STUDYING IN YOUR HOST COUNTRY Moving to Germany was a bit more complicated than I anticipated. It required signing and handing lots of documents for the University, land lord of the student flat, and German bureaus. Hochschule der Medien made it a lot easier for us by giving a welcome-folder containing all information what we ought to do during the next few weeks. Local students from HdM’s Buddy-program provided lots of help in delivering all the documents and opening up a German bank account.
In order to enrol for courses I had to pay a Student fee, which also licensed me a Student ID card. (note: The fee includes also the public transportation) My minor, Business Analytics, had a prepared module of courses plus a mandatory German language course for the semester. Only one course had to be selected on top of previously mentioned. I chose Inter cultural communication which was worth 2 ECTS, so basically every single course for this minor was decided beforehand. HdM is a university with a more practical approach when it comes to content and teaching of the courses. In Business Analytics minor this means that usually the first half of the lecture is about theory of the days subject, and the second half is spent doing exercises using the theory learned in practice. If one would compare this style to the academic system of my home university, Metropolia University of Applied Science, the system is very similar. For me there was no cultural shock adapting to HdM’s system, apart from the fact I had to start using a foreign language while communicating.
For international students support is provided by the International Office. They answer emails and you can visit their premises when you feel like. Moreover local students who belong to International Office’s team arrange various events and trips for exchange students. For example pub-crawls, day trips, picknicks and movie-nights. In the beginning of semester particularly this was a convenient way to start networking and getting friends.
STAYING IN YOUR HOST COUNTRY Germany was a big question mark for me before arriving here, especially Southern Germany. Luckily for me the country was way more kind and welcoming than I thought before. As in every time I move to a new place or start at a new school, I begin connecting by building a safety net. In an international community where other students are facing the same problems in a foreign country building a net was very easy since every exchange student is more or less like-minded. Before coming I had set myself different objectives to be achieved during my stay, and one of the objectives was to learn networking and develop my communication skills while being here. After four months I consider myself reaching that objective, I’ve had the opportunity and honor to get to know so many different people and their cultures.
With the new people I’ve met, who I can now call friends, we have participated to events organized by the International office, arranged trips among ourselves and had lots of fun. Stuttgart provides a world of activities for students. One of the best festivals I’ve ever attended to was Frühlingsfest, a traditional Spring and Beer festival with food and carnival attractions.
NETWORK OF THE BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG-STIPENDIUM My involvement to the Baden-Württemberg-Stipendium has remained unfortunately to a very minimal level. I have focused my time to connect with other exchange students in Hochschule der Medien and also University of Stuttgart. Although I’ve connected with other scholarship holders in HdM from United States of America and Spain for instance.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR FUTURE SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS Stuttgart is a place of many sights. For future scholarship holders I would recommend visiting Esslingen am Neckar, at least one traditional German Brauhaus, Cannstatter Wasen during Frühlingsfest, and a rooftop party which is held on a rooftop of a student accommodation.
Talking about accommodations, easiest way to get a decent priced accommodation is to apply them from Studierendenwerk Stuttgart.
One of the biggest differences about living here compared to Finland, was the lack of using bank card as a payment method. Germans seem to like/prefer using cash while paying basically anywhere.
PERSONAL CONCLUSION Exchange semester abroad was an option I decided to take in the last minute. I realized I wanted to have some kind of refreshment concerning my home university’s teaching methods, teachers and also about my whole life at that moment. I didn’t really have specific expectations, I wanted to take a break from my everyday life in Finland and have fun while exploring a new culture.
Those expectations certainly have been met. I’ve learned to balance with studying and free time with a whole new level while socializing with awesome individuals from all around the world. I also am very pleased with my courses and studies, they were on point and kept interesting through whole semester. If I had to rate this semester, I wouldn’t know which scale to use. But compared to my previous semesters this has definitively been the most adventurous, fascinating and informative in every aspect.
For my academic advancement this semester has given me improvement on certain subjects I already knew something about, deepened my knowledge about possibilities of Business Intelligence development and applications, given me more confidence to operate with a foreign language and courage to jump into the unknown.
For personal advancements this semester has taught me a lot of independence, social and communication skills, understanding and respecting of cultures which are not my own, a new level of curiosity and approach towards situations and occasions I’ve not faced before. When one realizes that living outside your home country isn’t really as hard and scary as one might think first, the feeling is incredibly liberating. It broadens your horizons and gives you a whole new perspective of living in this world of globalization.
