Erasmus Magazine - Vanessa Ma by Vanessa Ma

issue 1 / 2013

Travel the world with us

ARTICLE

*sausages, schnitzel & beer

*All the unexcepted experiances...

ion:

the destinat

*All the unexcepted experiances...

Y N A M GER NEXT DESTINATION: *German Stereotypes; true or false?

BULGARIA!

*Q&A from you!

*German Stereotypes; true or false?

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

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W E LC O M E Hello Erasmus is here to help you through the sticky descision of which country to move to on your year abroad! Living in a country either for 6 months or a whole year can be so daunting so we’re here just to make it a little bit easier. We get deep down in every aspect of the country, packed with articles such as ‘Whats the culture shock?’ and little advice sections to what to do when you arrive and exclusive interviews with past abroaders whom have experianced living in the country. They share their experiance of Germany and telling details of the city where they have lived, showing us tips of the whats best to do and see! We aim to make the transistion of moving alot more easier! Happy Travelling

CONTENTS ISSUE ONE / AUGUST 2013 / GERMANY

WHY CHOOSE GERMANY

CONTENTS

WHAT TO DO: ARRIVAL

Handy advice section on all the gritty details!

MINI TOUR OF: GERMANY

Tick off the places you gradually visit when living here!

what’s the CULTURE SHOCK?

This article will get deep down with all the details you’ll need to know so it’ll be less of a shock when faced with it!

INTERVIEW: BERLIN

Nathan gives us the details of his experiances and tips!

investigating the: STEREOTYPES

Do they really drink gallons of beer and eat sausages?

HOW TO: SAVE MONEY

Some useful tips on saving money in Deustchland!

Lilly gives us the details of her experiances and tips!

HOW TO FIND: ACCOMENDATION

4 different types of living that is avaliable for you!

TOP TEN TIPS: Surviving here!

The key tips on getting through your year!

CULTURE SHOCK: Student life and Relationships

This article describes what its like compared to england! the little differences..

LANGUAGE AND DIALECT

Some handy little details of the confusing language just to make things a little more understandable.. hope it helps!

CULTURE SHOCK: German Customs

This article continues to tell us the little shocks .

INTERVIEW: MUNICH

Elena gives us the details of her experiances and tips!

CONTENTS

INTERVIEW: HIEDELBERG

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

why do your year abroad in..

GERMANY?

Making the decision to study abroad is such a hard decision, let alone deciding which country to live in! Here are some brief reasons to summarise why Germany could be the winning country!

1. Germany history & nature If The Hoff himself (perm and all) made it big here, so can you! For historians the world over, Germany remains an important and intriguing site of historical interest, with many remnants and monuments of times past to visit and explore. For nature lovers, it offers the beauty of the Black Forest, the tranquil delight of the Rhine Valley and the Bavarian Alps and Forest, to keep you out of city trouble and release your inner country bumpkin! Party animals and culture crowds can hit up Berlin and Munich for entertainment purposes.

2. Place to escape to... Germany is progressive, exciting and an exquisite place to escape to. If you’re into reading old, dog-eared books of fables and day dreaming, you’ll be enchanted by a fairytale world that lies in the romantic landscapes of the country. Snowy mountains, lush green forests and towering castle turrets punctuate its sky, and you’ll soon feel the need to slip on some lederhosen and munch on some gingerbread.

3. Litres pints of beer If beer and festivals are more your thing, then we have one word for you: Oktoberfest. Fancy doing something altogether more liberating and a little more hardcore, ja? Well head to trendy Berlin, where you can fulfil many a fantasy, from pretending you’re in an art-deco movie, prancing about in fluorescent clothing or just having the time of your life in one of its many, many clubs. With so much to do, so much to see, and such a sizeable student population, you’ll most likely have to turn down invitations than dwell in student accommodation, mit sauerkraut for company.

4. Fulfil many fantasys Whatever you want to get out of your year abroad, rest assured that Germany will have you well fed, well drunk and well cultured within no time, with a penchant for litre pints of beer (it can only be a good thing, right?). Cheaper than most of its European neighbours, it’s a great choice for a year abroad as it won’t let you down, whatever your tastes or fancies!

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

Whats the

culture shock? 8

Claire is in her third year at Oxford University studying German. For her year abroad she is working just outside of Dresden in Germany as an English Language Assistant in a Secondary School as part of the British Council scheme.

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AUTHOR:ANNA SIMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY: JO SMITH

CROSS ON A RED MAN AND BE SHUNNED BY SOCIETY

DEAD SHOCKING SITUATIONS! (you’ll survive)

too flat, too square or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress. There is the stereotype of course that the Germans have little to no sense of humour but on the most part they are a friendly bunch and God forbid if you go into a small local shop without saying ‘Guten Tag’. However, say hello or smile as you walk past someone in the street and you may be stared at (staring is also

Hopefully you won’t experience much culture shock in Germany. It can often have a reassuringly British feel about it, but an organised Britain which works on time! There are some things to look out for, though, although these can often have a humorous effect rather than a destabilising one. The pillows are atrocious.This might seem trivial, but it seems to have sparked a lot of anger among my English friends here!They are either too flat, too square or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress.

Beer does cost less than bottled water! so why not?

CLAPPING - UNIVERSAL GESTURE YOU MAY HAVE THOUGHT BUT NO, HERE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING IT- KNOCKING THEIR KNUCKLES ON THE TABLE.

no. In the school I’m in, if the kids or teachers want to congratulate a student on a good presentation, they will all just bang their knuckles on the table. In the theatre, with the unfortunate absence of a table, the audience will clap for about a million hours and just when you think it’s safe to get up and leave, it starts again! Maybe the actors just need an ego boost – they go on and off stage approximately ten times and in every different combination you can think of! Cross the road on a red man and prepare to be shunned by society. Or at least, fined by the police if they catch you doing it. Act like the locals and wait for the green man. It can often have a reassuringly British feel about it, but an organised Britain which works on time! There are some things to look out for, though, although these can often have a humorous effect rather than a destabilising one.

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popular on trains). The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience has been a bit hit and miss so far, especially concerning some grey mince... In some shops, don’t expect to find milk, margarine and cream in the fridge compartment. Oh, and take Marmite and beans with you (despite Mr Heinz being from the Vaterland they are surprisingly hard to track down). Not really culture shock, but something you might notice so I thought I’d mention it so you don’t embarrass yourself or start laughing... The Germans have a different way of clapping. Yes, a universal gesture you may have thought, but

getting stared at if you cross on a red man!

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY WHATS THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAY BETWEEN A LANGUAGE AND A DIALECT? The pillows are atrocious. This might seem trivial, but it seems to have sparked a lot of anger among my English friends here!They are either too flat, too square or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress. There is the stereotype of course that the Germans have little to no sense of humour but on the most part they are a friendly bunch and God forbid if you go into a small local shop without saying ‘Guten Tag’. However, say hello or smile as you walk past someone in the street and you may be stared at (staring is also popular on trains). The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience

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has been a bit hit and miss so far, especially concerning some grey mince... In some shops, don’t expect to find milk, margarine and cream in the fridge compartment. Oh, and take Marmite and beans with you (despite Mr Heinz being from the Vaterland they are surprisingly hard to track down). Not really culture shock, but something you might notice so I thought I’d mention it so you don’t embarrass yourself or start laughing... The Germans have a different way of clapping. Yes, a universal gesture you may have thought, but no. In the school I’m in, if the kids or teachers want to congratulate a student on a good presentation, they will all just bang their knuckles on the table. In the theatre, with the unfortunate absence of a table, the audience will clap for about a million hours and just when you think it’s safe to get up and leave, it starts again! Maybe the actors just need an ego boost – they go on and off stage approximately ten times and in every different combination you can think of! Cross the road on a red man and prepare to be shunned by society.

CLAPPING - UNIVERSAL GESTURE YOU MAY HAVE THOUGHT BUT NO, HERE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING IT- KNOCKING THEIR The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience has been a bit hit and miss so far,

especially concerning some grey mince... In some shops, don’t expect to find milk, margarine and cream in the fridge compartment. Oh, and take Marmite and beans with you (despite Mr Heinz being from the Vaterland they are surprisingly hard to track down). Not really culture shock, but something you might notice so I thought I’d mention it so you don’t embar-

rass yourself or start laughing... The Germans have a different way of clapping. Yes, a universal gesture you may have thought, but no. In the school I’m in, if the kids or teachers want to congratulate a student on a good presentation, they will all just bang their knuckles on the table. In the theatre, with the unfortunate absence of a table, the audience will clap for about a

The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang take Marmite and beans with you (despit Mr Heinz being from the Vaterland they are surprisingly hard to track down).

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hamburg mermaid sculpture!

IN SOME SHOPS, DONT EXPECT TO TO FIND MILK, MARGARINE AND CREAM IN THE FRIDGE COMPARTMENT! OH AND TAKE MARMITE AND BEANS WITH YOU... STOCK UP- COMFORT FOOD! IF EVER IN NEED. Or at least, fined by the police if they catch you doing it. Act like the locals and wait for the green man. that the Germans have little to no sense of humour but on the most part they are a friendly bunch and God forbid if you go into a small local shop without saying ‘Guten Tag’. However, say hello or smile as you walk past someone in the street and you may be stared at (staring

is also popular on trains). The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

WHAT TO DO: when you

arrive!

