Destination: TH Köln -University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Cultural Sciences 
Study Period: September 2022 – March 2023
Affiliation/Grade at the start of studying abroad: School of Design, Design Futures Course, 3rd year
*International Program (IP) student (1^st batch)

I chose the TH Köln University of Applied Sciences because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to study, and I liked the international atmosphere of the university, so I chose this university, where I could study many fields and where there were many international students.

Educational Experience
In the beginning, there are classes to teach you how to use the equipment in the various facilities at the school, such as using the tools for stamping on canvas bags (I can’t remember the names), as well as experiential classes where you can create things with your hands. If you are a beginner, it might be a bit difficult to master using the equipment. Hence, I didn’t apply to use the facility again except for the first class. If you enjoy making small things, you will probably like this place.

I think this school pays more attention to letting students think and observe independently, choose their own topics, search for information, go on-site visits, and then report their observations and present the findings in any form they want. I learned of many interesting projects at the class presentation, which were closer to artistic creation than practical design. In the gender and design class, they played movies that are undoubtedly uncomfortable for male students, but I think that in Japan, the teachers would be more conscious when it comes to the same topics and would not choose to show movies that would make some people (even if they are the dominant group) feel uncomfortable or offended.

During the class discussion, one of the students expressed his views on the European and American colonization of Africa and other places, and there was a lively discussion. As an Asian, I could not keep up with the pace of the discussion, but I found it interesting to learn that different histories and cultures resulted in people caring about different topics. I also took a short trip to a city that explained colonial history in another class and learned from the teacher about white savior plots, and the teacher showed examples of people who seemed to be doing charity but actually made things worse.

There was also an Identity Theory class that allowed me to meet a Ukrainian in Germany. Her native language is Russian, and her family doesn’t speak Ukrainian. Our research topic was the identity of multilinguals. She has changed many of my perspectives. I think it’s more interesting to communicate with people who have actual experience than to study books. When we finished our homework together, we would naturally exchange our stories. I also met a Palestinian and a Colombian. The Palestinian classmate shared her story of pretending to be French to sneak across the border without the police’s knowledge, and the Colombian classmate shared her human rights attorney friend’s experience of a Colombian who had been smuggled to the U.S. When I heard it firsthand, I was shocked.

Renting an Apartment
Renting an apartment in Germany is harder than I have thought. There seems to be a high demand for apartment rentals but a low supply. There are apps for renting apartments in Germany. However, some of them turned out to be scams. I have applied for more than twenty apartments, but only 3 responded. Unfortunately, I did not manage to get any of it. Luckily, I found an apartment that someone was about to put up for rental from a group of Chinese students.

Bank Account and Insurance Application
The procedures for registering your address in Germany are quite complicated. You have to download the form from the official website of the district government and get the landlord’s signature, and if you live in a crowded district, you may need to make an appointment to go to the district government. In Germany, you can only open a bank account and apply for insurance when you have registered your address. Usually, applications for bank cards and insurance correspondence are via mail, which means the process will need more time. You need to have patience. Also, please take good care of your health. If you fall sick before the insurance application has been processed, your medical bill may be higher.  

International Mail
If you want to purchase things online and deliver them from overseas, it is essential to note the following.

• Keep a copy of the evidence of your purchase and translate it into German or English.
• Once your purchase has been sent to Germany, you must pay tax before it will be delivered to your apartment.
• If you delay the payment of tax, you may have to pay for the cost of storage for your online purchases.

Cafeteria
The school is relatively small, close to the city center. There are many supermarkets and restaurants nearby. Also, there are buses and tram stops. Hence, transportation is very convenient. Sometimes, after school, I would take the bus to go shopping before going home. There is a small cafeteria near the school, but it does not have a variety of food. If you walk a little further, there are larger cafeterias with more varied menus. You can use your student card in the cafeteria, and it’s easier to top up your student card with a bank card, but I don’t have a German bank card and only have cash. Sometimes, my classmates will use their bank cards to pay for me and I pay them in cash. Eating in the cafeteria usually costs more than 10 euros, and you need to pay for drinks. Even water is not free. I was surprised on my first visit.  I ordered a 10-euro meal and ended up paying 16 euros.

Transportation
You can purchase a monthly transportation pass at about 500 euros in the school, including a registration fee. The student pass allows you to take local trains within the same area. If you want to go further, you may want to take note of the following.

