Staying on in a Place I never knew existed

In February 2012 a man called Laurent Borgmann visited my university in Australia. He gave a presentation about a university I’d never heard of in a town I didn’t know existed. And despite the fact I didn’t know that much about Germany, I decided to study abroad at RheinAhrCampus, Remagen.

I admit it was daunting travelling to Germany. I’d never been as far as Europe before, and certainly not by myself. Yet once I’d arrived, all my fears disappeared. I have fitted in really well and I’ve made so many new friends, German and international.

During my semester I’ve experienced so many new things. Seeing snow for the first time in my life was amazing, and I still run around with as much enthusiasm as a five-year-old when the ground turns white. (For the record, snow is a lot colder than I ever imagined – picking a handful up with bare hands has brought a whole new meaning to the word “frozen”.) I’ve also been lucky enough to meet the most amazing international students ever. We’re quite a large group, but this means that there’s so much more to learn. This semester, not only have I learnt so much about Germany, but also the Netherlands, Lithuania, Jordan, and Spain.

What I love most about Europe is the closeness between the different countries and cultures. That I can board a train in Remagen and be in an entirely new country with an entirely new language and an entirely new culture within a few hours is fantastic! I have done so much travel this semester, and I plan to make the most of the semester break to see even more of this diverse continent!

During my stay I was able to take part in the campus internship through the Sprachen/Internationales department. This internship has taught me so many important life skills, including public speaking, event management, and of course how to make good coffee! I have really enjoyed working with such an international team, and I believe this internship will bring new opportunities back in Australia.

I’ve had such an amazing semester in Remagen, and I’m simply not ready for it to end. In fact, I’ve had such a great time, I’ve decided to stay for a second semester! I’m really looking forward to seeing Europe in the spring time!