Year Abroad

I received an email in the summer telling me where I would be going and what I would be doing in September. I was excited to learn that I would be in the Academy of Versailles, however when I found out where my school was I soon discovered it was nowhere near Versailles. It turns out I was actually half an hour away from central Paris teaching in two little towns just south of the city until the end of April.

My next port of call was to find accommodation, I was told this would be hard and it's better to just wait until I go out there and get a feel for the area before I commit to anything. So, with that in mind I booked an Airbnb for a couple of nights and told myself I'd find somewhere after that. I flew out at the end of September with my Dad and we were welcomed by a lovely couple at the Airbnb. We got on well and explained why we were out here; they gave us directions to the nearest train station and a map of Paris. My Dad and I spent the two days he was with me going around Paris and Versailles. I immediately realised finding accommodation wouldn't be easy out here so I spoke to the couple who owned the Airbnb and asked if I could stay with them for my time abroad. Luckily, they were more than happy to oblige and just like that my accommodation was sorted! I had my own bathroom, toilet and bedroom, the house was big which allowed for privacy and the dog that lived with them was a nice bonus! I was also lucky in the sense that I didn't have to worry about my own washing or cooking as they did it for me.

The next hurdle I had to overcome was opening up a bank account. I asked the people I was staying with if they could help as it was something completely new to me and daunting to do in another language. They came with me to the bank and after half an hour I walked out with a French bank account. The process itself was very straightforward as long as you have all the correct documents that are listed in the handbook.

In my first week, I had to go to training days with other assistants, which was useful as it allowed me to meet new people and we were given all the information we would need for our upcoming assistantship. We didn't start teaching until the beginning of November, so for most of October, it was either training days or exploring the area and getting our bearings which in hindsight was really useful because it meant we had time to settle in.

I worked in two schools, both of which were a half an hour walk from where I lived. The first couple of weeks I was very nervous to meet everyone, but teachers and students alike were all very welcoming and made me feel at home. One of the things I was not expecting was the amount of holiday time we would be given. In France, all holidays including half term were two weeks long! This meant I had a lot of free time to travel throughout France and further afield.

I was very lucky to live so close to Paris - a 30-minute train journey cost me eight euros return and I had the whole city to explore. My friends and I would often go into the city on our days off and look around museums, art exhibitions, go for lunch or go shopping. By the end of the placement I came to know Paris rather well. One of the negatives to living in the suburbs however was that public transport was often unreliable. Especially nearing the end of my time out there when the strikes all over the country were starting to happen. This meant trains were limited and often cancelled which sometimes upset our plans.

As the months progressed I became very attached to my students and teachers and was proud how far they'd come with their English (teachers included!!). As their English was improving so was my French.

If I had any advice to give to prospective language students about to start their Year Abroad it would be try not to get overwhelmed. It’s understandable that you will be nervous and anxious but once you’re there everything just falls into place. I remember being sent so much paperwork over the summer and it made me so nervous but that all goes away once you get a grasp of the year and what it entails.

Finally, if you do a teaching assistantship you get paid a healthy sum (800€ a month). Use that to go and explore different places in France. You will generally only be working around 12 hours a week (3 days) so free time is on your side, the only way you can meet people is by going out and doing things. Even if it’s something you don't want to do you’re better off saying yes because that way you'll meet so many new people. Use that time to go see new places and do things you wouldn't normally do. My last point is: don't worry and don't stress; you will have such a good time, and make the most amazing memories. I know it’s a daunting concept but it’s an experience you will genuinely never forget.

From September 2017 till 30th April 2018 I worked in Lycée Hilaire de Chardonnet in Chalon Sur Saone in the Dijon region working as an English teaching assistant. I was in contact with a teacher from the school about a month prior to leaving who informed me that there was accommodation in the school for me and that I would be living with other French people. Getting to or leaving the school was complicated with the closest airport in Lyon requiring a taxi, bus, train, metro and tram with 3 nights stay in Lyon. The training day for all the assistants in Dijon was informative and reassuring. Opening a bank account required a lot of paperwork and going back and forth between the school and the bank with certain documents like certificates to prove I worked and lived in France.

I discovered that I definitely have a passion for teaching and helping students and the lifestyle that being a teacher involves. I grew in confidence and gained an understanding of the difficulties French people have in speaking English and why these problems occur. I realized the type of teaching I would like to pursue and learnt different styles of teaching and therefore which one I found most effective. Each teacher expected me to do slightly different exercises with each class and this was also really interesting to realize how some exercises suited some students whilst the same exercise might not necessarily suit others. I learnt a lot about myself during the course of the year and that I love to be busy and actually missed studying and feeling productive.

