14. March 2017 | Von Anna Lena Zepmeisel 

Take me back to the good times

Time has passed since all of us left our new second home Malaysia and I’m missing it since the day I got home. Every day was a new adventure that was completely different from my life at home. I

Take me back to the good times

I had the best time living in the smallest apartment with my friends, doing sports with them almost every day because we had a gym and a swimming pool at the sixth floor.

Especially the mini-market at the basement of our building that was opened until 2am did it’s job during the examination phase, emotional breakdowns and late-night cravings when we needed snacks and a lot of candy. And of course going with my roommates to university, studying together and going back home together were some of the little things that made me happy.

In Germany I wouldn’t grab an uber just because I want to visit my friends from university because it’s either too expensive or my friends live at the opposite side of the city. You are still able to meet them through public services but it would take way longer than in Malaysia: You were able to enjoy every second because you had the opportunity to do a lot more things. Because in this country it was cheaper and everyone you knew lived in the same area.

It felt like there were malls in every corner of the street and they had an offer of leisure activities that was incredible. Cinema, Bowling, ice skating or even a roller coaster in a mall? Malaysia makes it possible. The malls were so big so that you never got bored and even grocery shopping in Tesco (that was also located in a mall) was the highlight of our week. But that may be a personal thing.

Different Culture

The country has a completely different culture compared to the european culture. The population is mainly Muslim- dominated. That’s why there were a few challenges and an anxiety appeared that you could offend somebody in any way. But all of the people I met were very understanding and welcoming so that I didn’t have to worry about the difference between our cultures or religions.

They gave us an insight into how they live. We learnt to eat rice with our hands properly without getting half of the food in our face or how to wear traditional clothes. It’s incredible how nice people can contribute to your time away from home and make it to something special. If I wouldn’t have met them my semester would have been only half as good.

University

Besides of all the fun we had of course we also had to go to university. I wouldn’t say that it was absolutely easy and there wasn’t much work to do but we had great teachers and we definitely learnt a lot we can use in the future. The university itself felt like a big crazy school. It had huge banners of the university’s fashion brand and pictures of awards that looked they were straight given to the university from the Oscar’s jury. Besides all this advertisement stuff you also had a little bit of that „Fame“ atmosphere because it is a really creative university. Nobody would care you would walk around in a crazy costume or if you would stand up and start singing out loud loud. Because in this university it is kind of normal to do something like this. I mean which university has it’s own fashion show every Thursday?

I recommend everyone to choose a country with a completely different culture. Different from any culture you have ever experienced before. Try to be open-minded and to make friends so that you can get a new perception on life and other cultures around you. It was an amazing opportunity and it made me grow into a more mature and open-minded person with unique memories that I will always keep in my heart.

14. March 2017 | Von Daniela, Irina, Abithi und Benita  

Adiós Madrid

We’re all back home now so this is our last blogpost. Therefore, we thought it best to just sum up what we experienced during our semester abroad.

Adiós Madrid

Daniela – WE DID IT!

We can not believe our 6 months exchange is done! Time flies when you are having fun.

In our abroad-time we had the opportunity to get to know a  new culture ( very opposite to the german one as known), visit new incredible places and meet new people. Locals were always nice to us and (at least) tried to communicate in English and although some could pass, many of them did not knew how to properly speak English and we had to try our best with the few Spanish we had learnt so far.

Spain is a lovely country to travel around in your free time and we would encourage everybody that wants to have a good time and try a variety of tapas combined with a different kind of beer to come visit!  We assure you will not regret this opportunity and you will be welcomed with open arms and smiley faces (and of course a lovely weather).

Irina – Summary about my stay I Madrid

About a months ago our semester abroad and stay in Madrid ended. Some of us were really happy to fly home again, and some of us fell so much in love with Spain, that they decided to stay a few more weeks in Spain and travel around.

