Be brave and take the initiative

The reason why I choose to participate in the Global Exchange Program is because I have never been abroad before coming to Germany. Fortunately, my home university in Taiwan and the University of Bonn have a student exchange program in place and so I decide to apply for the interview and finally have this opportunity to study in Bonn and live here for a semester. Looking back now, everything is very incredible. From the hesitation at the beginning until the end of my stay, I really appreciate that I could come to the University of Bonn! After all I’ve experienced, I really love Germany and Bonn!

Speaking of my welcome in Bonn, everything was pretty smooth. Because I participated in the study buddy program provided by the University of Bonn, so after I arrived at Frankfurt Airport, I took the ICE to Siegburg, then my study buddy picked me up there, and then drove with me to my dormitory.

My dormitory is located in Auerberg, which is about 20 minutes away from university. The environment is better than my expectations. Since it is located in the suburbs, it is very quiet at night. In addition, there are two supermarkets within a 10-minute walking distance. Also, there is a pharmacy and a bakery near by! As for my room, I was really surprised at first, because my room is single room. In Taiwan I have to share a room with three other people, there is no privacy at all. I am really satisfied that I can have my own room. Included in my room was: a big wardrobe, bed, kitchen, private bathroom, desk and cabinet. The dorm has been renovated recently, thus the exterior and interior is very new. In asstion, the housekeeper is also very helpful and approachable.

I majored in Medienwissenschaft in Bonn, but I was actually a little unsure about how to choose my major in Bonn. The reason I chose Medienwissenschaft was that the course seemed to be taught in English. But I actually chose a lot of humanities-related courses later, such as Southeast Asian art or archaeology. Choosing courses that are not in my field turned out to be tricky since I did not have the required basic knowledge. For example, the course of archaeology requires a basic foundation, although I thought it was fun to choose. But since I didn't have enough knowledge in advance, I quit because it turned out to be too challenging. However, the professor was still kind and encouraged me to follow through. In my opinion, I think teachers at the University of Bonn are amazing, and they will be happy to help you if you have any questions.

I think the University of Bonn is very different from my home university in Taiwan. For example, the location of the campus and the teaching methods. The biggest difference I will choose is the way of how classes go. There are three main forms of lectures: Vorlesung, Seminar and Übung. Compared with Vorlesung and Übung, Seminar is the most interactive. Here professors are welcoming students to express their ideas. What surprised me even more was that compared to Asian students, German students also like to ask questions and share their opinions in class. In the case of two-way interaction.

Bonn is a very beautiful city. Compared with other big cities like Cologne, living in Bonn is really comfortable. The environment in Bonn is very chill, especially the Hofgarten in front of Hauptgebäude is so beautiful. I will never forget the first time sitting on the Hofgarten, having Döner, chatting with my friends. It was the best day of my life. In addition, the residents of Bonn are also very nice.

Part of the activities I took were held by the International Office, the study buddy program or my study buddy herself, and a small part of it was my own initiative to explore Bonn. Personally, I think inside tips are to be brave and take the initiative to participate in activities. Especially when you first arrived in Germany, if there are activities offered by the university, please register directly. Increasing your chances of getting to know new friends. As long as you have your own friends, everything will be easier!