Cultural Vistas Blog

Hey zusammen! I’m Jamauri. I am currently a member of the 38^th cohort of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, an international fellowship funded by the German Bundestag and the US. Department of State.

This is my second time talking about my experience during the program. If you haven’t already read my introductory post, feel free to check it out here! This post will be focused on my life during the study phase of the program in Cologne.

The life of a university student in Germany

After finishing up my language school phase at the end of September, I packed my bags and moved from Saarbrücken to my final placement, Cologne. Cologne is the 4^th largest city in Germany and is situated in the north in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. For my university phase, I enrolled as a guest student studying Information Systems at the University of Cologne, one of the largest public universities in Germany.

Studying in Germany is fairly cheap. Most universities do not charge tuition fees and students are only required to pay a semester contribution that covers certain fees such as travel passes and student unions, and other administrative costs. One of the biggest differences that I noticed between universities in Germany and the US is there is a lot less “hand-holding” in Germany. Whereas it’s common for US Students to meet regularly with an advisor to map out their degree requirements, it’s quite the opposite in Germany. German students do have access to advisors within their departments, but the responsibility of planning courses and graduation requirements generally falls on the student themselves. Outside of supporting academics, universities in Germany generally do not provide oversight over student organizations, housing or other aspects of student affairs that are typical in the US.

This semester, I took four courses in total. Two courses in English and two in German. My most interesting class was a course in English focused on Design Thinking. Design Thinking is a non-linear method that allows a team to understand potential users, reimagine problems, and create innovative solutions. During the semester, I was placed on a team with four other international students from Sweden, Taiwan, and Hungary. Our conclusive result at the end of the course was an outline for a university podcast hosted by the International Student Office at the University of Cologne.  The origin of the podcast came from a question posed at the beginning of the course: How might we ease the transition to a new country, culture, and university for exchange students to ensure that they are able to make the most out of the opportunity? After combing through our networks and interviewing our international peers, we concluded that a podcast would be a modern way to pass on relevant information to incoming exchange/international students.

Finding Community

Upon moving to Cologne, I also moved in with my new host family. My host parents, a retired couple in their 60s, welcomed me with open arms. Prior to retirement, both worked as German teachers at the local Gymnasium. They both have been instrumental in my German learning journey. We eat breakfast together every morning and even find the time to have Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake).

One of my most rewarding experiences has been attending a church here in Cologne. I joined the church’s youth group which consists of students, young professionals, and other young adults from the Cologne area. It was a bit daunting at first because everything was conducted in German, but it was incredibly important to my immersion experience.

The CBYX program requires participants to complete forty hours of volunteer work at a local organization. To complete my requirement, I volunteered at Active Zone, a local café and youth center that’s funded by the Evangelical Free Church in Cologne Ostheim. Every Friday, the café opens its doors to homeless residents in Cologne. These residents are free to dine and relax all free of charge each week.

A Florida Man Experiences the Holidays in Deutschland!

Christmas is a big deal in Germany! Every year, millions of people flock to Christmas markets to buy gifts, drink Glühwein and relax in preparation for the holidays. Christmas, or Heiligabend, as it’s known in Germany is traditionally celebrated by most families on December 24^th. On Heiligabend, I cooked potatoes and beef and with my host family, and we exchanged all sorts of gifts. I even got to try my hand at baking Christmas cookies!

On New Year’s Eve, I headed to a friend’s apartment, and we watched the fireworks from the balcony as we ushered in the New Year.

To say, I’ve been busy would be an understatement. Every day is something new here in Deutschland. That’s all from me now. Next time, I’ll be talking more about the next phase: The Internship phase!

Hi everyone! My name is Jamauri Bryan. I am currently a member of the 38^th cohort of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (or CBYX for short!) I am originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Family, Youth, & Community Sciences. I had never been to Germany or studied German before CBYX, but I became interested in the country back in 2019.

During my senior year of college, I became good friends with a German exchange student from Aachen. Towards the end of the semester, he encouraged me to consider visiting Germany in the future. Shortly after, I found out about CBYX after searching for international fellowships online. As a first-generation and low-income college student, I initially did not think I had the credentials or the experience to participate in a program like CBYX. However, with a bit of encouragement from my family and friends, I decided to throw my hat into the ring. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after all!

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting after interviewing, I finally got my acceptance email! To this day, I thank God for allowing me to be in such an amazing country!

Becoming a Young Ambassador in Saarbrücken

In normal circumstances, CBYX cohorts meet in DC for orientation. However, due to Covid, the 38^th cohort of CBYX had a virtual orientation, and we all met in DC several hours before heading to Germany. As young ambassadors, we are increasingly reminded of what it meant to represent the US and how our identities might shape our experiences abroad.

During the first two months of the program, I spent my time with 12 other CBYXers in Saarbrücken, the capital city of Saarland state. From 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM, we were enrolled in intensive German language courses to prepare us for life in Deutschland for the next year.

I think that that Saarbrücken was a great introduction to Germany as a whole. It’s a bit larger than a village but smaller than a larger city such as Stuttgart. My host family has lived in Saarland for most of their lives, and it was really fascinating to hear how much Saarland has changed since Germany’s reunification.

The greatest thing about being in Saarbrücken were some of the people I met. Students, young professionals, retirees, and many more! Some of the German students that I have met are very knowledgeable about global events, and we spent hours talking about the similarities between Germany and the United States.

Onward to Cologne!

After spending two months here already, I found it hard to say goodbye to Saarbrücken. During the last week, my classmates and I were treated to a German/Swiss Raclette Dinner by one of the host families. It was a great way to wrap up our experience in Saarbrücken.

Moving forward, I am excited to live with a host family and experience life in a big city like Cologne. I will be attending the University of Cologne and taking classes in Information Systems. Armed with my German knowledge, I am ready to continue my adventures in the North Rhine-Westphalia region!