Wonderful Erasmus stay in Madrid
- Chemistry M.Sc.
- Spain, Madrid
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC/INTA)
- 09/2023 – 12/2023
Application/Finding an internship
I wanted to go for astrochemistry. That’s the one thing I had in mind when going through all sorts of research institutes in Europe which promised somewhat better weather than Germany. Then, a warm autumn night in Spain must be the perfect addition for stargazing. Eventually, I wrote an email to the Center for Astrobiology (CAB) in Madrid, where I reached out to the Head of the Interstellar and Circumstellar Medium Group. He happily accepted my application and offered me to stay for a research internship in his group. The CAB is a subdivision of the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial INTA, a state institution. There, lots of paperwork and filings were required, but eventually, my stay was official and my badge was ready. Now let’s go, from Aachen to Madrid.
Accommodation & Living Expenses
The campus of INTA and CAB, positioned in the far outer circles of Madrid, and more close to the smaller towns of Alcala de Henares and Torrejón de Ardoz, made me take a 45-minute bus ride from Madrid every morning. I could have chosen to live in the smaller towns. but would I want to miss, living in the centre of one of the biggest metropoles of Europe? Definitely not! I got myself a flat via the local agency viveyestudia.com, which focuses on accommodations for international students. I had a good correspondence with their agent and got a good comparable price(485€ per month). I went to live with 3 other students from all over the world and immediately made good friends with them.
Madrid itself is huge. I may repeat this, Madrid is huge. Even if the Madrid Metro system is one of the best I personally know, it is still good to live in a well-accessible area. My flat was close to Plaza de Manuel Becerra, a crossing of two highly important Metro lines (2 and 6) and a lively but not hectic area. Perfect to reach everything and still not drowning in the noise of the city. Additionally, the metro is wonderfully cheap and extremely powerful to get everywhere, even far outside of the city with no further expenses (Toledo, El Escorial or the Sierra de Guadarrama) Get yourself a Personal card (TTP) as early as possible and pay 8€ or 20€ per 30 days to get pretty much everything!
To taste some of the best local Spanish culinaries I often went out to pay the extra money but never felt overwhelmed by any prices for food or drinks. Especially for buying groceries and cooking in our own kitchen seemed wonderfully inexpensive (at least in comparison to Germany)
The general culture in Madrid is perhaps the best aspect regarding money and expenses, as most museums, palaces, or other cultural sites are either free or highly subsidized.
Everyday life/ the internship
The Glass Palace
© Timon Francis Kielgas
Every morning, during weekdays, there was exactly one bus to get me to CAB. 7:15 in the morning gloom, was when I hoped on to snooze for another bit until I started my day in my Lab at 8. My days either consist of planning or analyzing data from experiments or emptying cups of coffee while letting a simple question about space evolve into a one-hour discussion remotely tangential to my research. Then, perhaps my biggest personal cultural shock, we had lunchtime at 2 p.m., way too late in my opinion, but that’s the Spanish way I was told.
On days when I was absent from the CAB, the weekend and luckily lots of Spanish holidays late in the year, I was adamant, that it is impossible to see everything in Madrid in just three months. After three months this still held true. I spend days on end wandering through Retiro Park, the Prado Museum or the endless bars and tapas places of Malasaña, always finding something new.
Free time/tips
One of the most important things, and as said before, get a Personal card (TTP) for the Metro, as early as possible, because it is that damn good to get around with. To get a great first impression of Madrid I highly recommend the Faro de Moncloa, a tower with a breathtaking observation deck, from which all the important sites of Madrid and its surroundings are visible. Another thing is the Gran Via, which itself is no secret tip because it is THE tourist hotspot. But you have to look up the dates of some special occasion when the Gran Via is closed down for cars to have pedestrians walk all over the place. It’s a wonderful way to observe the vibrant road in a completely different way.
While walking the streets of the Spanish capital, at no point you will go sparse on Spanish European culture. Especially then you have to keep in mind that Madrid is also strongly connected to all the other countries in the Spanish-speaking world of Latin America. If, like me, who has not been to South America before, Madrid is a wonderful place to dive into these cultures as well. Order some Pisco Sour in a Peruvian bar, get a plate of the best Columbian dishes to fill you up or try all the empanadas you can find.
Conclusion
Madrid is a beautiful city, with beautiful weather and wonderful research and researchers. Perhaps my most ambiguous but most remarkable impression was, that everyone I met was super friendly and a joy to be with. While the culture is bright and interesting and the city life is vibrant and beautiful, it was the people I got to work and live with, who made this whole stay the best. I can not tell if it is the field of Astrosciences, if it is the attitude or the people there in Spain, or if it is just pure coincidence, but doing research in this group at CAB just felt good!
I hope others will come to Madrid, have a wonderful Erasmus stay, and share my experience.
Internship in Trondheim
- Biology M.Sc.
- Norway, Trondheim
- St. Olavs Hospital, Trondhiem
- 06/2023 – 11/2023
Before the stay (planning, visa, vaccinations, travel, …):
© Leona Grundel
I started an internship at St. Olavs hospital in Trondheim, which is the university hospital of NTNU,
after already spending the summer semester at NTNU. I therefore had arrived in January already
and had therefore already spend a long winter and beautiful spring their.
Regarding finding accommodation in Trondheim, the student welfare organization SIT organizes
student housing for incoming Erasmus people. Those accommodations are generally cheaper
(while I was there around 4500 NOK) than rooms on the private market (generally between 5500-
7500 NOK).
If you plan on spending the spring semester in Trondheim, your chances are good to get a place
with SIT. If you are not a student, you would have to find something on the private market, which
unfortunately usually just offers 12-months leases (July to July), few 6-months leases (July to
January; January-June) and almost never shorter leases.
Arriving in the fall semester is more difficult. Spots are very limited, and you may want to check
out the private marked. But if you like the adrenaline rush and the suspense, you can also wait
until just two weeks before you are supposed to arrive in Trondheim. I know of some people that
still got a spot with SIT this close to their departure date. NTNU and SIT are a bit last minute that
way. But speaking from experience, not everyone gets a place with SIT in fall semester.
© Leona Grundel
Unfortunately, the private market housing situation in fall is not ideal either as explained above.
Also, if you extent after having started your semester abroad, be ware that, at least for an
extension into the fall semester, SIT is not guaranteeing you a place to stay. There priority is to
make space for the newly arriving exchange students which do not have the chance to go room
hunting on site.
With all the hustling around finding housing and doing all the Erasmus paperwork, the departure
time arrives quickly. Especially when arriving in summer I recommend planning a longer trip on
your way up north and visit Norway west coast or checking out Denmark and Sweden. You could
do the same if you arrive in winter but its much less fun. It’s going to be dark 80 % of the time
anyways, although I have to admit, that snowy Norway looks breathtaking.
