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Ask Me Anything - Studying in Germany
Hello, I am Juanita, and I come from Colombia. I am 23 years old and I have been living in Germany for five years now. I study Latin American Regional Studies with a focus on social sciences at university. I am here today to answer a few questions.
Why did you choose to study in Germany, of all places?
Well, first of all, because it is much cheaper than in Colombia. You do not have to pay tuition fees here. Also, my brother has been living here for a few years already, and he always told me that everything works really well in Germany. For example, in France or England you might have to pay a bit more, but here it is genuinely manageable.
What do you like about your university in Germany?
I think you can decide quite flexibly what you want to do each semester. If you only want to attend one lecture, for instance, that is completely fine. And if you want to work more, you do not have to go to university as often.
Are all your lectures in German, or are there English-language options too?
In my course, we actually have a lot of lectures in Spanish and Portuguese, and a few in English as well. I think that is really good, because learning and studying everything in German can be quite exhausting at times. Having a few classes in your own mother tongue definitely helps.
Have you ever failed an exam at university?
No.
So do you have to study a lot to avoid failing, or are you just naturally clever?
No, I really do have to study a lot. Especially when it is in German, you simply have to put in more effort, as I said. In Spanish it goes quite smoothly, but in German I really have to study hard.
Are there good places to go out and spend your free time in your city?
Definitely. I think Cologne has a lot to offer. There is always something going on: concerts, all sorts of events.
Is it hard for international students to find accommodation?
Yes, it is very hard. It takes quite a while to find something. But the university also offers a lot of support for international students. There are halls of residence, and as an international student you are quite likely to get a room, because they know it is a bit harder for us to find something privately.
What do you think is typically German?
I do not really know. Punctuality, probably – but everyone knows that one. Definitely punctuality, though. I have learnt to be on time.
How do you find the food in Germany?
I think there are some tasty things, but not that many.
What is tasty, then? What are the things that are tasty?
Bread. The bread is really, really tasty. The beer is also very good – that sounds like a cliché, but it is definitely true.
How did you learn German?
I took a few courses in Colombia. Then I came here and lived with a German host family. They spoke German with me the whole time, even when I did not understand that much at the beginning. It has got better since then. I also had to take some courses at university, which were very intensive and used quite specific subject terminology. By now I also have some German friends, and that helps a lot too.
Ask Me Anything – Studying in Germany
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