Amazing Experience in an Amazing City

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.