I decided to drive up the 21 h to Trondheim with my car because I wanted to have the opportunity
to spontaneously go on road trips and other places. Although Norway in the middle of winter is
icy and snowy, the ‘’highway’’ E6 is usually ok to be driven. But it is a one lane street leading over,
around and through mountains, so in case of fresh snow you might have to wait a bit until the
streets are cleared. However, it was still cold and sometimes we drove for hours without seeing
© Leona Grundel
car, while it was down to -18°C outside.
Having a car in Trondheim was especially useful since I did not have to rely on others or the public
transport to go on road trips or cabins that were further away, but you can do a lot of stuff without
one as well. Public transport in the city area is really good, and if you plan ahead you can also
reach places in the periphery a couple hour away (Just make sure to check the time table
beforehand, some bus lines drive sparsely on Sundays). And even if you want to go somewhere
where there is no good public transport connection, there are tones of Facebook groups in which
you will find yourself new friends that have cars:D Speaking of Facebook: You’ll need it.
Everything relies on Facebook: Every restaurant or club as a Facebook page (or Instagram
account) and NTNUI groups (NTNUs sports group, of which there is every sport you can imagine)
communicate and inform through it. Also, you’ll need an empty phones storage when coming
here. There are apps required for everything – laundry, NTNUI sports groups, for identification,
public transport, your student ID, renting cars…
Experience in the host country (accommodation, daily life, free time, …):
Trondheim is a bit like Aachen – a moderately sized student city with great surrounding nature.
Living in Moholt, one of the main student villages (‘’studentby’’), was awesome. This is where the
biggest chunk of Erasmus people lives. It is therefore the center of the Erasmus life. You can
spontaneously meet up in someone’s apartment (if the roomies are ok with it of course) and spend
a fun night hanging out, cooking together or drinking. But be ware, stores don’t sell alcohol after
8 pm on weekdays and 6 pm on weekends.
Next to a washing room, there are also a grocery store, a library, a café/restaurant, a gym and
even a hairdresser on the premises. Without leaving the student city you can do a BBQ, play
beach volleyball, or hang out at ‘’Lofted’’ (the common room) to play table tennis, play board
games or study (they have free coffee!).
© Leona Grundel
On more thing that I really appreciate are the student run rental organizations. Check out what
the university offers, since some of these can also be used/accessed by non-students. ‘’Restore’’,
for example, is located in Moholt studentby. They collect and hand out donated furniture and
equipment to students for free. If you get one of the limited spots on their opening days you can
get everything from stools and desks to bed covers to plates and cutlery to bikes and what not.
At the end of your stay, you can easily bring that stuff back so that future exchange student benefit
from them.
Furthermore, “Bumerang” is located in Moholt studentby. They rent out everything you may need
for the outdoors for free, from tents to skies & snowboards to ice skates to fishing rods. The same
goes for the non-profit organization ‘’BUA’’. In winter, lakes are usually frozen so you can
spontaneously go ice skating there and the fjord is perfect to try out fishing or just spend the long
midsummer nights there with good food and some friends.
Continuing with the student run organizations, the “Koiene” group allows NTNUI members to rent
out their cabins in Trøndelag. Their cabins are super basic, no electricity or running water, but it
is a great way to spend a weekend away and out in nature with your friends. Here are some
pictures so you can see how beautiful it is out there. Also in fall and winter, some cabins are
perfectly located far away from any light pollution to stay up late and, with a bit of luck, see
northern lights.
Experience at the host institution (professional, cultural, …):
The internship that I did was actually my Master’s Thesis. I therefore spend most of my time at
Campus Øya in the laboratory of St. Olavs hospital. I really recommend working in their
laboratories if possible since their laboratory equipment is modern. I learned a lot, not just
academically but also about differences in how institutions are run. Be aware that there are
differences in formalities and expectations. For me it was difficult in the beginning to figure out
what requirements needed to be met. Although I tried to communicate a lot, there were still some
© Leona Grundel
misguided expectations on both sides that needed to be overcome on the way.
Furthermore, it was very interesting to talk to my colleagues with different backgrounds and to
find out about the academic structures in Norwegian research institutions, as well as the working
mentality. They really leave the office at 4 pm on the dot!
I also took a Norwegian language course. Even though you might not need the language
afterwards, it was nice to get a short introduction into the language. Especially for German
speakers it is not that hard. As a plus, you’ll also be able to understand a bit of Swedish or Danish
since their languages are closely related.
Tips for interested students:
I don’t have many more tips other than the ones I have already mentioned: Be aware of the
housing situation for the winter semester; be conscious about what it means to move somewhere
that is dark and cold most of the year; and just try to experience as much as possible. Also, for
when you arrive at NTNU, I can only encourage you to join different groups at NTNUI and maybe
try out something new. As mentioned, they have virtually everything. Normal stuff like, handball,
Taekwondo and rugby, but also fencing, diving, disc golf, dog training, horseback riding and
climbing. I for example picked up sailing and kayaking which was awesome. After the (kinda
costly) 3-days beginners course you are allowed to go to their weekly trainings for free. All of
these activities, as well as many cabin trips and meeting friends help you a lot with making it
through the dark winter hours.
Writing a master’s thesis at TU Delft
- Molecular and Applied Biotechnology M.Sc.
- Netherlands, Delft
- TU Delft
- 05/2023 – 10/2023
A street in the city centre of Delft (weekday), with the Nieuwe Kerk in the background.
© Raoul Liepelt
I wanted to do my master’s thesis abroad and therefore applied at a few universities across Europe. Applying at TU Delft, I noticed that there was no need to be shy, as they were very friendly, helpful and quick at replying to my e-mails. You can simply write to the research group leaders directly, introducing yourself, and stating that you are interested in doing a thesis with them and why (with attached CV and grades of course). At the section I applied to, the section of Bioprocess Engineering, they even have a standardized procedure. I ended up working on Microbial Electrosynthesis, which is a topic that I did not know that much about before coming to Delft.
I was lucky enough to receive university housing with Duwo. They are by far the cheapest and easiest option if you can get a flat with them. If you do receive housing by them and your flat is dirty upon entry, make sure to immediately complain directly to them. This was my mistake, as I complained to the university and therefore did not achieve anything and had to spend several days cleaning my flat by myself, which was extremely dirty.
Doing everything by bike and public transport: The Netherlands make it possible
© Raoul Liepelt
From what I have heard from other students, this is not common, but can sometimes happen. However, the rental market in the Netherlands and especially Delft is very bad, so this is still your most financially affordable option. Otherwise, I can recommend trying for flat shares on kamernet etc. Do note that knowing a bit of Dutch might be a heavy asset.
In my section at TU Delft, I thoroughly enjoyed the working culture, which was a bit different compared to what I was used to.
