Hanh Nhi, why did you decide to study at the University of Bremen?

I got the idea at a trade fair in my hometown of Saigon. There I was introduced to Here Ahead, a cooperation of all state universities in Bremen that offers programs to prepare for studying in Germany. Many German cities offer services such as these for prospective international students. What I particularly liked about Here Ahead was that it allows prospective students to attend lectures and seminars as auditors during the preparatory programs. I first decided to come to Bremen and then selected the university’s Electrical Engineering and Information Technology degree program. I am still satisfied with both of these choices.

What do you particularly like about studying in Germany?

I enjoy the flexibility I have in organizing my degree. For example, it is possible to attend courses from advanced semesters, even if you have failed exams and have to repeat the preliminary courses. You can reduce your course load for a semester, for example, if you work a lot on the side. There is a good network of trams and buses, which is helpful if you don’t have your own car.

How was it when you first came to Bremen? What helped you to settle into the city and at the university?

The Here Ahead preparation program helped me a lot. It took a year: The first six months were mostly spent learning German – six lessons a day, five days a week. After that, I had another six months to get to know the university better and to learn preparatory content for pursuing a degree. When I began my degree and sat in the first lectures, I still did not understand everything. What helped was speaking to the German students and meeting up with them. By now, I know all the students from my degree program. This is helpful for learning together.

What parts of life in Germany required getting used to?

The public health system here is different from Vietnam. When I was sick for the first time, I went to a hospital as I would at home. I learned that in Germany you usually go to a general practitioner first and only go directly to the hospital in an emergency. General practitioners were completely new to me, since I had not known any in Vietnam.

Sorting waste was also complicated for me, even though I had already heard about it while in Vietnam. It surprised me that there are not only glass containers here, but also different containers for different colors of glass. I had no idea where to take batteries or electrical appliances, and had to find this out.

To what extent did your experience confirm common preconceptions about Germany and Germans?

I had often heard that punctuality is particularly important to Germans. That often applies to the people here, but unfortunately, Deutsche Bahn does not fit this stereotype at all! Trains are often late or connections canceled. This annoys me as well as many other international students I know.

On the topic of traffic: It took me quite a long time to get used to the many bicycles in Bremen. That was not something I knew from Saigon, where it’s more common to ride a motorcycle. At the beginning, I often walked on the bike paths and people would ring their bells to get me out of the way. When I see tourists today making the same mistake, it reminds me of when I first arrived in Germany. Then I briefly explain the system with the bicycle lanes.

What was your experience with apartment searching? What tips would you give to other international students?

Searching for a room really was quite difficult. I applied for a dorm room with the Studierendenwerk even before I came to Germany. That didn’t work out right away, unfortunately. Which is why I stayed with a host family for a few months at the beginning. In the end, fortunately, I was able to get a room in the student dorms.

If you are still abroad, finding a room is particularly difficult. Because you are obviously not able to look at any rooms on site in Bremen. It is always good to know someone in Bremen who can help you. These can be, for example, students from the international student communities. Even if you are only able to find a place to stay for a few weeks or months this way, this is invaluable. Once you are physically in Bremen, the search becomes easier.

Where can international students turn if they have questions?

There are many different places and people to turn to for help. So many in fact that it is sometimes not so easy to find the right one. The AstA students’ union has often helped me. The people at AStA are very familiar with the university and can tell you where to go with which problem. I also like the advisory services of the Studierendenwerk (student services organization). You can go to social counseling, for example, if you have questions about working while studying or about the right of residence for international students. The Psychological Counselling Centre also has contact persons for psychological problems. The consultation is free of charge and possible in English.

What can you do in Bremen and in northern Germany besides studying?

I like that Bremen is such a green city. You can cycle from the university to Blockland in twenty minutes. There it is suddenly very rural, with many meadows, pastures, and small farms. The Bürgerpark is also a good meeting place, for example for a picnic. And if you want to see something other than Bremen, you can quickly get to Bremerhaven or Hamburg.