Whether you’re wisely planning ahead or have just arrived and are in a panic, here is a step-bystep guide about what to do when you arrive in Germany for your year abroad... AUTHOR: CLARE MORLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: JANE SMITH

packing your life into a one su

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itcase! aah

HEALTH INSURANCE

As you have to pay for any sort of healthcare in Germany, you will need to have health insurance. You might be covered by the Deutscher Ring Scheme if you are on the Erasmus scheme. If not, it’s probably worth checking them out at www. deutscherring.de.

ACCOMENDATION

If you’re not offered any sort of accommodation through your job or university, try www.wg-gesucht. de for searching accommodation in large towns or cities. Also be sure you notice the difference between ‘warm’ or ‘kalt’ rent – ‘warm’ and you get heating and other bills thrown in, ‘kalt’ and you might get a nasty surprise.

HANDY

It’s also probably worth getting yourself a German mobile phone, if only for the costs you might run up on your English phone! Either take a handset with you and buy a sim-card or ask for advice at a local technical shop.

You’ll also need this form to set up a bank account. Sparkasse is a good bet, and you’ll probably want a Girokonto or a current account. If you’ve got a job or are working as a teaching assistant, they’ll want to know your details so you can get paid! It is also pretty easy to set up a standing order for rent if that is how you choose to pay it. Simply go into a bank armed with the correct vocab, your Anmeldebestätigung, your passport and address and they will be happy to help! Once you get your cash card, be sure to only go to cash points run by your bank or you’ll run up hefty charges!

TRAVEL

If you plan to do a lot of travelling within Germany, it’s probably worth investing in a Bahncard. Check out www.bahncard.de, or pop into one of the travel centres at most stations to see which one would work for you – BahnCard 25 gives you 25% off most tickets and BahnCard 50% makes most tickets half price. If you are registered at a University, you will probably also get free travel within your county!

Once you have an address, you have to ‘anmelden’, or register, a word you will get to know quite well. Somewhere in your town there will be an office designed especially for this - it’s a legal requirement to register when you start living somewhere new. It’s quite simple, you just have to go along once you’ve got your lease, with your passport, rental agreement and a reason for being in the country! You’ll then be given what is called an “Anmeldebestätigung”. Hold on to it! Later you might have to register at a type of foreigners’ office, but you should be sent a letter about this.

TV LICENCE

If you’re going to get yourself a TV or radio, check out www.gez.de for how to go about getting a licence.

REMEMBER

When you leave don’t forget that all these things need to be undone, as it were – so remember to de-register and cancel everything!

ADVICE

BANK ACCOUNT

ERASMUS STUDENT STUDENT COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ERASMUS

Hi im Nathan, im currently studying Law with German at the University of Sheffield and I’m on my year abroad studying German Law at Freie Universität Berlin. Here I will pass on my hopefully useful advice about student survival in the city: finding somewhere to live in Berlin, registering your address, setting up a bank account, thing to do during the day and at night, travel, insurance and the Berlin dialect...

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INSIGHTS OF ‘BERLIN’ Nathan WITH... HelloHello Nathan! first first questiongladwhatTempelhof or Tiergarten to enjoypart-du bist Nathan! questionwhilst talking to my language thisso size. wunderbar”. My favourite spot of all is youvewas moved Berlin? the inBerlin yourtofirst impressions of thisthe sun, ners.street At theperformers weekends, or I swam theis“Englischer a buzzing hive Garten”, of activity one of the I am baverian so happycity? that I chose Berlin. mix the of artists inhabiting Isar (Munich’s river)Tacheand lakesbut first world’s things largest first: urban you have parks. to get It conBerlinI left is a great all year round. students, workrainy city Wales in July and theles, flea in themarkets, countryside, attended “Volks-yourself tainssorted jogging andpaths, settleda in. restaurant, Whenfirst thething sun shines, that hitBerlin me ascomes I steppeders, cafés, feste” hipsters, (drunkensingers, village actors; gatherings) a beer garden, as well as a Grecia into onto its own. Aftersoil a long winter, for Bavaria’s everyone.manyHowthis German was the heat. Itthere’s andsomething hiked around did size. you feel My favourite when youspot moved? of all is with was temperatures getting to and -20°C, Berlinforests. is famous as theit capital of over 30C in Munich, humid, Although is Germany’s Be prepared the “Englischer for a shock Garten”, with one your of the Berlinwhich has ais new feeling of being frombohemia, as andemotions. not what I expected third cabaret biggest and city openness, (after Berlin world’sI largest haven’t urban met anyone parks. Itsoconrefreshed and getting ready to start andwell Hamburg) as for many such asof 1.3far who Germany. I adjusted beautifully withwriters, a population tainshasn’t jogging saidpaths, that they a restaurant, didn’t the sunny It was 30°C cooling at Brecht, Christopher Isherwood and ofrealise spent summer! an idyllic summer million, it’s blessed with plenty a beer just garden, how much as they’d well aseither a Grecia the weekend! Everything andwith any-a litrefor being birth and placethe of Marlene myself down after work greenthe spaces stunning Ba-missGarten”, home or onefriends of theasworld’s much largest as thing(pints goes are in this city andforthere’s Butcountryside oh, there isis so much apparently wimps) ofDietrich. varian easily acces-theyurban thought parks. they Itwould. contains Amongst jogging neverice-cold a dull “Radler” moment.(aWhether to Berlin. Asnever the famous Ber- inthe paths, superior it’s form ofmoresible so you feel hemmed whole ahype restaurant, of goinga away, beer begarden, everyone flocking thebeer Spree, Pilsner ”Berlin, shandy) in the to city’s gardensliner like you tagline can do goes, in other cities ofing alone as well after as abeing Grecia left at the air-

INTERVIEW ARTICLE

blooming of street art!

BERLIN IS FAMOUS AS THE CAPITAL OF BEHEMIA, CABARET AND OPENNESS THERE IS SO MUCH OF BERLIN

port where no one has any idea that you’re moving to Berlin, it is a shock to be living in a different country. Especially if you’ve left your mobile at home as you’re going to get a new one once here. But, chin up! Once you get settled, it is just like when you moved away to uni. Sounds tough! Everyone goes through it, i guess that is why you need to find distractions! There is so much to fill the days in Berlin. Whether it is sightseeing,

going to cafés or restaurants or finding an open space to sit and watch the day go by. A definite recommendation for cafés and restaurants in Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain (SimonDach-Straße), Prenzlauer Berg, Schöneberg and Charlottenburg. At the weekends, flea markets spring up all over the place. The most famous is Mauerpark, where there’s Sonntag Karaoke

ERASMUS ERASMUS STUDENT STUDENT COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

where anyone can sing, and it’s such a casual, relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. When it’s sunny, pop down to Tempelhof Airport, where the airport has closed and the grounds have been opened as a mass-air “park”. It’s huge, where people are go for ‘Grillen’, flying kites and hanging out. Tacheles, whilst it’s still around, is a mustsee! KaDeWe is recommended for those special shopping trips, and failing that go to Kurfürstendamm, combining it with a visit to the bombed/ ruined Gedächtniskirche.

16 16

ARTICLE INTERVIEW

Treptower Park is a must. It’s a huge Soviet memorial, with depictions on stone and a huge statue with a memorial room (where flowers are laid and you’re not allowed in). Climb the statue and you can see the Fernsehturm. Wannsee/Schlachtensee are huge lakes where you can sunbathe, swim, have boat rides and generally relax. It’s beautiful in the summer I heard Berlin is an amazing place to go clubbing! any tips on the best ones? Berlin has such a variety of clubs. There is something for every interest. Don’t forget that, being a capital city, some places can be a bit pricey for entry. Places can be quite strict on dress code, and how much you’ve already had to drink. Large groups are generally dissuaded. 1) Berghain is Berlin’s famous club, boasting the best sound system and playing mostly techno/elec-

tro music. Entry is around 14€ but drinks are relatively well priced once inside. Door policy is erratic, and queues can be long, so have a back-up plan in case you can’t get in. 2) Fritz is around the corner from Berghain in Ostbahnhof’s Postbahnhof. On Friday nights, students get in for 3€ with a student card. It plays chart music, old music — basically, a variety of music. If the bouncers think you’ve already had too much to drink they won’t let you in. 3) Cassiopeia, located on Revaler Straße (near Warschauer Straße), is highly recommended! Cheap drinks and shots, and open till the early hours. It’s a fairly open club, so the sun shines through in the early hours when you’re still partying. 4) Watergate, located by Oberbaumbrücke/Schlesisches Tor. 21+ club, so I haven’t been yet, but people have recommended it! 5) Weinerei Forum, located at Rosenthaler Platz. Wine bar with food too, comfy sofas and very popular. Pay 2€ for a glass, drink and eat as much as you want and pay an honesty box at the end. Be warned, if the owners don’t think you’ve put in enough they’ll have a go at you…but, who can blame them if people abuse it and pay nothing/hardly anything. Matrix is a recommended club by most people who are in Berlin!

BERLIN HAS LOTS OF CLUBSSOMETHING FOR EVERY TASTE! 7) Cassiopeia, located on Revaler Straße (near Warschauer Straße), is highly recommended! Cheap drinks and shots, and open till the early hours. It’s a fairly open club, so the sun shines through in the early hours when you’re still partying. 8) Fritz is around the corner from Berghain in Ostbahnhof’s Postbahnhof. On Friday nights, students get in for 3€ with a student card. It plays chart music, old music — basically, a variety of music. If the bouncers think you’ve already had too much to drink they won’t let you in.

the city of beauty!

history memorials

TOP TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH BERLIN! * The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! * Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience

has been a bit hit and miss so far, especially concerning some grey mince... *In some shops, don’t expect to find milk, margarine and cream in the fridge compartment. Oh, and take Marmite and beans with you (despite Mr Heinz being from the Vaterland they are surprisingly hard to track down).

