My name is Manuela Gabriel and I am majoring in English at the University of Rostock, which is one of the many German partner universities of NC State.

Last spring semester, I was able, due to the help and effort of many people at both universities, to study for one semester at NC State. I was really happy about this opportunity since I already knew Raleigh and the NC State campus as well as the cool mascot.

Still, I was not fully prepared for what I experienced, and the first incident which showed me that I was experiencing something unforgettable and wonderful was the sunshine at my arrival at the airport of Raleigh-Durham.

Since I had not signed up for any courses, my first two days at NC State consisted of planning my schedule with the help of my tutor, and I experienced my first major difference between my study in Rostock and those in Raleigh.

Opposite to my former schedule, which was daily-planned, my new one was weekly planned. Since NC State is a “little bit” larger than the Rostock University, the offering of the various courses is larger, too.

In the end of planning my schedule I had a total of 18 hours plus a course at the art center in introduction to pottery, which felt like a lot less than my usual amount of classes. But I found that is a lot for the U.S. standard courseload, especially since you have to take, for every course, either an exam or write a paper by the end of classes.

There are lot of other points which I found different between the German and the American universities, and I have to confess I even found some aspects I disliked about NC State.

The one which bothered me most was the missing of a real lunch place for students. I missed the “real bad” food of the Mensa where you have to stand in line in order to get something to fill your stomach and where you can meet a lot, I really mean a lot, of students.

On the other hand, I found many positive aspects at NC State.

I was especially impressed by the computer facilities and the library. Both are open at NC State usually 24 hours a day. Sometimes — particularly when writing a paper — I wish both here in Rostock would have the same opening hours.

But what moved me even more in regard to both was rather funny. The people who I met in the morning in the library always looked like they slept there, and at the end of the semester all students seemed to begin starting to work. The computer labs were totally filled (at one time I had to wait for almost half an hour).

A further aspect of NC State which I liked a lot was the campus. You can walk everywhere. Try this here and you will know the whole city of Rostock; and the places where you can get some coffee (the most important drink for a student) are near.

In case you think the University of Rostock is not as great as NC State to study at, you are wrong. There are a lot of great points to it.

Since it is a small university, most teachers know you (opposite to a lot of other German universities) and you have the Baltic Sea right in front of you where you can enjoy yourself.

All in all, I had a real wonderful experience at NC State. I learned a lot and met a lot of interesting students and teachers in a wonderful surrounding. I just wish a student would come here to see the difference not only of the education system but also of culture.