The testimonials below are from past participants; they reflect various students’ experiences and are included to provide different perspectives. IAP does not endorse any specific view expressed in this section.

Preparations Before Leaving

• Make sure that you have enough Euros on you to pay for a taxi. By the time you arrive in Freiburg you’ll probably be so exhausted that you will happily pay to sink into the seats of a taxi instead of figuring out the streetcar system and having to carry your suitcases for another block. No matter how light you pack – by the time you get to Freiburg, you’ll wish you had packed lighter. Most taxis now do take cards.
• Use power converters – not just adapters! Adapters won’t necessarily change the electric current, and your stuff may get fried. It’s probably easier to find adapters and converters in the U.S. than in Germany.
• Don’t leave sports equipment (hiking/climbing things, softball/baseball gloves, tennis rackets, etc.) at home thinking you won’t find the time or the people to do it with! When your new German best friend wants to go climbing with you, it can be expensive to ship your equipment over.
• A bathrobe might be nice in some dorms – it’s not a big necessity, but when it’s cold in the winter, it’s not so bad to run from the shower to your room when you have a comfy robe.
• Although one German grammar book is helpful, there are a variety of basic language books available at any of the bookstores and AYF Office, so bringing all of your past textbooks is unnecessary.
• Pack light! Don’t bring more than you can carry yourself, particularly when you are traveling alone. Keep in mind that you will not only be dragging your luggage along flat sidewalks, but also up and down stairs and escalators, and heaving it onto trains.
• If you use a face wash with the active ingredient benzyl peroxide to keep your skin clear – such as Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask or something like it – bring a supply with you! I could never find it in Germany, not even in a pharmacy. And international shipping can get pretty expensive quickly.
• If you have a lot of electronics that you want to bring with you, bring an American surge protector or power strip. THEN when you arrive, buy a high-capacity converter that you plug your American power strip into and then you have plenty of American outlets. It’s cheaper and nicer than having to deal with a million tiny converters.
• It’s a good idea to back up your information from your computer before you go / bring an external HD. You never know what could happen to your computer while you are over here.
• You can’t always find your favorite deodorant/soap/shampoo here. I recommend bringing a few extra just to start off with until you find something that you like here.
• It is possible to suspend your American cell phone contract for a set number of months while you’re abroad. You can do this instead of canceling it so that you don’t lose your number, nor do you have to pay for a full contract that you’re not going to use. Call your cell phone company. They do it for military personnel going abroad, too. Or you can “park” your number using services like NumberBarn. That way you do not lose your number, and you can still receive texts to your American number and be notified via app.
• When you call your banks to tell them that you are going abroad and approve out-of-country transactions, give your parents the authority to access your banking accounts on your behalf. It’s much easier to e-mail your parents and have them call your bank for you if necessary, instead of you paying a lot / e-mailing / trying to call your bank.
• Have a clear idea of what credits you hope to accomplish (especially for majors besides German) before you come here, as it makes the course equivalency process easier. Talk to your advisors before you leave.
• Think about your next year’s living arrangements before you leave. It can be hard to negotiate / deal with leases abroad.

Travel and Arrival Information

• Don’t go home during breaks! Instead, buy a rail pass and go everywhere, even if it’s on your own.
• Freiburg has tons of things to see and do. Make sure you plan to spend a great deal of time in Freiburg.
• Be sure to check out Vienna.
• Buy a BahnCard (discounted train pass) as soon as possible – it may seem like a lot of money, but it will save you a lot of money, especially if you can start getting the discounts right away. If you’re flying into Frankfurt, get it at the train station even before your train ride to Freiburg – that way it starts paying for itself on your very first day!
• Hamburg was one of the coolest places I went, and I would recommend it alongside Berlin and Munich. Also, Oktoberfest was overrated. If you go, spend the night.
• Before you buy a Eurail pass, check out the various other options in Germany and the countries you want to visit; for instance, an InterRail pass can be bought in Europe and is much cheaper.
• I would strongly advise anyone purchasing an InterRail Pass to read carefully the “fine print” as to what the ticket does and does not cover. In my own personal experience, ticket checkers (especially on night trains) tried to charge me an additional 10, 15, or even 20 Euro while citing vague reasons or regulations on which they refused to elaborate. I paid one of these “fees” once, and after that I would fold my arms and simply refuse to open my wallet until someone explained – either in English or German – specifically what the charges where for. At the same time, it is important not to be paranoid that every ticket checker is out to rob you; they may not have encountered an InterRail Ticket before, or may simply be misinformed about the details themselves.
• Check out Orbitz,Travelocity, and Google Flights for intercontinental flights and RyanAir, EasyJet, fly.de, and many other websites for cheaper flights within Europe.
• BahnCard 50 is well worth it if you choose to travel. Even if you are traveling outside of Germany, it gives you the option to get to the Frankfurt Airport 50% cheaper, as flights out of there tend to be less expensive and more abundant.