*Not really culture shock, but something you might notice so I thought I’d mention it so you don’t embarrass yourself or start laughing... The Germans have a different way of clapping. *Yes, a universal gesture you may have thought, but no. In the school I’m in, if the kids or teachers want to congratulate a student!

INTERVIEW ARTICLE

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

history fanatics!

amazing nightlife!

18 18

ARTICLE INTERVIEW What do you think makes Berlin the best place to live in? I left rainy Wales in July and the first thing that hit me as I stepped onto German soil was the heat. It was over 30C in Munich, and humid, which is not what I expected from Germany. I adjusted beautifully and spent an idyllic summer cooling myself down after work with a litre (pints are apparently for wimps) of

ice-cold “Radler” (a superior form of shandy) in the city’s beer gardens whilst talking to my language partners. At the weekends, I swam in the Isar (Munich’s river) and lakes in the countryside, attended “Volksfeste” (drunken village gatherings) and hiked around Bavaria’s many forests. Although it is Germany’s third biggest city (after Berlin and Hamburg) with a population of 1.3

million, it’s blessed with plenty of green spaces and the stunning Bavarian countryside is easily accessible so you never feel hemmed in like you can do in other cities of this size. My favourite spot of all is the “Englischer Garten”, one of the world’s largest urban parks. It contains jogging paths, a restaurant, a beer garden, as well as a Grecia

KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THE BERLIN DIALECTBERLINISCH AS THEY CALL IT! PARTICALLY INDIVIDUAL ACCENT THAT YOU’LL GET TO FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH.

1. Danke (schön) – Thank you (very much) 2. Noch ein Bier, bitte – Another beer, please 3. Entschuldigung – Excuse me/I’m sorry (use ‘es tut mir Leid’ only if you’re really apologising for something bad) 4. Anrufen – To telephone someone 5. Egal – I don’t mind 6. Kann ich vorbei komme? – Can I come over? 7. Also – A conjunction, meaning so, therefore… Germans use it in pretty much every other sentence. ‘Ach so’ is different, and an expression of surprise/recognition. You’ll want to use this one a lot, too. 8. WG/Wohngemeinschaft – It’s what you’ll probably be living in, a shared/ communal apartment 9. Genau – Exactly. Again, use as much as possible. 10. Doch – An expression of disagreement, whereas ‘Stimmt’ is agreement What movies should you suggest to watch? The history fanatic: 1. Museum island 2. Prussian architecture: Unter den Linden, the Brandenburg Gate, Schloss Charlottenburg and the Siegessäule

THERE ARE ALOT OF GOOD FILMS BASED IN BERLIN!

3. Nazi Germany: The Topography of Terror, the Holocaust memorial and the Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand 4. Divided Berlin: Hohenschönhausen (former Stasi prison), Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer and the East Side Gallery 5. The Reichstag Any last words? Your year abroad will be the hardest, but also the best, year of your life if you let it, and Berlin is an amazing city to live. Make it count and enjoy it. Say yes to everything, and don’t ever claim to be bored. In this city, there is always something to do. Your year abroad will be the hardest, but also the best, year of your life if you let it, and Berlin is an amazing city to live. Make it count and enjoy it. Say yes to everything, and don’t ever claim to be bored. In this city, there is always something to do. Your year abroad will be the hardest, but also the best, year of your life if you let it, and Berlin is an amazing city to live. Make it count and enjoy it. Say yes to everything, and don’t ever claim to be bored. In this city, there is always something to do.

INTERVIEW ARTICLE

How was learning the language? Keep an eye on the Berlin dialect. ‘Berlinisch’ is a particularly individual accent that you’ll want to familiarise yourself with. ‘Ich’ becomes ‘ick’, ‘gut’ becomes ‘jut’ (pronounced ‘y-oot’), ‘gucken’ sounds like ‘cook-en’… it’s a great dialect, but it can be confusing. I’m not sure if it’s a Berlin thing, but a lot of young people say ‘ciao’ or ‘tschussi’ instead of ‘tschuss’.

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

MINI TOUR OF:

Deustchland!

ARTICLE

tick of the places! Hello Erasmus is here to help you through the sticky situation of making that hard descision of which country to live on your year abroad! Here, we get deep down in every aspect of the country, with information of existing or past year abroaders to tell us their tips of living here and what to do! We aim to make the transistion of moving alot more easier! Happy Travellings.

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

INVESTIGATING THE:

Stereotypes! 22

We Brits tend to give the Germans a bit of a hard time with our jokes. But since I’m now working in Germany as a teaching assistant for my year abroad, I thought I’d take on the challenge to find out how much truth actually lies behind our stereotypes. Do the Germans really only eat sausages for breakfast? Are they actually as impeccably efficient and organised as we expect them to be? And the classic - do they always put their towels on the sun loungers first?

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AUTHOR:ANNA SIMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY: AWECELIA

German has a bit of a problem with being a “boring” language - compared to Spanish, which is spoken in the Americas as well as Europe, and French, with its historic influence in Africa and across the globe, German can seem a bit, well, parochial. Its reach is confined almost exclusively to northern and central Europe, where there is a distinct lack of tropical beaches, political unrest, and postcolonial tension. But within the seemingly homogenous German-speaking

world, there is a wealth of dialectal colour and ethnographic and linguistic interest - read on here for a taste of the exotic side of the German language... What’s the difference anyway between a language and a dialect? The distinction might sound clear-cut, but it’s often closely link to national and political aims. Why else is standard German considered to come from somewhere around Hannover? And why is Dutch an

GERMANS DONT JUST EAT SAUSAGES & DRINK BEER!

THE MOST MISUNDERSTANDING GERMAN PHRASES Hopefully you won’t experience much culture shock in Germany. It can often have a reassuringly British feel about it, but an organised Britain which works on time! There are some things to look out for, though, although these can often have a humorous effect rather than a destabilising one. The pillows are atrocious.This might seem trivial, but it seems to have sparked a lot of anger among my English friends here!They are either too flat, too square or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress.

Generally your image of a German munching on a pretzel with a sausage in their hand is true. The Germans do love their meat, but this is a good thing for us, because - as a bit of self-confessed sausage snob - I’ll only eat Tesco Finest or the equivalent, and I now eat what’s considered the ‘value’ range here. This is because not only do 12 sausages cost €2 but they contain 95% decent meat! Sadly Germany isn’t so well-equipped for vegetarians but the Bayerische Käsespätzle (similar to macaroni cheese but far better) is amazing, so you can certainly survive. It’s also possible to buy enough shopping in the supermarket for a week and pay less than €20, whilst meals in restaurants are all really well-priced. Perfect for all of us used to living on a student budget!

Also if you, like me, enjoy your fair share of cake, then Germany is heaven. Their tradition of ‘Kaffee and Kuchen’ (coffee and cake) every afternoon is undoubtedly their best invention yet. It’s worth visiting Germany just to make the most of their bakeries too. There are 7 in my town and it’s half the size of Leamington! And as for Germans eating sausage for breakfast, you will definitely eat ham and cheese rolls for breakfast in any hotel/ youth hostel that you’ll stay in, but my german flatmate seems to be an exception to this rule and (quite understandably) says it’s too early to eat sausages for breakfast. Particularly as the working day begins at 8am here!

DRINKING BEER LIKE TAP WATER Judging by the 6 million people who visit Oktoberfest (Germany’s biggest beer festival in Munich) every year it’s clear that German beer is good. Unfortunately I’m not a beerfan but I can tell you that most Germans are very proud of their locally brewed beer and, because it isn’t illegal to consume alcohol on the streets, they can be seen drinking it at any time of the day and in any place. Not only this, but you can buy a bottle of beer for as little as 50 cents in the supermarket so it’s roughly the same price as water. If you ever visit Oktoberfest you will see thousands of drunken Germans dressed in Lederhosen (traditional German dress- definitely worth a google!) with a Stein (a litre) of beer in one hand and a pretzel and sausage in the other. If you’re looking to prove the German stereotypes then this is the place to go.

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SAUSAGES

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

NO SENSE OF HUMOUR?

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I’ve never really understood this ‘rude’ stereotype because I’ve always found the German people to be incredibly friendly. But perhaps my positive experience stems from their fascination with the British. British culture is just part of their life- they have intense English lessons since Kindergarten, listen to British and American music and watch American films in the cinema. Much of their culture is grounded in ours, so it makes being here a pleasure because you’re practically a resident celebrity. I even received a round of applause at the school where I work, simply for introducing myself in English! It’s true that their sense of humour is not quite the same as ours, especially with our British sarcasm, but many watch the same sitcoms as us and so do understand our humour! Since being here I’ve experienced huge amounts of kindness from teachers and pupils alike, the best being asked to a pupil’s house for Christmas.

THEY DRESS FOR PRACTICALITY This is true. I’ve been having a bit of an identity crisis since being in Germany, as part of me wants to dress smartly for school- mainly to avoid being mistaken as a pupil instead of a teacher- but also because I’m a believer that looking good makes you feel better. However the Germans do dress for practicality (forget Jack Wills, it’s all about ‘Jack Wolfskin’ here- an outdoor clothing brand, as they do love being in the heart of nature- which

you can understand when you see how beautiful the landscape is!) so jeans tend to be the standard attire. However this does have it benefits; you can go straight from a day at work or a day-trip to a night club without changing. You can’t talk about the war: Well… you can talk about the war. But just remember to leave your Hitler impressions in England. I’ve had a few discussions with pupils at school and no-one seems reluc-

tant to discuss it, actually whilst some feel their history is important to their heritage, and something they mustn’t forget, others feel detached from it and, quite-rightly, argue that it is not their individual responsibility anymore. I find it really refreshing that people aren’t frightened to talk about their history with me and I really appreciate their honesty. However I’m still not brave enough to speak of The Nazi’s any louder than a whisper when talking about history in public!

