A Blog about Education Abroad

Tag: semester exchange

  • Stephen Temitope David at Humboldt University of Berlin in Germany

    Stephen Temitope David at Humboldt University of Berlin in Germany

    Pre-departure:

    I was in Germany for a three month research stay at Humboldt University, Berlin. Berlin is a city of memories, from the intimate blend of the old and new – evident in the way cobblestone roads kiss their much younger, tarred counterparts to constantly remind one of the debris of memory interred in the womb of the city – to the imposing dome of the Bode museum which is sternly guarded by the TV tower at Alexanderplatz, the city presents itself as one huge archive. It is to this magnificent city of cultures and memories that my stay abroad took me. Although I couldn’t visit every part of Deutschland, the whole of Germany – and the world – came to me in bits and exciting pieces in Berlin. More importantly, I couldn’t have picked a better period for my stay; it was right in the heart of summer!

    Before leaving Stellenbosch, I and a crop of bright-eyed would-be explorers were taken through a robust course on the demands and pleasures of being ‘glocal’ citizens. We were prepped on how to handle culture-shock and a myriad of other issues (the session was so well resourced that I started thinking Sarah should be moonlighting as a psychologist).

    Experience at Host University:

    I was hosted by the Institute for Asian and African Studies (IAAW) at Humboldt University Berlin. Beside the high global reputation which the institute enjoys as a Mecca of sorts for African scholars seeking the commune of other scholars of Africa (I met with a truly pan-African cohort of visitors when I arrived), the institute hosts a remarkable crop of students and researchers who are truly passionate about Africa and her epistemologies. My stay in the institute was intellectually nourishing: I presented a chapter of my thesis and got insightful comments and feedback. I also enjoyed the collection of rare books owned by the institute’s library – I wish I had more time to explore the secrets of those shelves.

    The University library (Grim library) held even more literary gems, so I made it my home (yes, it’s named after the Grim brothers); I hunted for old books on Unter den linden street, attended seminars at FU Berlin and Haus der Kulturen der Welt – where I met Paul Gilroy (author of The Black Atlantic). But I also found time to drink a new brand of beer with friends after each long hibernation in the capacious womb of the Grim library (Germany has over 5,000 beer brands!); I sat beside the Spree to watch dancers learn new steps under a brightly lit wooden shed which projects images of the dancers onto the river in a cornucopia of colours. Oh, and there was the diver who hopped into the depths of the river from a bridge amidst muffled screams of worry from onlookers, only to clamber up the slippery bank of the river with his hanging belly dripping water as he left the scene laughing. I also visited Dresden where the magnificence, opulence, and consumerism of medieval Europe remains evident despite the destruction wrought on the city by Allied bombing during the second world war. Of course, the scars are still evident, but they feel like battle scars which evidence survival.

    Visit in Dresden
    Visit in Dresden
    Return to Stellenbosch:

    Travelling abroad was a truly rewarding experience; I have forged transnational academic networks and friendships that have awoken me to my importance as an interlocutor in global debates and cultures. Also, the different energies birthed in the truly cosmopolitan mix of bodies and cultures of Berlin propelled me through the final but arduous stages of my thesis. In my wanderings around the multiple sites of Berlin’s offerings of knowledge and fun, I might not have found the cure to violence in Africa – as I had set out to do at the ingénue state of my research; but what I did find is that the we are making some progress in telling African stories beyond the worn narrative thread of hunger and privation. I am grateful to Stellenbosch University International Office (SUI especially Sarah) for the support they offered, IAAW at Humboldt University for making my stay truly memorable, and to DAAD for making me feel that my research might be truly important after all.

  • Sechaba Mokobane at Maastricht University in the Netherlands

    Sechaba Mokobane at Maastricht University in the Netherlands

    Pre-departure:

    Having travelled abroad several times before I applied for the exchange program, I was reasonably prepared for the pre-departure admin. I assumed, naturally, that the pre-departure process would be like my previous trips. Once accepted for the exchange, I would gather a bunch of documents and make an appointment at the visa office. Several weeks later, I would make the trip to Cape Town and patiently wait for my visa to be accepted. Within a week, it would be approved, and I would be ready to depart. Sadly, I was mistaken. A series of mistakes cost me valuable time and forced me to book my flight a mere five days before I departed. Assuming you want to avoid panic and stress, these are some things you might want to do:

    • Remember that the Dutch have a strict visa process so make sure your documents are faultless.
    • You will have to liaise with one of the departments at Maastricht University during the visa process. The department deals with plenty of exchange students and it could take them as much as five days to respond to an email. Respond to their emails speedily.
    • If you are using the Pretoria embassy and are pressed for time, make an appointment at the embassy before your visa has been approved. Some people book their appointments weeks and months in advance and can make it difficult for you to book an appointment on time. If you are visiting the Cape Town embassy, the process is much easier, and you do not have to fret about appointments.

