IES Abroad Freiburg

I loved my semester here. Learned lots of German from my internship at an organic farm. Though my neighborhood was farther from town than most people's I lived near the black forest and loved it. Would definitely recommend this program to others.

Most people dread an 8AM class slot, but with a bike commute with views of the Black Forest and cobble stoned streets, I couldn't have been happier! Freiburg is awe inspiring as city and country meet! It's great to enjoy a day in the inner city where the beautiful Münster lies and Döner (a must try!) shops abound, but I am always grateful to return home to Vauban, an earthy, green part of the city. There are few places in the world offering such great cosmopolitan and student vibes directly alongside beautiful hikes and scenery.

I arrived in Freiburg, Germany with zero expectations and that was the best way to go about my study abroad experience.

Location:
Freiburg is the quintessential German college town. It's located in the heart of the Black Forest and is known as the sunniest city in Germany. The size of the town is about 200,000, which perfect to explore the ins and outs of it without being overwhelmed. Freiburg is also mostly students, so international students are not uncommon, which is relieving for those who are unfamiliar with the language. It's close to Switzerland and France, making day trips easy and a great option on the weekends.

Academics:
Classes and the workload that comes with them is reasonable. European politics and studying the European Union may seem confusing at first, but once you understand what the Parliament, Council, and Commission are, you'll be in good shape. There are also a variety of classes to choose from, such as understanding conflict in the Balkans and migration in the EU. The field trips that are included in the program are also an excellent way to get direct exposure to hot-button issues.

Housing:
Students live in apartments owned by the University of Freiburg, which gives them a great opportunity to interact with German students. Although I wasn't too happy about my housing situation because of the condition of my apartment, I was glad I got to know my flat mates and became friends with some of them.

Overall:
Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I've made in my life so far. I made some great friends that I know I'll keep in touch with and had some major revelations while in Freiburg. I highly recommend this program, especially for people who love traveling and aren't afraid to go outside of their comfort zone.

Location:
Freiburg is the German version of a college town. At first I was a little worried that I wouldnt be in a big city like Heidelberg, Munich, or Berlin, but I very quickly found out that Freiburg was the perfect size. Having a population of around 200,000, Freiburg felt like the perfect size. Campus and downtown were always bustling and there was always something going on, yet there were numerous hills, trails, parks and lakes that were quiet and not packed at all, so that you could have some nice alone time. With a great public transportation system, you could get to every corner of Freiburg in about 25-30 minutes. The city is known for being one of the wealthier areas of Germany and it is really evident that the city is well kept and aesthetically pleasing. The atmosphere of the city is great because it is very German, yet very multicultural and very student oriented, yet family friendly. It is important to note that I never ever felt unsafe in the city. Even walking 30 minutes home at 3 AM, I always felt safe in the city!

Academics:
This program is so unique because it mixes classroom learning with real world experiences. This blend of knowledge, centering around everything European Union related, is designed in a way for students to get the most out of the program. At first I was nervous about having to learn in a European system with European professors because their values and norms are so different, but I found out that IES really tries to cater to Americans. The best part of the program was the learning. Now hey - that sounds really nerdy of me, but everyone on the program was nerdy in some way. We would spend a couple weeks in class learning about current events and EU institutions. Then, what really brought it to life, we would visit the places that we talked about in class. It was super unique to see these things in real life, because how many people can say they have been to the Council of Europe?
The field study trips that accompanied the program were some of the best times of my life. Just with organized IES field trips, I got the opportunity to visit 10 different countries! Everything was planned perfectly and organized expertly. The travel was always on time, comfortable and not too long. The accommodation was clean, comfortable and always in a good location. We had a walking tour in every city we visited right when we got there, so that we could learn about the history, culture and layout of the city. We also had about three or four academic meetings in each city where we learned about the political culture and government of the city and country. This is where we got to meet very high up, important people who held good positions. We learned so much from just discussing and listening to these people. Although all of that sounds really academic, we still had so much free time. We had almost all afternoons and evenings off, so we could pick our own dinner restaurants, go see all of the touristy sites and then go out and experience the local nightlife. The truth is, even if you plan your own travel throughout Europe, it will never be as cheap and well planned as the IES trips.