Well it’s safe to say that train services here, in my experience, are excellent. I’ve only been delayed perhaps once or twice and I’ve made quite a few trips across Germany so far, so you really can rely on your train to arrive according to the minute stated on the timetable. This is also makes it much easier when you’d like to travel during your year abroad and buying a Bahncard (which is a discount railcard valid for a year) costs only €40 for students and will very quickly pay for itself. Generally travelling smaller distances are more expensive so I’ve found that the further I travel, the better the price! Unfortunately I can’t yet comment on the myth of the sun-loungers as I haven’t yet stayed in a German hotel during my year abroad- firstly because almost all of my friends are on their year abroad too and therefore it’s a brilliant opportunity to do some sofa surfing but also because youth hostels are excellent value and far better quality than those found in the UK. However a similar ‘towel’

fiasco takes place in the school staffrooms where each teacher reserves their own place with their books and coats. This was very odd when I initially arrived and awkwardly stood in the corner- afraid to make enemies on my first day by sitting in the wrong seat- but now that I have my own reservation, I guess I’m also part of this phenomenon!

FOUND GERMANS TO BE SO FRIENDLY AND KIND!

IVE BEEN ASKED MANY FUNNY QUESTIONS- DO I DRINK TEA? DO I LIKE ONE DIRECTION? DO I EAT A FRY- UP EVERY DAY FOR BREAKFAST AND FISH AND CHIPS FOR DINNER? HOW DO I COPE IN THE RAIN? So all in all, I’ve learnt that our stereotypes are correct in so far as the Germans are right with their images of the British. I’ve been asked plenty of funny questions by the pupils at school: Do I only drink tea? Do I like Justin Bieber? Do I eat a Fry-Up every day for breakfast and fish and chips for dinner?

How do I cope with the rain? But I hope I’ve managed to convince you not to judge Germany by its stereotypes - because whilst it may lack France and Italy’s reputation of beauty and elegance, the landscape here resembles something out of a Disney film. So whilst the jokes are amusing, don’t let them shape your

image of Germany without first exploring all the wonderful things Germany has to offer- which is far more than beer and pretzels! don’t let them shape your image of Germany without first exploring all the wonderful things Germany has to offer- which is far more than beer and pretzels!

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ULTRA EFFICIANT & ORGANISED

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

HOW TO:

Save Money in Germany

SEMESTER TICKET

AUTHOR: JEN REEVES PHOTOGRAPHY: SALLY SMITH

ADVICE

Jennifer is a Joint Honours student at Warwick University, and is currently on her year abroad in Germany doing a Language Assistantship in Oberhausen while living nearby in Essen. Here is her advice to help you save money while travelling on your year abroad in Germany.

GROUP TRAVELLING

Travel as a group at the weekend. Train tickets at first glance can look expensive - but if there’s a few of you who would like to go on a weekend trip then a Schönes-WochenendeTicket is your best bet. For only €42 up to five people can travel for one day on a weekend on regional trains across Germany!

This ticket will save you a ridiculous amount of money. Sign up with your local university and for around €200 per semester you’ll have a way to get around your Bundesland (county) on regional trains without paying a penny more. As I live in Nordrhein-Westfalen this has meant places like Köln Düsseldorf and Dortmund were in easy reach, and meeting up for a coffee a few towns away becomes second nature. It means that you get a really good knowledge of your local area and you have no excuse not to go exploring. If you’re going further afield then you can always travel for free to the edge of your Bundesland and pay for the journey from there. I also am lucky enough to live in an area that borders Holland and Belgium - so I can wander along the border for free. Consult your map- depending on where you live you could be in Poland, Holland, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria or the Czech Republic for next to nothing!

MILTFAHRGELEGENHEIT.DE This website is a car sharing platform that allows you to get around for a startlingly tiny amount. I would never just jump in a stranger’s car back in the UK - but it’s really popular here and I’ve never felt unsafe. There’s also a French version if you happen to be venturing that way- covoiturage.fr. Plus if you can’t get a lift from/ to exactly where you want you can always use your semester ticket to cover the rest of the difference. You can use this system throughout Germany and also abroad, so if you’ve got some time

Using a flight comparison website like skyscanner.de to find the best deal, and make sure you clear your cookies so you still get the best deals, regardless of how often you use it. Even domestic flights can sometimes be cheaper as well as quicker than trains. If you’re not too fussy about your destination but want a break somewhere, then try German Wing’s blind booking from €33 - a surprise destination for a small cost! Also look into buses and coaches as well as trains through the Deutsche Bahn website, they often have cheap deals for different routes, you can get from Oberhausen to Amsterdam or Nüremberg to Prague for €20!

INTERRAILING

Often seen as a summer long or gap year pursuit, don’t forget this deal! If you’re under 26 then you can get a reduction on your ticket. I used this over the Easter holidays, 5 days in 10 of travel for €180. It’s a great way to cover a large distance for cheap, couple it with hostels and cheaper destinations (think Eastern Europe!) and the whole thing won’t cost you too much.

So get travelling! It’s a great way to understand Germany better, experience new cultures and meet some great people along the way. Travel has made my year abroad, and it will always be the thing I’ll remember most fondly.

ADVICE

SHOPPING AROUND

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

Hallo! I’m Lilly Hulse, a Bangor University student of French, German and Spanish. At the moment I am on the second half of my year abroad placement in Heidelberg, Germany. I chose to study at Heidelberg as it was going to be my first ever visit to Germany. I really wanted to discover Heidelberg as the university had such a great reputation (which can only do wonders for your CV right?) and of course who could ignore the beautiful location!

INSIGHTS OF ‘HIEDELBERG’ Lilly WITH... Hello Lilly! How has it been living in Hiedelberg? What is it like? Wow! where do I begin? Heidelberg is an extremely picturesque city with so many different areas to explore and exquisite buildings that will make you fall in love with the place instantly! The city has been built on the River Neckar, which runs through Heidelberg and creates a fabulous scenic view. You will never find yourself at a loss of things to do in Heidelberg, as it provides plenty of activities

and entertainment to satisfy your needs for example there are swimming pools, cinemas, a zoo and even a student prison...read on to find out what else there is to offer in Heidelberg! Where would you recommend doing and seeing there? Well.. Here are only a few which I can think of, theres so much more though! 1. Heidelberger Schloss The castle which overlooks all of

Heidelberg. This is possibly one of the most visited attractions in Heidelberg - even Mark Twain wrote about it! And with good reason too, the castle is an important historical landmark with a reasonable entrance fee of just €2 for students. The view of Heidelberg is not bad either! 2. Altstadt The ‘old town’ of Heidelberg presents plenty to do and see. There are lots of quaint shops and res-

blooming of street art!

INTERVIEW

HIEDELBERG IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES I HAVE BEEN TO SINCE LIVING IN GERMANY.

taurants in this area, as well as the main part of the university campus being situated there. As this is the core of the city you are likely to spend quite a lot of time here! (Top Tip! The Marstall Mensa is one of the cheapest places for a student to eat, it is also one of the nicest student cafeterias in Heidelberg.) 3. HauptstraĂ&#x;e Running through the Altstadt is the mile long main street where you can go shopping, buy souvenirs,

watch a film, grab a bite to eat or simply have a drink in a pub and watch the world go by! 4. Alte Brucke The Old Bridge over the River Neckar which was built in the 18th Century. This is another popular tourist attraction in Heidelberg which you can take a lovely walk across and take in the beauty of the river. There is also a medieval gate on the bridge and a brass monkey (a

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

How did you find learning the language? Was it hard? I left rainy Wales in July and the first thing that hit me as I stepped onto German soil was the heat. It was over 30C in Munich, and humid, which is not what I expected from Germany. I adjusted beautifully and spent an idyllic summer cooling myself down after work with a litre (pints are apparently for wimps) of

INTERVIEW history fanatics!

history fanatics!

Is there any special events that happen in Heidelberg? This is an old Nazi Amphitheatre which is situated further up Heiligenberg. The amphitheatre seats around eight thousand people and it is practically impossible not to feel a sense of awe. When you are there you can almost imagine the things that used to take place. Although every year on the 30th April thousands of people gather in the amphitheatre to celebrate the spring festival of Walpurgis Night. This festival is to mark the arrival of spring and there is plenty of dancing and drinking. The Neckarwiese is a grassy communal area which runs alongside the River Neckar. On sunny days many people flock to the Neckarwiese to sunbathe, have barbeques and picnics and play games. Many people go there with their families and friends as a place to socialise and spend time together outdoors and to just relax in general. However this is also the perfect place to take a romantic stroll, enjoy a nice bike ride or you could join the masses with a daily jog. You can also hire rowing boats or pedal boats if you are bored of just sitting alongside the river and would prefer to be on it – but watch out for the bigger barges which go past

How is learning the language? Insist on speaking German! It is very easy for people to hear your accent and want to speak English. Trust me people will not be offended if you say you would prefer to practice your German, you are in the country for a reason so you might as well make the most of it while you can...you can speak English at home!

