University: San Diego State University
City: San Diego
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Study type: language courses
I would like to share my experiences with you, which I had during my language stay in San Diego. Before I could begin my five-month stay abroad, I had to make some preparations. With the help of MicroEdu, this work was made much easier for me, mainly because many bureaucratic tasks were dealt with quickly. All I had to do was fill out the registration forms and legally sign them for the agency to register with the school and US authorities. In the end I only had to take care of the flight booking, the payment transfer and the student visa. I have to say that I received satisfactory and personal advice from MicroEdu, which made my work a lot easier. I would highly recommend MicroEdu agency as they have a very professional and efficient way of working. Regarding accommodation, I received a recommendation from an acquaintance and therefore did not need any help from the agency. For this I recommend that you make the reservations early, as San Diego is a popular language study destination. Visit toppharmacyschools.org to get information about Universidad Regiomontana study abroad program.
During the semester you will find all contact persons for any concerns of exchange students at the American Language Institute (ALI), which is located directly on the university campus. The ALI also organizes many excursions and events, some of which you can take part in for a reduced price or for free.
Each semester is divided into sessions (Session A and Session B). A session lasts about 2.5 months, with a week break in between. On the first day of school you have to take a placement test, which tests your written and oral skills separately. After a week you will receive your timetable and the level of English you have reached. As already mentioned, the written and oral English skills are tested separately, which is why you are divided into two classes. When registering, I had to choose a language course. I chose IEC (Intensive English Course). I had school in the morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The lessons were divided into 5 different subjects: Oral Communication, Grammar, Reading, Writing and Listening. In the afternoon you could prepare for upcoming exams. But fear not, there will be plenty of free time to do something and enjoy San Diego.
After one session I realized that I wasn’t able to practice enough Business English and subsequently changed the course to BGP (Business for Global Practices). In this course I benefited from a two-month internship at a start-up company, which I was able to complete due to the course program. You could choose between different jobs (distributing flyers, personal surveys of potential customers, telephone surveys of customers, etc.), with a few activities requiring a corresponding level of English. I met this requirement and decided to conduct personal surveys of hotel managers and restaurant owners. I received prepared questionnaires and a list of hotel and restaurant names. My job was to find the phone number/email and contact each hotel and restaurant to set up an appointment. The challenge of this activity was persuading the managers or owners to take part in the survey. In the end I was able to reach the required number of appointments and carry out the personal survey at the respective hotels and restaurants. All in all, I had to sacrifice one to two hours in the afternoon, but upon successful completion I received a letter of recommendation, which I can enclose with applications. For me, that was a very good thing because I can differentiate myself from other competitors with such a great letter of recommendation. but on successful completion I received a letter of recommendation, which I can enclose with applications. For me, that was a very good thing because I can differentiate myself from other competitors with such a great letter of recommendation. but on successful completion I received a letter of recommendation, which I can enclose with applications. For me, that was a very good thing because I can differentiate myself from other competitors with such a great letter of recommendation.
In addition to the regular course, which took place from Monday to Thursday, you could also take elective courses for Friday. In the first session I chose the preparation course for TOEIC Speaking & Writing and Reading & Listening. TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is an English certificate, which is very common alongside the Cambridge certificate (especially in the United States). In the second session I took TOEIC Idioms and English through American TV. Of course, you also have the option to choose between active courses such as surfing, dancing, art, etc. The Friday courses are a lot of fun and a good end to the weekend.
I really enjoyed my school days at San Diego State University. The teachers are extremely friendly and accommodating. I got to know a lot of great people from different countries and made friends very quickly. I also had the advantage that there were no Swiss exchange students in my class, so I was able to diligently improve my English. I also had the opportunity to use the Aztec Recreation Center (gym, tennis court, pool, etc.). Sports courses such as yoga, zumba, salsa, aerobics, etc. were offered there. I was also able to register as a free agent on sports teams (basketball, soccer, volleyball, etc.) and compete in weekly tournaments, which brought me into contact with American students.
The city of San Diego is also beautiful and lends itself very well to an exchange. Temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius all year round. The sun shines every day, it actually rarely rains. Public transport is very poor and time consuming. Since San Diego is a very sprawling city, it is advisable to rent a car for this time. The local cheap car rental companies are best suited for this. Located in southern California, San Diego is close to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, San Francisco and various national parks. A perfect location to plan excursions.
In conclusion, I can say that I am very enthusiastic about the university and the city of San Diego. I would stay again anytime. The weather and the open-minded Californians have been very good for me personally. I am happy to have had this experience. At this point I would like to thank the MicroEdu team again, who made this stay possible for me.