To be honest, I were really happy to be back in Germany after 4 and a half months. Many of us loved the Spanish mentality, the cheap tapas and wine, the warm and long evenings and Spanish laid-back attitude, but I had problems to adapt to this. I want to show you to thing, that annoyed me most during my stay, and what I loved most.

What I’ve learned

To be a bit more open-minded. I had problems to accept the Spanish mentality because we Germans are way more narrow-minded, a bit less flexible and try to follow rules. Spaniards love there “mañana”, what means something like “Come again tomorrow, maybe (or maybe not) it will be here tomorrow”. So, it is very important, that you, if you want to live and study in Madrid or Spain, to be a bit more open-minded, flexible and relaxed and adapt the Spanish mindset, otherwise you will be bugged 24/7.

What I’ve love most

The weather. I fell so much in love with the weather in Spain. The sun was shining most of the time. I remember that I was pretty hot at the end of October, so that I wore shorts at Halloween. Even in November and December it was about 16 degrees. We almost never had rain. This gave us the possibility, to travel around and explore whole of Spain with a such beautiful and sunny weather.

Benita – I learned many different things during my time in Madrid.

First of all, the things we studied in class of which some might really be useful for me in the future. One of the classes was Spanish class. I’m certain it was the favourite class of everyone interested in languages. For me, that was definitely the case. During the semester I also managed to get my DELE certificate which I’m happy about and which was made possible by the fact that we only had 5 courses and there was some extra time. So, Spanish skills are something, some of us also developed and which will come quite handy.

Also, speaking of skills, independence and flexibility are skills one develops while abroad (I think this applies for everywhere). Just the fact that we needed to get along in a different country, with a different language and different systems etc. made us more adaptable, and in my case, the Spanish way of handling things made me more relaxed.

Of course, experiencing the country itself is something I wouldn’t want to miss and there are many options for traveling. Valencia, Sevilla, Granada, Toledo, Aranjuez and Alcalá de Henares are places that I visited, but there is still much more to see and to do.

Surely the most important part is the people all of us met. New encounters are always enriching and maybe some of us have found friends for life.

 

 

We hope we could give you some impressions and you enjoyed reading our posts!

13. March 2017 | Von Seryn Hussein 

Time To Say Goodbye South Korea

Like I mentioned in my previous blog, this time I will talk more about events that happened on campus in Handong.

Time To Say Goodbye South Korea

Events On Campus

Like I mentioned in my previous blog, this time I will talk more about events that happened on campus in Handong. Students here organize many different kinds of events to make the campus life more exciting for the rest of the students. It means you can enjoy a variety of events and get entertained for a while before having to go back to your studies. One of the events is called “Culture Night”.Where international students prepare various foods and performances. Which show and introduce their own culture to Korean students.

Therefore garnering their interest in foreign culture. I participated in this event with my European fellow students. We prepared an assortment of food and desserts, which were typical for Europe. “Culture Night” was a very interesting and informative event. Events like that were plenty to be found in Handong. For example watching a mini concert of Eric Nam, who is a very popular Korean solo artist. In addition to that, there were musicals and dance performances ready to be showcased. One very interesting event, was “Alice in Wonderland” themed. It took place at the university and was over the span of three days. You had the option to leave campus and go home for the three days off. Or enjoy a funfair like atmosphere at the campus. Including food booths and games, prepared for the staying. Organized by students, a performance of “Show me the money” contestant and winner “Bewhy” could not be amiss.

Saying Goodbye

During my stay in Handong I made friends, with not just the locals. I met great students from different European countries and American states. I connected to the Korean students and spend a lot of time, learning about their culture. Even though the work load took a lot out of my time. And this is the reason why, saying goodbye was hard on me.

Four months may sound like a short time. But a lot has happened in those days. And I made great memories, that will stay with me forever. Not just the family-like community, that Handong offered us. But also the close friends I made. Memories of events, of study nights and panics before exams. We shared worries, questions, happy moments and four months. The local students were forthcoming to us internationals and always ready to help. However special gratitude to the OIA office, the international office, as they paid special mind to our worries and questions is due. All in all I can say, that this is the reason why, it was so hard to say goodbye.