    Read as many of these blogs as possible. Some people have discovered indispensable gems – you do not want to miss out.

    Experience at the Host University:

    Once you manage to get through all the preliminaries, you will catch your flight and presumably land in Amsterdam. From there you will catch a bus or train down to Maastricht down in the south. This quaint city nestled between Belgium and Germany will become your new home for the semester. In addition, if you are one of the lucky ones, which I hope you are, a part of you will remain in Maastricht forever.

    It took me about two months to truly fall in love with Maastricht. The first few weeks were difficult. I found myself struggling to adjust to the weather, teaching style, and social circles that were forming around me. During this time, I missed home and did not look forward to the prospect of spending another three months in Maastricht. Nevertheless, things turned around and I am extremely happy I decided to go on this exchange.  Maastricht is undoubtedly a beautiful city filled with many exciting touristic things to do and I did as many as possible, but I will always remember it for the people I have to meet there. Without them, the experience would have not been the same.

    Most of my time was spent at the guesthouse where I stayed in a section made up of full-time students. Despite being chaotic at times, it was a section filled with warm and friendly people who made me feel welcome from the time I arrived. Some of them, for whom I am truly thankful, ensured I didn’t burn down the section as I was learning how to cook.

    The other group I spent time with was a wonderfully diverse bunch compromising of people from America, Brazil, Columbia, and a few European countries. Most days were spent sitting in someone’s living room appreciating the peculiarities of our respective nations. Sometimes we had picnics together and cycled through the city for fun. The greatest adventure, however, was when 16 of us decided to travel together for a week. First Germany, then Prague and then Budapest to end what proved to be an unforgettable trip.

    I was also fortunate to find a group closer to home: “Saffas in Maastricht”. Not too long after joining the group, I met up with two South Africans for drinks. Our meet up provided the taste of home that I was missing. Although we did not meet frequently afterwards, someone did host a braai that I gladly attended. We got a chance to put some pork chops on the fire, stick a peppermint crisp tart in the fridge, and enjoy South African classics such as Weekend Special by Brenda Fassie. In addition, of course, the night would have been incomplete if we did not sokkie at the end. We also had fun on the Whatsapp group that kept us updated on all the weird and wonderful things happening in South Africa. Observing South Africa as a semi-outsider was surreal.

    The final group was one that formed at a church called Redeemer in Maastricht. Once again, it was a wonderfully diverse group of people that I could interact with. Germans, Poles, Indonesians, and Canadians amongst others. Most of the time we spent together was on a Sunday at church or during the week at someone’s flat where we would have Connect Groups. Some of the other time we spent doing things like attending festivals, watching movies, or simply sharing a meal and playing board games. At the end of the exchange, it was especially difficult to say goodbye to this group of people who had helped me find a home in Maastricht.

    Sechaba getting things festive
    Sechaba getting things festive
    Return to Stellenbosch:

    Something people do not stress enough is how quickly time flies by. While in the heat of the exchange, I certainly experienced wonderful moments that will stay with me forever. However, it was only on the last day that I could truly and fully appreciate how amazing the experience had been. It had truly been a dream come true.

    Surprisingly, settling back into normal South African life was easy. After spending about three days reminiscing and borderline wallowing, I took some time to meaningfully reflect on the experience. It was an experience that exceeded all my expectations and for which I have much to be grateful for. I made incredible friends, explored new parts of the world, and returned with invaluable perspective. South Africa, however, remains home and I was excited to return. I got a taste of life in another country and I could appreciate all the things that make both countries unique. Thank you to the Stellenbosch International Office for making my dream a reality. I am eternally grateful.

  • Dorica Singini at the University of Hohenheim, Germany

    Dorica Singini at the University of Hohenheim, Germany

    Pre-departure:

    Shortly after my application, I received the news that I had been nominated to the University of Hohenheim after which I had to apply directly to the school. The direct application to the University was very fast.  In three hours after submission of the application, I received the acceptance letter from the University.  I was so excited about the news of spending a summer semester abroad and traveling to Germany for the first time! In my getting ready for the program, I took part in the Exchange Pre-Departure sessions as organized by the International office. I started to plan, make research about Germany as a country, their culture, language, weather as well as a list of places to visit during my semester exchange.

    I started my visa application process a month before my scheduled departure. The visa was processed at the German Consulate office in Cape Town, South Africa. The application process was so easy and fast and in four days my visa was ready and I was set to begin my Germany adventures! My excitement and anticipation levels were getting higher and higher, I was looking forward to travel. Before long, my day of departure had come. I was ready to go!

    Experience at the Host University:

    I was thrilled when I arrived in Stuttgart because of its beauty, and its amazing infrastructure. It was beyond anything I had imagined or thought of! I was so impressed by the beauty of the University campus and its magnificent infrastructures. One of the infrastructures that caught my attention was the famous Hohenheim Palace commonly known as ‘Schloss Hohenheim’.

