Posts

Final blog post: A Farewell

Image
As my stay here in Germany comes to an end, I want to dedicate this blog to an overall reflection of my experience in Germany. My study abroad experience definitely did not go as expected. I met some truly incredible people and I will forever cherish the moments I shared with everyone I got to meet. Even though I spent most of my days in the library, I still got to experience some awesome places in Germany that have left a lasting impression on me. From the museums in Munich to the festivals in Stuttgart and Tübingen, and most importantly, the awesome cow I met hiking in Austria, all these experiences will be carried with me for years to come.  The courses I took were very challenging, and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to pass any of them. But I did.  The neuroscience courses further fueled my interest in the subject and solidified my decision to pursue a neuroscience degree after completing my bachelor's. Not only did I gain more knowledge on the courses themselves but I also
Post a Comment
Read more

A different blog: Life at the library

Image
Finals are approaching and my stress level is at an all-time high. I haven't been going out a lot with my friends since, and I've been mostly spending my days at the library, so I thought it was only fitting to dedicate this blog post to the " library life" here at Tübingen University compared to HWS.  Since we have a range of different students attending this university (from undergrad to masters to Ph.D.), school is taken very seriously here. The library opens at 8 am on weekdays and 10 am on the weekend. There are many libraries available around the city (there's a library for each department–for medicine, theology, computer science and mathematics, etc....). But the library I go to is for everyone and it's the largest one and the closest one to the city center. If I don't have class in the morning, I usually try to go as soon as it opens because if I arrive there too late, all the seats will be taken (at least all the good ones). And this is not an un
Post a Comment
Read more

Tübingen Stadtfest

Image
This week, I got to experience a fun and vibrant part of Tübingen: the Tübingen Stadfest. Tübingen is a fairly calm city, despite it being full of university students (except on the buses at midnight when it's filled with drunk students). I was really surprised to see so many people in the Altstadt (old town). You'd usually find tourists roaming around the picturesque area like below:  but during the Stadtfest, it was incredibly full (not the best picture): One of the most charming aspects of the festival is the bustling marketplace. There were booths filled with handmade crafts, local snacks, and traditional clothing. Not to mention, the food was incredible! Here's me and one of my friends eating a French crêpe!
Post a Comment
Read more

Trip to Österreich!

Image
Update: I am in Österreich and I am currently in the highest town in Austria called Obergurgle! This is my current view:  Current altitude:1,930 - 2,150 m a.s.l. So cool, right?! But as you can see from my computer screen, I'm working on my Neuroscience seminar essay while my friends are out on a hike.   A quick background on the reason for my trip to Österreich. So since I still have an art goal to fulfill before I graduate, I decided to take an art class here in Germany. There were so many Art class options to pick from but this class stood out, the title of the course is called: Into the Wild: Observing Fragile Alpine Nature Through Lenses of Art & Science. Such a cool title, right? So now I am here, exploring fragile alpine nature! The goal of this course is to really dive into the art expressed by nature and the science component is addressing the climate change aspect and how it has affected the Alps.  So far, we went on one hike yesterday morning–which lasted about 7 hou
Post a Comment
Read more

Trip to Bremen and some updates!

Image
A lot has happened over the past month and a half. Living in Germany has been a roller coaster ride so far. everything is still quite new, I am still adjusting to the environment here and classes have been quite on the difficult end.  Adjusting to life here in Tübngen has had its ups and downs. To begin with, the transportation system here is amazing. I love being able to hop on a bus and go to the other side of the city within 30 minutes. But there's also a downside to this. A few days ago, I experienced my first encounter with a bus strike. I woke up, got ready, and made my way to the bus stop, waiting for my bus to go to my morning lecture. Thankfully, I was there an hour ahead of the lecture– because I planned to have breakfast at the Mensa (cafeteria near the lecture hall). I waited for about 15 minutes for the bus (thinking it was just very late) until someone walking by asked if I was waiting for the bus. To my surprise, they said that the buses were on strike today. To say
Post a Comment
Read more

Living situation, life updates, and the Frühlingsfest in Stuttgart

Image
So much has happened since I arrived. I am slowly but surely getting settled into my new  Wohnheimen  (dormitory). However, unlike the US, I have my own bathroom! (I was super excited to find out that I wasn't going to share a bathroom with other people). The Wohnheimens in Tübingen and HWS are different in more ways than one. To begin with, around 15-20 people live in a flat and we all share one kitchen. Each person has one cabinet (shown in the picture below, and we also have one fridge compartment (also shown below). The kitchen is somewhat spacious, but  I have to say, it gets a little crowded when more than two people are cooking (which rarely happens).  So far, I have really been enjoying living with my flatmates. The living culture here is very different from HWS! Even though I live in a W.g., which is basically like a dorm, it sort of feels more like a home. There are nights when everyone is in the kitchen making food, music playing, and everyone sharing what they did durin
Post a Comment
Read more

The challenges of living abroad and glimpses of Munich!

Image
  It's been roughly three weeks since I arrived in Tübingen, Germany, and I must admit, it has been a roller coaster ride so far. Moving to a new country comes with its fair share of challenges. Balancing the demands of studying in Germany, making new friends, and exploring as much as possible has been somewhat of a challenge. Adapting to the new culture and finding my place in the German way of life has been an intriguing journey for me, especially considering the stark differences between my home country and both the US and Germany. But amidst these challenges, I've come to realize that this experience has not only allowed me to explore more of Germany but has also helped me grow and become more comfortable with being uncomfortable.      So far not only have I gotten to visit more of Germany, but I also am getting more comfortable with myself. Going abroad alone is hard. Every day I challenge my comfort zone and further push myself to seek experiences that constantly make me
Post a Comment
Location: Tübingen, Germany
Read more