With almost any location at your fingertips, choosing where to travel can be one of the most challenging parts of the study abroad process.
Kristina Hoefler, a senior Integrated Marketing Communications major here at Ithaca College, decided to take her education to the German city of Freiburg.
Freiburg offers a breathtaking mix of old town architecture, including a beautiful cathedral and an original medieval gate dating back to the thirteenth century. In this city one can also find a plethora of arts to explore with concert halls, performance centers and museums at your constant disposal. Students who chose to visit can take advantage of shopping at wonderful markets and strolling along cobblestone streets beside running canals referred to as “Little Venice” and the Freiburg Bächle.
“It is said that if you put your feet in the Bächle, then you are destined to marry a native Freiburger (some local lore),” Kristina said.
And if nature is more your forte, Freiburg, also coined the warmest city in Germany, offers a naturesque open air scene where one can explore the 360 degree views of the city from Castle Mountain and indulge in a lovely outdoor meal or drink.
“There are also LOTS of hiking trails in Freiburg since it’s located in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). And Freiburg is considered one of the greenest cities in Germany as well,” Kristina said.
Through Ithaca College, students like Kristina have the opportunity to learn with the affiliated IES Abroad program for Language and Area Studies. Students have the chance to enhance their German knowledge, in addition to partaking in an internship if that’s up their alley.
As for Kristina, she’s done her fair share of immersing herself in the experience so far, traveling to nearby places like Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Konstanz, the Clock museum, and Titisee and Breisach am Rhein in her free time.
And with her newfound knowledge of the city, the study abroad process and all else, Kristina has compiled a list of her greatest tips and tricks for future students who would consider going abroad to Freiburg or other locations on the map:
Tip 1: “Everything is mostly by train/Strasse Bahn in Germany, so getting a student or monthly pass (however RegioKarte lets you travel anywhere as often as you want within the specified region free of charge) is super nice and makes it easy to get around Germany (and using the app Deutsche Bahn (DB for short) is super helpful). Another tip about trains is buying them in advance. They are generally way cheaper if you buy them earlier than the day before/day of.”
Tip 2: “In Germany they still use cash more than card, so it might be nice to have a change purse for all the euro coins you will have.”
Tip 3: “Make sure to have a visa card that doesn’t charge you for every transaction abroad! Visa cards are the most widely accepted. Also make sure to have a card/bank that covers your charges for withdrawals, etc. since it will add up quickly with abroad fees.”
Tip 4: “Plan what you want to do ahead of time/have a general itinerary in mind so you can get as much out of your trips as possible.”
Tip 5: “Bring a water bottle with you when you travel since if you dine out you have to pay for water and with all the walking it's nice to have water on hand without having to buy one all the time.”
Tip 6: “Have comfortable, easy to walk in shoes in Germany. Lots of the paths/streets are cobblestone, so having nice/good walking shoes goes A LONG way for your feet after long days of walking.”
If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the study abroad office at studyabroad@ithaca.edu or visit our website https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/study-abroad.
