For many students, a semester abroad is one of the most wonderful and formative experiences of their entire studies. But how does it actually feel to study far away from home when suddenly a pandemic breaks out that keeps the whole world in suspense? Foreign students who spent the summer semester in Landshut tell us about this.
Amélie Lauvray came to Landshut from Strasbourg in September 2019 to study business administration for two semesters. The 21-year-old travelled to Germany at a time when there were no signs of a worldwide pandemic. "It was only towards the end of February, beginning of March, that I really realised what could be rolling towards us," explains Lauvray. At this time the Frenchwoman was back in France with her family to spend the semester holidays there.
The borders closed from one day to the next
"But I wanted to be back in Landshut in time for the start of the start of the semester at the beginning of April," remembers the young Frenchwoman. After spending the first few days back in Lower Bavaria, French President Emanuel Macron decided to close the borders. "My family wanted me to come back as soon as possible," says Lauvray. "So I packed my bags and went back to France." It was a difficult decision for the 21-year-old. However, nobody could estimate how long the situation would be so dangerous for and Lauvray did not want to spend a lockdown alone in her student apartment.
Like almost all students worldwide, Lauvray suddenly had to switch to a digital semester, which presented her with special challenges. "It was often not easy for me to follow lessons in German online," says Lauvray. "It worked better in face-to-face teaching. It's also weird to hold group presentations without really having your fellow students around."
However, Lauvray is still enthusiastic about the switch from face-to-face to digital teaching. "It was a great achievement by the university to react so quickly here," the Frenchwoman emphasises. "All the lecturers adapted to the situation and restructured the courses. For example, we had shorter sessions and more breaks to recharge our batteries." The International Office was also a great help during corona, said Lauvray. "The team was always available for us to talk to and held Zoom conferences to keep us up to date on the current corona situation."
For Lauvray, her year abroad, which ended in August, was a special experience. While everything was totally normal during the winter semester, the corona pandemic ensured an unprecedented summer semester. An experience that Lauvray will not forget for a long time to come.
Photo: Amélie Lauvray
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