“Go for it! Go for it! Go for it! Definitely! Go for it!” That’s the advice Katharina Bieloch gives to anyone thinking about spending a semester abroad. “A semester abroad is incredibly enriching. The experiences you gain are priceless,” says the Master’s student in American Studies.
Last winter semester, she attended Longwood University in Virginia – a partner university of the University of Oldenburg. Katharina was the second exchange student from Oldenburg to study there for three months. “It was always clear to me that I wanted to spend a semester abroad. I wanted to experience college life in America.”
But before she could set off, Katharina had to navigate a mountain of paperwork. “You can’t underestimate just how much paperwork there is to sort out: insurance, visas, specific certificates – everything has to be applied for. Pages and pages of forms.” The International Student Office (ISO) helped with the organisation. During counselling sessions, Katharina was given a guide outlining the steps required for a semester abroad in the United States. In total, the preparations took just under eight months.
American college life
And then the time had come. Katharina boarded the plane and set off for her semester abroad. And did she experience culture shock straight away? “You could say that,” laughs the 28-year-old. “I was already familiar with the US from a few trips. But studying there, going about daily life there – that’s completely different. I hadn’t expected it to be like that.”
Although the American students were very approachable, they weren’t ultimately as friendly as she’d expected. That came as a surprise. On the other hand, she got to know lots of international students and made friends – including students from Saudi Arabia. “I was amazed at how open they were. They invited me round for a meal. We drank Arabic coffee and ginger tea by the campfire, played music together and went on trips together. I’ve still got to visit them at home.” These are experiences the student wouldn’t want to have missed.
A ‘buddy’ for everyone
But how does settling in at an American university work? “Pretty well,” says Katharina. The reason: a special ‘buddy programme’. Every exchange student is assigned a ‘buddy’ – a contact person who provides guidance and helps them navigate everyday student life in the US. As part of the ‘buddy programme’, they went on trips to Washington, and on Halloween they visited a large amusement park. The ideal opportunity to get to know the other international students.
There is now also a “buddy programme” at the University of Oldenburg. It was set up by the Institute of English and American Studies and is now based at the ISO. Katharina coordinates the programme. She is always on the lookout for new ‘buddies’. ‘It’s certainly an advantage to know what a semester abroad “feels like” if you want to be a good buddy. But the buddy programme is also the ideal preparation for a future stay abroad,” explains Katharina. After all, you then know what expectations international students have and what to expect. And in any case, the same applies to the University of Oldenburg’s buddy programme: “Just do it”.
