Yet again, time has zoomed away and we're already into November! Life is as busy as ever here, with a very exciting interpreting offer on the horizon. Moments like this make me more motivated to achieve all my goals and quash the occasional doubts I have about my language ability, as all of us do over here.
So in the past few weeks I've just been settling into classes (and not finding some well-hidden classes) and celebrating friends' birthdays, which are like buses... you wait ages for one then three come at once!
Yesterday we went on a walk along the Philosophers Walk, surprised by how warm it was and in awe of the beautiful red shades of the trees. Then onto Dossenheim where we enjoyed a BBQ/fire for Bonfire Night!
So, time for some ERASMUS tips:
1) Make sure you know how many credits you need to pass the year and take enough classes.
I can't stress this enough, me and Natalie, my friend from my home university, both started off with about 12 classes, each being an hour and a half. All very interesting classes, but shattering! We need 30 ECTS points to pass the year and luckily each class is worth 5 (we thought they'd be about 2/3 points!)
2) Tandem partners are vital!
So you want to learn French. You sign up to meet a person on a one-to-one basis and speak for an hour or two in that language. In return, the next time you meet up you speak English or whatever your mother tongue is. Educational, fun and you make friends, it's a win-win situation, and here in Heidelberg you get ECTS points for it!
3) Find a new hobby.
I'm quite sporty so have enjoyed going to several fitness classes here and I hope to learn photography a little bit better through a new friend. Also, I spend A LOT of time cycling which at home was completely alien to me... now I never want to part with my bike! The point is, the benefits are numerous, meeting new people, learning new skills, even finding a talent and pursuing it as a career!
