Interview: Kevin — Master’s at HTW Dresden & Erasmus in Rome
StudioAbroad: So, I went through your profile and I’ve seen that you’re doing a master’s from HTW Dresden and you were also an exchange student in Rome. How did these opportunities shape your career vision?
Kevin: Well, I think from my perspective it was Germany. When you arrive in Germany itself there are a lot of opportunities and working in different areas is something that was manageable for me with my current means. Even the education part, you are getting one of the standard educations across Europe in a budget-friendly manner. That was something I was into, and then for me, I like Germany. There was also a personal attachment; I really liked Germany to begin with, and then I just went right ahead when I got my admission.
And then Italy, it was because our university has a partnership and we have this semester called the Erasmus program. You are supposed to go one semester to another country and then you select a few subjects there, learn them, come back, and finish your thesis. That’s part of the course I’m doing in my master’s program.
StudioAbroad: Alright, that’s very informative. My next question to you is going to be, what’s the one thing every Indian student who is going to apply for Germany or German colleges should know beforehand?
Kevin: Learn German.
StudioAbroad: That’s all, nothing else.
Kevin: And also, I think this is an ongoing issue at the moment: a lot of students come here with no idea what they are enrolled into. I’ve heard from many people that consultants just do their pitch, convince students to apply for random courses in Germany because that’s the only thing available, and then they arrive here with no clue what they’re learning. Nobody is well equipped to give proper guidance, and if you mess up here it’s a big problem.
For me it was the same, but at least I didn’t pay a consultant. I researched by myself and got the admission by myself. So, if I made a mistake at least I knew it was mine, not someone else’s. Also, there were groups of people here when I arrived. So, what I always tell potential students is: research the university, research the course, and research the place you’re going to live in.
Do intensive research. And also learn German. If you’re going to Germany or any European country, you have to learn the local language. That’s something I didn’t do unfortunately, so I always tell my friends and juniors who are interested in Germany to at least learn German. Because even though many people speak English, it’s not everywhere. Only very few international places. It’s difficult to manage without the language.
StudioAbroad: That is a really good input from your side because obviously we are also a consultancy and that is going to help us help other students. That’s a very important factor.
So, the Erasmus experience was that an exchange semester?
Kevin: Yeah, it’s an exchange semester. We have this thing called semester abroad program. Your university gives you a certain amount of money through scholarship, not the entire amount but a portion and then you go for a semester, select subjects, register, and spend a semester there. It’s a very important thing to have a cross-cultural experience. It helps give diversity, inclusivity, and also new perspectives from another country. For me, I was within Europe so it was easier, not much of an issue apart from housing.
That’s an ongoing problem everywhere in Europe the housing crisis. So many students come from abroad: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, African countries. A lot of international students. And the housing demand isn’t met in Europe. Italy is one of those countries with way too many international students, so it’s very difficult to get proper housing if you don’t know locals to help. Same in some parts of Germany. Especially universities in small towns you can’t expect big infrastructure like 10-story buildings, so it depends on that too.
StudioAbroad: Yeah, obviously because the living standards abroad are much better than in India. Here in India we have single rooms with four people living together, going to hostels and colleges, it’s messed up. Even then we still have housing issues despite sacrificing living standards.
Kevin: Yeah, I know. I lived in a tiny apartment in Bangalore, also in a hostel with bad mess food. I’ve been through it all. India has its challenges definitely, but at least there you know what you paid for and why you’re getting that treatment. Here you pay the local amount, but then you also have that shift of mindset, you paid so much and still have to compromise. At the same time you need to find a fine line of being comfortable in a foreign country and dealing with homesickness.
A lot of people in Germany face this. For the first one and a half years, many face homesickness and even depression. Germany is known for that, it’s part of the culture initially. But then Germany also teaches you to be immune to negativity, embrace positivity, and become stronger. That’s why I always tell people: if you want to come to Germany, know your decision, have a plan, and then arrive. Because if you come without knowing anything, it’s not the place for you. You’ll feel down, troubled, and think, “I’d rather be in India studying in a normal college with no prospects but at least I’m with my family.”
There are many like that. Many in my batch came here and then moved to Canada or the US because they couldn’t deal with Germany. So it depends on mentality. Germany can offer everything, but you have to mentally prepare. Nothing comes free or easy here, you have to pay for it or earn it.
StudioAbroad: Yeah, you have to sacrifice something to gain something.
Kevin: Exactly. In India, you’ll find a way. I survived on 10-rupee chai and 20-rupee buns for an entire day. Here that’s not possible. Chai isn’t available, you have to make it yourself. Indian products are expensive. Coffee is expensive too. Germany is one of the more expensive countries. You have to make everything at home. Pastries and such are cheaper and good quality, but when you see prices you won’t spend much outside. You’ll prefer eating at home or subsidized student mess food. In India you are freer, you can always find a way.