Traveling Through Korea

A before mentioned topic is travel. To which I’m coming back now. Taking time after the semester ends, to see Korea is important in my opinion. The workload was too great, as to be able to travel around and enjoy the country. And therefore you should consider of spending a few additional days or even weeks.

I visited Busan, Jeonju and Seoul and had a great time in each of these cities. Each of those cities held their own charm and in no way was inferior to the other. I already talked about Busan before. Which is why I will concentrate on the other two for now. Jeonju was a traditional city, with the opportunity to lend a Hanbok (a traditional dress) and take pictures in beautiful scenery. Then there is of course Seoul which has a lot to offer, hence the reason for my lengthier stay. Seoul is not just limited to fashion and shopping. You can climb a mountain and visit a temple. Pictures are of course a must, whenever you’re faced with beautiful scenery. Unique cafes are a must by now. And if you have ever wondered if Korea ever stops short on ideas for cafes. Just remember, there are racoon, cat, dog, sheep and many more themed cafes. Places of interest are impossible to miss. For a great view? How about Seoul’s famous Namsan Tower? Where you can see the whole city (hot tip: even more beautiful during the night). In Seoul you can also enjoy the many street markets which offer a grand selection of delicious Korean food.

Getting around Korea is definitely easier than anywhere else in the world. It’s very well structured, especially the subway system. Another advantage of Korea is that entrance fees to sights are very cheap. Between 3 and 8 euros (4,000 to 10,000 Won) you could visit every single sight. Namsan Tower being the most expensive one with 8, seeing as it is very popular not just among natives, but even more so among tourists.

Finding a guest house in Seoul is very easy, since Seoul has them everywhere. But one can definitely find a cheap way, to stay in Seoul for only ten euros per night. Depending on how cheap you want to stay in Seoul, you might consider having to dorm with several girls. Rooming with other girls, allowed me to create friendships and travel with two girls for the rest of my stay.

Final Words & Advice

In conclusion, choosing Korea for my stay abroad was the greatest decision I could have made. Even with difficulties at the beginning, nothing was greater than the experience I made. The semester abroad made me grow and mature. I am more organized than I used to be. And I think that’s thanks due to the strict boarding life in Handong. I will definitely miss my friends and the memories we shared in Handong.

For people who consider to go to South Korea I would advise to be open minded and just immerse yourself into the awaiting experience. The Korean culture can be very multifarious and therefore you will learn and see many different and interesting things. It will definitely be an tremendous experience for you so don’t worry, pack your bags and begin an adventure.

13. March 2017 | Von Amana Zohor Miloudi 

Annyeonghi kyeseyo Korea – Goodbye Korea!

Almost half of the South Korean population lives in and around Seoul. The megalopolis has the most universities, schools and jobs to offer. But outside of the huge city are also other wonderful places to visit.

Annyeonghi kyeseyo Korea – Goodbye Korea!

South Korean studies will take a lot of time. Usually we had homework and group projects to hand in every weekend. But with the right time management it is possible to make prolonged weekend trips outside of Seoul – and they are definitely worth it. Visiting other places that are smaller and less international than the capital is an experience for itself. A wonderful one. I will recommend to you my three favorite places after Seoul.

1. Busan

Probably everyone who informed himself about Korea will know about Busan. It’s one of the biggest cities in South Korea and located in the Southern part, directly at the seaside. It is famous for its two biggest beaches, Haeundae and Gwangalli. I personally preferred Haeundae: The beach is surrounded by high and modern buildings and mountains, plus there is a bridge connecting the two ends of the beach. It is really astonishing to see and a relaxing time is guaranteed. But it is better to go there when it is not the mid-summer season – it will be super crowded during that time.