• The transportation system is not as efficient as in Japan.
• Buses are often delayed, and sometimes they may be cancelled.
• The train frequency may be lower for further places.
• You may need to go to another station to board the train for some destinations.
• If you miss the train, you must buy a new ticket to board the train.
• Buying a train ticket is similar to an air ticket; you need to book early. Buying it only nearer to the date or on the actual day can be 3 times more expensive than buying the ticket a month earlier.
• The platform to board the train may change, even in the last 5 minutes. You need to check often.
• For some long-distance trains, half the carriages of the train may stop at a certain station, and the other half will move on to the destination. You need to be alert and move to the right carriages. It is important to ask around if you don’t understand German well.
• Student tickets can only be used within the state. When crossing to another state, you will need to purchase a new ticket. If you only realized it on the train, you could not purchase it on the train. You can only buy a new ticket via the application on your mobile devices. If you do not manage to purchase a new ticket, you will be fined 60 euros.
• It is important that you check out the train information carefully for the destinations you want to go to and be alert throughout the journey.

Public Design
Some designs for the public in Germany are confusing to me. For example, the signage for the direction of public transportation sometimes goes in the opposite direction of where the bus is coming from. Also, the maps at the bus stops are maps of all the routes in the city, but they don’t show the routes of each bus in detail. Hence, it may be difficult for foreigners to navigate their way. In terms of street design, I ever walked the back alley that led me to a coffee shop (a coffee shop that also sells drugs that are commonly illegal in most countries), which made me wonder if it is legal. Also, I chanced upon a street that was filled with cars scattered everywhere, unorderly. It is difficult to cut through the street. I have to walk at the edge of the street.

I was surprised to witness all these. Perhaps I am very used to the orderly and convenience in Japan. I assumed all developed countries would be similar to Japan. These experiences changed my perspective.

Friends
As I don’t drink and dislike going to bars or parties, I don’t often join social gatherings. Hence, I don’t have many friends. Perhaps I should take more initiative to ask my friends out and develop deeper relationships. Then, I would be happier during the exchange. Some of my classmates also shared the same sentiments and regretted that we did not hang out more often.

Climate
Winter in Germany is quite long. It tends to rain, and the sky turns dark early. I would not like to go out of the house after 4 pm. Perhaps it is a better time to go to Germany for an exchange during the summer.

My Best Memories
Despite some of the challenges I faced in Germany, I have had many good experiences.

People are much more welcoming than in Japan, and I’ve encountered kind people who offered to help me carry my luggage up the steps or onto the train, both at airports and bus stops, even in crowded stations, where elevators sometimes break down or don’t work properly.

Generally, people are more expressive and open. I have seen young couples kissing while waiting for the traffic lights to turn and on buses. Grandpas and grandmas not only sat next to each other but held hands. Once, I passed by a neighborhood where a kid on the third floor opened the window and waved when he saw his mom coming back, and his mom, who was on her way home, made a hugging gesture in return. I love the straightforwardness, which is rare in China, Japan and Korea.

They are also quite liberated and able to express their views on politics openly. I went to Germany around the time that China locked down cities due to COVID-19. The people in Germany organized rallies against the lockdown, and I attended one of them. I have never seen such rallies against an issue happening overseas in Japan.

Vegetables and fruits are more plentiful than in Japan, and they are delicious and a lot cheaper especially fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and mangoes. German dairy products and meat products are also delicious. I am very happy with the German food. They are very generous with the ingredients. It looks the same as what was shown in the advertisement. I love going to the supermarket and trying things I have never seen before, and they don’t disappoint me most of the time. I had the best-frozen pizza from the supermarket.

There is this app called “too good to go”, which allows you to pack leftovers from restaurants, unsold bread from bakeries, and bad quality vegetables and fruits from supermarkets at very low prices, with no drawbacks except that you can’t choose what you will get. I used it to buy supermarket vegetables, fruits and bread. Sometimes, I was lucky and could get some exquisite French desserts from the dessert store. If you have a fridge and an oven, you can freeze the bread and reheat it. The three euros of bread I bought at one time was enough to be my staple food for two weeks. Sometimes, the portions were too big, and I could never finish them all by myself; I shared them with the homeless people on the side of the road. I gave fruits to the old man singing at the side of the road, and they always seemed to be very happy and grateful to receive from me.

Many events are organized for Christmas in December and Mardi Gras in February, which are lively and fun. I have enjoyed these festive atmospheres very much.

In conclusion, I have no regrets about going to Germany for the exchange, though I have gone through many difficulties. I hope what I have shared could be a reference for you who are thinking of going for an exchange in Germany.