I also realized I am extremely motivated and watching Netflix every day isn’t for me. I feel much more confident in myself in terms of travelling and being able to deal with unexpected problems as you are guaranteed to experience a lot in a year abroad that makes a very good story. I benefitted a lot from travelling and experiencing new cultures in terms of learning about their language, gastronomy, history, etiquettes and their understanding of our culture which was extremely interesting! I travelled all around France as well as Poland, Hungary and Luxembourg during the school holidays. Through living abroad for so long and only returning during the Christmas holidays I developed a new appreciation of my culture and of Britain which I didn’t think could grow any bigger. Moreover, I realised what my values were in life through interacting with lots of different people from different countries with different interests and different personalities. This experience has also developed a newfound passion for travelling; the whole process seems less daunting and easier in the sense that I have the confidence to tackle problems I might face. You realise that you have to get on with tasks that you would have left for your parents to deal with back home. I also had a lot of time to reflect on how I interact with people and could be more grateful to those closest in my life such as friends and family. I never realized how much a year abroad would affect the way I live after living in France. Strangely, I appreciate British weather far more now than ever after living somewhere that was plagued with floods and more rain and clouds than I've ever seen in England or Wales. Furthermore, you learn a lot through reading outside the obvious books you’d find at the library. Applying for a bank account for example or going to the doctors or dentist; even shopping and reading ingredients off food from the supermarket helps the process of learning and acquiring a new language. Living abroad is far more than speaking French to people on the bus or reading a book - it’s also fully immersing yourself in the everyday style of living there which results in you  unconsciously learning subtle words or expressions or etiquettes such as saying ‘Bonjour’ to everyone that enters the gym changing room regardless if you know them or not. The paperwork required made me more diligent and organized in addition to realising the importance of applying for documents like a carte vitale as waiting until you get ill or forgetting certain documents and paying big fines was not ideal. Producing written documents in the host language was also a skill I didn't think I needed for certain things - how to address or formally sign off a letter was not what I imagined. I think I underestimated what it is to learn a language. It was also very interesting to notice regional differences in the language such as expressions, or even the name of certain things like ‘pain au chocolat’ or ‘chocolatine'.

As I said goodbye to my family all I could think was how I didn't want to be leaving. Leaving behind my friends, family, boyfriend, and a fantastic time at Swansea. Now when I think back to this I cannot believe I didn't want to come here for it has been the best year of my life. I remember my mother telling me how lucky I was to be going to live in Germany and so many people saying how, when it came to the end of my year abroad, I wouldn't want to leave Germany either. And how right they all were! Arriving here in Regensburg you cannot help but be blown away at how beautiful it is and still, after a year, I catch myself staring at the same views in awe, as if it's the first time I've laid eyes on it. Naturally, arriving in a foreign country not knowing a soul is a terrifying thing, but in reality it really wasn't so bad. Once you have sorted out the administration and have your accommodation, internet, mobile and everything up and running, you focus your energies on meeting all the new and exciting people around you. You become excited at the prospect of all the wonderful experiences you will gain, such as travelling and simply living in the amazing historical town of Regensburg!

Living here and attending Regensburg University has helped an incredible amount with my language skills - living in the country is definitely the best way to learn the language. I have used German every single day and even when you don't realise it, you are learning subconsciously (just from shopping or adverts etc). My German as a foreign language course has also helped me tremendously, having signed up for modules focusing on specific skills, such as listening, speaking and writing. This has helped me really understand and pick up on phrases when someone is speaking fluent German, and I have also been taught how to prepare successful presentations, and even how to format a job application and CV for Germany.

Having moved here at the beginning of September I have been able to enjoy an entire year of living here and experiencing the German culture. With the Regensburger Dult and the Oktoberfest I was able to invest in a Dirndl and delve into the fantastic tradition, meeting many Bavarians and learning more about their culture. I feel I have really adapted to living here, embracing the local cuisine and also taking advantage of the fantastic Bayernticket and travelling all over Bavaria, including Bamberg, Nuremberg, Munich and Augsburg. However, I could not be more delighted with having lived here in Regensburg. The beauty of this city, the wealth of history and the vibrant atmosphere is unmatchable. As a Classical Civilisation student, I took great delight in discovering the ruins of the Roman legionary camp, but also just exploring the medieval cobbled roads and the vast amount of beautiful churches and architecture. Regensburg is such a beautiful medieval town, yet so full of energy with exciting events most weekends - an ideal place for a student.

