Exchange in Germany : Erasmus 2024

                      Exchange in Germany : Erasmus 2024

Hello, guys!

I'm glad to see you on my blog. My name is Sofia, and I am an artist and also a student of Media and Visual Expression in Finland.

In 2024, I had the opportunity to go to Germany through the Erasmus International program. You can follow my upcoming adventures on this page and also in Instagram .

                                                                           Journey starts

My first Erasmus journey began on the afternoon of 29.10.2024. 

First of all I want to say that I'll be in Germany, Cologne for the first time , and my opinion about this trip will be as honest and unbaised as possible.

In Cologne, I'll be doing an internship that will help me get familiar with the profession and understand if this career path is right for me.

☆ The first part of my journey began at Helsinki - Vantaa Airport . I had a suitcase and a carry-on with me. Honestly, I was very worried about the weight of the suitcase, but luckily, it turned out to be much lighter than I had expected.

☆ Three other students also went to Germany, and we took the same Helsinki-Dusseldorf flight. The flight lasted about two and a half hours, and I slept through until landing.

✩ We took the funicular from the airport to the train station. It was kinda unusual, but I liked it.

After a long train journey to Cologne, we took the subway and went to the desired station where we were to meet with the curators of project. 

Immediately at the exit from the subway I noticed the Cologne Cathedral. It was incredibly beautiful, especially at night.

 First week in Cologne

29.10.2024-8.12.2024

The Erasmus program provided us with accommodation. I lived with my classmate in a rented house in a neighborhood called Nippes. The landlady turned out to be a very welcoming and kind woman.

The next morning, I immediately went to see the Cologne Cathedral. Inside, the atmosphere was breathtaking. In my opinion, it felt like a historical piece that had been lost somewhere in our modern era. 

Our curators organized a tour where we were told about the historical events of Cologne, the carnival, and the culture.

The first working week in Cologne was very exciting. I met with my employer, and we agreed on my schedule. Most of my work took place during the day, with occasional morning shifts. My tasks included guiding students,collaborating with teachers in lesson planning and helping with regular tasks as cleaning and preparing of materials.

I liked my way to work a lot. It gave me late autumn vibes and a pretty good reason to have a small walk during my shift.

One day after work I decided to meet with our classmates and take a walk in the centre of Cologne. We talked about our workplaces, came to cafe and spontaneously decided to visit amusement park. I already heared what all spontaneouse things are the best and now I can totally agree with this conversation! We explored some carousels and tried to play in claw machine. It was cool and interesting experience for all of us.

Also I visited Museum Nacht 2024 and had an opportunity to see masterpieces of famouse artists around the world. As an art student I was so happy to find this kind of event.

I explored the Ludwig Museum and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, both of which offered amazing artistic experiences.

There were many different artworks, but my favorite was one that truly captured my attention and left a lasting impression -Arm that was made from the wings of butterflies.

The first week in Cologne was kinda busy and emotional. I tried a lot of new things.

Second week in Cologne

11.11.2024-17.11.2024

We temporary moved to the hostel for period of carnaval and when we were on our way to the place we visited cozy cafe. This morning was a little bit misty and this atmosphere combined with deliciouse coffe perfectly.

Our room was pretty cool, we had our own bathroom and nice view, also downstairs we found kitchen with free food for every guest of hostel. 

Later, we decided to do some makeup and go for a walk, as the carnival was still ongoing.We walked around the city in the evening, enjoying the lively atmosphere. Everything was pleasant and fun—people were running, laughing, and drinking. The streets were much busier than usual.

Third week in Cologne

18.11.2024 - 22.11.2024

The third week started with cleaning… but not the usual kind! My task was to clean the pond with fishes. Children from the art school always came to see the goldfish, and I thought it was adorable.

I spent a lot of time with the children’s groups. I was also given the responsibility to provide instructions to the children and assist them, which made me very happy. I also noticed that most of the children spoke English very well!

I also communicated well with the other practicants and even learned a few phrases in German. I created some art myself and noticed that abstract art is very popular in Germany.

I think the most fascinating skill I have now is the ability to work with a 3D printer. We made small models, and the process was quite time-consuming. First of all, the printer's surface had to be very clean and smooth. We always wore gloves and masks. The entire process took several hours, and afterward, everything that had been printed had to be cleaned with turpentine. This experience was completely new and useful to me!

When I had a break, I went to get Turkish pastries. I also noticed that Cologne had many stores where I could buy chocolates from Dubai or Turkish sweets. Pasteries were so yummy

Fourth week in Cologne

25.11.2024-28.11.2024

In the final week of the internship, I was unfortunately ill and had to see a doctor, but it was reassuring to see that the insurance worked perfectly and everything went smoothly.

Conclusion

My adventure I would rate 10 out of 10, it was very well organized and everything was clear and interesting. I think I would like to return to Germany another time in the future

The most valuable lesson from this internship was understanding that cultural diversity is a great strength. I am grateful to Kölner Malschule, the Erasmus program and team of Eduko for this unique opportunity, which brought me closer to my dream of a teaching career. 

            

                                    P.S. Social media links are provided at the beginning of the post.

                                                            Thank you for you´r attention!