Report January - Margarita Nadelyayeva
How did you celebrate the New Year?
As expected, I met the New Year with my friends. We've been in Schweinfurt, decorated the apartment, prepared a large dastarkhan, revised the message from the President, made a wish while the bells were chiming, and after all went outside to launch fireworks together. Everything went very warmly and comfortably: exactly the way the first family holiday should have passed away from the family.
Do you work part-time as a student?
Before I moved to Germany, I've decided (together with my parents) that the first semester I should fully devote to studies both at the university and on a language courses, rather than part-time work. However, many of my acquaintances successfully combine part-time work and study, succeeding in both areas. Here it is completely real: study, earn 450 euros and at the same time raise your level of spoken German.
Do you manage to combine part-time work and study, or does study suffer a little bit?
Unfortunately, on this topic, I do not have any information. As far as I know from other people, this is not difficult at all and quite realizable. Do you have new hobbies and interests in Germany? How is your leisure time going on? The most time, I spend all my free time on study, and then, as ironic as it sounds, on rest after studying. More often my leisure is a pastime with friends. Less often - I deliberately make the maximum workload throughout the week, so that on weekends, I can go on an expedition to discover new places in Germany. In both cases, I like everything!:)
Do you attend all lectures or do you attend selectively?
Are there any group / project works? Personally, I try to attend all the lectures, because I am interested in the educational content of my course, and I would not want to miss something interesting or meaningful. I am studying Mechatronics and, unlike the Business and Engineering course, I still have no group and project works at all.
Is studying process at FHWS different from studying process at your previous university?
Since I have never studied at a university before, I do not know the exact answer, but I can assume that education in Kazakhstani universities is distinguished by a large amount of compulsory homework. At most foreign universities (FHWS is no exception), homework is welcome but not required. However, in this case, foreign universities require large investments from the students in self-study processes.
What are your monthly expenses? What amount is comfortable for living in your city?
I think that everyone determines the measure of their comfort for themselves. For the compulsory costs, you need about 300 euros for housing, 100 euros for health insurance, 15 euros for mobile communications, i.e., that’s why the monthly amount of about 415 euros are compulsory costs. Further, you need take into account food costs + costs for own needs. So, for someone, 500 euros per month will be enough, and someone will complain about the lack of money, having 700 euros. In both cases, this amount is comfortable as long as you are well-fed and have a roof over your head.
What did you find the most difficult during your stay in Germany?
For me personally, the most difficult thing is the time difference between me and my family. By the evening, after having had a hard day at University, I just want to completely emotionally unload myself during a conversation with my family, but I cannot do this, because it is already very late at night at my home country. It is especially difficult during winter, when all European countries move the clock back an hour.
What's your favorite study subject (or several)?
Of course it is mathematics. I like that this science is fundamental and with its help a person is able to explain many phenomena and things. I had my heart and mind set on this exact science from an early age: it disciplines and educates the mind.