is of course relaxing. Check out the open-air Cinema in southern Braunschweig. Also, when I was there the bridges were lit up with designs by international artists and a canoe ride on the river which circles the town was great. It has the feel of a city where people really live, not a huge tourist trap. It'll grow on you, it really will. J

Travel

1. What were the most memorable and valuable trips which you took during your stay abroad?

At the end of the summer, I traveled around in Germany for 8 days. The time in Berlin was unbelievably great. Ji Hye and I happened to be there on the "Long Night of the Museums," when they were all open until 2, with special music and exhibitions. Berlin is just amazing!

Back at Northwestern

1. Which courses did you take or do you plan to take to complement or expand on what you have done in Europe?

Fall quarter I changed my major to German and took Modern German History with Professor Peter Hayes, Epochs of German Culture with Professor von Molnar, and Modern German Literature with Stephanie Harris. I'm taking Advanced German Conversation and German Architecture Winter quarter and plan to take Themes of Faust in the Spring.

2. How did you get credit for the academic work you did in Europe?

I may or may not need to get credit for the program. As of now, I haven't petitioned for credit.

3. How did your academic plans change, if at all, after you returned to Northwestern?

I declared a German major and plan to study abroad in Tuebingen, Germany for my junior year.

4. What advice would you have for students contemplating study abroad?

Be independent and adventuresome and take advantage of your opportunities!!

Pack very light because you will be lugging home gifts. Make sure the language class you are placed in challenges you. Don't hang out with the other American students and speak English the whole time; try to make friends from lots of different countries (including Germany!) and speak German as much of the time as possible. Take advantage of the cultural events and trips offered with your program. And travel on your own (not as program excursion; try to find a friend or 2 to go with you) on free weekends as well! For students, it doesn't cost much to take a short train trip to a cool nearby city and explore for a day. I would definitely recommend "Let's Go Germany" &endash; it was practically my travel-Bible for finding accommodations (when you travel on your own), good inexpensive food, and the really great sites. Keep a journal every day (or as often as possible) in German. Keep in touch with your friends from the program.

Budget

1. Please provide a basic budget for prospective students. What is the minimum needed to participate in the program?

(-based on three week program-)

Program Costs $_____600_(don't exactly remember)_____
Housing $____included with program costs_______
Food $____200_______
Flight to Europe $___550__(not sure)______
Transportation in town $____15_______
Books and materials $_____included with program costs______
Incidental expenses $_____200______

TOTAL $__1565___(call it 1600)______

2. How did you find the cost of living in Europe? What financial advice would you give prospective participants?

Very reasonable costs to living in Europe. In Germany, it was sort of like everything was half price, since in summer 2000 one exchanged about 2 DM for every dollar. At first I tried writing down every purchase and keeping a balance of my cash, but I couldn't keep that detail up. I found it was more practical to keep records of my withdrawals from ATM machines (Geldautomat). Definitely bring 2 ATM cards, and make sure they will work in Europe (they should say CIRRUS on the back). Be prepared to never receive a receipt from an ATM in Germany! Looking back on my withdrawals and records, it does seem that after I stopped writing down every purchase and as the summer progressed, I spent more and more money.

Practical Advice

1. List the three most important things that you wish someone had told you before leaving.

1) Be prepared for your life to change. 2) Introduce yourself to others only when it makes sense to and only to the people you will be getting to know and spending time with for the entire program (a month or so). 3) In Germany, don't give a story or explain why you want to buy tickets or something &endash; just buy it and say danke.

2. What special things did you discover during your stay that other students might profit from knowing?

If you want to discover special things and really have fun, don't just follow everyone else and act like a lemming. When the group has free time on excursions, don't mill around and blab in English; having read about the city and its sights first in your Let's Go, find some other adventuresome people and set off to explore the city or town you're in. During your free time in your home city… go for a walk, find a new park, see a sight you haven't seen yet, go to at least one or two cultural lectures even if they sound boring (you never you!), pick up a city-events schedule and check out a free classical concert, or go to a dance club, even if you go alone! On your free weekends, go to other cities and explore them. Special things I like doing: going up in church towers to get a good view of the city, finding cool fountains, taking silly pictures, finding yummy food, and finding Sphinxes and David Caspar Friedrich paintings in museums.

3. Why would you encourage another student to consider studying abroad?

It really broadens your perspectives and makes you think and compare American culture with the one you're in, you'll meet all sorts of interesting people, it greatly improves your language skills, you'll see amazing, breath-taking sights, and much more.

4.Why do you think that so few American students study abroad and what could the German Department or Study Abroad Office do to encourage students to study abroad.

Many American students are too content and comfortable with American culture and study in America. They often think that English is somehow better than all the other languages and that they don't really need to seriously learn about another language or culture; if they travel, they figure they'll just speak English. How to encourage? Tell them that it's fun, fun, fun and that they will see amazing stuff and learn really quite a bit. (maybe this part should be deleted: My advice - kick them in the behind until they board a plane for another country where English isn't the main language.)

5. Did you find any work or internship opportunities during your stay in Germany?

no