The modern train station with one of the largest roads for cars of Delft and a bicycle path in front of it
© Raoul Liepelt
Hierarchies were much flatter and more collegial, and everybody at the section had their breaks together, even most of the professors. A lot of my colleagues were internationals and from different backgrounds, and I could always find someone to talk to about problems I was facing in my research or in general. Whether it was in post-lab
barbecuing sessions, having international treats, or watching Barbenheimer, I greatly enjoyed my time there and I miss all of the wonderful people I got to know in the section already.
Delft, like a lot of Dutch cities, is a greatly designed and beautiful little city that makes getting around by bicycle not just trivial, but natural. It is indescribable unless you experience it for yourself. Because of the lack of cars, the city is really quiet and cozy, even in the bustling centre. For me, getting around or exploring the area by bicycle never got old, even though I never cycle here in Germany.
Exotic plants at the botanical garden of TU Delft.
© Raoul Liepelt
Delft is also extremely well connected by efficient public transport to other major Dutch cities, such as The Hague (with the beach at Scheveningen), Rotterdam, Leiden, Haarlem, or Amsterdam, so I can heavily recommend making trips to these places if you are there. For this, I would advise you to get a personal OV-chipkaart as one of the first things that you do when you arrive. It makes taking public transport much easier and cheaper if you take out a subscription,
Good-bye Delft! Sunset over the Nieuwe Kerk.
© Raoul Liepelt
which I can also recommend.
To my surprise, it is possible to rent canoes and go on a ride in the canals of Delft, which was amazing to do. Delft also hosts a large amount of small shops, cafés and restaurants that were really lovely to explore, and I always asked the locals which ones were best for my needs, and they were happy to provide me with plenty of tips. If you are there in early-mid spring, you can check out the tulip gardens at Keukenhof, which are really lovely and colourful, even if they are a bit full at times. Lastly, the TU Delft botanical garden is definitely worth checking out, and it is free if you are at TU Delft.
All in all, I can heavily recommend the Netherlands and Delft in particular. If you happen to be interested in Bioprocess Engineering, give the section I was in a try! My Erasmus money went entirely to my rent and was therefore essential in financing my stay in Delft. I am really thankful that I was granted this opportunity!
Internship in Romania
- Chemistry M.Sc.
- Romania, Bucharest
- National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest
- 09/2023 – 11/2023
Application & Search for an internship
Romania is home of many inventors and known for its research in many scientifical fields. I am studying chemistry, so naturally I wanted to get to know and experience
Corvin’s Castle
© Andreea Maria Rânea
the scientifical research in the capital, Bucharest. Since I went for a two-month research internship, the process of applying was different and simpler than going for lectures. I searched for scientific topics of interest and started first looking at University Politehnica of Bucharest, as it has a good reputation. This is how I came across the National Center of Micro and Nanomaterials. My application was done three months in advance, directly to the director of the center, who happily accepted me. As for the bureaucracy, I only had one formular to fill out for my internship to be recognized at RWTH. Romania is part of the European Union, so no visa is required, and if you have a German health insurance, your stay is covered under the European Health Card.
Accommodation & Living Expenses
The University offers all students a place in the dorms, which are near the main campus. In the rectorate, located in the main campus, there is a cafeteria on the top floor (on the terrace) with a look over the campus and with fresh traditional Romanian food. The price of a full meal was around 3 Euros, and you could also have traditional soup for 1.4 Euros. Alternatively, the biggest mall, Afi Palace Cotroceni, is situated 10 minutes on foot from campus, so the possibility of eating at different restaurants can also be taken into consideration.
The University is easily accessible- you can take either the metro, buses, or tram to the University gate. There is a common card which you can use for all these transportation means and the metro fare for example was 1 euro/ 2 trips.
Palace of the Parliament (under light show)
© Andreea Maria Rânea
Groceries are also relatively cheap, so if you wish to cook for yourself, you can find high quality bio vegetables and meat which you can buy directly from the producer. There are many weekly markets with producers from all over the country too.
Everyday life/ Internship
Romanians are generally very welcoming people and usually make it their mission to include new people and make them feel at home. I could feel that especially in my laboratory, where every member would constantly come to me, ask me my progress, if I have any difficulties, if I want to grab lunch together, the list goes on. Even some of them with different expertise and research than mine would sit down with me and brainstorm reasons to explain my results when I needed help. Furthermore, as we sat down one day with the director and another professor, we got to hear stories about their youth and university time, which was quite different from university today. I was surprised to also hear stories about Romanian chemistry figures like Costin Nenițescu and get so familiar with those times. I think it was very nice to befriend the professors and other members like that, instead of only keeping a distanced professional relationship. Going to the laboratory daily felt warm and welcoming.
After I got my safety and general introductions of the laboratory, I could start to work right away. My research was on the synthesis and doping of hydroxyapatite for medical applications. For this synthesis I first used a microwave assisted reactor for hydrothermal method. I also got to personally use the X-Ray Diffraction spectrometer and assist experts for the Scanning and Transmission Electron Spectroscopy. The laboratory was equipped with new generation devices for the best analysis results, as well as all necessary materials for my research. I also got to work again with cells for viability and cytotoxicity tests since my bachelor’s thesis. The bio-safety laboratory was placed in a new building, also on the main campus. From
The Triumphal Arch Bucharest
© Andreea Maria Rânea
September to November there was very good weather in Bucharest, with temperatures even exceeding 30 degrees Celsius at times, so the walk through the campus between the buildings was a nice change of scenery during work. With the start of the semester in October it got livelier, also since most students spend their breaks outside (the line in the cafeteria got longer too unfortunately). Another endearing fact was that the group had three aquariums with fish and turtles in the common room, which personally lifted my spirit every day, as the turtles would always come forth to greet you.
During my time there, I was invited to join the Conference of the Romanian Electron Microscopy Society which was held in Cluj-Napoca. This conference was attended by many Romanian and foreign electron microscopy specialists, as well as well-known electron microscope producers like Zeiss, Jeol and Thermo Fisher Scientific. It was a great experience for me, as it was the first scientifical conference of this type that I attended, and it gave me meaningful insights for my future career. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to attend three PhD thesis defenses, also a first for me. The tradition there was that after the presentation, the new doctor would organize a catering for the group to celebrate. There were also a lot of emotions involved and praises coming from the jury, which was formed interdisciplinary, with professors from chemical and medical faculties.
Free Time & Tips
Outside the laboratory I would generally meet friends and walk through the city. We would go down the Victoriei Boulevard and grab some ice cream at one of the best shops I visited (Gelateria La Romana) and then enjoy the George Enescu classical music festival in front of the Royal Palace. Another beautiful sight was the Palace of the Parliament, which is the second largest administrative building after the Pentagon, as well as the heaviest building in the world. The materials used for its construction are almost entirely of Romanian origin, with thousands of tons of crystal and millions m3 of marble, wood, and woolen carpets, as well as velvet and brocade curtains with silver and gold embroideries.
