Care Student – Your Information Survey on Health Insurance!
Hi, i’m Sascha! This is my report on the very first month spent in Bavarian capital — Munich.
Since i come from Russia, the possibility of this exchange was really questionable until the very start of the semester. Things changed daily, but in the end of the day i was truly lucky to have managed to arrive in Germany, especially in the complicated times like this. The journey here wasn’t as easy as it could have been just a few months ago: taking a 3h direct flight from Saint-Petersburg to Munich and enjoying this amazing city straight away. This time I rather had to go 9h by bus to Helsinki (crossing Russian border on foot and scared) and waiting for 17h for the layover for the flight to Munich I couldn’t pay myself for because Mastercard and Visa blocked all debit cards issued back where I come from. Now I am in Munich for already a month and I think the fact that I’m here safe and sound is what truly matters.
Munich
April here was adorable: the weather, people, university, infrastructure. I’ve had an opportunity to explore the city partially, go to a few museums (Haus Der Kunst, Museum Brandhorst), parks (English Garden is gigantic, feels like a forest right in the city center. I also live just next to the Olympia Park), squares, bars. I’ve already had my first weeks at TUM which I really loved (particularly for the DeutchKurs we have, but there’re many other great lectures as well). Sometimes I catch myself thinking ‘making an exchange semester in Germany had been the biggest dream of my life for a while and this is now real even when everything back home is falling apart’. During the first weeks I was really afraid of saying where I come from, it still feels awkward actually, but that’s what people ask you when you’re an international student. Yet I was surprised by how many people supported me throughout these weeks. Even though I don’t think I am the victim in this situation, when I told other students that I’m from Russia some immediately felt how insecure I felt because of it and were very supportive and welcoming — I didn’t expect so much love and understanding and it truly melt my heart.
New opportunities
I must say, that without financial help from Care Concept making it through this semester would become to a great extent unaffordable, because of the economic situation in my country. The scholarship I receive allows me to enjoy my stay here and I don’t have to constantly think about how to make the ends meet. I even had an opportunity to travel to Prague for the weekend to see a friend of mine and her 2 beautiful dogs: this concept of ‘open borders’ and interconnection is still mind-blowing to me, as I’m used to have to get visas first and to prepare a month ahead to travel anywhere.
All in all, the very first month here has already been life changing and I cannot wait to see what Germany brings me next, see you in a month!
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