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.

I had a great experience studying abroad with IES Freiburg. Freiburg itself is a small town in the Black Forest that is vibrant and has lots of culture and things to do and experience, like museums, concerts, and outdoor exploration. At the same time, the town is not overwhelming and did not feel too much like a big city. It's also very centrally located and perfect for travelling around western Europe, especially Germany, France and Switzerland. The classes themselves are very interesting and the professors very knowledgeable. The staff of the program are also extremely helpful and go out of their way to help and accommodate students. It was also really fun to interact with fellow students from all over the country and with Germans I met through living arrangements and while living in the city, and experience my perspective and worldview shifting. I would highly recommend this program!

Coming to Freiburg gave me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, but with a small enough group and city that it was a smooth transition. My experience has introduced me to friends, both within and outside of the program, who will be lifelong friends. The people of Freiburg are exceptionally kind and helpful, especially when you make the effort to practice your German. The program itself has given me the support to feel comfortable living here in Freiburg and the staff here have helped me with things related directly to school work as well as any other questions I have had.

When I first came to Freiburg, I had no idea what to expect. My German hadn't seen much use outside the classroom, this was my first time living abroad, and I knew that I would not know anybody involved in the program. The affair could have gone in a few directions. It ended up being one of the best experiences of my life.

The IES Abroad staff created a community of individuals, a whole comprised of students from vastly different academic backgrounds. By providing us with numerous resources (ranging from the helpful "Cool Places to Go" to the essential "What To Do & Where To Go If Anything Bad Should Befall You"), our lovely administrative staff gave us a solid foundation which in turn made us feel more comfortable branching out in our own directions. While feeling always welcomed to attend IES events where I would get to know my fellow students better, I never believed myself put upon by the program, never saw my attendance at said events as being obligatory. In short, as I was getting settled in, IES was there if I ever needed them yet gave me room to pursue my personal plans (i.e. international travel).

Freiburg itself is among the most beautiful cities I've ever visited and I plan to return! The people were quite friendly and always willing/able to switch into English if need be. Though there are some labyrinthine parts of the city, the ubiquity of maps allowed for safe navigation while the exemplary public transportation system facilitated my dorm-to-class commute. (One could buy either a bike or a Strassenbahn Semester Ticket for a reasonable amount; having a personal preference for reading/looking out windows while traveling, I chose the Strassenbahn Semester Ticket). The Black Forest is, besides being readily accessible (especially with the Semester Ticket, which at designated time intervals allows one to take regional trains for free), nothing less than utterly absorbing in its beauty. In fact, from the Münster to the numerous art museums, this city was brimming with top-notch aesthetic experiences.

All in all, the IES Language/Area Studies Program in Freiburg was so much more than the typical study abroad experience. It was another home - and still is, for me. I look forward to returning to this wonderful city, reminisce about old memories, and make many new ones!

I had an absolutely amazing time in Freiburg. IES does a great job organizing the program. The staff was very friendly and helpful. My German improved drastically. All the classes in this program are taught in German, and I greatly enjoyed the cultural immersion aspect of the program as well. I learned so much about Germany and the region of Baden-Württemburg, as well as the history of Freiburg. The living situation was great, as I lived in Händelstrasse, a student apartment building in a pretty affluent area. My three roommates were all German, and we spoke mostly German around the apartment, which helped improve my language skills as well. Furthermore, Freiburg is a very safe place to live and study. I never felt uncomfortable or like I was in danger, even walking back to my dorm late at night.
Overall, the semester I spent in Freiburg was one of the best experiences of my life, and I would definitely recommend the program.

This is a great program for anyone who is seriosuly committed to improving his or her German. If you are enthusiastic about being pushed to constantly practice speaking, writing, reading, and listening to German, then this is the program for you. All of your classes will be in German, all the time, but the instructors are understanding that you are dealing with a language that isnt your first language, and this they grade very easily. Freiburg is a beautiful city, and it holds a very special place in my heart. Also, its in a great location of you're interested in traveling to other cities. You can cross the border and visit France or Switzerland in an hour or so by bus, or you can take the train to more far away places like Budapest or Bratislava. Freiburg itself is also fairly small, so getting around within the city is easy.

I absolutely loved my time in the EU program where I had the happiest four months in my life.
-TRAVEL
Traveling is what first attracted me to the EU program. The program itself took us to 3 different field trips and 8 different cities over 3.5 weeks. The trips were very well organized with different activities/lectures to learn about the EU and the local culture. We always got clear schedules, maps, and recommendation for places to visit in each city. I also took several weakens to travel to different countries with my friends. It's just so easy to travel in Europe!
-ACADEMICS
The classes we had at the center were very well-connected with the things we learnt from the field trips. In the end, I was surprised by how much I learnt about the EU in just one semester. Even though the classes were generally easier than those at my home institution, I still got much out of my classes. The professors were very interesting people too. They came to field trips with us and I really got to know some of them very well!
-LIVE
We lived in University of Freiburg student dorms with German students. All the dorms are very nice and my room was huge! We had a nice living room/kitchen where my friends and I cooked a lot. My German suite mates were wonderful people. They were extremely helpful and great to talk to. We had dinners and hangouts at the student bar together. Freiburg is an amazing city with lots of students and a gorgeous view everywhere you go. You will find great restaurants, shopping malls, bars, and clubs here!
-CULTURAL IMMERSION
Because the EU program is taught in English, most student don't come knowing German already. We don't have classes in the University of Freiburg or with the German students, which could be a downside to cultural immersion. However, I believe most student didn't choose this program for intensive language training and the program already did its best by arranging us to live with German students. I still had many chances to immerse myself in the culture, just by talking to my professors, talking to local restaurant owners, and exploring the different corners of the city. If you're driven to learn more about the culture here, trust me, there will be plenty of opportunities to do so!
-STAFF
The staff at the EU center were amazing. They were very responsive and helpful to all problems. You will love them!