Unirii Square Fountains
© Andreea Maria Rânea
The streets were always full until late, as the shops and restaurants close at 10 PM or later. On Sunday all facilities are open as usual, and you can always find a non-stop shop or even pharmacy. The Old City (Centrul Vechi/ Lipscani) is a glimpse of the old streets of Bucharest, which kept the old buildings and churches as well and is well known as an entertainment center, being home to various restaurants, bars, and clubs. A restaurant that you must visit while in Bucharest is “Caru’ cu Bere”, traditionally decorated and which offers traditional live music as well as traditional dance performances every day. If you are unsure what to order, some typical traditional dishes are “Mici/ Mititei”, “Sarmale”, “Ciorbă de burtă”, “Mămăligă (Polenta) with sour cream and cheese” and “Ardei umpluți”. I also recommend you make a reservation beforehand, if possible, as it is usually very busy. Besides the varied nightlife there are a lot of activities that you can do. Theater is also famous in the Romanian culture, and there are many theaters in Bucharest. I also got to see in premiere the piece “The Envelope” written by famous Romanian novelist Liviu Rebreanu. After the laboratory I would also go to the Dinamo Stadium for track and field training.
On the weekend I traveled to the mountains, to cities like Brașov and Bran, which is known for Dracula’s castle, the Bran castle. Dracula as known today was ins
University Politehnica of Bucharest
© Andreea Maria Rânea
pired by Vlad III Voivode of Wallachia, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Drăculea (Dracula), his first nickname being related to his execution method and the second being his name in the Order of the Dragon. Finally, there were a lot of historical buildings and sites with a lot of stories to tell throughout Romania.
It is important to note that Romania has one of the biggest brown bear populations in Europe, and if you travel to the mountains, you might come across them. If you plan to go on a hike, you must pay attention to the signs and follow the set paths. Also, if you choose a hotel situated in or near the forest, you will get warned by the staff not to walk outside during the night, as you might just encounter one. Sometimes you get to see them from your window too, or on the side of the serpentines, just minding their own business.
In Poiana Brașov you can find two of the best traditional Romanian restaurants, which I totally recommend if you ever visit there.
Bucegi Mountains
© Andreea Maria Rânea
These are „Stâna Turistică Serghiana” and „Coliba Haiducilor”. Each has a different charm, and both have traditional live music and decorations. For the first one I recommend to eat outside, at the highest level for the best view, and for the second one inside, for the best atmosphere.
As I said before, Romanians are very welcoming, and you can notice this anywhere you go. Even if you don’t speak the language, the majority of Romanians can speak fluent English and usually other languages as well, like German, Italian, French and Spanish, Romanian also being a latin language.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my research at University Politehnica of Bucharest was a valuable experience for me personally as well as academically and offered me important insights to consider for my future career. Also, there are a lot of stories I could tell about my time there, as my experiences were very varied. The atmosphere is generally very warm and relaxed, and if you plan your research well, you won’t feel too pressured or overwhelmed. I am grateful for being supported during my internship by the Erasmus+ grant and to represent RWTH Aachen University and I definitely recommend a stay abroad in Bucharest as I had a wonderful time there.
Writing a master thesis in Norway
- Molecular and Applied Biotechnology M.Sc.
- Norway, Longyearbyen
- UNIS Svalbard
- 06/2023 – 04/2024
Application/Finding an Internship
The EU project FACE-iT is an international collaboration among several research institutions aimed at studying climate change in Arctic fjords across various trophic levels. Upon discovering the project online, I came across a thesis topic advertised on their website and promptly contacted the responsible professor. Following an online interview, I received confirmation of the suitability of the master thesis project. While the university regularly advertises thesis topics on their website, it’s also beneficial to reach out directly to professors to explore potential topics. Fortunately, I had previous experience with many professors at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) due to my highly recommended bachelor exchange semester there.
© Lina Lettau
Accommodation & Living Expenses
As a UNIS student, you are automatically allocated housing in the student dormitory, managed by Samskipnaden. Applications can be submitted through their website, offering various options, including a single room with a shared kitchen for approximately 10 people (510€), sharing a room with one other student, or one to two-person apartments with individual kitchens. Living expenses in Longyearbyen are on par with mainland Norway, making them approximately double the cost of living in Germany. The local supermarket impressively stocks a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables for those who can afford them.
© Lina Lettau
Given the town’s small size, there aren’t many other ways to spend your money (except for drinks at one of the four bars), so most of my expenses went towards food and outdoor equipment.
Everyday Life/The Internship
My internship focused on marine molecular ecology, leading to a varied daily routine. This ranged from boat samplings in the summer to molecular lab work in the autumn, and data exploration during the polar night. Fieldwork days can be quite extensive from my experience. Nevertheless, the average Norwegian workday appeared to be a standard 9 to 5, except when the skies cleared after an extended period of overcast weather. In such cases, the department would empty as everyone ventured out for skiing or hiking. In terms of social life, if you come to Longyearbyen thinking you’re at the end of the world and should lead a hermit-like existence, think again. You’ll be living in student housing with approximately 200 people, and activities like hikes, ice climbing, skiing, snowmobile tours, games, dinner parties, knitting, puzzles, and movie nights are popular. Weekends were often spent in rural cabins outside of town.
Free Time/Tips
Two months before:
Ensure your passport is up-to-date. No visa is required, but you’ll be traveling outside of the EU.
© Lina Lettau
Book your flights with SAS or Norwegian; if you’re under 26, they offer youth discounts.
Apply for a certificate of good conduct (Fuehrungszeugnis) in English and bring it with you. Guns are carried for polar bear protection outside of town, and you’ll receive rifle training upon arrival (no prior experience needed).
Two weeks before:
Stock up on items that might not be available or could be expensive in the one and only super market Longyearbyen. For me, this included tea, dried soy and seitan, drawing supplies, batteries, tech equipment, toiletries, fairy lights, analog photo films, guitar strings, and hair scissors.
Join all relevant Facebook groups, as Longyearbyen heavily relies on them. The most important ones include Ros & Info Longyearbyen (providing information on ongoing events and occurrences in town), Kjøp/salg/bytte/gi bort – Longyearbyen (an online second-hand marketplace), and Svalbard studies spring/autumn semester 20XX (with “XX” representing the year, depending on when you are here).
© Lina Lettau
Upon Arrival:
Explore Bruktikken, a donation-based free shop with a diverse range of items, including clothing, books, equipment, decoration, electronics, and more. You can even find second-hand bedsheets and towels there, so don’t overpack. Pro-tip: Work there and sort through the latest donations for yourself while earning money.
Become a member of Svalbard Turn to access the gym, swimming facilities, climbing, and various social sports.
Attend Sprakcafe on Mondays in the library to practice Norwegian while mingling with locals in town.
I also warmly recommend thoroughly reading the UNIS website section on Arrival and living in Longyearbyen – UNIS.
