Studying

A stay abroad isn’t just a few months in your life, it’s a life in a few months

Foreign languages open up many opportunities in one’s everyday life as well as at work. A semester abroad is an excellent opportunity, especially for students, to grow beyond themselves, broaden their horizons and come in touch with exciting people and cultures. One way of experiencing a semester abroad is to realize it as a study abroad. As a student of the English Department, I benefited from our university’s partnership with a university in the United Kingdom – the University of Sunderland.

The three-month-long study had the advantage of being in an academic environment on the one hand and getting in touch with local and international students and getting to know their culture, on the other hand. The university offers a wide range of courses, which has the advantage of integrating the chosen courses into the study program and having them recognized later in Koblenz. The application process went off without any complications, as there was great support and assistance, especially from the lecturers at the English Department in Koblenz.

Sunderland is unknown to most as a city, and yet this city located in the north of England surprises with all its faces and opportunities it offers, especially to young people. The city center is adorned with countless pubs and stores dominated by students and clearly oriented towards their interests and preferences. Even if you don’t live in university accommodation, you can meet young people and students, as university activities fill the evenings

Concerning accommodation, Panns Bank is one kind of student housing available to international students. Thanks to welcoming and friendly support, it was possible to socialize from the very beginning and make friends for life. Above all, the exchange of culture-specific traditions highlights such an experience abroad, be it through trips to London, paintball matches, a visit to the football stadium, or cozy evenings discovering local cuisine and culture.

One hurdle is the local dialect of Sunderland, which is not often noticed at the university, but in everyday situations outside of university life. For mastering one’s English skills and communication, these conditions are ideal, but for perfecting a specific accent, they are rather a hindrance. Nevertheless, as a learner of American English, I could improve my pronunciation since there were actually more American students in England than I had initially thought.

Ultimately, I can only offer one piece of advice along the way: Get out of your comfort zone, socialize, and explore your surroundings. Seize every opportunity that comes your way. The chance to study abroad is something you should sieze. Opportunities like this one usually only come around once in a lifetime!

Aloha from beautiful Hawaii!

I went to the 50th State of the United States: Hawaii. I stayed from late August 2022 to the end of January 2023. I attended Hawaii Pacific University, HPU for short, for one semester. The University is located on the island of Oahu and in the state's capital city, Honolulu.

During the first three days in Honolulu, I slept in a hostel near Waikiki Beach until I could move into the student dorms with my two roommates. I also booked a food package, which included 14 meals per week at the HPU cafeteria, so I didn't need to spend too much on food. Ultimately, it was my saving grace as I realized early on that the grocery prices in Hawaii are ridiculously high if you want to eat healthily.

Finally, on the 24th of August, we had our Orientation Day, and classes started on the 29th of August. Between classes, papers, travels, beach days, and meeting new people left and right, the semester ended on exam week on the 19th of December.

The aspect that impressed me the most was the number of activities offered by the University's student council and professors. We would get an email each week before with activities and travels we could choose from. This was an opportunity to see the island, participate in different projects, and get to know others outside of classes. I can say that I not only did most activities through the "Sharky swell weeks" (Sharky is the official mascot of HPU) but also met people that would later form my new friend group, with whom I would travel to different islands. For example, some of these activities included a trip to Pearl Harbor with a history professor, surfing lessons, paddleboarding, a movie tour on the famous Kualoa Ranch, a trip to the Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens and Rock climbing. My friends and I would also go on many hikes around Oahu, leaving us sweating but also rewarding us with breath-taking views from the top.

I could go on and on about everything I did, experienced, and learned, but then I could probably fill a whole Master's exam, so let me just end with this: I would advise everyone to study abroad since it is an experience of a lifetime and leaves you with many precious memories and even new life-long friends.

Believe me; you won't regret it.