Study Abroad at EM Strasbourg Business School : Classes, Oktoberfest, and Heidelberg… Oh My

With classes getting started I will be able to post much more often. So stick with me during this (hopefully) last long post.

Recently, I have started attending my business courses at EM Strasbourg. Needless to say there were some differences. A big contrast to most classes in the US is that the classes here are only once a week, but you spend a minimum of two hours per class. I have several courses that are four hours! Another difference is the grading system. In most of my classes, my only grades are the final exam or a final presentation at the end. All that pressure for one just one evaluation is a little nerve racking, but all the teachers have said that if you come to every class and put in the effort, the finals will be just fine. Lastly, the grades are not as they would be in the United States, instead of the A-F scale that we are so accustomed to they use a 1-20 scale. With 20 being an A+, and 1 being a F. I have been told numerous times that a 20 is saying that you have perfectly mastered the material, so it is very rare to receive one from professors. You need at least a 10 to pass a course, but courses can compensate one another, meaning that if you do poorly in one class, but excel in another then your grade will balance out. All of the differences may seem a little overwhelming, but I believe that I will be just fine with my current courses.

I had the chance to go to the Opening Weekend of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. I had heard about the enormity of this event, but I could not fathom the amount of people that would be in attendance until I got there. It was astonishing how massive the festival was. There were numerous rides, food stands, souvenir shops, and of course beer gardens and houses! It was a terrific experience to be a part of such a well-known event. I was lucky enough to get to walk around the whole space, which was not an easy task; I don’t think I've ever seen so many dirndls and lederhosen in my life.

If that wasn’t enough, I got to travel on a day trip to Heidelberg, Germany. During our day there a festival was taking place, so we got to see the city buzzing with people and activity. Besides all of that, my real reason for going was to see the Heidelberg Castle. It was a brilliant building, with an even better view. (Although we had to walk up what seemed like a million stairs to get there!) I love the fact that in one day I can travel to such a beautiful place with so much character and history.

à bientôt!

- Your French Falcon