My most valued experience this year is the people I have had the pleasure of meeting. Before coming on my year abroad most of my friends were British, but now I have an array of friends dotted all over the world. It has taught me the importance of understanding different cultures, but also how no matter how different someone's background is you always find common ground and it makes for an exciting and interesting friendship. We have shared amazing things together, especially this summer term which went beyond my expectations. I will always remember these scorching hot days, getting our bikes and cycling to a local lake to spend the day there, enjoying barbecues overlooking the impressive Regensburger Dom and simply sitting on Bismarkplatz every warm summers evening, surrounded by students, all enjoying ice cream or beer. The students over here certainly have a great way of life, and I will miss their outlook on life- being closer with nature, casual drinking rather than binge and the importance of good conversation with friends.

Regensburg is in a super location for travelling, and not only have I travelled around Bavaria, I also travelled to Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Prague. This can all be done with minimum costs and the ease of visiting these wonderful cities all on the doorstep will certainly be missed. However, with my network of friends from across the world I know travelling in the future will be made easier, with the prospect of travelling to Korea to stay with a friend and also to Croatia. Living over here and studying here has certainly made me realise I would love to live and work in Germany in the future. I have learned so much here on my year abroad and not only have my language skills improved I also feel stronger and more confident in myself as a person. I know now that I can face up to challenges and overcome them and fend for myself.

My year abroad has definitely been the best thing that I have done so far in my life and I will treasure the memories and experience forever.

“Erasmus will be both the best and worst experience of your life so far.”

I had heard this phrase many times before I arrived in Germany, and although it sounds like a very daunting thing to hear before embarking on a year abroad alone in a city you have visited once; I was actually brimming with excitement. I already knew it was probably going to be one of the best experiences of my life so far, and also that it could potentially be the worst – but that is, however, only because it would be the best, and, sadly, good things tend to come to an end quicker than the bad things. I had already had the honour of taking part in a summer course offered through the DAAD in the summer of 2013, so naturally I had those memories in mind: this year would involve a lot of socialising, travelling and denying that English is my mother-tongue. Obviously I couldn’t wait to get on the plane!

The reality of my year in Bamberg was exactly that: sampling fine local beer, eating local delicacies, travelling all over Europe, speaking a lot of German (and other languages, too!) and never saying “no”. Bamberg is a special little city, with an interesting history and culture. One of the first things you notice about Bamberg is, of course, how aesthetically pleasing it is. The town, in any season of the year, looks like something you would find on a postcard. The second thing is the strange Franconian dialect, which I have grown to love. At the very beginning I found myself reluctant to open myself up to the dialect, as northern cities such as Kiel and Hamburg already had a special place in my heart; however, over time, I found the odd “ich weiß net” creeping in, and then suddenly “freilich” or “ade la!” and other truly Franconian or Bavarian words finding their way into my vocabulary. Now I find it wonderful, and I will definitely be taking these words and phrases back to Swansea with me. Bamberg shaped my mind to believe that wearing Lederhosen any day of the week, regardless of whether there is a special holiday or not, is acceptable. Also, that one should have no shame in going to the bakery twice a day, or ordering a beer at 12pm. Many things that I am used to now from this bizarre little town would be met with laughter and mockery in Britain, which I find a crying shame. Although right now I feel like I am ready to take on a new country and culture, I still do love Germany and German culture dearly.

Despite all of the amazing experiences I’ve had throughout the year, the most important for me have been the little things: socialising with the people I’ve met from all over the world, cooking with them, drinking with them, eating with them. Skinny-dipping in the Regnitz with the Spanish at 3am after club closes, being serenaded everyday by an Italian, knocking on a friend’s door to ask if they will accompany you to the shop, sitting on Untere Brücke at sunset, walking around the city at 2am and feeling safe, the beauty of communication, and that in Erasmus, we are all facing the same problems, but also having the same life-changing experiences. I feel blessed to have realised that I have a very open future. It makes you realise that the world really IS your oyster.

"No place is ever as bad as they tell you it's going to be."

