Why go abroad?

Scarcely imaginable, but despite Covid I had the time of my life there. The weather, the flair, the university – it was simply a perfect combination! I met so many wonderful people from more than a dozen different countries on the international track and made good friends with whom I’ll stay in touch long after my semester abroad.

My personal highlight was a trip to Lapland for several days with other exchange students where I got to marvel at the northern lights, go on a sled drawn by huskies, drive a snowmobile and visit Santa Claus Village.

By now I have studied abroad several times, which was probably the best possible decision! I have got to know some of my best friends during my semesters as an exchange student, and they’re spread all over the world. My first semester abroad gave me the chance to go on to write my bachelor’s thesis in the United States and even spend a semester in Korea. You learn so many new things living abroad and face entirely new challenges. I am incredibly happy that I took the first step back then – it has changed my life!

The eleven months that I got to spend in China were unforgettable, despite Covid during the second half of the year. Immersing myself in such a foreign culture was a special experience. The beauty and advances that this country has to offer are breath-taking, and even a country bumpkin like me managed to feel at home in the city of Hangzhou with its 11 million inhabitants. It’s not without reason that its football team is called “Zhejiang Greentown”. To anyone not afraid of something completely different, I can only say: Get over to China; Europe will always be there for you!