Report February - Türkbey Tanman

1. How did you prepare for the exams and how was it (expectations and facts, how many exams, etc.)?

For financial and spiritual reasons in the 2019-2020 winter period, I could not attend my school continuously, and with the coming of the Corona epidemic, everything began to go upside down. Therefore, I was not able to take the exams of my Mat1 and Physics1 courses that I followed online from FHWS E-Learning. Obviously, it was a big disappointment for me.

2. How much have you improved your knowledge of German / English since you’ve started living in Germany?

The only thing in my mind when moving to Germany: to make a minimum of Turkish friends. Although I couldn't do this at first, I later had friends from Germany and many other countries, so I spoke a lot of German. Even if I still find myself insufficient about German, I can say that I have made great progress compared to the day I first arrived. On the contrary, when I first came to Germany, my English, which was very good, became blunt by the day, but I believe I can get better at it with the English education I will receive at the University.

3. Did you attend any trip offered by FHWS (cultural / industrial? When, where, your impressions)?

In the first months of the winter period, there was a “Kneipentour” organized by the FHWS and I joined it. All students met on the University campus with other students in their department and visited all the pubs in Schweinfurt with a leader. This way, I had the chance to meet new people from both my department and other departments.

4. Do you miss your country, your home? How often have you travelled / plan to travel to your home country? Do your relatives come to visit you? What helps you when you are homesick?

I missed my house, my family, my friends and our traditional meals when I first arrived, after all, it is not easy to leave behind a habit of years, but over time, I have embraced the cultural structure of Germany and built very good friendships here. Food still remains a subject I longed for. I'm going to Turkey one time per year. Since I have no relatives or acquaintances here, there was no visiting situation. When I miss my house very much, I invite my Turkish friends over for dinner and try to prepare the food as well as I can. Thanks to this meal and my friends, the longing gets better and is easier to live with.

5. Do you want to return to your country after graduation or stay in Germany? Why?

After graduation, I want to stay in Germany for a while, because if I am going to return to my country, I must return there as a well-equipped individual with work experience, but it is completely a time-bound return to my country. I do not know what opportunities I will have or what I will experience in the future, and for now I only focus on the University education.

6. What was your biggest challenge since you are living in Germany and how did you deal with it?

To be honest, my biggest problem has always been the money issue and I have sustained myself by constantly searching for jobs and finding additional jobs. Since I came to Germany, I can say that I have worked in many jobs that I do not have the slightest idea about and I have had that life experience by trying to learn them. For example: I did photography at weddings, sold carpets in the market, etc. These works were discontinuous, and finally, after finding a permanent job in a bar, I was relieved mentally and financially.

7. What is the best thing that has ever happened to you in Germany (Tell us a positive story that you can share with your relatives, friends and everyone)?

I always like to travel and see new places since I came to a certain age, and what happened to me in Germany is a beautiful memory that developed spontaneously. While living in Bochum, we were drinking and chatting with my friends in the city park on a spring day and enjoying the weather. We met another group of friends sitting next to us and became friends. During the conversation, we learned that the next day there was going to be a festival called Königstag (King's Day) in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, and that evening we bought tickets and set off with them towards the Netherlands. On the way, we did couch surfing, where you can get free accommodation, which is normally not easy to find, but we were somehow very lucky. We stayed in Alkmaar for 2 days and we still visit each other with our friends we made that day.

8. What would you recommend to FHWS students who speak Russian (Spanish / Turkish) after 5 months of experience?

Although I have not been able to stay in Schweinfurt for a long time and have not been able to deal adequately with FHWS, I can say with peace of mind that it is definitely a privilege to study in a school that values its students and takes care of them in every subject. And having this privilege makes you very psychologically comfortable because you have a student affairs office where you can ask questions and get answers without hesitation. Besides, my advice is for anyone looking for peace in Schweinfurt: in this small and friendly city you can devote to nature, sports, art and personal development. Besides, there are also beautiful pubs and clubs to throw off the energy brought by your youth.