The first semester is officially over but now that I think about it, I don’t really know if I have learned anything entirely new. I am not so sure about whether there has ever been a moment when I said to myself: “Wow, there is no way I would have known this or that about the German government system or the Cold War or research methodology. had I not been in university.”…
study in germany
The Cost of Studying in Germany
Over the last couple of months, I have come across various articles shared on my social media networks, declaring (almost festively) that attending university in Germany is free for national and international students alike. Now that I have some time as a university student behind me, I decided to write about the extent to which studying in Germany is really free. Let me tell you right away that I can’t actually name…
Mastering German Bureaucracy 101.4: The Most Common Mistake Made by Newcomers
Every single person that comes to Germany for a visit, thinks very highly of this country. These people find absolutely everything amazing and whenever I dare to say something not so amazing about life here (and I have been around here for a while longer than them for sure), they try to shush me and tell me what to think instead and that is because all they know of this place is…
Berlin Before Sunrise
An empty bus station standing there alone in the street. Everything is dark. Only the light behind the glass is shining. Behind the glass of the advertisement poster. Of course the light has to be on, or else no one will know why they should buy the newest Surface. The bus arrives after several minutes in the dark and in light rain, the cold wind gets through my jacket. Some people would laugh…
Mastering German Bureaucracy 101.2: Dear Future College Students
College life started about a week ago. Well, officially the semester starts somewhat in mid October but that is for the regular students. Aside from those regular students, there is us, the ones that take extra courses to pass the entrance exam in May next year so we start a little earlier. The most fascinating thing is not only the fact that I have finally some routine back in my life but…
Mastering German Bureaucracy 101.1: To the Internationals Among Us
“Will you please put a accreditation stamp on a copy for me?” “The document is a German one, yes?” “No, it is an American…Saudi-ish… one.” “Sorry, I can’t do that. You’ll have to go to the consulate of wherever you got this from.” Back to the Saudi embassy, I thought to myself. Wow…can this day get any better? I tried to get out of the tiny room in the red hall of…