Challenges of being an exchange student
Rasmus from Denmark
The contrast between Copenhagen and St.Gallen constitutes one of the borders I have crossed when I came here from Denmark. Copenhagen is much more international than St.Gallen. Also, I noticed a big difference between the environment at the university and St.Gallen itself. The people in the city have a rather rural lifestyle compared to the students. The language, however, is the main challenge. I understand German, but Swiss German is super hard. I try to speak German as much as I can, but when people give me answers in Swiss German I feel pretty lost. Fortunately, most people speak English, thus the communication channel is established anyway. When it comes to the social life, barriers already appear in the microenvironment of my apartment. This is not meant negatively, but four people can differ a lot from each other in terms of taste and interests. Thus, stereotyping the Swiss in general is impossible. In any case, adapting to the new environment is of crucial importance. In my opinion, this constitutes a key responsibility an exchange student bears while studying abroad. As most people are very open and friendly, I do not face any social borders.
Dania from Colombia
The biggest challenge is the language. The vending machines on the bus for example do not feature an English option to buy a bus ticket. Most students speak English, but this is not the case with people in supermarkets and shops. Generally, being on one’s own is unfamiliar and difficult. In Colombia, most students live with their parents and are not used to be responsible for themselves. Also, university culture is different from home. For example, here it seems usual that at the end of a lesson, the students clap their hands. At my university this is not a habit. In terms of social life, it seems rather difficult to get to know people. Many times people stand in groups and do not seem interested in getting to know others and establishing contact with them takes quite some effort. However, I really enjoy the parties here in St.Gallen and go out here more often than at home. Furthermore, life in general is very expensive here. This holds true especially when it comes to food. Here, the mensa and cafeteria are very expensive compared to my home university. Also, there are many restaurants around campus which offer plenty of options for any taste.
Julien from France
The environment in St.Gallen is very different. The campus of Sciences Po is located at the heart of Paris, compared to which St.Gallen is rather small. Despite its size the city of St.Gallen is attractive. I find it pleasurable to meet other students by chance in the streets and enjoy nature. I like to go hiking, especially to the lake. When it comes to cultural activities, its rather difficult to find things to do in St. Gallen. With respect to that I sometimes feel isolated if I compare life here to that in Paris. While the Parisian rhythm outclasses St.Gallen, the quality of life here is very enjoyable. Also, the Swiss do not meet the French prejudices. The French picture the Swiss as rather cold and for them rules matter a lot. As far as I have experienced the social environment here, I can say that this is not true. Surprisingly, the language does not cause any problems. Since most of my Swiss friends prefer talking to me in English or French, I actually don’t need to know Swiss German. If you want to go beyond, though, Swiss German definitely bears a challenge
Ramon aus der Schweiz
An der HSG herrscht eine andere Kultur als an der Uni Bern. St.Gallen ist eine Studentenstadt. Man unternimmt viel mehr zusammen, sei dies beim gemeinsamen Kochen in der WG oder im Ausgang. In Bern ist es ganz anders. Nach der Uni gehen die meisten Studenten zurück nach Hause. Eine grosse Herausforderung war sicher das Alleinsein. Dadurch, dass ich am Wochenende nach Hause fahre, bleibt, der Kontakt zu meinen Freunden dennoch erhalten. Dank des BuddySystems bin ich grösstenteils mit anderen Austauschstudenten unterwegs. Einige wenige kommen aus Zürich oder der Romandie, die Mehrheit hat aber einen internationalen Hintergrund. Ich lerne so andere Studenten aus verschiedenen Ländern kennen, obwohl ich meinen Austausch nicht im Ausland verbringe. Swiss Mobility ist ein tolles Programm, das viel mehr genutzt werden sollte. Nur schon puncto Anrechenbarkeit der Credits hat man innerhalb der Schweiz keine Probleme. Ich überlege mir sogar, meinen Abschluss an einer anderen Schweizer Uni zu machen – vorausgesetzt, ich müsste meine Bachelorarbeit nicht auf Französisch schreiben. Auf jeden Fall will ich von den Möglichkeiten des Swiss Mobility Programms weiterhin profitieren.
Fotos: Livia Eichenberger