YOU ARE IN THE COUNTRY FOR A REASON SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL MAKE THE MOST OF IT WHILE YOU CAN...YOU CAN SPEAK ENGLISH AT HOME! How is the transport in the area? There are two main forms of transport in Heidelberg for students... Buses: As the main form of transport throughout Heidelberg, the buses are a well run system in the city. On week days they run every ten minutes throughout the day and at the weekends they are every half an hour – so you can be sure that you will never be waiting too long! Semester tickets are available to buy for students at €138

INTERVIEW

photograph with the monkey is a must!) In recent years, couples have taken to engraving their initials on padlocks and attaching them to the bridge as a show of their love – so have a look out for them when you are there!

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

I FOUND IT REALLY EASY TO SETTLE HERE IN HEIDELBERG - STUDENT ORIENTATED AND PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY REALLY FRIENDLY!

INTERVIEW

however if you don’t want to purchase a semester ticket then you can still catch the bus for free after 7pm. Bikes: This form of transport is probably the cheapest (besides walking) with only the initial cost of the bike to think about. Another great thing is that you can sell your bike when you want to leave. Cyclists in Germany practically have right of way on the roads and the pavements so be careful when you are walking around! Bikes: This form of transport is probably the cheapest (besides walking) with only the initial cost of the bike to think about. Another great thing is that you can sell your bike when you want to leave. Cyclists in Germany practically have right of way on the roads and the pavements so be careful when you are walking around! Bikes: This form of transport is probably the cheapest (besides walking) with only the initial cost of the bike to think about. Another great thing is that you can sell your bike when you want to leave. Cyclists in Germany practically have right of way on the roads and the pavements so be careful when you are walking around! Cyclists in Germany practically have right of way on the roads and the pavements so be careful when you are walking around! Cyclists in Germany practically have right of way on the roads and the

pavements so be careful when you are walking around! Cyclists in Germany practically have right of way on the roads and the pavements so be careful when you are walking around! What are your top tips? Make sure you are prepared for all types of weather! As I arrived in Heidelberg in the summer semester (March-August) I expected the weather to start hotting up as soon as possible. Although my expectations were soon dashed as I had to whip out my raincoat on the first day! Don’t let this put you off though, from then onwards the weather really started to heat up although thunderstorms are a regular occurrence in Heidelberg so it is best to keep your raincoat or an umbrella handy at all times! Don’t miss out on the Schlossbeleuchtung! On the first Saturday of June, second Saturday of July and first Saturday in September thousands of people gather to watch the castle being lit up, followed by fifteen minutes of fireworks! Your Experiances? I have found it very easy to settle in here in Heidelberg as everything is very student orientated and people are generally very friendly! Not only have I been able to practice my German but I also have Tandem

Partners for French and Spanish too which are organised by the university. There is a lot of red tape in Germany but once you get used to how organised the system is, you can be fairly sure that things will fall into place quickly. The main thing is just to get out and experience Heidelberg while you can because the time you spend abroad absolutely flies by! Germany but once you get used to how organised the system is, you can be fairly sure that things will fall into place quickly. The main thing is just to get out and experience Heidelberg while you can because the time you spend abroad absolutely flies by!

THE TIME YOU SPEND ABROAD WILL GO BY SO QUICKLY! HAVE FUN.

history fanatics!

amazing nightlife!

INTERVIEW

TOP TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH HIEDELBERG * The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! * Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

CULTURE SHOCK:

Student Life & Relationships Elen Roberts advises on student life in Munich, Germany, telling us about what it’s like on the scene, both for work and play...

AUTHOR:ELEN ROBERTS PHOTOGRAPHY:GEORGE ROB

ARTICLE

so many different clubs to meet those whom have the same interest as you!

Munich, jam-packed with students. I even find a flat right in the heart of the student district, Schwabing. My U-bahn stop is called Universität, for heaven’s sake. What could possibly go wrong? Munich, jam-packed with students. I even find a flat right in the heart of the student district, Schwabing. My U-bahn stop is called Universität, for heaven’s sake. What could possibly go wrong?

UNDERSTANDING THE INNER WORKS OF DEUTSCHLAND Hopefully you won’t experience much culture shock in Germany. It can often have a reassuringly British feel about it, but an organised Britain which works on time! There are some things to look out for, though, although these can often have a humorous effect. The pillows are atrocious.This might seem trivial, but it seems to have sparked a lot of anger among my English friends here!They are either too flat, too square or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress.

Be careful what you wish for! I am a student at a university where most of my friends abide by the maxim of ‘play hard, work hard’. This translates into a very alcohol-fuelled social scene and I have often (particularly when tackling an essay with a blinding hangover) thought the much-vaunted Continental approach to drinking (moderate, civilized, as an adjunct to eating, not drinking to get drunk, etc) had a lot going for it. Then I find myself in the beautiful city of Munich, jam-packed with students. I even find a flat right in the heart of the student district, Schwabing. My U-bahn stop is called Universität, for heaven’s sake. What could possibly go wrong? Well, the short answer is, not much. I have a fantastic social life here,

defiantly one of many memorys to remember forever!

and have made friends for life. But the funny thing is, not that many of them are students. Don’t get me wrong, I am not by any means claiming that the students here are boring people. I do have friends who are students and we always have great chats and a really good time whenever we go out. But the student culture as a whole in Munich is shockingly dull. There are two highly prestigious universities in Munich, both elite (‘elite university’ here denoting a specific title conferred under the German Universities Excellence Initiative, entitling the institution to extra funding). The workload is very heavy, but that doesn’t explain it. I can testify to an insanely heavy workload in Oxford but that never prevents serious and dedicated partying. The few student parties I’ve been to in Munich were invariably held in cavernous, sweaty cellars and mainly filled with Spaniards and South Americans. Not great for a Germanist. It took me a while to work out what was even going on. It turns out a very high proportion of Munich students tend to go home (i.e. back to their home villages/ towns, usually in Bavaria) at weekends, as they consider their ‘real friends’ and ‘real lives’ to be there. They see university as a necessary step between school and work, not as three hedonistic years of freedom and fun. This contrasts with us in the UK, where many of our strongest friendships tend to be formed at university. In Germany, your homeland or “Heimat”, as they call it, is a much stronger influence and seems to have stronger claims on young people than for us. During the past two years at Oxford, I went back to Wales (my homeland) so rarely that when I did pop back for Christmas, my Dad looked vaguely

ARTICLE

STUDENT CULTURE

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

surprised to see me. I don’t think I was unique in seeing University as the point in my life where I’d left home and set up somewhere else. Why would I constantly go back when my old school friends were at other universities all over the country? The upshot of all this is that a Munich student weekend is a pretty quiet affair. Like I said, be careful what you wish for...

RELATIONSHIPS

ARTICLE

Relationship dynamics are very different here, which I wasn’t expecting. I assumed that all over Europe, young people would get to know each other and find friendship or romance as they do in the UK – by going to the bar, getting so drunk you can’t even talk to the other person anyway, clubbing, and if you decided through the drunken haze that you fancied each other,

making a move on the way to the kebab van. It seems I was wrong. Things here are a lot more evolved and civilized. Putting it crudely, the concept of going out ‘on the pull’ just doesn’t really occur to my German friends. Friendships also tend to be a lot less casual. I have made friends through sports, language tandems, coffee dates and – wait for it – cooking meals together. Dear me. Not a kebab in sight. The whole process takes much longer and you actually have to work at it but eventually, you do form very strong friendships, whereas in the UK, I had many more people I could just casually go out with. Both scenarios have their merits but are very different as you can appreciate. My German friends were actually a bit confused when I told them about the Oxford traditions of college families, balls, crew dates and single-sex drinking societies. They didn’t quite spell it out but I got the impression they thought it was a bit frenetic and juvenile. As for romantic relationships, young people here seem to settle down very quickly. Most of the people I meet in their early to mid 20s have been in the same relationship for a good few years, 3 or 4 being very usual (the record was 10 years and the guy was only 25!). This I do not understand at all, especially as here it very often entails having a long-distance relationship as well. As the relationship very often begins in the last year or so of school (at 18 or 19), many of my German friends ended up at different universities from their significant others and spent all their uni years apart. On top of this, as Germans are great linguists and keen travellers, many of them spend one or more semesters in foreign universities, or do internships abroad, which makes the periods of enfo.

FRIENDSHIPS Be careful what you wish for! I am a student at a university where most of my friends abide by the maxim of ‘play hard, work hard’. This translates into a very alcohol-fuelled social scene and I have often (particularly when tackling an essay with a blinding hangover) thought

the much-vaunted Continental approach to drinking (moderate, civilized, as an adjunct to eating, not drinking to get drunk, etc) had a lot going for it. Then I find myself in the beautiful city of Munich, jampacked with students. I even find a flat right in the heart of the student district,. hen I find myself in the beautiful city of Munich, jampacked with students. I even find a

flat right in the heart of the student district, I even find a flat right in the heart of the student district, I even find a flat right in the heart of the student district, Schwabing. My U-bahn stop is called Universität, for heaven’s sake. What could possibly go wrong? Well, the short answer is, not much. I have a fantastic social life here.

ARTICLE

Rhine in Cologne Germany: lock it and chuck away the key! OK and OK this is what is really impressive (or scary, depending on your outlook): on the whole, couples seem to remain faithful to each other, even though they often don’t see much of each other during term time. The corollary of this, and an aspect of German life that I have grown to appreciate above all, is that it seems much more common for men and women to be just friends

here. Most of my close friends were female in the UK, whereas here I’m just as likely to hang out with males. German men don’t see women as just sex objects. They treat them as intellectual and social equals. This sounds perfect, and it is fantastic and enlightened, but every now and again I miss the ridiculous banter and the lairy flirtatiousness of British men.