In addition, in Busan there are a lot of fish markets. Since the fish is sold freshly every single day to the restaurants around, the dishes will taste absolutely delicious. I recommend the fish salads and the fish soups. But beware, most restaurants will try to scam tourists! It’s better to take a Native with you who knows how to keep the prices realistic. Those who offer an English menu often have different prices on the English ones than on the Korean ones.

In Busan you will have to take the bus more often than in Seoul because the subway network is a lot smaller. The bus drivers don’t speak English very well, so it is best to show them where you want to go and they will call you and tell you when to get out. A few places at the edges of Busan are also worth a visit. My absolute favorite place to recommend is the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. You can get there by bus,  most people go there to see the sunset or the sunrise. The temple is located directly at the seaside and has an astonishing aura of calmness and peace. Most Korean temples are built in the mountains, so seeing it at the coast was an amazing change. You will have to pass 108 stairs that represent the 108 sufferings of Buddha, you can enter into the buildings and some of the monks even speak English and will be happy to tell you more about the history of the beautiful monument which was originally built in 1376 and reconstructed in 1970.

Another thing in Busan is: There are a bunch of events worth a visit like film festivals or music festivals etc, and if you follow the news on Facebook and other Social Media regularly you might even get to some of them for free! We had the chance to apply for the Busan One Asia Festival, a big music festival with a lot of bands and groups, and got tickets for free because we are foreigners. And Koreans love shooting foreigners at such location to show how globalized they became.

You will have to come early to get good tickets, Koreans often even camp the night before at the festival place to get good tickets. We took the night bus to Busan and arrived there with the first subway and were surprised by how many people were there already. But it will definitely be worth it. And don’t forget to get one of those lightsticks to support the band you came for! They are also a great opening topic to talk to the people around you and make new friends.

2. Jeju Island

Another wonderful place to visit is Jeju Island. It is known as the favorite Honeymoon place for Korean newlyweds because there is a lot to visit, from mountains to beaches you will find all kinds of nature here. You can travel throughout the whole island by bus but you need to pay attention to your GPS location on your phone because there will be no display within the bus to announce the names of the stations. Jeju-Island is famous for its food, its nature, the little statues you will see everywhere that are supposed to bring you a lot of luck, and for having the biggest lava tube of the world, Manjanggul.

The Lava Tube is very dark and moist, but absolutely beautiful. You will be able to stroll there for a long long walk while admiring the structures of the tube. It was discovered and explored by a teacher and his class, and the safe parts are now open to the public. Near the Lava Tube is also a big maize maze which will be very fun to explore. The average time it takes to get through it are 30 minutes. It is surrounded by a beautiful Park with stray cats you can feed.

Jeju Island is also a wonderful place to go hiking. The Hallasan Park is located in the middle of the island, having a variety of hiking trails with different levels of difficulty. The mountain is the biggest mountain in South Korea (1950 meters above the sea). In around the height of the middle of the mountain there is a Crater Lake totally worth the detour.

And if you go up all the way you will find an astonishing view over the whole island. You need to get there very early in the morning because they will only let you pass through the entrance until a certain time so you have enough time to come back before it gets dark. Most people arrive there before 6 or 7 am. What I found very fascination is that most hikers were older men and women who are incredibly fit and well trained. Definitely one more motivation to make it all the way to the top!

3. Jeonju

A city that is less well known but an absolutely must-visit is Jeonju. The city is mostly popular for having the best Bibimbap and cuisine in general. An Ahjumma, whích means an older woman in Korean, once told me that if you’ve ever eaten properly in Jeonju your mouth will be too spoiled to ever find liking in other food. I can approve. But Jeonju offers more, Jeonju offers a lot of culture and traditions. The heart of the city is Hanok Maeun: It is known as one of the biggest village of Hanoks, which are Korean traditional houses. They have ondols, which are floor heaters, and the traditional thin paper walls. You will have to sleep on the floor, which is surprisingly comfortable. Strolling through this area is absolutely recommendable, the architecture in Jeonju is very fascinating and admirable.

