Early in the morning, the courtyard of Building 8 below the Audimax begins to fill with excited voices and friendly greetings. This is the first stop for the new arrivals. Tables with coffee and snacks invite them to linger and get to know one another. It does not take long for the international crowd to mingle and the first connections to form.
The Campus Ambassadors and International Office team greet the students with smiles, welcome folders, and Schultüten—the traditional cones of treats given to children on their first day of school in Germany, here filled with sweet surprises to chase away a little homesickness and make those first days at university that much sweeter. Then, for many, comes another important moment: picking up their keys from the Studentenwerk and opening the door to their new home away from home.
The exchange students are a colorful reflection of the international diversity that has long been a hallmark of the University of Potsdam. They have come from Georgia, Ukraine, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Finland, countries across the EU, South Korea, and Senegal. Each has their own reasons for choosing Potsdam and the University for their semester abroad.
Szymon from Poland, who studies journalism back home, is looking forward to taking German Studies courses. “I want to improve my German and study in a beautiful place.” He is especially excited to dive into the world of German music—which, so far, for him has mostly meant Nena.
Carol has come from Brazil to spend a semester studying Business Administration and is eager to discover Potsdam’s palaces and historic buildings. “I’m especially interested in history and am looking forward to experiencing historic places in Potsdam,” she says enthusiastically. For her, the exchange is also an opportunity to become part of a vibrant, multicultural community and make friends across continents: “On Arrival Day alone, I met people from several European countries and other parts of the world.”
The University of Potsdam’s strong reputation in the geosciences is what drew Papa Arona from Senegal to Germany. He sees his semester abroad as an opportunity to deepen his expertise. He is particularly interested in Potsdam’s many research institutes and hopes “to work at one of them someday.”
As the sun slowly sets behind the magnificent backdrop of Neues Palais and Arrival Day draws to a close, the students have already taken the first steps of their time at the University of Potsdam—into an exciting new world, eager for all the adventures that lie ahead.