Learning the basics of german friendships, now go put it into practise! This sounds perfect, and it is fantastic and enlightened, but every now and again I miss the ridiculous banter and the lairy flirtatiousness of British men.

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

uff e! t s ty e don t i r g b the eds to ne t i t

HOW TO:

finding student accomendation!

Student accommodation is the cheapest form of housing for students. The Studentenwerke offer around 181,000 places in student accommodation all over Germany. AUTHOR: CLARE MORLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: JANE SMITH

ADVICE

STUDENT HALLS

Student accommodation is the cheapest form of housing for students. The Studentenwerke offer around 181,000 places in student accommodation all over Germany. The possibilities are varied and range from simple rooms to flats for couples, for students with children and also for students with disabilities. In some Studentenwerke tutors are available in student accommodation to help international students. They are there to advise and support international students at the beginning of their stay in Germany. Different types of housing The Studentenwerke offer different types of housing within student accommodation. Besides furnished rooms they also have unfurnished

housing. Furnished rooms are mostly equipped with a writing desk, a bed, a wardrobe and shelving. Pillows, blankets, bedding and towels are not provided. In some Studentenwerke, however, these can be bought or even rented. The rents in student accommodation depend on the furnishing, location and size of the room. Rents also vary according to the location of the university, but on the whole student accommodation is the cheapest form of housing.

Single or double apartments are available. A single apartment is a self-contained unit comprising one room with kitchenette, bathroom and WC. Double apartments with two rooms are usually rented to student couples. Most Studentenwerke also offer special accommodation for students with children and for students with disabilities or chronic illness. Geral days. Firstyear students who only need a room temporarily can lodge in the guest houses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OF STUDENT HALLS OR TO APPLY- CHECK OUT THE STUDENT HALLS ONLINE: STUDENTWERKE http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/services/student_ accomodation/

Renting independantley can be cheap if youre looking carefully for student housing. The Studentenwerke offer around 181,000 places in student accommodation all over Germany. In some Studentenwerke tutors are available in student accommodation to help international students. They are there to advise and support international students at the beginning of their stay in Germany. Different types of housing The Studentenwerke offer different types of housing within student accommodation. Besides furnished rooms they also have unfurnished housing. Furnished rooms are mostly equipped with a writing desk, a bed, a wardrobe and shelv-

ing. Pillows, blankets, bedding and towels are not provided. In some Studentenwerke, however, these can be bought or even rented. The rents in student accommodation depend on the furnishing, location and size of the room. Rents also vary according to the location of the university, but on the whole student accommodation is the cheapest form of housing for students! Single or double apartments are available. A single apartment is a self-contained unit comprising one room with kitchenette, bathroom

and WC. Double apartments with two rooms are usually rented to student couples. Most Studentenwerke also offer special accommodation for students with children and for students with disabilities or chronic illness. Guest houses / student hotels Some Studentenwerke have guest houses or student hotels. They are open to students who need accommodation only for one or several days. First-year students who only need a room temporarily can lodge in the guest houses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RENTING INDEPENDANTLEY OR TO APPLY- CHECK OUT ONLINE WITH: WG-GESUCHT http://www.wg-gesucht.de/wohnungen-in-Berlin.8.2.0.0.html

ADVICE

RENTING INDEPENDANTLEY

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

SHARING ACCOMENDATION

Renting independantley can be cheap if youre looking carefully for student housing. The Studentenwerke offer around 181,000 places in student accommodation all ocwe. There are often communal rooms such as cafĂŠs, cellars for bicycles are almost always available and mostly washing machines are provided, too. An increasing number of Studentenwerke also offer cheap internet access. The Studentenwerke offer different types of housing within student accommodation. Besides furnished rooms they also have unfurnished housing. Furnished rooms are mostly equipped with a writing desk, a bed, a wardrobe and shelving. Pillows, blankets, bedding and towels are not provided. In some

Studentenwerke, however, these can be bought or even rented. The rents in student accommodation depend on the furnishing, location and size of the room. Rents also vary according to the location of the university, but on the whole student accommodation is the cheapest form of housing for students! Single or double apartments are available. A single apartment is a self-contained unit comprising one room with kitchenette, bathroom and WC. Double apartments with

two rooms are usually rented to student couples. Most Studentenwerke also offer special accommodation for students with children and for students with disabilities or chronic illness. Guest houses / student hotels Some Studentenwerke have guest houses or student hotels. They are open to students who need accommodation only for one or several days. First-year students who only need a room temporarily can lodge in the guest houses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SHARING ACCOMENDATION OR TO APPLY: http://www.zweitehand.de http://www.scout24.com/Unternehmen.aspx

ADVICE

Renting independantley can be cheap if youre looking carefully for student housing. The Studentenwerke offer around 181,000 places in student accommodation all over Germany. The possibilities are varied and range from simple rooms to flats for couples, for students with children and also for students with disabilities. The facilities of such housing differ, but in general they are of a good standard. There are often communal rooms such as cafĂŠs, cellars for bicycles are almost always available and mostly washing machines are provided, too. An increasing number of Studentenwerke also offer cheap internet access.

In some Studentenwerke tutors are available in student accommodation to help international students. They are there to advise and support international students at the beginning of their stay in Germany. Different types of housing The Studentenwerke offer different types of housing within student accommodation. Besides furnished rooms they also have unfurnished housing. Furnished rooms are mostly equipped with a writing desk, a bed, a wardrobe and shelving. Pillows, blankets, bedding and

towels are not provided. In some Studentenwerke, however, these can be bought or even rented. The rents in student accommodation depend on the furnishing, loca n for students with children and for students with disabilities or chronic illness. Guest houses / student hotels Some Studentenwerke have guest houses or student hotels. They are open to students who need accommodation only for one or several days. First-year students who only need a room temporarily can lodge in the guest houses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FINACIAL HELP JUST CHECK ONLINE ON DAAD: https://www.daad.de/en/index.html

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GETTING FINACIAL HELP!

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

language and dialect

learn the language and be fully involved with the culture!

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The Germa language is one of the most complicated ones to understand, here Katie Ritson aims to help you know the basics of the language and get through the sticky times of communicating with other germans! the most complicated ones to understand, here Katie Ritson aims to help you know the basics of the language and get through the sticky times of communicating with other germans!

AUTHOR:KATIE RITSON PHOTOGRAPHY:JOANA BLAT

oktoberfest- one of the best German experiances you’ll get!

DONT BE CONFUSED BY THE MANY DIALECTS! BE INVOLVE tenders for vibrant urban dialects. For students of German, this can lead to confusion. If you’ve learned German in school, and head for a bakery for breakfast on your first morning in Munich, it may be a bit of shock, once you’ve got over the titters at your cheerful “Guten Tag!” (in Bavaria, the correct greeting is Grüß Gott or a variant, e.g. Griaß Eahna!) to get blank looks when you ask for Brötchen (Bairish: Semmel). Although it’s probably not as bad as being in Salzburg and discovering that the Palatschinken you ordered for your lunch is in fact a pancake,

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play on words to make you remember the meaning!

entire separate language, whereas the equally distantly-related Schwyzerdutsch (Swiss German) is considered a mere dialect? The German language, such as it is, reflects a nation only recently born out of a patchwork of duchies and free cities stretching from the north of Italy to the south of Denmark, spilling over the Rhine westwards and the Oder eastwards (not to mention historic German enclaves in Siebenbürgen in Romania, and the US state Pennsylvania, to name just two far-flung examples). If you are looking to spice up your German, you could do worse than go to Brixen or Bozen (which are in Italy, where you can sip wonderful wine whilst listening to the lilting, rustic hill dialect of Südtirolerisch), or to Basel, where the inhabitants speak in singsong Schwyzerdutsch; meanwhile, if you head to Flensburg, you can hear both the regional Plattdeutsch and native Danish spoken by a quarter of the population. Besides the strong regional forms of the language, some cities still preserve their own distinctive forms of speech, with Viennese, Berlinerisch, and Kölsch (Cologne) being amongst the proudest con-

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

Beer does cost less than bottled water! so why not? ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT LIVING THERE FOR A WHILE IS PICKING UP AN AUTHENTIC REGIONAL VARIANT OF YOUR OWN. and that the exotic-sounding Paradeiser in your salad are mere Tomaten. Or indeed, being in the Tirol and being offered the ominous-sounding Schlutzkrapfen for dinnner (don’t worry, it’s delicious).

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get used to the bavarian dialect its different to the berliners!

