Michaela in Konstanz!

Hi everyone!

My name is Michaela Warlick and I have been in Konstanz, Germany for a little less than two months now! Konstanz is a small town in the south-west part of Germany (Baden-Württemberg) on the border of Switzerland. It’s actually so close to Switzerland that sometimes you will take a walk and end up across the border without realizing! The main attraction that draws people to Konstanz, Germany is the Bodensee, otherwise known as Lake Konstanz. The water is so clear and clean that it is where most people in Konstanz get their drinking water from! 

Swiss Alps on the other side of the Bodensee!

The Bodensee!

            Konstanz is a very old city and is one of the few cities that wasn’t bombed during World War II. One of my favorite places to go to in Konstanz is to the city’s cathedral, “Münster Unserer Lieben Frau”. It isn’t a very large cathedral, but it is so beautiful and remains of a Roman fortress dating back to 400 B.C. were found underneath the cathedral!

The Eiffel Tower in Paris!

            As I said before, I have only been abroad for a little less than two months. My university, like many I believe in Europe, has a winter and summer semester rather than a fall and spring semester. Because of Easter, this year the academic calendar is later than normal. In the winter semester, classes began near the end of October and ended mid- February. The summer semester began mid-April and will end near the end of July. Even though the semester ends, exams can go on for weeks afterwards; in some programs, exams go until at least mid- August!

More Alps on the Bodensee

The statue, Imperia, is one of the main symbols of Konstanz!

For the month of March I participated in an orientation program that aimed to give students a solid understanding of German language as well as to help students get ready for their semester abroad. For four weeks we had German courses every day, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Then in the afternoons we would come together as a group and learn about German academic culture, apply for courses, and most important, apply for residency. I am so thankful to have had the university walk alongside the process of applying for residency. It had the space to be very complicated and it was such a relief to be able to go through it with other students!

The Parc Guell that looks over all of Barcelona!

For the first month, I felt so busy that I didn’t have much time to be homesick! Technology really is a wonder. It is so crazy to think that we have the ability to FaceTime, Skype, text, and call those we love even from so far away. Having this technology really did make all the difference for me when it came to homesickness. My mom would always remind me that when she was younger, the only form of communication while studying abroad was through writing letters, which could take weeks to arrive! For anyone who is nervous about missing home, I encourage you to remember the gift that technology can be and to not worry!

Entrance of the University of Konstanz

Munster Unserer Lieben Frau

Between the month of orientation and the beginning of the semester, students had about three weeks vacation to explore, relax, and get ready for the semester. My fellow Spartan and I decided to use the opportunity to explore Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain. Something I have definitely realized is how big the United States is in regards to land mass. In the U.S. one could travel for hours upon hours upon hours and still be inside the same country. However, in the E.U. you have the opportunity to hop on a bus, train, or plane and arrive in another country within the hour! An entirely different country with its own food, language, culture, government, and landscapes! For me I think that is something so insanely incredible and I hope to take advantage of the closeness of cultures as much as I can! 

My roommates from Germany! Katya (far left) is also a fellow Spartan!

This semester, my fellow Spartan Caroline and I will be taking courses focusing on global issues and conflicts as well as discovering possible peaceful solutions. UNCG and the University of Konstanz have started a program (this year!) where students can participate in a service learning project while abroad. While Caroline and I are here, we will be serving refugees in the local area. The city of Konstanz supports serving incoming refugees and has set a city wide initiative to help relocate refugees in the area. Throughout the city there are three large signs posted with the number ‘83’ lit up. It looks very similar to the way gas stations show gas prices except on a very, very large scale. In 2011, the population of Konstanz was 85,524 people. The city currently wants to relocate 83 refugees within the city. The signs campaign that if one family out of every one thousand hosts a refugee, then the refugee crisis specifically in Konstanz can be solved. Currently 75 refugees have found homes and the three large ‘83’ signs will not be removed until all 83 refugees have been settled safely.

There are lots and lots of swans in Konstanz!

This has been a short summary of my last two months in Konstanz, Germany! I encourage everyone to get excited about studying abroad and (with a little bias) I suggest you come to Konstanz! 

Michaela Warlick

University of Konstanz, Germany

Spring 2017