University:
UC Berkeley is really a very interesting university and you can tell from the buildings and sculptures that some very clever people have studied and researched here. The business school, the Haas School of Business, is a great complex with an extensive library. The courses were very interesting and very time-consuming. I had courses from Monday to Friday and it was in no way a summer vacation like you might hear from other summer universities. In return you got an impression of how people really study here and what is required of you. You were simply really encouraged to deal with the topic yourself and not just listen to the professor. Unfortunately, this was a disadvantage in a certain way, because you can’t read the recommended books in six weeks. Visit mcat-test-centers.com to get information about vocational training in Poland.
This is not quite as American as you imagine, because the city of Berkeley has grown together with the campus and you come into contact with a lot of people who had nothing to do with the university. Which was very good for you because I could play basketball with older people in the evenings. On the other hand, however, many homeless people loitered on campus during the day. It didn’t make you feel very good, and people never pushed you or turned you on. The sports facilities were very good. All the amenities of the university could be used for $ 10. There was even a swimming pool, which was very refreshing on some hot days. But there were also days when you had to pull out sweaters and jeans. So not exactly the California you think, but typical of the Bay Area, where it is often foggy. One of the great things about Berkeley is that public transportation is very quick to get around in Northern California. It takes about 20 minutes by train or 45 minutes by bus to get to downtown San Francisco.
Accommodation:
I lived in the International House, where I stayed in one of two rooms. You could also take a single room. The rooms were very small and you had to clean yourself, which is not that bad. The toilets and showers in the hallway were not up to today’s standards. They were literally geared towards the masses and weren’t very clean either. You got buffet meals three times a day including drinks, which was mostly quite good. The proximity to other students from different countries all over the world was very interesting and a great experience. However, it couldn’t weigh the high price of $ 1900 for the 6 weeks of poor plumbing.
Society:
The I-House puts you in a strong international society and you find it “difficult” to get to know Americans. Nevertheless, it was very nice to hear stories from the Far East in the evening and to go out with them. In the end I had some American friends with whom I am still in contact via Facebook. It wasn’t exactly my goal to get to know Americans, but I did the summer session not only because of the unusual courses, but also to improve my English. I’ve actually only had good experiences with American culture. Be it the burgers that are great at Lori’s Diner in San Francisco, or the jokes you can make with them.
Office:
I was referred to MicroEDU by a friend who did the program at Berkeley and it really turned out that this office is really good for you. Since I am currently doing a semester abroad at UC Irvine in Southern California, I can compare the responsible offices very well. I got all the necessary contacts, data and information sheets at the right time. The visa was not a problem and I was able to do it on time and without stress.
Travel:
Berkeley is not far from very interesting sightseeing spots such as Yosemite, Golden Gate Bridge, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Redwood Forest or Napa Valley. The I-House organized excursions or you can do some yourself.
Overall impression:
All in all, I had a great time and made numerous acquaintances and made some really good friendships. So I can only recommend every student to have such an experience for themselves. The combination of a very good university program, campus life, abroad, the USA and great students make the not so great experience in the sanitary facilities forgotten and will stay in my memory forever. Hopefully I’ll see one or two international colleagues again. A visit to Madrid is already planned for next spring.