Although the area around Hannover prides itself on its allegedly pure form of spoken German, it merely marks a convenient midpoint on the dialect map, reasonably equidistant from most of the broad dialect areas - Alemannic in the west and south, Austro-Bavarian to the south and east, Frisian in the north-west, and so on. There is no part of Germany that is immune to regional forms of the language, and one of the best things about living there for a while is picking up an authentic regional variant of your own. If you spend a year in Germany, the chances are you will end up speaking a form of the language which will mark you for life, betraying your age, politics, and your language-learner roots in a particular part of the country. So, when you’re on your year abroad in, say, Heidelberg and you see the Facebook photos of year-abroaders in other parts of the world, dancing salsa in Cuba or experiencing -35 degrees in Moscow, don’t fall victim to envy. Simply get on a train and head for Meran or Husum, Graz or Ulm, Strasbourg or Berlin. Go to a restaurant, let yourself be seduced by the exotic names and the

fascinatingly incomprensible local words. And have a beer. (whether Helles, Pils, Weizn, or Birli.) For you should never forget, not only has Germany (linguistic rather than geographic definition) got a huge range of dialects at its disposal, it also has the best beer. So, when you’re on your year abroad in, say, Heidelberg and you see the Facebook photos of year-abroaders in other parts of the world, dancing salsa in Cuba or experiencing -35 degrees in Moscow, don’t fall victim to envy. Simply get on a train and head for Meran or Husum, Graz or Ulm, Strasbourg or Berlin. Go to a restaurant, let yourself be seduced by the exotic names and the fascinatingly incomprensible local words. And have a beer. (whether Helles, Pils, Weizn, or Birli.) For you should never forget, not only has Germany (linguistic rather than geographic definition) got a huge range of dialects at its disposal, it also has the best beer. So, when you’re on your year abroad in, say, Heidelberg and you see the Facebook photos of year-abroaders in other parts of the world, dancing salsa in Cuba or experiencing -35 degrees in Moscow, don’t fall victim to envy. Simply get on a train and head for Meran or Husum, Graz or Ulm, Strasbourg or Berlin. Go to a restaurant, let yourself be seduced by the exotic names and the fascinatingly incomprensible local words. And have a beer. (whether

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YOU SHHOULD NEVER FORGET, NOT ONLY HAS GERMANY GOT A HUGE RANGE OF DIALECTS AT ITS DISPOSAL, IT ALSO HAS THE BEST BEER. Helles, Pils, Weizn, or Birli.) For you should never forget, not only has Germany (linguistic rather than geographic definition) got a huge range of dialects at its disposal, it also has the best beer. Go to a restaurant, let yourself be seduced by the exotic names and the fascinatingly incomprensible local words. And have a beer. (whether Helles, Pils, Weizn, or Birli.) For you should

never forget, not only has Germany (linguistic rather than geographic definition) got a huge range of dialects at its disposal, it also has the best beer. Go to a restaurant, let yourself be seduced by the exotic names and the fascinatingly incomprensible local words. And have a beer. (whether Helles, Pils, Weizn, or Birli.) For you should never forget, not only has Germany (linguistic

rather than geographic definition) got a huge range of dialects at its disposal, it also has the best beer.. And have a beer. (whether Helles, Pils, Weizn, or Birli.) For you should never forget, not only has Germany For you should never forget, not only has Germany (linguistic rather than geographic definition) got a huge range of dialects at its disposal, it also has the best beer.

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

TOP 10 TIPS FOR: Surviving in Germany Simon is an Exeter University student on his year abroad in Tübingen and has written up his top ten survival tips for Erasmus students in Germany...

JUST A FEW LITTLE POINTS FOR PREP

AUTHOR: CLARE MORLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: JANE SMITH

ADVICE

PUNKLICHKEIT

Punctuality isn’t just a virtue in Germany- it’s a cult. Being late for something (especially a lecture or seminar) is a sure way to pee off a German. Wear a watch and be early or at least on time!

BICYCLES

Don’t get me wrong, cycling is awesome and great for the environment. Back in the UK, it’s my transport of choice to commute to Uni. Just don’t get in the way of a German cyclist: they will run over your body and probably reverse back over it. Cars will stop for pedestrians, cyclists won’t!

SMALL TALK

In England, perhaps it’s second nature to discuss how rubbish the weather is or how little sleep you had the night before. In Germany, it’s not uncommon for small talk simply not to take place. Don’t be offended if a bus journey with your housemate is spent in silence, or if the conversation dies while you’re chilling in the communal kitchen. Having said that, some Germans are chattier than others.

FOOTBALL

Before heading out to Germany, it’s probably a good idea to know a little bit about the local team or about football in general. Germans are football mad, and at least once you’ll probably encounter groups of supporters loudly occupying a train or bus you might be travelling in. Luckily German football fans tend to be, for the most part, a friendly bunch.

From the plumber to the guy behind the counter at the petrol station to your housemates, everyone speaks at least some English. This is both a help and a hindrance. Try not to get flustered if you order something in German and they reply in English. Yes it’s irritating, but just do your best, carry on as if unaware, and perhaps slip in a made up word in English, like “accumbulerate”. That will surely wipe away that smug smile of theirs.

SMOKE

If you smoke and love to be engulfed in the cigarette smokiness of others, fine. If like me you detest it and have never smoked in your life, be ready for a shock. There is no law that prevents public smoking in bars or clubs. I have come home countless times reeking like an ashtray, even from just half an hour in a club. It gets in your hair, your clothes, just YUCK!

LECTURES

In my experience, teaching in German Universities is pretty good. There are, however a few subtle differences that might be worth knowing. a) German lectures tend to be 2 hours long. If they say they start C.T., (cum tempore) it means it will begin 10 or 15 minutes after the proscribed time. Otherwise, be there on the dot! b) Lecturers are respected. Always refer to them with Sie, that’s a given. No first names! c) Knock on the table after the lecture. It’s strange, just do it.

SUNDAYS

DIALECT

Good for you if you speak German fluently. Now just learn: Swäbisch, Badisch, Platt-Deutsch, Bayrisch, Kölsch and plenty of others I haven’t even heard of, and you’re set! My point is, don’t always expect to understand everything someone says. Try to be aware of the dialect in your area, and how it might be influencing your own German!

MULL TRENNEN

Yes, the Germans are mad about recycling. This is certainly not a negative thing, but it’s a great idea to learn what goes where and get used to it. The look of hatred on the face of native if you happen to put plastic in the Papier section is one to avoid!

Ah, where to begin. On a Sunday in Germany, it’s as if a nuclear explosion has wiped out the local population, and a few foreign refugees are left. Stock up on food on the day before- you can’t grab so much as a prezel on a Sunday. Skype home and don’t allow yourself to be out of contact for too long, unless you like that. Sunday is the apocalypse day in the German week!

Although this has covered mainly negative points, focus on the positives! Overall I love it here, and would recommend it to anyone. The only way to get the most out of your year abroad is to enjoy it.

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ENGLISH

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

Hi! Im Elena Robers and im a student studying French and German at Oxford University and I am half way through a 7 month internship at Fujitsu Technology Solutions’ branch in Munich, Germany. I moved here in Munich 3 months ago and must say it was one of the best decisions i have made- there has been a few rocky moments but thats all part of the experiance of moving to a new country!

INSIGHTS OF ‘MUNICH’ Elena WITH... Hello Nathan! questionglad or Tiergarten to enjoy Hello Elena!first first questionwhat Tempelhof whilst talking to my language partyouve to Berlin? sun, At street the in wasmoved your first impressions of this the ners. the performers weekends, Iorswam I am so happy that I chose Berlin. mixthe of Isar artists inhabiting baverian city? (Munich’s river) Tacheand lakes Berlin is arainy greatWales city allinyear students, workI left Julyround. and the les,inflea the markets, countryside, attended “VolksWhen sunthat shines, cafés,(drunken hipsters, village singers,gatherings) actors; firstthe thing hit Berlin me as comes I stepped ers,feste” intoonto its own. After longthe winter, something everyone. German soila was heat. It there’s and hiked aroundforBavaria’s many withwas temperatures -20°C, is famous as the capital of over 30C ingetting Munich,toand humid, Berlin forests. Although it is Germany’s Berlin hasisanot newwhat feeling of being cabaret city and(after openness, which I expected from bohemia, third biggest Berlinasand refreshed andI getting to startand wellHamburg) as for many such of as 1.3 Germany. adjustedready beautifully with writers, a population the spent sunny an summer! was 30°C at Brecht, Christopher Isherwood and of idyllic Itsummer cooling million, it’s blessed with plenty the myself weekend! Everything anybirthand place MarleneBadown after workand with a litre for being green the spaces theofstunning thing goesareinapparently this city and oh, there isis easily so much (pints for there’s wimps) of Dietrich. varianBut countryside accesnever a dull“Radler” moment. Whetherform it’s of more to Berlin. the feel famous Ber- in ice-cold (a superior sible so you As never hemmed everyone to the Pilsner tagline shandy)flocking in the city’s beerSpree, gardens liner like you can do ingoes, other”Berlin, cities of

My favourite spot of all is du this bist size. so wunderbar”. the “Englischer of the Berlin is a buzzingGarten”, hive ofone activity largest urban parks. conbutworld’s first things first: you have toItget tains sorted joggingand paths, a restaurant, yourself settled in. a beer garden, as well as a Grecia this spot of all is How didsize. youMy feelfavourite when you moved? “Englischer oneyour of the Be the prepared for a Garten”, shock with world’s largest conemotions. I haven’turban met parks. anyoneIt so jogging paths, a restaurant, fartains who hasn’t said that they didn’t a beer as well as either a Grecia realise justgarden, how much they’d Garten”, of the world’s miss homeone or friends as muchlargest as urban parks. contains jogging they thought theyIt would. Amongst restaurant, a beer thepaths, wholea hype of going away,garden, bewell after as a Grecia ingasalone being left at the air-

discover the inner hstory of the city!

INTERVIEW

SUMMER COOLING MYSELF WITH LITRES OF ICECOLD ‘RADLER’ IN THE CITYS BEER GARDENS

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

INTERVIEW TOP TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH MUNICH! * The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! * Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience

KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THE BERLIN DIALECTBERLINISCH AS THEY CALL IT! PARTICALLY INDIVIDUAL ACCENT THAT YOU’LL GET TO FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH.

