MATHES (3rd year)

“I was able to leave for Jerusalem right before the lockdown. Leiden University had already canceled all exchanges, but when I contacted my partner university, they told me I could still come. I had to pay my own tuition, and of course flights and accommodation, but it was definitely worth it. I received a scholarship from the German Green Party (which I am a member of) which enabled me to pay for accommodation and living costs. Otherwise, I would not have been able to afford my semester abroad! My credits in Jerusalem were not accepted by Leiden University, because I did my exchange independently. This meant that I had to do an additional minor to get a sufficient amount of credits for IS.

It was incredibly hard to get into the country, but once I was there, I had the time of my life. I was able to go to bars and cafes and play basketball with my friends. The government made a deal with the company that makes the Pfizer vaccines, which meant that they started vaccinating people in December already. You could definitely notice the difference when it came to social life. I received my vaccine in February, which I was very happy about. Overall, I’m very grateful for the experience. I made friends and was also able to network while in Jerusalem. I’m back in Germany right now, living with my girlfriend in an apartment in Hannover. I traveled to the Hague a while ago and saw some university friends there. I do miss going to Wijnhaven, but I am having a good time here in Germany. I am planning on coming back to the Hague for a couple of weeks in June before everyone leaves to do a master’s, travel, or do an internship. When it comes to my plans for the future, I have a tough decision to make: I have been accepted into three different Development Studies master programs. One in Scotland, one in London, and one in Paris. It is a blessing to be able to choose which university you go to, but it is also an incredibly difficult choice to make. But luckily I still have some time. ” – Mathes, 3rd year, Germany