Studentenwohnung in Freiburg
My main expectations surrounding my study abroad experience were to make long lasting relationships with Germans and Americans in my program, and also to take advantage of what my study abroad program had to offer. Having just arrived from my course related trips to Budapest and Rome, I have been able to retrospectively think about my living situation and all the cultural differences I have experienced. When I first arrived here, I was excited to embrace a new culture with new rituals on a daily life. As I have lived for two months with Germans in a "Studentenwohnung", I had become aware of a lot of different practices of how German students live their lives.
The culture of these Studentenwohnung is appreciative of students and their space. Vauban, Stussie, and Stuhlinger, the one I live at, are the main student residencies here in Freiburg. All of them have student bar spaces open during the week of classes and they usually get pretty busy. In fact, if you are acquainted with the tv show Friends, Mudom bar, were we usually hangout, is pretty similar to Central Perk Coffee Shop, with the difference of cheap drinks instead of coffee.
I live in a co-ed apartment with 4 German students were we share our cooking and bathroom spaces. We have an interesting system to keep our apartment in shape. Every week, one person is responsible for the order of 1 of 4 areas: das badezimmer, die müll and küche, boden saugen, und wischen. After my first weeks, me and my American friends were sharing our living experiences and we all found out a common pattern. Germans don't spend a lot of time in their house. At the beginning, since we didn't know many people, our residencies were empty. With the passing of time, we found out that our kitchen could also be a space for spending time with friends cooking, partying, and studying. I am lucky I have a good relationship with my "Mitbewohner" since friends of mine have dramatic exchanges about their order system and sharing space dynamics.
Similarly, through further analysis with my American friends, we found out that sometimes there is a big mix into who lives with who. For example, I live with a graduated student who is 26 and some friends live with older people. The biggest difference we have with German students is our schedule. On our program based on the American system of classes, we keep having daily lectures, while Germans have a short period of classes and then they only have papers and exams due. These allows them to be more flexible in how they spend their time, even to the point of going on vacations or back home for several weeks, which I personally prefer.
In my personal experience, I really like the living dynamics in Germany. Looking ahead for my last year in HWS where I will be living with my fraternity friends, I will definitely encourage this order system so everyone is accountable for the common order and living space. This experience has taught me that organisation is fundamental in sharing spaces. If I could adapt to a foreign system, my friends back home also can. I have shared feelings of excitement and sadness after realising I only have one more month left of my abroad experience. It has been nice to meet people from different places and share with them unique experiences that will last forever.
System for order in the common spaces
Cupcakes with German and American friends in the kitchen
Mudom bar
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