Things To Do Winter Wonderland by Werner KunzTake a walk through one of Munich’s many parks e.g. Englischer Garten, Olympiapark, Botanical Gardens. They’re beautiful in every season. Discover all the different beer gardens. Munich has 20 major ones. Try every beer. Oktoberfest is an absolute must even if you don’t drink beer in the UK. If you want to try Bavarian food but aren’t hardcore enough to try the white sausages and Schnapps combination, go to the Hofbräuhaus in the city centre. There you can order a goulash or roast chicken, for example. If you’re here over Christmas, try out mulled wine at the traditional markets. Go travel. Munich is within easy reach of Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic, as well as other Bundesländer. Deutsche Bahn is fast and reliable. You could even go skiing for the day just over the Austrian border. Munich is a capital

WINTER WONDERLANDA WALK THROUGH ONE OF MUNICHS

of culture so explore the museums, galleries, theatres and the state opera. On Sundays, the museums are free or have much reduced admission prices and in the evening, the Rosenheimer Theater offers a good impro theatre show. Forget all your preconceptions about Germans, especially the men. They’re lots of fun! On Sundays, the museums are free or have much reduced admission prices and in the evening, the Rosenheimer Theater offers a good impro theatre show. Forget all your preconceptions about Germans, especially the men. They’re lots of fun!Munich is a capital of culture so explore the museums, galleries, theatres and the state opera. On Sundays, the museums are free or have much reduced admission prices and in the evening, the Rosenheimer Theater offers a good impro theatre show. Munich is a capital of culture so explore the museums, galleries, theatres and the state opera. On Sundays, the museums are free or have much reduced admission prices and in the evening, the Rosenheimer Theater offers a good impro theatre show. Forget all your preconceptions about Germans, especially the men. They’re lots of fun!

INTERVIEW

Going Out Although Munich is said to lack the urban edginess of Berlin, the nightlife is plenty varied enough for most tastes. The “Kultfabrik” near Ostbahnhof for instance, is a complex with around a dozen clubs to choose from, and a variety of music. Entry is about €5. If you fancy something a bit more upscale, then I would suggest “Max und Moritz” or “Milchbar”, both near Karlzplatz. If you’re looking for a more “alternative” clubbing crowd, go to “Rockstudio”, which plays mostly techno and rock music. There are lots of great bars in the studenty Schwabing area, including “News Bar” and “Pasta e Basta” which serve great food and aren’t too expensive!

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

INTERVIEW

THE HIGHLIGHT WAS DEFINITELY ‘OKTOBERFEST’ A HUGE BEER FESTIVAL DRESSING UP, DRINKING ABOUT 5 LITRES OF BEER WITH FRIENDS How is the transport in the area? There are two main forms of transport in Heidelberg for students... Buses: As the main form of transport throughout Heidelberg, the buses are a well run system in the city. On week days they run every ten minutes throughout the day and at the weekends they are every half an hour – so you can be sure that you will never be waiting too long! Semester tickets are available to buy for students at €138

barrels of beer in this german city!

try out the delicious sausages! yummmmmm INTERVIEW

TOP TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH MUNICH! * The distinction between the polite and familiar forms of ‘you’ (Sie and Du) are a bit tricky to get the hang of – if you find yourself calling your elderly landlord ‘Du’, correct yourself quickly! * Germany isn’t all about sausages, and if you’re cooking for yourself you should be able to find pretty normal foods. My experience

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

CULTURE SHOCK:

German Customs Elen Roberts tell us about sports, manners and integration in Germany, after having spent a semester there on her year abroad...

CASHIERS ARE SO QUICK HERE. MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREPARED

AUTHOR:ELEN ROBERTS PHOTOGRAPHY: AWECELIA

54 54

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GET YOUR HEAD AROUND THESE LITTLE CUSTOMS

Hopefully you won’t experience much culture shock in Germany. It can often have a reassuringly British feel about it, but an organised Britain which works on time! There are some things to look out for, though, although these can often have a humorous effect rather than a destabilising one. or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress. There is the stereotype of course that the Germans have little to no sense of humour but on the most part they are a friendly bunch and God forbid if you go into a small local shop without saying ‘Guten Tag’. However, say hello or smile as you walk past someone in the street and you may be stared at

The pillows are atrocious.This might seem trivial, but it seems to have sparked a lot of anger among my English friends here!They are either too flat, too square or too lumpy to do anything with. To be honest you might as well be sleeping on the mattress.

People here are incredibly direct, which took me a while to get used to. I had to shed my British über-politeness and avoidance of confrontation at all costs, especially in my internship, or people would have just taken me for a doormat. This directness manifests itself in many ways. People are quite happy to discuss money, for example, and I have often been asked by near-strangers how much rent I pay and what my wages are. I have also been told off by people from all walks of life when they thought I was doing something wrong. For instance, a bartender shouted at me when I didn’t tell her quickly enough what type of shots I wanted. I worked as a waitress a few Summers back in my home city and had I talked to any of my customers like that, I would have been instantly sacked. Another time, my friend and I were stopped by the state police for crossing the (traffic-free) road when the light was red. And most embarrassingly, in a packed supermarket once, the cashier screamed at me because I realized at the till

that I didn’t have enough money to pay for everything so put the packet of gummy bears to one side rather than lose my place in the queue, in order to put it back on the shelf. She subsequently threw the pack in outrage over the heads of the other customers. At work, I now take it in my stride when my boss often just yells, “Elen, das ist BLÖD!” (Elen, that’s STUPID!). By now I have come to find this directness refreshing on the whole (minus assault by gummy bears), as you always know where you stand, for good or bad, but when I first arrived here I found it a bit intimidating. Another aspect of German openness my poor prudish British sensibilities might never quite get used to, however, is how comfortable people are with public nudity here. Another aspect of German openness my poor prudish British sensibilities might never quite get used to, however, is how comfortable people are with public nudity here. When I first arrived, it was high Summer, which meant that in the “Englischer Garten” (Munich’s vast public park) and along the city’s riverbanks, people

elbschnitte hamburg pattern design bag.. fully emit the Germany vibe!

swimming in lakes during those hot days

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MANNERS

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

were completely naked. I’m all for being comfortable with one’s body but I really wish that some of the, ahem, senior sun-bathers (especially the ones with piercings in intimate areas which glinted disconcertingly in the sun) hadn’t been quite so relaxed …

SPORTS

ARTICLE

The Germans take sports to a whole new level. As spectators, they are passionately loyal to their club or national side. I spent an unforgettable evening in a beer garden during the Football World Cup surrounded by ecstatic German fans watching their team thrash England (apologies to all English friends). As far as participation goes, this is an outdoorsy culture, as much for city as country dwellers. Since my arrival, I have swum in Bavaria’s lakes and hiked in her forests, wandered the Saxon countryside and will soon be skiing in the Austrian mountains. I also participate in university aerobics classes and although. I have swum in Bavaria’s lakes and hiked in her forests, wandered the Saxon countryside and will soon be skiing in the Austrian mountains. I also participate in university aerobics classes and although I rowed a lot at Oxford, and consider myself reasonably fit, I simply cannot compete with these people. Half way through a session of German aerobics, I am usually reduced to a miserable, breathless and unattractively beetroot-coloured heap on the floor, whereas they are still cheerily bouncing along to the instructor’s calls of “Eins, zwei, drei, ACHTUNG!” Even technically overweight people here are sickeningly fit and active. I am always left in awe.

people are so comfortable with public nudity! eeek

I have to dedicate a section of this article to the wonder that is Deutsche Bahn. Not only does this service get you to your destination in a fraction of the time that a British train would, it’s clean, comfortable and you have enough leg room!! In the Summer, I travelled all over Bavaria and Austria for a greatly reduced price by buying a “Ferienticket” and I hope to make a few more trips before I leave Germany, hopefully to Stuttgart and Prague. An added bonus is the number of people that I’ve actually got to know on the train. When they hear my foreign accent, they instantly strike up a conversation, which makes the journey a lot more interesting. There is something very endearing about most Germans’ curious and informed attitude towards foreigners. Actually, they are sometimes embarrassingly well-informed, knowing more about the British economy, or Celtic folk tales, say, than I ever will. But it’s a refreshing contrast to a certain cultural insularity that the English, in particular, can be guilty of – people are far more in-

terested and impressed here, for instance, to hear that I am a native Welsh speaker than they ever are in England. But it’s a refreshing contrast to a certain cultural insularity that the English, in particular, can be guilty of – people are far more interested and impressed here, for instance, to hear that I am a native Welsh speaker than they ever are in England.

SWIMMING IN BAVARIAN LAKES IS A MUST! THE BEST

... FINALLY, INTERGRATING HERE ... it is possible to integrate, make friends and have the best year out here! Before coming, I had been warned by quite a few linguist friends who’d already completed their years abroad that it was nigh impossible to actually speak the target language and get to know people. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find this has not been the case at all. I concede: it does call for being outgoing to the point of

sometimes basically forcing your shining personality on new people, which can occasionally be a bit tiring (for them obviously, as well as for you) but if you are open and don’t take the occasional rebuff too personally, you’ll have an amazing time. Similarly with the language: if you refuse to cave in during those first few weeks when speaking your target language seems effortful and the word you’re looking for

is frustratingly elusive, and don’tt succumb to speaking English, you will soon be starting to think and – occasionally – sound like a native speaker. I will be quietly devastated to leave this lovely city, which has made me feel so welcome, when I move to France in about three months, but I’ll try and embrace whatever that country has to offer too. Vive la différence!

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DEUTSCHE BAHN

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

NEXT DESTINATION:

Bulgaria!

NEXT ISSUE

Come travel with us to the eastern side of Europe to Bulgaria, on the borders of Romania and Serbia. This country is packed with many things to do from skiing in the Radopi Mountains to enjoying the beach life at Burgas! Lets hope you wont get distracted from your studies!

See you next time!

ERASMUS STUDENT COMMUNITY

ARTICLE NEXT DESTINATION:

BULGARIA!