Semester abroad at -22 degrees

From where I returned? That's right, from Sweden. During my dual studies to become an industrial engineer at Mankiewicz, I was able to spend a semester abroad in Sundsvall. About 1,400km north of Hamburg, closer to the Arctic Circle than to my employer, I experienced three seasons, enjoyed breathtaking nature and probably had the best time of my life so far. When traveling to Sweden from late summer on, you have to be prepared for cold winters. 50 centimeters of fresh snow in one night, temperatures as low as -22 °C and only five hours of daylight are normal. Sundsvall is a small town with about 60,000 inhabitants. From there, I was able to fully enjoy the sea, the forest, nature and much more. 

The university was only a 15-minute walk away and offered students many interesting modules. I even took more modules than would have been usual at my home university. Thus, I did not fall behind due to the time in Sweden, but was able to get a head start in fulfilling the study plan. All of the Erasmus students lived in apartment blocks in close proximity to each other and shared a lot of experiences together. We went swimming in the Gulf of Bothnia in September, hiking in national parks in the fall, and skiing or dog sledding 350 km north of the Arctic Circle in the dead of winter. In Sundsvall I could see the Northern Lights directly over my balcony, a truly spectacular sight. Just like the moose, which I could sight several times. For me it was an unforgettable time that I like to think back on. I got to know a new culture, interesting subjects to study and new friends. In addition, I gained new insights, developed personally, improved my English and even learned some Swedish. From my point of view, a complete success. At this point, I would like to thank Mankiewicz once again for helping me turn my desire to spend a semester abroad into reality.