Academic Program

• Professors are more than willing to meet with students after class or during office hours, so take advantage of this time! Discuss what is expected by the professor and by AYF and what you want to achieve by taking the class. Do this as soon as possible! The longer you wait, the more daunting your term papers will seem.
• Get started on your Hausarbeiten (final papers) as soon as possible! You do not have too much other schoolwork to do during the semester, so treat parts of each Hausarbeit as assignments throughout the semester. You will be so much happier during the semester break if you’re already done with your papers. (Although if you go home for winter break, it may be helpful to do some research at home.)
• Don’t be afraid to take SLI and AYF courses. I learned a lot from them and sometimes enjoyed them more.

Living Abroad in Freiburg

• There’s a 24-hour vending machine that has pretty much everything a convenience store would have near the Händelstraße dorm. If you’re hungry at 3 a.m. and short on food, it’s just a short walk to Automaten-Emma.
• Climb to the top of the Schauinsland, Schönberg, and Schlossberg mountains and enjoy the amazing views. If you’re in Freiburg for New Year’s Eve, spend it on Schlossberg – you’ll be able to see the fireworks all over the city.
• Take advantage of the Schwarzwald being your backyard – go hiking or rent one of the mountain huts and spend a night or weekend there with your newfound German, American, and international friends – it’s a great way to get to know everyone.
• Get a bike (from the AYF flea market, city flea markets, or bike shops in the area)! It’s a lot of fun to ride around town and in the hills around Freiburg – even all the way to France – and although the public transportation is great, it’s nice to be able to get around its schedule.
• Watch German TV – American shows dubbed into German and actual German shows. It’ll help your comprehension a lot, and you’ll be even more in tune with the popular culture.
• Posters around town display many concert opportunities, as well as special events at clubs and discos. One of my favorite musicians came to the area, and I only knew about it because I happened to look at a poster on a door on some side street. Keep your eyes open.
• Some recommended restaurants: Brennessel has a low-priced and copious spaghetti special in the late afternoon and early evening; Euphrat has great falafel or kebap sandwiches; Mekong has fast, hot, and cheap Chinese food; Firenze has the cheapest pizza; Laubfrosch has a better quality pizza that is not cheap but worth it; Martinsbräu offers tasty but rather pricey German food; the Wiehre Bahnof has expensive but delicious German food; and the very elegant Greiffenegg-Schlössle offers a Studentenmenü and a great view of the Münster and the city (need to show student ID). The Markthalle is also a good option for a variety of foods and could be compared to a mall food court, only a little tastier. Mexican food is available at El Paso, El Gallo, and Enchilada – but don’t expect it to be up to par with the Mexican food you’re used to. In Germany, all restaurants are listed in the phone book under “Gaststätten.”
• Don’t wear sweats, especially to class – students don’t dress as casually in Germany.
• Always be able to take yourself home from the bar. I know you’ve heard it a million times, but – be responsible about drinking.

Meeting People

• The other AYFers are good people, great friends, and important parts of your support network, but you will regret it if you don’t make German friends. Spending so much time with other program participants from the very first day can make it difficult to break away, but it’s worth it! At the same time don’t completely shun all other Americans – try to figure out a healthy balance.
• Talk to your roommates! They can be your best source of daily conversational German practice, in addition to personal connections within the city. The AYF orientation tutors and mentors are also wonderful contacts to have and ask questions in the beginning of your time in Freiburg.
• Get a tandem partner (someone who wants to practice their English and will also speak German with you) as soon as possible – you could become good friends, and they can introduce you to more of their friends.
• Read the e-mails from the Studierendenwerk and the International Club; go on their excursions and respond to interesting opportunities.
• Always try to speak German. A lot of people will try to practice their English with you – don’t let them [more than is necessary to be nice, anyway]! You’re there to learn German.
• Join the softball team – the Freiburg Warthogs – even if you’re not exactly professional. They’re really friendly and laid-back and they let everyone play. It’s a great way to meet Germans and to see a little more of Germany, since they travel for tournaments. If softball really isn’t your thing, check out ultimate Frisbee or any other sport you’re interested in.
• My German roommate invited me to sing along in the choir for a Christmas play. I was able to meet so many people outside of the American bubble, from little kids to grandparents! If you’re even slightly interested in something that comes up, go for it!
• In university classes, sign up for a Referat (presentation) group with Germans. Working with other Americans may be comfortable, but working with native speakers will help your presentation and is a great way to make new friends.
• Some of the dorms will have activities – soccer, hiking, wine tasting, and more. Some are geared toward international students, and some are for all residents.
• We organized a weekly dinner group – every week someone different cooked a dinner for the whole group. This was really cheap for everyone and a great time to use my speaking skills and catch up with friends. It was also reassuring to know I’d only have to cook once every 10-12 weeks!