Marhaba!

Marhaba! My name is Zaina Hamed and I'm an exchange student from Jordan. I've been an exchange student in Remagen for one semester and I would like to share with you some of my experience with regards to the city of Remagen, other exchange students, and the courses offered at the RheinAhrCampus.

As you've probably heard, Remagen is a cute small city where the RheinAhrCampus is located. Well, let me assure you there is more to this city than what meets the eye. Remagen is a peaceful city in which long walks by the Rhine River are enjoyable and the mountain views on the way to the university are breathtaking. You have a few supermarkets and ATMs nearby.

Nevertheless. If you are bored you can always take a train to one of the nearby cities, such as Cologne or Bonn which are free to go to by train or bus when using your student ID. Not only did I like the city of Remagen but also the atmosphere at the RheinAhrCampus in which I was a part of a multi-cultural group of exchange students. We were a group of 14 students from more than 7 different countries, which is relatively a small number to other universities yet it was truly amazing. We would eat lunch together, travel together, attend classes together, run together to catch trains and then dance together when the train is late, and learn a lot from each other. Whatever you had to do at the RheinAhrCampus you would find great company. We would constantly learn from each other through our "well, in my country.." discussions and these wonderful people grew to become my close friends and my second family. Furthermore, you have a supportive international office with a staff that are very understanding and helpful whenever you need their assistance. They also have student mentors that will help you in getting settled, answer your questions, and take you in city tours.

Another great aspect of my experience at the RheinAhrCampus was the opportunity to take some interesting courses like the International Business Simulations course, in which I was elected as CEO. It was a challenging course that gave me practical experience of what it's like to run a company with 30 people. I learned a lot more about my major and how human behavior and communication plays a huge role in whatever we do. It was very challenging yet also extremely rewarding. I was also fortunate to attend two master's courses. These courses enriched my knowledge and encouraged me to investigate and pursue things differently through interesting material and unique teaching methods. It definitely encouraged me to do my Masters in the near future.

All in all, this experience was very fun and enriching both personally and academically. I have grown to become more independent, resilient, and curious about the world around me. At the end, I would like to thank everyone who was part of this amazing experience including the staff of Hochschule Koblenz, my home university German Jordanian University, and the great students whom I'm proud to now call my friends. Best of luck to everyone, and we shall meet again beautiful Remagen!