Pre-departure:
Like many things in my life at the moment, my pre-departure was a whirlwind of last minute planning and organising. My field work up the West Coast of South Africa (a part of my master’s project) ended a few days before my departure, during which time I had to process my data, wrap up life in Stellenbosch, see off a number of international friends, and of course get ready for the adventure of a life-time! Things are expensive in Germany, and to make sure I didn’t waste money (which could rather be used for good German beer), I compiled a list of things I needed to take with and things I needed to buy before I departed; everything from clothing to medication. I started compiling this list 2 weeks before my departure, while I was in the field. This worked very well, as every time a thought popped into my head I would write it down, meaning that the list was completed a while before I departed.
As far as visa applications went, I am blessed with a Dutch passport, and the process was just a matter of ensuring that both my South African and Dutch passport were valid. My tickets were booked two months before the time through Trip Advisor. I have always found it much cheaper to book tickets online than through a travel agency, who often have extra costs. The Middle Eastern airlines (Etihad and Emirates) proved to be the cheapest, and also happen to have top notch quality service! A 26 hour flight with 2 layovers is not ideal, but it saved a great deal of money. The only other preparation I made before the trip was to acquire an international student card from the STA office on Bird Street, nearby the Vida E Caffé. This proved handy as I have heard of a number of cases where local student cards have not been accepted (or they will only accept it if you can provide a proof of registration for that year). It was a quick process and only required an ID photo, proof of registration, R100, and 20 minutes of my time.
The only big mistake which I made was with the clothing I chose to pack. Naively assuming that Germany could still get rather cool in summer, I packed a number of warm jackets and long pants. These were not needed at all. A rain jacket (for the occasional rainy days), a jersey and one pair of jeans would have sufficed. Because it turns out that Germany does get really hot in summer, and 2015 was one of the hottest summers in record! Plenty of H&M sales (and many international students incredibly excited by the notion of H&M) made it easy and not too expensive to buy some extra shorts and T-shirts.
Experience at Summer School:
Bayreuth University. Although three different courses were offered, we could all spend time together during the
weekends, evenings and the famous lunch time at the
Mensa. It was such a blessing getting to know such a wide group of people!
I was incredibly blessed to have a number of friends in Germany who I could stay with during my travels before and after the summer school, which began on the 6th of July. The 2 weeks before summer school were filled with visiting old friends in Munich and Frankfurt (Munich was a favourite of mine, with a relaxed culture typical of Bavaria). One of my most interesting experiences was staying with old family friends in Frankfurt who do not speak a WORD of English, as this really pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged my proficiency in Afrikaans and basic German.
spaces. The whole town has the atmosphere typical to
that of Bavaria.
It was wonderful to spend time with friends and have a glimpse into their lives, however the highlight of my trip was definitely the summer school in Bayreuth. I got off the Frankfurt bus at the University bus stop (FYI long-distance busses are MUCH cheaper than trains and also very comfortable) with little idea of where to go. A low quality pdf map was all I had to work with, and after walking in circles for an hour in the 40 degree heat I eventually found the backpackers, located a mere 400 metres from the bus stop. Hot and annoyed when I arrived, my mood instantly changed when I met the other students. As everyone was foreign and out of their comfort zone, we were all friendly and eager to get to know everyone. We were placed into rooms with 6 people at the back packers, where I made a number of friends whom I am still in regular contact with.
The days started with an optional 1 hour German beginner class at 8am. Morning summer school classes ran from 9 am to 12 pm, followed by lunch at the Mensa cafeteria (the Neelsie has nothing on the Mensa, the food was absolutely incredible!), and an afternoon session from 2 pm to 4 pm. The course was divided into two weeks “Comparing Inequalities: Poverty, inequality, violence and memory in Africa and Latin America” and “Beyond the ‘Boko Haram Syndrome’: Approaching the study of Islam in West-Africa”. Although the notion of a South African student going to Germany to study African studies is quite strange, it was one of the most enriching academic experiences I have ever had and taught me so much more about my continent, as well as provided an interesting platform to critically engage with other international students.
The afternoons were spent exploring the town, spending time at the awesome water park next to the backpackers, eating far too many ice creams, doner kebabs, and Bratwurst, and of course completing the required readings for discussion during the week.
The highlight of the summer school was a weekend trip to Berlin and Potsdam. What an awesome city! It was also the perfect way to rekindle an old friendship, who I later stayed with for 5 days after the summer school and before my departure flight from Munich.
Return:
Having never experienced a summer school at Stellenbosch University, the two weeks at Bayreuth University was the perfect opportunity to experience an intensive, short term course outside the traditional university realm. And it definitely whet my appetite to take part in a semester exchange or other mobility programs that Stellenbosch has to offer. During the second year of my master’s studies I hope to go to take part in a semester exchange with an overseas university.
As an MSc student, I felt overwhelmed with all the science that I have been doing over the past 5 years. I love my degree, but I also wanted to try something new. The African studies course had no direct relation to my studies, but acted as an important catalyst to introduce me to a new way of thinking, and challenge not only my academic side but also assist my personal growth. The summer school has also added a new dynamic to the global citizenship course I am currently taking part in, and it has definitely encouraged me to learn a new language! Most people in the course spoke 3 or 4 languages, with 2 of them spoken fluently! I was a bit ashamed with my 1 and a half languages, and want to make an effort to change this.
The return to South Africa had me in two minds. I was sad to leave all the adventure and travelling (although I was in serious need of a detox after all the ice cream and beer), as well as all the new friendships I had made and old ones rekindled, but I was also excited to get back into my old life with a new positive outlook and broader understanding of the world. And I must say that in some ways a month spent in Germany made me appreciate my own country so much more. Grumpy after a long flight, I could not help but grinning when I stepped out at OR Thambo airport. Although completely inefficient compared to the Germans, South Africans are some of the most friendly people you will ever meet and always do everything with a smile! I look forwarding to continuing to keep in contact with friends I have made (whatsapp and skype is perfect for that), but I will definitely not miss all the copious amounts of sparkling water that the Germans drink!