Cycling to the semester abroad
Three Oldenburg students set off for their semester abroad in an unusual way - by bike. Carmen Sroweleit, Jil Gagelmann and Jasper Laschinger report here on their trip to Cádiz (Spain) respectively Sogndal (Norway).
Carmen Sroweleit (Cádiz)

Cycling from Oldenburg to Cádiz: Carmen Sroweleit experienced this adventure when she cycled from Lower Saxony to Andalusia for her Erasmus study abroad. The fact that she would travel the 3,600 kilometers from Oldenburg to Cádiz by bike instead of by plane, car or train was "initially a crazy idea", as Carmen emphasizes. But when she thought about it in more detail, she realized that although the project would take a lot of time, it was not unrealistic.
Like Jasper and Jil, Carmen received financial support from the EU's Erasmus+ Green program: 350 euros for the climate-friendly journey by bike. Overall, the trip went almost without a hitch. Only a few sandy or bumpy paths and the odd aggressive farm dog caused a bit of a thrill during the ride. On the other hand, she got to know the countries she traveled through from a new perspective and had many wonderful encounters.
What appeals to her about Cádiz and the southern Spanish region of Andalusia is not only the Mediterranean climate and the sea, but also the warm and cheerful people. She hopes that her semester abroad, which has just begun, will provide her with possibilities for cultural exchange with the locals and other international students. She also hopes to gain insights into new areas of research and improve her Spanish language skills.
Carmen's conclusion: "The experiences and encounters on a cycling trip through several countries are unique. Every day brings surprises and you learn a lot about yourself." For those students who can also imagine traveling abroad by bike, she has a final advice: "You don't have to have the newest and most expensive bike. It's more important to plan enough time to enjoy the trip and be able to act spontaneously."
Jasper Laschinger (Cádiz)

Jasper Laschinger is another of the Oldenburg students cycling across Europe. His destination is the same as Carmen's: Cádiz in southern Spain.
The environmental sciences student chose the Andalusian city not only because of its proximity to the sea, but also because he wanted to improve his Spanish language skills there. He already learned the language during an exchange year at school. In terms of subject matter, he is particularly interested in environmental engineering at the Universidad de Cádiz.
Jasper had previously trained and undertook two cycling tours through Europe. The trip to Spain went largely without a hitch. Only the tight schedule and the not very well-developed cycle paths in Portugal and Spain caused him some problems. And when Jasper was repeatedly held up by flat tires, he finally had to fit a new rim tape. But the effort was worth it: France in particular surprised him with its varied landscapes – with cliffs on the Normandy coast, rivers such as the Mayenne, hilly and mountainous landscapes, pine forests and endless beaches on the Atlantic. During his tour, he also benefited from the fact that there are hardly any border controls in the EU: "The freedom to travel within the EU made my cycle tour much easier and more flexible."
Jasper's conclusion: "The most important thing is to simply set off. Of course it's difficult to plan what you want to take with you, but when traveling by bike, you should carry as little as possible. And if you really need something, you can buy it anywhere. You experience so many beautiful moments on a bike tour: sunsets, nature, hospitable and helpful people and much more."
Jil Gagelmann (Sogndal)

After a university excursion, she was hooked: The unique landscape and nature impressed and inspired her so much that Jil Gagelmann absolutely wanted to return to Norway. She finally fulfilled her wish – and cycled to Sogndal in the west of the country for her semester abroad.
On the one hand, the landscape ecology student hopes that her Erasmus semester abroad will allow her to spend a lot of time in the spectacular Norwegian landscape and to get to grips with the ecological and geological processes that have shaped this region – fittingly, the course at her Norwegian host university is called “From Mountain to Fjord”. On the other hand, she would like to improve her English skills. Jil had planned a longer bike tour anyway – but to Georgia in the Caucasus. When this came to nothing, she decided to travel to her semester abroad by bike instead.
After starting in Oldenburg, a cold threw her off track a little, so she had to take a week's break in Hamburg. However, the subsequent journey through the Danish plains and – after crossing by ferry – Norwegian mountain landscapes went well. In three weeks, she only experienced two days of rain. While Denmark has a well-developed network of cycle paths and free overnight accommodation, the mountains of Norway were a challenge for Jil at first. "Once I got used to it, I was able to enjoy cycling in Norway even more and also enjoy the mountains. Every day I saw different landscapes that inspired me again and again", Jil sums up.
Jil has a tip for anyone who wants to follow her example: "As far as equipment is concerned, I can only say: less is more! I had a few things with me, such as my camera and extra clothes, which I had to carry up every mountain in Norway, but didn't really need the whole time."
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