Located in Hanok Maeun are also Omokdae and Imokdae. They are the birthplaces of the two Kings who are known to have led the Joseon Dynasty, the biggest and longest lasting Kingdom Dynasty in Korean History. The palaces are open to visitors and there are some museums with portraits and the belongings of the old Kings. Most visitors are Koreans who rent a Hanbok to take truly traditional pictures inside of the temple/palace complex.

When you are in Jeonju you can’t leave out all the little arts shops and the museums. Jeonju is very famous for its Hanji Production, the production of Korean Paper. It is made within 100 different steps and known for being of better quality than Chinese and Japanese traditional paper. You can find a lot of art galleries with beautiful handmade postcards that are wonderfully decorated.  You can even make a sheet yourself in the Hanji Museum of Jeonju. Totally worth a visit!

Conclusion

South Korea is a wonderful country with a lot of traditions, culture and nature to explore and a lot of expert knowledge to learn. At Kwangwoon University I had the opportunity to get most of both. I learnt a lot in the classes I’ve had and our professors were very helpful and nice, offering us their help whenever we needed it, going out to explore new areas with us and helping us with translations and organizing our time. The course contents were very interesting and insightful, when it comes to Media Koreans are very far developed and I learnt many relevant things for my studies. Through having regular homework and getting an immediate response on how well we understood everything it was easier to follow and to remember what we learnt. The university campus was really big, but it was still quite easy to get around. I will miss Kwangwoon a lot.

Luckily even though the studies were time consuming, we had enough time to travel and explore the rest of the country as well. People’s mentality is totally different from the European one, but it is still very easy to integrate and feel at ease. At home even. There is just so much I miss now that I’ve gotten back to Germany, I even had a huge culture shock when I arrived back here actually. By now I adapted to Germany again, but I will cherish the memories of my time abroad and everything I learnt during my studies in Korea; I am glad that I had the opportunity to make this experience and can only recommend to pass one’s semester in Seoul!

If you ever want to find out more about the country or have any questions, you can always contact me here: amana.zohor.miloudi@mhmk.de

Best wishes!

Amana Miloudi

13. March 2017 | Von Valerie Schullan 

Tallinn, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship

Our last day in Tallinn was the premiere of our first completely finished films.

Tallinn, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship

We dressed up, went to the cinema, and saw our own names on the big screen – it was a great evening. Afterward, our whole group of Cologne and Munich students went to the same bar we’ve been on our first night out together. In some way, everything wrapped up there.

Over the last five months, we did not only produce and shoot four movies, we also traveled a little bit and got to know Estonia even more. The most memorable trip we took was to Tartu, which is a very beautiful city, even when it rains. We visited the national museum, got to see the university and some cafés in Tartu itself, and lastly even got a tour around a brewery, which was definitely fun for all the beer fans. Another quite remarkable day was when we went location scouting on Prangli, and in addition to that, shot our campaign spot for Kickstarter. It was such a cold day, that some locals even offered their sauna to us, so we would be able to warm up a little. That’s such a nice example for Estonian people – they might appear closed off, but really they are such nice people (and their homes often include saunas, which is amazing!). It definitely pays off to get to know them.

Aside from going on trips, we also got to experience a cold and darker Tallinn than in the first few weeks we’ve been there. It was strange to have less light during the day, and more and more darkness. It definitely robs energy, sometimes we just wanted to stay in and watch movies. The cold sea winds didn’t really motivate us more to go outside. The big upside to „Winter-Tallinn“ was the amazing Christmas decoration. Every historical building was decorated with lovely colorful lights, so the nights didn’t seem as dark anymore. The Christmas market is also simply beautiful, with a big tree in the middle of the town square, which can be seen until the end of January.