Conclusion:
My research experience at UNIS in Longyearbyen was a valuable opportunity that deepened my understanding of climate change in the unique Arctic ecosystem of Svalbard. Natural sciences and the great outdoors converge in a way that few other places on earth offer.
Internship in Paris
- Architecture B.Sc.
- France, Paris
- LAN Architecture
- 04/2023 – 10/2023
After finishing my bachelor’s degree in Aachen, I planned to do an internship in an architecture firm in Paris.
© Anthony Feghali
Reworking my portfolio was time-consuming because I had to translate all the texts into French. I would recommend anyone who has to submit similar application documents to plan enough time for this.
The internship search turned out to be relatively relaxed at first, as I received feedback quickly and didn’t have
to send out too many applications overall.
I had 2 interviews that were promising. What was particularly exciting was that I hadn’t spoken French for
a long time, especially I didn’t know business French. So I spent the week before the interviews talking to
myself, in everyday life to warm up again.
The two offices I liked gave me more or less a commitment in the interview, I just had to get back to them
and confirm. With this information in mind, I decided to opt for one of the offices and wrote to them, but
they replied that they didn’t have the capacity for it at the moment. The second office I wrote to did not
answer me for quite some time, while the time was getting closer and I had to look for flats.
I took a month to look for a flat. It’s difficult to plan longer in advance as most listings are uploaded quite
spontaneously. My cousin living in Paris helped me to find out which neighbourhoods are preferable and
what prices are reasonable. In a city like Paris, there are a lot of flat ads but also a lot of scams, so you
should be especially careful. After I had been looking on the usual platforms for a while, I searched for
ads in Paris on ‘ WG-gesucht’, a German flat platform, and actually found something. German tenants in
Paris often advertise there for possible new tenants. So I finally came across a very nice couple in their
© Anthony Feghali
40s. They both work either in the theatre or in the film sector and therefore know a bit about the cultural
scene in Paris.
My room was about 12 square metres in a 55 square metre flat, which was relatively spacious by Parisian
standards. With a rent of 760€ per month, I was around the upper average. The flat was in the 19th
arrondissement, inside the ring road near the Parc de La Vilette, Paris’ largest park. This neighbourhood
is very well connected and, with its location by the canal and between two large parks, is in a not so
densely built-up area, which is very nice for walking or jogging. It took me no more than 20 minutes by
bike to get to work, and I could ride along the canal.
My employment at LAN Architects lasted 6 months. This office consists of about 25 employees aged
20-40.When I arrived and for the first few weeks I was shocked. There seemed to be a strict and tense
atmosphere in the air. My colleagues were very much among themselves and it was relatively difficult to
get access to them.
The office was largely made up of Italians, as the boss is Italian, which unfortunately often resulted in
© Anthony Feghali
groupings and conversations in Italian that were hard to follow. I was also not used to their working
hours. A normal day started at 10 a.m. and ended between 7 and 7:30 p.m., sometimes longer or shorter.
Although everyone had a contractual working time of 35 hours a week, they worked overtime every day,
which was rarely recovered. As a trainee, I tried to stick a bit more to the 35 hours, but this didn’t always
work, especially in the beginning. So for the future, I would recommend that aspiring interns clarify the
working hours in advance or any arrangements for overtime. What I had difficulties with in my day-to-day
work were the long hours at my desk. From my studies, I was used to taking my breaks in such a way
that I always had something to move around, but in the office this was not so common.
Gradually, relationships in the office became more relaxed and I began to integrate myself more and
more. This was helped by the office parties that were organised when staff left. Unfortunately, there was a
high fluctuation of staff, as the working environment was not easy, especially with the two bosses. I later
learned that the office is known among architects for having a high work pressure with strict bosses.
So we often went out for a drink after work or did something with some colleagues at the weekend.
Unfortunately, the best time I had with my colleagues was at the end of the internship when it was time to
leave. But that’s probably how it is when you’re there for a short time. The office was planned and built by
the managers. It had a perfect location in the 11th arrondissement on the top two floors with a roof
terrace, so you could eat lunch with a beautiful view over the Parisian mansard roofs.
Since France, unlike other countries, has national regulations for internships, and these can only be
completed as school internships, the pay is also lower than in neighbouring countries. My salary was
© Anthony Feghali
around 550 € per month. With the Erasmus grant, which was about the same, I had 1100 a month at my
disposal, as my parents paid for my room. I got by on 800 euros a month. The cost of living in Paris is
very high.
This applies to supermarket shopping, restaurants, bars and snack bars. For example, a pint of beer
costs around 8 euros in a traditional pub, and 10 euros in a restaurant. So you couldn’t always afford to
go out for a drink, or you knew the special low-priced bars.
During the working day, I also tried to cook for the week, but that didn’t work for all days, because after
the late end of the working day, you also wanted to have time for leisure and not have to cook again
immediately. But since eating out often cost just as much as eating out in the supermarket, it was worth it
if I was unable to cook. It must also be said that half of the French capital consists of great restaurants
and brasseries that are part of Parisian culture.
One reason that brought me to Paris was the city’s cultural heritage and offerings. I often spent my free
time in the beautiful museums or libraries of Paris or at events such as concerts, jazz evenings or with
friends in the cafés of Paris. I tried to explore a new place or visit a new museum every week. However, I
can say that I only saw a fraction of the city, as it is so rich in things to do and beautiful places to see. At
the same time, you like to revisit places you already like. So it’s a balance act between discovery and
relaxation.
© Anthony Feghali
I would recommend to anyone who is there for a longer period of time not to use the metro and instead
take the bike, and every now and then after work or on weekends try different routes and see where it
takes you. It’s guaranteed that if you keep your eyes open curiously, all sorts of different scenes will
reveal themselves.
I could probably write pages and pages about the city, and about my time here, because the experience
here is very varied. It wasn’t just enthusiasm, but varied from fascination to frustration about the cramped
living conditions, the density or the hustle and bustle of this city. This is probably also part of the Paris
experience. I can recommend a stay here to anyone who speaks some French and is interested in
culture, cities or people. I learned and understood a lot about myself in the confrontation with this way of
life here. Even though I know that I don’t want to live here forever, this time was very special and I would
repeat it.
Research stay at Georgia Institute of Technology
- Aerospace Engineering M.Sc.
- USA, Atlanta
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Aerospace System Design Laboratory (ASDL)
- 05/2023 – 09/2023
Application and Preparation
There has been a long-standing relationship between the Institute of Aerospace Systems (ILR) and the renowned Aerospace System Design Laboratory (ASDL) in Atlanta. Due to my activities as a bachelor student and as a student assistant for many years at ILR, I was given the unique opportunity to spend a research period at ASDL and to work there. The cooperation exists between the professors at both institutes.
