An Australian Perspective

So it is the end of my winter semester at the RheinAhrCampus and what a wonderful experience it has been. Time really does fly when you are having fun. Looking back I can happily say that I am a different person to who I was 6 months ago. I have learnt so much and made many new friends.

I can so clearly remember my arrival in Remagen. I arrived an hour late as the train was delayed which I have found is not as rare as I thought (very surprisingly). However, Kristina from Lithuania was there waiting at the train station for my arrival. I remember walking through the streets of Remagen on the way to the student dormitory and thinking how beautiful the little town was. The architecture is very different to what I was used to and I liked it. I remember feeling quite nervous and unsure with so many questions and queries going through my head like “Will I enjoy it here?” “Will I make friends?” “What is the workload going to be like?” “Am I going to end up stranded somewhere because I cannot speak German?” “Am I going to freeze to death in the winter?”

Many of my questions were answered in my first week as I made new friends on my first day and I must say the team at Sprachen / Internationales do a wonderful job at making you feel comfortable and welcomed. As for the freezing to death question, I am still here today so I think I should be able to get through the rest of the winter.

I would have to admit that a few months before my decision to go to Remagen I hadn’t ever had my sights on Germany. However, I am so glad that the beautiful country has been opened up to me. What I really enjoyed was discovering how things work at a different university and to my surprise I really enjoyed all of my classes and loved the practical approach.

Because I like this place so much I decided to extend my stay. Now I have another (summer!) semester to look forward to and I am so excited for what it shall bring. It has been amazing to meet so many people and it is particularly interesting learning about many different cultures.

Coming from Australia, English is the only language I know. So I have taken on the challenge of learning German. I just recently started an intensive course and I will admit I feel like a little child again using picture books and flash cards but I don’t mind; I am enjoying the challenge.

I just want to say thanks to the RheinAhrCampus and everyone that has been a part of my fulfilling adventure and I’m looking forward to another semester of learning living and loving.