Pre-departure:
Going on a 14-day, “see-everything” Eurotrip may be somewhat rewarding, but studying in a European city and exploring its surroundings is a lot better. My month in Strasbourg made me realise that the most fulfilling way to experience another culture and their traditions is all about learning a little of their language, shopping in their shops and sighing with them at tourists on segways.
Pre-departure:
From the first moment I heard that my summer school in Germany has been approved, my excitement levels shot through the roof. I literally could not stop thinking about it for a period of two weeks and I could not help myself from downloading all the information I could get about Germany. I also forced all my friends in South-Africa that could speak German to teach me the basics and this itself really helped a lot with my time overseas. Unfortunately this feeling only lasted for a short while because there was so much that had to be done before Germany could become a reality. Apart from the fact that all the paperwork and administration had to be taken care of, there was a massive exam waiting for me, and because neither a rewrite nor a second opportunity was available for me, the pressure was on. Luckily that forced myself to take charge and the exam went relatively well taking everything into consideration.
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.