The „Glögg“, which is essentially hot apple cider with a little cinnamon in it, was very tasty and warmed us up quite nicely. The early night, which started around half past three, made the cafés and restaurants seem even more comforting and warm, so we had some options to spend our time, even if it was too cold to walk around. When it was still light outside, one activity, which is definitely worth trying out is ice skating, just around the corner of the Christmas market – very affordable and a lot of fun, even if you are not very good at ice skating.

Nevertheless, the highlight of our stay in Estonia was without question shooting the movies. For us, film students, filming in English was a challenge, but also a big enrichment to our studies. The team was pretty international, ranging from Estonian to Italian people. Even though Germans were doubtlessly the majority, we still managed to make the sets feel diverse. Production and casting were quite stressful tasks because we had to work completely independently for the first time. The teams still managed to organize amazing sets with great detail, fun and talented actors and of course a crew, which was always eager to do their best work. We had to work in sometimes crazy conditions – cold winds, rain, snow, a prison without any heating whatsoever, once an actor didn’t even show up to the set – but in the end, that made the experience even more special. Although it wasn’t always just fun for the team, we still worked very hard and supported each other, which definitely brought us closer together. The film might not be everyone’s passion, but for us, Estonia provided the perfect opportunity to improve this passion and give us much needed perspective, as to what we can endure and achieve. All the work finally paid off, when the postproduction phase ended and we were able to see the finished project. One of our professors said that whatever feeling we have when first watching the film on the big screen, this would be the feeling we have of the overall project. I can’t speak for the whole group, but I was proud of everyone for what we’ve created.

Looking back on this last evening, I can say that I will miss Tallinn, for all its coldness and simple charm. Even though it might have seemed small at times, like you already knew every corner, it was somehow comforting to know a town so well. It was also great to have a good excuse to stay inside, drink tea, and watch movies the whole day – because it was just too cold to go outside. But when I come back next time, it will surely be in the summer. Even if you’ll find nothing positive about the Winter in Tallinn, you will definitely learn to appreciate the sun.

Photographs were taken by Christian Eberwein.

13. March 2017 | Von Stephanie Skarica 

Study abroad in London – an amazing experience!

3 months have passed since we returned back home to Germany and some quickly got backto their everyday life. A few started working and some enjoyed 3 months of free time.

Study abroad in London – an amazing experience!

To be honest, the time we have spent in London went too fast. I still can remember, when back in September 2016, we head to London Heathrow Airport with all our bags and luggage and I told myself: “Wow, we still have a plenty of time until the start of our 4th semester at Macromedia!”. Now, autumn and winter passed, it is the 10th of March and our 4th semester starts on Monday next week. Crazy how time flies so quickly! I truly believe everybody had an amazing time, made a lot of friends and had a lot of experiences during their study abroad. I am very thankful and happy that I chose London as my destination. The city is vibrant, diverse, huge, historical, international and incredibly awesome! You see people, buildings and attractions of every type. You meet people from all around the world sharing their individual stories. You learn to listen, to enjoy and to be more open. All these things made us grow and develop further, either in our actions or our thoughts. These experiences will always remain with us.

Regarding our studies, the teachers helped us to release ourselves from strict thinking, ideal perfection, clean and neat assignment work. Expression, artistic and critical thinking were more important than showing perfect work. At the beginning it wasn´t very easy for us Germans to produce messy work and create a lot of sketches for brainstorming, but in the end we have understood what’s important and have successfully submitted our work the second week of January. Every project was followed by a lot of discussion and individual tutorials with teachers. They really helped us in creating new ideas and inspired us by giving different perspectives. Those tutorials were organised by the teachers themselves and every student had to attend. I would recommend participating in every session. Also, they gave us detailed feedback on our final assignments which I find very essential for future designers.

All in all, I want to thank everyone who made this fantastic study abroad time unforgettable! This unique experience cannot be replaced by anything else.

We will always look back to all the amazing memories.

 

Thank you University of Westminster #livelearnlondon