Hansini Kumar, Moving the Cities: Germany Fall 2023
If I could give some advice to others who are planning to participate in this program, I would advise them to make the most out of their time abroad. The program gives you limited time in Germany, and with project work taking up a good amount of time, it’s important to find time to do other activities. Finding a balance between the two is how I was able to make the most out of my time abroad, and I would suggest other students to do something similar.
We were fortunate enough to arrive in Germany around the same time as their fall festival “Send” that comes to Munster for a week once a year. There were carnival rides and plenty of food stalls, which led to a great experience. The food stalls offered different snacks and treats that we normally would not be able to find in the US, which further enhanced our experience. One of my favorites was a snack that was essentially a spiral potato fried and seasoned with paprika on a stick. It was both unique and delicious carnival food.
On campus at FH Munster, we would also find time to explore when we could. The campus space was beautiful and filled with greenery, making it great to walk around. We also found a coffee shop and were able to try various coffees and teas. Exploring their campus added to our experience to see how a university abroad functioned. Eating at the university cafeteria also gave us the opportunity to not only try a variety of new foods, but also speak and connect with other students. Each day, we also ended up having lunch with different people, which led to the most interesting stories and experiences.
My advice would be to take advantage of the intercultural aspect of the program and have those conversations with as many people as possible. I was able to learn so much about other people and their cultures through our conversations, and I never would have had the opportunity to otherwise. Additionally, in our spare time, we would walk around the streets by our hostel and look around stores that caught our eye. Our location had plenty of options, so we made the most of our time by walking around and shopping for things only available abroad. We walked into some Christmas stores, chocolate shops, and more, seeing what the city had to offer. It was a great way to spend our downtime while still immersing ourselves in the city, and I would recommend to anyone traveling abroad to leave the hostel and explore as much as possible.
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