    The first week of my arrival was the busiest. My classes started immediately and they run simultaneously with the orientation activities. I also had to go around and get myself registered as a resident in Germany. This meant juggling orientation activities, matriculation as well as classes all at the same time!  However, I made a few friends in that week that helped me settle and made this process less overwhelming for me. I would advise going a few days earlier than the day the semester begins to do away with most of the admin work. That also includes being mindful of this even before submitting the dormitory contract dates.

    Orientation was wrapped up with an international student’s dinner where we were officially welcomed by the top university officials. Dinner was served over some wine and German pies. I met amazing friends from the orientation dinner and we visited most parts of the city together.

    Dorica (second from right) with her friends in Stuttgart City Centre
    Dorica (second from right) with her friends in Stuttgart City Centre

    I enjoyed the academic experience in Hohenheim. I had the privilege of meeting and interacting with experts in my research field. I took three courses that are not offered at Stellenbosch to enhance my research skills. To further broaden my knowledge, I also took econometrics courses at the economics department. I gained a different perspective about research through participation in debates on different agricultural development topics. I also joined and participated in the innovation in agriculture and rural development seminars.

    I had a chance to learn from people from different countries about discourses in agriculture, development and food technology. I particularly enjoyed being with classmates from different countries such as Nepal, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, France, Kenya, Mongolia, Uganda and India. Classes were always exciting especially the aspect where we had group discussions and shared different ideas about agricultural research with application from scenarios from our countries of origin. The education system in Stellenbosch and Hohenheim are quiet similar in terms of the methods of assessment such as seminar paper writing and presentations. On the other hand, they have different grading systems. Germany uses a GPA range of 1-5 while Stellenbosch uses letters A-F for grading.

    My story would be incomplete if I do not talk about the beautiful historic castles in Germany! Germany has a rich and complex history, an invigorating culture and fun-loving people, this is something every student looks forward to. My favourite time of the week was when I got to visit some of the beautiful towns in Stuttgart. I tried German’s foods from the Hohenheim cafeteria which is called ‘Mensa’ meaning a dining hall in German. I liked the art, and I attended popular summer festivals such as ‘Sommerfestival der kulturen’, and music festivals. I also visited places outside Stuttgart such as Karlsruhe which is a town that is near the French-German border.

     

    Dorica with her friends at Karlsruhe
    Dorica with her friends at Karlsruhe

    You cannot visit Stuttgart without going to the Porsche and Mercedes Museum. I like cars so much that I had to visit the Museum twice! I got to learn about the history of German cars.  The museum also offers you a great gaming session where you get to drive a Porsche!

    Dorica at the Porsche Museum
    Dorica at the Porsche Museum

    Living in Germany helped me appreciate and learn a few things about their culture. One thing that rubbed off on me is the love of sparkling water because in Germany, water has to explode! I was also impressed by their recycling rules; you get a few bucks for returning empty bottles at the store for recycling. That’s pretty cool! Another thing that I observed is that after a lecture or a seminar, Germans knock on their tables instead of clapping. Knocking on tables after a presentation is form of saying goodbye or thank you. I didn’t realise this had rubbed off on me until I caught myself knocking on tables in Stellenbosch.

    Dorica in front of the Karlsruhe Palace
    Dorica in front of the Karlsruhe Palace

    Besides the culture and educational experience, I also liked German’s transport system, it was fast, efficient and effective. I enjoyed the fact that students enjoy free transportation within the city on the trains and buses during the weekends and every day from 6am to 6pm.

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    It’s amazing how time flies when you are enjoying yourself. I felt like the four months had gone by so quickly. I grew to love the city, and made wonderful friends but it was now time to leave and return to Stellenbosch. Even though Stellenbosch is my home University I am also an international student there from Malawi. This study abroad experience helped me to appreciate the differences in culture in different countries. More importantly, I got to appreciate that there are different things that make countries great, because there is beauty in being different and unique.

    Going on exchange has been one of the best moments of my life. I learnt a lot about people and also about myself. I have become more confident; I have learnt so much by observation; and I made friends that will last a life time. After this experience, I feel like I can do anything and I can go anywhere in the world and be really great. I want to travel more and explore more cultures and the diversity that exists in the world. I have found what I love through this opportunity and I will go for it! This opportunity also built my character, I have learnt to immerse myself in different cultures, communicate with different people, and be myself. Most importantly, I have also learnt to be independent, because self-sufficiency is a cool virtue in Germany. I have also learnt to think fast, plan and budget.

    I would like to encourage everyone to take the challenge and go abroad to experience, learn and discover another world, maybe just like me you would also discover more interesting sides about yourself! So, why not go for it!?