How to benefit from an exchange program – Student life abroad: vital non-academic aspects

The question about my necessary accommodation, which was an important part of those general issues, turned out to be a real melting pot: many international students inhabited this place making me feel very cosmopolitan. The decision on this dormitory had to be made back home by critically evaluating a wide range of possible locations to stay during this period of time.

In fact, I had been assigned a room, which consisted of a living room including a small kitchen, and a bedroom with an adjoining bathroom. No joke, but these few square meters had to be shared by 2 people. This moment was the first time he was confronted with the American concept of living with a roommate. However, there was no logical reason for an excuse, since I had to agree to this philosophy in Germany beforehand.

In case you have problems regarding living with your roommate, there is always the realistic possibility of changing accommodations. At that time, I had the opportunity to move to another dormitory (McTyeire International House) that was located on campus and was divided into several international sections. I highly recommend this academic place as living with students from a Russian, French, Spanish and German classroom definitely becomes a real inspiration.

In addition to happily relishing the exceptional and inspiring environment of the university with countless brick buildings that remind me of the Victorian century, I was also struck by the large number of students already arriving, efficiently even accompanied by their parents. It seemed to me like a kind of official homecoming for those students who feel safe again within this educational and spiritual environment for the next academic semester.

Now it was time to fulfill the first administrative requirements after I had settled in my dormitory. During the first days, I was forced to obtain some important cards and certificates that allowed a practical life on and off campus. There are a few select ID cards that I still keep as beloved remnants from my great time at Vanderbilt. The following selection of IDs reveals a first glimpse of the mandatory ‘red tape’ at an American university.

The main identification that was necessary for life on and off campus that allowed basic access to all faculties, facilities, dining room or library, to name just a few. Above is the back page of the central ID which includes required descriptions and explanations from the Social Security Administration.

Social Security ID is basically required for all US citizens and/or temporary residents, such as exchange students. This identification is called the ‘Validation Card’.

The next item on my ‘self-guided agenda’ was to take a closer look at the canteen, where my mind should be refreshed every day with things to think about. At this point in my journey, I could already sense that I would not have the opportunity to enjoy quite ‘haute couture’ dining throughout my academic year, even though the cost of living on campus was considered quite high. It doesn’t matter, I just had to keep a very critical eye on calories to avoid improper eating procedures and stay healthy too. In fact, I gladly managed not to gain too much weight but to maintain my previous BMI (Body Measurement Index). Fast food restaurants were out of reach.

Regine, the other student, who was already working for the Akademisches Auslandsamt in Regensburg, let me know that the local Sarratt cinema offered a huge amount of all kinds of different and very interesting films from all over the world. This was definitely the creative place I went to quite often during my stay. It was absolutely worth going there, particularly as the tickets were certainly affordable and basically all the movies I got to see there were pretty distinguished.

This film center turned out to be the usual meeting point for all international students.

Another prominent theme was music: concerts on and off campus played a predominant part of my life abroad. I was very proud to have been able to enjoy performances by: Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, U2, Simply Red, James Taylor, Keith Jarrett, David Costello, Dave Brubeck, JL Hooker and even some Cajun music. Someone who has a personal inclination for musicians will definitely acquire a taste for this cultural subject sooner or later upon reaching their academic background.

I must not forget to mention that Vanderbilt offered the unique opportunity to participate in the local radio show on campus. German students were especially wanted; therefore, I jumped at the chance and joined. It was a lot of fun and a good way to gain additional experience regarding technical presentation.

One quirk I had come across was the clever marketing ploy of being overwhelmed with coupons: the principle of taking advantage of all kinds of savings, whatever it was, was imprinted on my mind from the first days of my arrival in the United States. You’ll certainly be inundated with such small articles almost every day (eg ‘241’, ‘Free Recharge’, etc.). Happy hour events also vividly incorporated this policy.

In fact, there was another disconcerting event I experienced during my Urban Economics class: Looking out the windows I could hardly believe what I saw: Navy Marines parading through the library garden after Thanksgiving.

An interesting topic that I also need to talk about is the existence of a security service on campus – knowing about this organization makes you feel quite safe once you return at night from the outside world. Especially the female students used this special service wisely.

Have you ever been a member of a fraternity or sorority? If not, you might be quite surprised when you are walking around the campus and see several small houses where many students stay during their academic life. It was amazing, but disconcerting at the same time, to walk past the buildings with Greek letters on top of the entrance. According to popular belief, countless parties and festivities had also taken place in these different places.

On the other hand, it soon became quite clear to me that the classic CV (Curriculum vitae) in the US explicitly contained that kind of information that was obviously considered vital.

In this context, the fact that students with an exquisite inclination towards physical strength and sport in general had an advantage regarding the general graduation process fits perfectly. The combination of mental and physical fitness definitely played a crucial role in and out of the classroom. Being a member of a soccer team could possibly have made up for other deficiencies in the normal classroom routine.

The organization of many interesting special events and excursions was mainly the task of the ‘Office of Student Organizations and Events’ (OSOE). Our link throughout the academic year was a very kind and gentle person named Rosie Ashamalla, who immediately bridged the cultural gaps through her outgoing and spontaneous personality and by offering many interesting events such as: International Week in Vanderbilt University, Padres Weekend, July 4th, Thanksgiving or an international Latin American Politics weekend with Madeleine Albright and a few other Reagan Administration heavyweights.

Also, she was eager to arrange engaging excursions like an Indian summer trip to the Smoky Mountains or have us play on an international soccer team, to name just a few highlights. However, participating in the life of a host family was definitely the ‘Point on I’, at least from my perspective. This was by far the best way to mutually enrich two cultures.

Plus, there was the chance to be interviewed on campus, which turned out to be something special and timeless as well. It wasn’t officially announced, but it turned out to be very exciting nonetheless. Since I had already stayed in the McTyeire bedroom, this was where it all began. Among all the international students, a group of them showed great interest in this memory. Glad to belong to them, I was ready for the preparation: I had been told to go through a list of possible frequently asked questions that could be asked during this interview; therefore, I had plenty of time to make the most of it.

Last but not least, you could take the opportunity to get a job during your academic stay.

To do this, he could have contacted the recruiting affairs office on campus, where all kinds of different jobs could have been discussed beforehand. It did not seem strange or unnecessary to deal with such a diversification between the weeks of study and preparation for exams. In fact, there would have been a brilliant opportunity to gain even more experience abroad. In my case, I decided to help the campus law library update their German law books. In particular, students from Germany were welcome to fulfill that requirement.

Needless to say, you could have looked for even more attractive jobs; however, the ideal temporary job was not my primary goal. However, doing one’s part and showing great interest is still considered a positive.

Finally, I would like to summarize this exciting student life abroad by mentioning the most important aspects to take into account:

It won’t take you long to think, feel and even dream in English.

Get used to the situation of living with a roommate.

Get involved at your local Office of Student Organizations and Events.

Immerse yourself in the wide cultural offer (concerts, cinema, theater).

Celebrate local/national holidays and anniversaries, as well as festivities.

Try to get temporary jobs on or off campus.

If you can move to an international dorm that is divided into different language sections, just do it.

Interested in joining a host family or finding similar ways to enrich each other