People:
I met some of my best friends this semester! Studying abroad is kind of like your first month at college: nobody knows anyone and everyone is looking for friends immediately. I made incredible, lifelong friends through this program. The people are more academically driven than your usual university student. The kids are all quirky, nerdy, weird and fun. This basically means that during the day we would have political discussions and would watch John Oliver together, but at night we would go to bars and clubs together. The people come from many different universities all throughout the country, so it was really unique to share experiences. We all got so close that we are planning a reunion this year. The people really helped out on limiting home sickness and eliminating the side effects of cultural shock.

Housing:
We got to live in student housing! I was really excited about this prospect because we spent so much time with American IES students on the program that we didnt get to meet many Germans. The housing opportunity allowed us to meet and interact with German university students who were in the same boat as us! It really gave me a chance to compare and contrast American vs. German life. This was an added plus for the program.

Overall:
Even though places like France, Spain, Italy and England sound like the most popular places to study abroad in Europe, Germany is the hidden gem. Germany is right in the middle of Europe so travel is incredibly easy because everything is so close. Germany is also doing well economically so the country is thriving, yet prices are not too expensive. My favorite thing about the country is that it is very punctual and very orderly, so you know exactly what you are getting. I would recommend this program to many different types of students - as it really is a fantastic experience!

Location:
Freiburg is the biggest town in the area with around 200,000 residents and a lot of them are college kids. It's very walkable and the public transportation makes it even easier to get around. You will get to know the city pretty quick as it isn't that big, but you definitely won't get bored of it. Definitely take advantage of the Schlossburg and the numerous biergartens around it during nice weather. The best Döner kebab place is most definitely Uni Döner in downtown. There is a train station in town which can get you to some major cities around the area, but you will have to travel via train to either Basel or Frankfurt for the closest airport which some view as a hassle.
Academics:
You will come out of this program with a much better understanding of the EU than most EU citizens. The syllabi may look intimidating, but don't let that deter you. The papers are meaningful and related to the coursework and the professors are not overly harsh graders. I definitely encourage people who want a challenge to take the Leadership course with Kerstin. That has been the best class I have ever taken, including high school and college. The only aspect of the academics I was disappointed with was the lack of business courses, however, that encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and take classes, like Environmental Policies, I otherwise would have never taken. The Field Trips are incredible. You have one or two academic meetings in the day where you learn about different topics relating to the EU from people who are experts in those fields, which is much better than having your professor make you read those chapters in a text book. Then you have the nights free to explore the city. My friends were so jealous of all the travel I experienced through my program and how I didn't have to worry about any of the logistics of those week long trips.
People:
My program had the largest amount of people they have ever had with over 90 students so there was a wide variety of interests and personalities which I loved. From my experience, the kids enrolled in this program are more academically driven than your average college student. The kids on the program are going to be holding some high positions in the political, business, and international affairs world in a couple years so it is a great place to do some networking. That being said, they also know how to have a lot of fun.
Overall:
Incredible experience. You mostly hang out with other Americans on your program so if you want to meet Germans, get involved with some pick up sports and or another program on campus!

The program overall was a great experience. It definitely changed the way that I see American culture and the "way we do things" here in America. It helps to broaden your horizons about life in general. Living in a completely different culture gives you a great opportunity to reflect on yourself and grow as a person. The academics overall were pretty good, as well. I really liked the leadership class taught by Kerstin Spurk. Of course, German beer is fantastic (for those of you who are 16, which most likely any of you are) and the food is also amazing. The people you meet are a huge part of the experience, as well. You create bonds with people that will never be broken. Having an experience together like studying abroad creates a deep relationship with friends you never knew before. When I entered into this program, I was not a political science major, nor did I take any political science courses beforehand in college (the traveling really hooked me). For those of you who love political science, this is definitely a go-to. And for those who aren't into political science, like I was, it is cool to learn about political science from a European perspective. The European Union is fascinating (and also falling apart), so definitely keep an open mind. Flatmates are very good resources for friendship, German language, German knowledge, and just about anything else that you need to know about Freiburg. The travel was probably the best experience I had while in this program. I don't want to spoil too much, but get ready for seeing some of the biggest European cities and get ready to explore some of the coolest towns and architectural sites known to man!

