As an exchange student you will do a lot of traveling. Most of the trips that I took were with my American friends. We noticed that as Americans, we felt like we had to take full advantage of seeing all of Europe that we could. Our European friends did not share the same urgency which we did since they live on the same continent. Also, many of our European friends had already seen most of the major cities which we wanted to see. When visiting other cities, hostels are a great place to meet other international students. When a group of us visited Prague, we attended a few of the activities that the hostel offered for free. One night they offered a free beer tasting to introduce and teach us about some beers from the Czech Republic. Not only was this a great way to learn about beer, but also a great way to meet new people. At that event there were students from all over the world. We got to talking to them and ended out sightseeing with them the next day. Some of the students who were studying in France actually came and visited us in Mannheim. If the hostel that you’re staying at doesn’t offer any events, check to see if they have a bar. Some of the best nights and bars that we experienced while traveling where right in the basement of our hostel. The bars usually offer cheap drinks, but more importantly a relaxed atmosphere to meet new people. If you have the chance, I suggest visiting some of your international friends in their home cities. I never got to visit any of my exchange student friends, however I did spend a weekend in the home of my German friend. Being a guest in a German home was a really special experience and helped me to see what German home life was like. Her family spoiled me and cooked me amazing meals and didn’t let me help with anything. They were excited to hear about my experiences in Germany and taught me some of their customs as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment