Dear future students of the CSUEB,
I am a Master of Education student (English / German) at the Westfälischen-Wilhelms Universität Münster and spent the Spring Quarter 2011 in the USA.
Preparations
After careful consideration I had decided to spend a semester of my studies in the USA, it was now time to start looking for a university. Since my own university was not of great help to me in this area, I took the company semester abroad into my own hands with the support of MicroEDU and decided on the CSUEB. What convinced me: the location (near San Francisco on a hill in front of the city), the costs (still quite moderate for an American university), the courses and the university’s reputation in the field of teacher education. Visit existingcountries.com to get information about vocational training in New Zealand.
Unfortunately, choosing a university is not enough, because a little paperwork follows. MicroEDU is always at your side during all application steps, such as applying to the university, visa, etc.
The university is located quite away from the next town on a hill. So I decided to live “on campus” in the I-House. At that time, the I-House was mainly inhabited by Asians and a few Germans, as well as a few other Europeans. Allegedly the actual I-House is to be abolished and the internationals will live with other students in the future. In order to be part of the action and so that the way to the next spontaneous party is not too far, I would always choose the I-House. Sharing a room with a roomie takes some getting used to, but possible for a while. One can also argue about the hygiene in the I-House, but disinfectant spray is also available in the USA
With the shuttle bus and then the BART, San Francisco (for example at Powell Station) can be easily reached.
Course content
At CSUEB I attended English courses (Study of Language) and a Teacher Education course. Since most of the people who go to CSUEB as foreign students study business administration or similar, I didn’t have such big problems getting accepted into the courses. However, you have to pay close attention to which courses are actually offered in the end, and it is best to check with your home university beforehand which courses (plus alternatives) will be accepted. The professors were all very nice and helpful. They were very interested in German and foreign students, which could also be due to the fact that I was often the only exchange student in my courses. The courses were quite small (15-30 people) and mostly very interesting.
Campus
There are now several food shops on campus: Panda Express, Sandwich Shop, Jamba Juice, Einstein Bagels, a Mexican and, last but not least, a Starbucks in the library offer a good change from the Dining Commons meal. By the way, you should choose Mealplan C here. I accidentally had Mealplan B first, but was able to change it without any problems in the first few days. In the first week a tuberculosis test will be done with you, which is negative for most of the people. But if it turns out to be positive (like me), an X-Ray will be made for protection, for which you have to pay $ 20. The Health Center on campus can be reached by students at any time, even during the semester.
Trips
Make as many as possible! One of the best memories of the time at CSUEB are certainly the numerous excursions that we have taken. The weekends were often used for road trips to LA, Monterey, Pismo Beach, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Silicon Valley, Berkeley etc. Last but not least, one should visit San Francisco as often as possible. An insider tip is to take the ferry to Sausalito and drive past the skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. The fun trips organized by I-House are also a nice change from everyday university life. For example, we were able to experience a great Giants game or a wine tasting tour in Nappa Valley.
Conclusion
When I think about how long I have been thinking about going to the USA in advance, I can only say in retrospect: DO IT! I was able to get to know the American lifestyle and university life with all its clichés. I met incredibly great people who I no longer want to miss and was ultimately able to improve my English a little. All in all I can only say: I left my heart in San Francisco and I can only recommend it to everyone.