The IES European Union program was a phenomenal and unique experience. Located in Freiburg, Germany, we were afforded the chance to call a beautiful, safe, and convenient German town home, while spending a large portion of our semester travelling through the European Union. The program took us on 3 week-long field trips on which we took all that we'd learned in our EU seminar in Freiburg and applied it to each new city and country we visited.

Taking "off" the week from scheduled classes, we had 1-3 meetings or presentations scheduled almost every day of the field study in government buildings, media outlets, and IES centers to meet with/hear from government officials, topic specialists, and civilians alike. Once we stepped out of our meeting, we stepped onto the streets, each new city at the disposal of (in my case) 84 eager Americans.

We spent the evenings and lunch hours exploring, trying local cuisine, meeting locals, taking walking city tours, and enjoying all that European night life has to offer. Freiburg was the perfect launching pad and host city, having a good night life and day time experience of its own, and also being located within an hour of both France and Switzerland and close to other major German cities.

Advice for anyone reading this: GO ABROAD... and if you find yourself on the IES EU program, enjoy EVERY bit!!! (But I don't have to tell you that... because you will!)

There are many aspects of the IES European Union program that appealed to me. First of all, the program was situated in Freiburg, Germany, a city of approximately 220,000 people located in heart of the Black Forest on the Swiss and French borders in Southwest Germany. I was attracted to a smaller city, as opposed to Berlin or Vienna in Austria, because I felt I would be more intimately immersed in the culture and have more opportunities to meet and establish friendships with locals, as well as strengthen my German language skills.

I also appreciated the extensive travel that was included in the program. We took three trips that covered a large portion of the European continent and met with a variety of European Union representatives and political activists. In addition, the travel allowed us to spend time in some of Europe's most extravagant cities, including Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Prague, and many more. Although there wasn't an abundance of time set aside for independent travel, I was still pleased our group's excursions to some of Central Europe's most prominent sites.

Learning in the program was extensive and occasionally could be quite intense. Those who were not well informed of European politics before entering the program left with a vast knowledge of institutions, policies, and issues of the European Union. The Model European Union simulation that was held in the final weeks of the program also enhanced this experience.

Becoming immersed within another culture is one of the greatest benefits of studying abroad. By attending cultural immersion classes upon arrival in Germany, I was better prepared to move in with my flatmates. Language courses, which differ according to the ability of students, were also held four days a week. These classes allowed me to pick up some simple German phrases that I could use in restaurants or other day-to-day interactions with the German people. For me personally, the living environment was definitely one of the highlights of the program. Living with German students from the local university provided me with wonderful opportunities to establish friendships with locals. I enjoyed learning how German students spend their leisure time while improving my communication skills through conversations with them.

In addition, I found the IES staff to be incredibly helpful and friendly. Staff members were always willing to assistant students regardless of the situation at hand. Throughout the semester, I developed great relationships with both the IES staff and professors. It was not uncommon for them to personally show students around Freiburg or even to invite them to join them for lunch or dinner.

The IES European Union program provided me with fantastic opportunities for travel, cultural immersion, building new friendships, and exposure to diverse learning experiences. Although the workload from classes could sometimes feel overwhelming, every student with whom I spoke described his/her experience as "life changing." That was certainly the case for me. For all of us who participated in the program, Freiburg will always be our German hometown. I would recommend this program, without reservation, to any student who has the desire to learn more about the European Union and to see the world.