Tech Tower of Georgia Institute of Technology
© Johannes Götz
In November 2022, I started planning and approached ILR about my desire to go there. Due to the choice of my area of work – the ASDL has six great research branches – the visa issuance and the related working documents took a few months. In May 2023, I could already start working remotely and got to know the team. From July until the end of September, I was on site at the Laboratory and worked there as a research assistant. Since I worked in a project belonging to the Defense & Space division, I had to wait some time for my DS-2019 (important work permit).
Accommodation and Living Situation in Atlanta
Finding housing in Atlanta is proving to be difficult. You must be careful at what time you are there because the semester times are very different from ours. In the summer, it is relatively easy to get an apartment for subletting. Facebook groups are excellent for this purpose. However, as always with such portals you must be warned of potential scammers. I first moved into a shared apartment and later into an Airbnb because the semester starts again at the end of August and the apartment search is extremely difficult then. The rental costs are at least about 1500$ per month. Georgia Tech supports you with the purchase of a monthly ticket for the local bus and train transport, called MARTA.
View of Atlanta Midtown from Piedmont Park
© Johannes Götz
These cost $66 per month and the network is well developed by American standards. From time to time, buses and trains are cancelled, but with the appropriate apps and enough scheduled time, I had no problems moving freely in Atlanta and the surrounding area. At night, however, you just must watch out and always be aware of your surroundings. Atlanta can be dangerous at night but also very beautiful. Common sense is highly recommended here and in case of emergency, you should always use services like Uber or Lyft. On Georgia Tech’s campus, there are several bus lines that make regular stops during the week, so it’s easy to get anywhere. I don’t recommend biking because of the traffic and the heat in the summer, though of course it depends on how far away you live.
The Work
I was working in the Defense & Space division on a project that dealt with the active removal of space debris and developed corresponding systems. My activities included work with complex FEM software, simulation of spacecraft control and simulation of the satellite systems and practical tests on tensile testing machines as well as larger test environments for validation and verification of the performed simulation work. It was a joint project between different laboratories and research institutes. NASA engineers were consolidating every couple of weeks. Various other institutions were involved in the project besides the
View over south campus from Georgia Tech’s library. Left side view is Downtown, right side is the Coca-Cola headquarter.
© Johannes Götz
Aerospace System Design Laboratory. The most important were Georgia Tech Research Institute, Space System Design Laboratory, various NASA labs, and Georgia Tech’s College of Design. Because of this diversity of partners, meetings were always necessary to keep each other up to date. I worked together with 8 other Graduate Research Assistants. In parallel to my work, I was still working on the DLR Design Challenge remotely. My working hours were 9am-5pm and I spent every day at the institute but was also able to work from home at times. The project does not fall under US export control yet, which made it possible to work in this sector as a foreigner. So, it was a unique opportunity to get to know US work in the space sector.
Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world. A must-see!
© Johannes Götz
Free Time and Tips for Atlanta
Atlanta offers a wide range of activities, all of which are accessible by bus and train. Besides the famous attractions like the Georgia Aquarium, Hall of Fame College Football, the World of Coca-Cola and the huge Mercedes-Benz Stadium, there are also beautiful parks. Take a walk through the Botanical Garden or visit the photo spot in Piedmont Park overlooking the Midtown skyline. Many series and movies have been filmed in and around Atlanta, including Stranger Things and The Walking Dead. Some movie locations exist in reality and can be visited. A trip to Hawkings Lab from the series Stranger Things, for example, was very memorable. At the Mall of Georgia, movies are shown in real (!) IMAX format. A trip there to see Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was very worthwhile. A trip to Buckhead to visit the design and art museums and see the town there is also ideal for spending free time. For American football, field hockey or – the Americans call it soccer – football fans, there is a wide range of things to do, and watching an authentic football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was an unforgettable experience. For connoisseurs and lovers of the famous Rocky Horror Picture Show I can only recommend to experience it with authentic disguises and get a quasi-4D cinema show.
High Museum of Art in north Midtown
© Johannes Götz
The food scene in Atlanta is diverse and a culinary feast for the eyes. Excellent fried chicken, barbecue and coffee shops make you forget the hot summer temperatures there. Rooftop pool parties and cooking together as well as barbecuing together were also part of the everyday unwinding after work.
Typical college football game at GT’s home stadium. Go Yellow Jackets!
© Johannes Götz
Conclusion
My research stay in Atlanta was a great enrichment for me personally and an optimal opportunity to apply what I had learned at RWTH and to actively participate in a professional work environment. In addition to the linguistic education, I was able to learn a lot of positive things about American culture. There, a healthy competitive spirit, and a positive attitude towards passionate ambition prevail. These attributes are much more practiced in the U.S. than I thought. The idea of a life’s dream or achieving a good life’s goal is strong there. The students see themselves together in a team, and they also encourage each other to overcome difficult phases in life. I will carry this optimistic and motivating attitude forward. It is a great opportunity for a RWTH student to be able to do such research stays and to represent RWTH and Germany abroad.
Writing a master thesis at KTM Forschungs & Entwicklungs GmbH in Austria
- Automotive Engineering and Transport M.Sc.
- Austria, Salzburg
- KTM Forschungs & Entwicklungs GmbH
- 04/2023 – 09/2023
During this summer semester I did an internship at KTM in Mattighofen, Austria to work on my master thesis. It was a great experience and I totally recommend both, Austria and the company KTM, for an internship abroad.
Application process
In November 2023, I started looking for job postings for a master thesis for the summer semester 2023. I did not particularly look for advertisements abroad, but it was always an option to write my master thesis abroad. Writing your master thesis in a company is an excellent way to recommend yourself for a future employment. At the time of my application, KTM did not offer any master thesis in the relevant fields in their job portal. So, I decided to write a speculative application. I can recommend everyone to do the same if you are interested in a specific company. Often, the departments already have ideas for topics for a thesis, but these have not yet been published as a job advertisement. A few days after my application, I was contacted by the HR department to make an appointment for an interview. At this appointment, the company presented several topics that would have been possible for the master’s thesis. The application process was clearly structured and the HR department always kept me updated.
After finding a company for the master thesis, you need to find a supervisor at university. This can be very challenging. I could not accept an offer from another company be
View on Attersee and Mondsee from Großer Schoberstein
© Lukas Rehermann
cause I could not find a supervisor at the university in a reasonable amount of time. In general, I would advise you to ask multiple institutes for supervision at the same time. Even tough I study automotive engineering, my master thesis was not supervised by one of the institutes, which are directly related to automotive engineering, but by a more general mechanical engineering institute. For most institutes, you can see their detailed research fields on their website. The fastest way is to contact the research assistants of the relevant research field directly.
For the Erasmus scholarship application, you need a learning agreement. When I had to submit the application, my learning agreement was not signed by the faculty yet. I could hand in the learning agreement afterwards. In general, applying for the Erasmus internship grant requires less effort than applying for an Erasmus semester at a university. This is mostly related to the recognition process at your faculty.