This quote from Chuck Thompson sums up my desperate attempts on the evening of August 20th 2017 to convince myself that everything was going to be okay when I caught my one-way flight to Bremen the following day. I was sad to leave behind my friends and family, and scared of the big void of 'unknown' which I was staring into. However, as soon as I arrived in Bremen airport and saw my mentor waving at me, I knew it was going to be okay. She drove me to the house of the woman I would be living with for the next nine months, chatting all the way, and slowly the nerves started to fall away. When I met my landlady, or 'Gastmutti' as I came to call her, I knew that I wasn't going to have any problems staying there, and when I found out that she had two cats I was over the moon! Living with a family (the daughter and granddaughter of my landlady spent a lot of time at her house) had a hugely positive impact on my year abroad. It meant that, although I had my own apartment within the house, I was never lonely and always had someone to talk to. Finally, it allowed me to make the most of my free time. I joined a fitness class and walking group with my landlady, went on trips at the weekend with them and even found a brass band to join because my landlady's daughter had a friend who played for them. I was easily able to integrate and become a part of the community in our little village, and met a lot of new people because of that! I also now have a second family who live abroad, in case I ever want to go back to Germany. People always say that the people in North Germany are cold and conservative, but I came to learn that the friendliness of my 'Gastfamilie' wasn't unusual. Once you get to know them, the North German people are very warm and always happy to help. It starts off with a "Moin!", and ends with a lifelong friendship!

During my first few months, I started to learn not only how to survive but also how to thrive in another country, and my job in a primary school was a big part of that. In my school, I made sure to get to know the other teachers and was lucky enough to work with a trainee teacher who had started just before me. We ended up meeting up outside of school and becoming really good friends. In the school, I would help support lessons as well as run an English Club, helping to teach the children about English culture through songs, games and other activities. In the second term, I progressed to teaching a class on my own (with the support of the other teachers and with my mentor sitting in on my lessons) and running an English Theatre Club. I wrote a play for the children and we spent time translating and rehearsing it before finally being able to perform it to other pupils and parents in my last week there. It was a huge success, and the school were very proud and thankful of the opportunity.

I only worked twelve hours a week in the school, which meant that I had a lot of free time to fill up. Some of this I spent by preparing lessons or tutoring (a great way to earn a bit of extra money!), some by doing things with the family or meeting with my music group or friends from the school, and some I spent travelling. I used the opportunity of being in Germany to visit Berlin for a weekend with some exchange student friends I hadn't seen for two years! I also went on a mini-cruise to Oslo from Kiel with a visiting friend from home. Some trips were also very spontaneous - I was able to easily visit friends in other regions and cities, such as Hamburg and Norden, and went on weekends away to the islands on the North Coast of Germany. This was all really easy to do with the grant I was paid from the school and with the Erasmus grant, and with the discovery of Flixbus, which is basically National Express with Megabus prices. Deutsche Bahn is faster, but can be very expensive and the trains are often delayed or cancelled at the last minute. Flixbus is almost always on time, the buses are really comfy and it's a lot more reasonable!
I also had the chance to visit and take part in more local events, like the music festivals and Christmas markets in Oldenburg (my nearest city), a charity walking event hosted by my Lauftreff, and playing Christmas carols at the opening of the local Christmas tree fields. These smaller events really made me come to love the area I was in and helped me to feel at home there - so much so, that I almost didn't want to leave when May finally came around.

I left Germany with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye, and the knowledge that I will definitely be returning one day. It might be true that no place is ever as bad as they tell you it's going to be, but I think a more fitting quote to sum up my year abroad comes from Aesop :

"Adventure is worthwhile."

‘Living abroad can be a daunting but equally rewarding experience’- I had heard this phrase many times before my year abroad started,  and was keen to see what rewards I would earn from it. Writing at the end of my sensational German year, the answer was clear: personal skills, friends from different cultures and backgrounds, a German work placement, a special appreciation for German culture and of course, a much better understanding of German!

To begin with, it was a daunting experience, starting life as a resident of Reutlingen. After a rusty start from a summer with little German exposure, I slowly captured my past knowledge of the language and then set about applying it. Nevertheless I was still faced with some obstacles: washing and drying machine issues, different food and drink, and endless mountains of paperwork.