Accommodation and Living Expenses
After the acceptance by the company, it was time for me to start looking for accommodation. Since Mattighofen is a relatively small town, I looked for shared apartments in Salzburg. The commute from Salzburg to Mattighofen takes about 45 minutes by car or one hour by train. In general, the accommodation search in Salzburg was rather difficult. Especially the fact that I was looking for a room for half a year led to one or the other rejection. I only found a room in a shared apartment a few days before starting work, even though I started looking for a room almost 3 months in advance.
In general, living expenses in Austria are a bit higher than in Germany. Buying groceries and eating in restaurants is more expensive. If you have a car, you can drive to Freilassing in Germany to buy cheaper groceries there. For my room in a shared flat I paid 500 € per month including utilities.
The salaries in Austria for interns are usually higher than in Germany, especially if you already have a bachelor’s degree. Then, the company has to pay you a minimum salary defined in the relevant Kollektivvertrag (collective labor agreement).
Everyday life/the internship
I worked in the vehicle dynamics team at KTM. Of course, most of the time I worked on the research topics of my master thesis. In addition, my colleagues and my supervisor showed me their work, so that I can get a broader overview what the vehicle dynamics team is doing overall. For example, I could sometimes join them on the test track. I felt very comfortable in the team. If I had any questions, everyone took time to help me.
In addition, I was very satisfied with the supervision by university. When writing an external master thesis, it is your job as a student to reconcile the requirements of university and the company. This was eased by the approaches of my supervisors. We agreed that the company was responsible for the research scope requirements and that the university was in lead for the requirements about the documentation. Nevertheless, the university’s supervisor contributed many helpful ideas and provided approaches to solve problems during the research.
Some words about the working conditions: my full-time contract included 38,5 hours per week. I had flexible work time with core times and could take days off using overtime (maximum one day per week). You can work from home maximum 2 days per week. Of course, this also depends on your tasks. In Austria, you usually have 5 weeks of holidays per year. KTM offers many additional benefits for their employees.
View on the city of Salzburg from Gaisberg
© Lukas Rehermann
Free time/tips
Austria in general is a great destination for an Erasmus semester or internship if you are into outdoor activities. The landscape in the area around Salzburg is amazing! Almost every weekend I went hiking, mountain biking, or similar. I would definitely recommend doing some hikes in Salzkammergut and combine this with swimming in one of the lakes afterwards.
Salzburg is a beautiful city with an amazing old town. There is always something to explore. In addition, many students live in Salzburg. If you try to connect with other people outside work, contact the ESN Salzburg even though you are not an Erasmus student at University of Salzburg. They organize many events, and you can try to connect with other Erasmus students via their WhatsApp group chat.
Conclusion
All in all, I am super happy with my decision to write the master thesis in Austria. I enjoyed the stay there and made many new friendships. I would recommend this to everyone who is interested in going abroad. In the end, I continue working at KTM after finishing my master’s degree.
It is to mention, that an Erasmus internship is a completely different experience than studying at university abroad. Before going to Austria, I already did two Erasmus semesters at universities. When studying, you are way more flexible in planning your free time, for example for travelling. But of course, this does not mean that you do not have any free time during an internship. Especially if you have flexible work time, you can find enough opportunities to extend your weekends for travelling and exploring the country.
Writing a master thesis at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg
- Chemical Engineering M.Sc.
- Sweden, Gothenburg
- Chalmers tekniska högskola
- 04/2023 – 09/2023
Application/Finding an internship
The interest of going abroad was raised in a presentation of my home institute AVT, when they presented their different possibilities for exchange programs in other countries. And since I still wanted to live in another country for a period and improve my English skills, I haven chosen for Sweden. Sounds weird in the first place because Sweden is not officially an English-speaking country. However, I knew that almost all Sweds can fluently speak English. Therefore, I applied at AVT for the exchange of writing my master thesis at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. The exchange between AVT and Chalmers is not a typical type of exchange program that is embedded officially in a Erasmus+ program, but more an agreement between both AVT and the Energy Technology Division of Chalmers. After a while I received feedback from AVT that I can go there in Summer 2023.
Deers in my backyard.
© Jannik Bothe
However, since the Professor of Chalmers, who has organized the exchange in the past, has left to another University, I had to apply informally to one of the professors at the Energy Technology Division. I then sent my application to a professor who luckily accepted me as well and so the first step of organizing my exchange was done.
Accomodation & Living expenses
As I already read that finding a good accommodation for a reasonable price can be difficult in Gothenburg, I immediately started to queue in for student housing at the student union. For Chalmers, there are the SGS and Chalmers Studentbostäder, which both offers single and shared rooms for students for low prices. However, the queues are extraordinarily long so that normally students must wait for more than one year to get the chance of renting such an accommodation. Therefore, the hope was not too high to get such a chance, and in December 2022 the hope was completely gone as I heard from my Professor at Chalmers that I won’t be enrolled as a student at Chalmers during my exchange. Unfortunately, Chalmers changed some of their regulations for exchange students that are not in an official exchange program, so that officially I was at Chalmers just as an intern. And interns can’t apply for student housing.
The tropical house in Universeum.
© Jannik Bothe
I then started to search for private accommodation on housinganywhere.com and eventually got lucky with a room in a shared flat with three other people. Housinganywhere is a platform designed for exchange students coming from other countries. When renting a room or an apartment, the first rent is paid to Housinganywhere, and they are sending it to the landlord. In any case something went wrong, or one is fooled by the landlord, Housinganywhere will give you the money back for the first rent, which gave me a good feeling since I had to rent this room without visiting the house or seeing the room in advance.
The room was fully furnished and around 16 m² big. Together with three other students I shared the ground floor with them. We had a very nice and well-equipped kitchen and a – I would say – pretty nature-like garden. It was not a typical student house with many flat, but more a house, which might be built and used by a family in the past. The house was in very calm housing estate in the south-east of Gothenburg called Lunden. In total, my room was 6000 SEK per month, which was around 530 € at that time.
The living cost are generally higher in Sweden than in Germany. However, prices were not that high as I expected them before I came since the prices in Germany for example in the supermarkets got already high due to inflation. In total, I would say that living expenses were around 20 % higher compared to Germany.
Seeing moos in Slottsskogen park.
© Jannik Bothe
Everyday life/ the internship
After arrival, I went to the university the day after and was kindly welcomed by my new colleagues at the division. My supervisor showed me everything important at the division and has already organized me a desk in advance. From then on, I started to dive into my project with reading into literature and defining the scope. I had the possibility to work from home. However, since the working atmosphere was nice, I went to the division almost every day. Therefore, my every-day-life was more like a typical working-life with a good structure. And since I did not have to take any other courses, I had enough time during the week so that I had not to work on weekends during the whole period of my exchange and was still good in time. In general, I must say that the support my supervisors at Chalmers and my supervisor from AVT was excellent. I never had the problem of not making progress or going into a completely wrong direction. I also have to say that the colleagues of the Division of Energy Technology at Chalmers are so kind and helpful. Everyone offered my help in any case, and I always felt welcome there.