However, these hurdles kick-started my problem solving skills from my first week in Germany. Teaming up with early, and to this day, strong friends, we shared problems and helped each other, such as ‘team’ visits to the international office. It started to change though, when I realised that I was enjoying my time. One memorable moment was returning back from work on the train, from Stuttgart. The sun was setting behind the forest, and as we passed the Mercedes Benz factory, the sun caught the spinning 3 pointed star making it glow orange. To top it all, I was listening to the local radio- Ivy Quainoo’s new single ‘Do You Like What You See?’ started to play. I agreed with Ivy - I did like what I could see! At the time I felt like a resident enjoying the local German culture, discovering a personal appreciation for it.

As for the location, I had never visited the south before - I discovered it is awash with industries, culture, beautiful forests and stunning scenery. Reutlingen itself is the perfect blend - it is not an industrial metropolis that goes on for miles but a warm, friendly and practical town. There is plenty of choice, activities and places to explore. From classical German cobbled streets, to the outdoor swimming pool, and nearby mountain crests just outside the centre, offering stunning panoramic views of the region.

After my first month, it was time to don the Lederhosen and fix a feather to my hat for the world famous Oktoberfest with friends. We arrived to the sights, sounds and smells of good atmosphere: massive beer mugs, a Bavarian Oompah band and freshly baked Brezels. I was amazed at how quickly we had organised this unique opportunity to go, by ourselves. This was our personal excursion- from costs per person to navigating through Munich’s busy streets, we had it covered! Initiating your independence in a foreign country is a good example. Sharing and developing it with help from friends is another!

As my studies progressed, I felt I was making steady, useful progress. I had also decided to take French classes to keep my second language of study ticking over. I was the only international student in the class, yet warmly welcomed by the other German students. For the extra language juggling skills, the lecturer would sometimes explain a French grammatical rule in German. Nevertheless, I was very proud of myself when I acquired a high mark for the overall assessment at the end of the semester. I had never used German and French together like this, using one language to assist the other, to solve a problem- in this case grammar!

Semester one was flying by and I needed to turn my attention to semester two - I wanted to aim for a work placement in a German company. Would it really be possible for an English student to win a position in a German company, when facing the grilling during an interview? And do the entire application process in a foreign language? Encouraged by my Year Abroad Co-ordinator I accepted my mission. After enduring multiple, stressful interviews in German, pushing my language skills to the max, (I had never even had an interview in my mother tongue language before!) I was luckily awarded a placement at Robert Bosch GmbH in Leinfelden. This was a big step for me, on a personal level. I was very proud of myself, knowing that I had finally found a position at a company who wanted me...and the beauty of it all? I had done the whole process in German, without a word of English- I had never, ever imagined that my year abroad would take me this far!

When I started my work in the sales department of Bosch power tools I knew that this was the real world of work- clients dealing with end customers and large sums of money. Not only representing the universities of Reutlingen and Swansea, and indeed the United Kingdom as a whole, I did not want to let the side down.

My first adventure began with the telephone. Clients from Germany, Austria or Switzerland could call us requiring delivery dates and product advice. Knowing the vocabulary of the products was just the start! When my phone inevitably rang I could feel the whole office watching me - silence ensued as I took the call - a Swiss customer thankfully speaking German which I understood, asking if a particular item was in stock. After a frantic flick through a catalogue and some nifty button-pressing on the database, I finally answered with a simple ‘yes’. After saying goodbye, I was hot, flushed with success and thought ‘one down...many to go - I can do this!’ Yet my linguistic skills began to take off, dramatically. From small talk in German over lunch- describing my breakfast and the rush hour’s traffic jam- I was surrounded by German all day until I came home exhausted! Clients on the phone did not always speak in ‘Hochdeutsch’ German but their local dialect instead. In the first month I could not understand them, but after developing a strategy of jotting down essential information, I slowly began to gain confidence on the phone.

I began to develop problem solving skills on a whole new level. Business is challenging - I could see that even with my mature colleagues, yet at the end of the tunnel there is usually some light. Just like a patient detective, you have to solve a puzzle to find the answer, and I employed this strategy from the start to the end of my placement.

My year abroad has allowed me to embark on two unique experiences: the first, studying as an Erasmus student, embarking on amazing excursions around the country with friends from around the world: from the roaring racetrack at Le Mans 24 hours, to a tasty ice cream parlour in Heidelberg. The second, getting a taste of the world of work - its highs, lows and rewards. I now believe I have a better idea of where I would like to go in life, and the confidence to return to live and work in Germany.

In short, your Erasmus year begins as a blank canvas: by the end, you will take home a masterpiece of experiences to treasure, forever.