Seeing one of hundreds of lakes during a hike around Gothenburg.
© Jannik Bothe
Free time/tips
For me, free time was highly influenced by the people I me there. Due to my flat mates, I already had a group of people who I shared my free time with. We often were out for a BBQ or on parties, enjoyed the nature or city together or just hang out. Besides spending time with my friends, I enjoyed nature either while running or hiking in the woods. Around Gothenburg there are mainly two long hiking paths called Bohusleden and Gotaleden, which I can highly recommend to everyone who loves nature. The track can be found online, but navigation along the track is not needed since there are sings every 100 meters. Besides hiking, Gothenburg itself offers many possibilities to spend time. My favorite places were the park Slottsskogen where you can see Moos, Kafé Magasinet (delicious pizza & beer), Universeum and Liseberg. Additionally, one should look out for concerts which might take place during the stay. In the stadium Ullevi, many great artists show concerts, and I visited Coldplay there, which was breathtaking. Below, you can find some impressions of my free time in Gothenburg.
Conclusion
Coldplay concert at Ullevi.
© Jannik Bothe
Summarized, the stay in Gothenburg was a very nice experience and a good way to end my whole student life. Even though I sometimes missed my friends and family, I enjoyed my time there, met and got nice friends and can always remember back with a smile on my face. I can recommend Sweden and particularly Gothenburg to everyone who wants to make a new experience outside Germany.
Research Internship in Santa Barbara
- Chemistry M.Sc.
- United States of America, Santa Barbara
- University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
- 05/2023 – 09/2023
- Application/Finding an internship
Studying Chemistry M.Sc. at RWTH Aachen University comes with three mandatory research internships which optionally can be completed at an external institution. Inspired by a talk at a conference I contacted the professor via e-mail asking for a research stay about nine months in advance. After her approval the administrative process including some visa guidance was handled by the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
Applying early, I got the visa about four months in advance. The OISS at UCSB is an approved J1-sponsor. Several documents were required by the Department of Chemical Engineering and/or the OISS. I needed proof of health insurance, financial proof and a language certificate among others. The DS-2019 was issued by OISS at UCSB and is required for the visa application. Additionally, a SEVIS fee is required prior to the visa interview. In my case, the interview waiver applied which allowed me to send in my passport to the
Engineering Science Building
© Elisabeth Richter
consulate in Frankfurt and have it sent back to me once the visa was approved.
Applying early, I had plenty of time between the approved visa and my starting date so I could book my flight and look for an accommodation several weeks in advance. Since I was a visiting grad student not taking any classes I was not enrolled as a UCSB student and did not have to pay any tuition fees but also did not get the student benefits.
- Accommodation & Living expenses
Recreation Center
© Elisabeth Richter
Housing options are either student housing on and off campus or private housing in Isla Vista, Goleta area or Downtown Santa Barbara. The latter requires a daily commute by bus or car to the campus whereas the other options are within walking or biking distance.
As a visiting grad scholar, I was not eligible for student housing. I found a nice host parents arrangement living with up to two other students via a private housing listing provided by UCSB. Leasing or Subleasing is usually tied to the quarter system. In general, be aware of scams. Compared to Aachen, living expenses are higher in America and particularly high in the Santa Barbara area. For a single room about $1300 per month are common whereas doubles or triples are usually a little cheaper. Compared to Aachen, my expenses for groceries went up 1.5 to 2 times. Even though going out is much more common I had a lot of self-cooked meals. In general, fruits and vegetables are more expensive. For fresh, organic fruits and vegetables I recommend the farmers market which serves the best sourdough bread I had during my stay.
- Everyday life/the internship
Campus Point Beach
© Elisabeth Richter
Biking is the way to go around on the UCSB campus. The best chances to not get one’s bike stolen is in having a cheap bike and a U-lock. Used bikes can be purchased in a bike shop in Isla Vista or online. Outside of campus busses as public transportation are an option but depending on where to go cars might be the only choice.
Major food options on campus are in the UCen building serving sandwiches, burgers, and American Chinese food among others. In addition, there are cafes distributed throughout the campus selling mostly sandwiches and snacks.
The research group I visited provided lab space as well as a desk in the offices. Working with several colleges on a project I was fully integrated in the group during my stay. On average, I had biweekly meetings with my professor at UCSB discussing my research progress and giving valuable input. I attended the weekly group meeting taking turns in presenting one’s research progress and recent literature.
I usually worked in the lab on weekdays and used the evenings and weekends to explore the area. The recreation center offers intermural, fitness and dancing classes among others. The campus is right next to the ocean and always worth a visit. Part of the campus is the Campus Point which beach area is suitable for beginners in surfing.
One thing to keep in mind is that I stayed at UCSB during the summer which is way quieter than throughout the rest of the year. Same goes for the research group because of the lack of lectures but professors might not be available each week due to travelling to conferences or summer schools.
- Free time/tips
The campus itself is beautiful and a walk around the campus lagoon is a must. You can get a great view of the campus from the upper floor of the Davidson’s library both towards the mountains and the ocean. I highly recommend spending time at the ocean and watching a lot of sunsets. The surf class by the USCB recreation center is a lot of fun. They provide surfboards and wetsuits during the lessons and there is also a rental option at Campus Point Beach.
Campus and Storke Tower
© Elisabeth Richter
Going out there are some bars and breweries in the Goleta area to check out (beers can be purchased starting from about $7; remember the legal drinking age of 21) and even more options in Downtown Santa Barbara. The bus ride to Downtown takes 35 to 55 minutes. Alternatively, there is a 10-mile bike path connecting UCSB and Downtown Santa Barbara. Main attractions are the Santa Barbara Mission, the botanical garden, a walk on State Street and the waterfront. Ferries are connecting Santa Barbara to the Channel Islands National Park which is a great destination for hiking and camping. Whale Watching tours starting in Santa Barbara might go all the way to the Channel Islands seeing dolphins and humpback whales along the trip.
Both Goleta and Santa Barbara are connected to the Pacific Surfliner which goes from San Luis Obispo all the way south to San Diego. The train track itself is right next to the ocean giving this slow way of traveling an amazing view throughout the ride.
- Conclusion
My research stay at UCSB was a fascinating journey. I broadened my knowledge in Chemistry and gained a lot of new experiences on the personal level as well. Even though it took me some time to get used to the different culture I enjoyed the way of life. Within time, communicating in everyday English became natural and I understand and highly acknowledge the American humor by now. I met great people along the way to which I will catch up eventually. I highly encourage a stay abroad.