FH Pforzheim - Hochschule für Gestaltung, Technik und Wirtschaft

The FH Pforzheim's student organisation did much better job than the one in Haagse Hogeschool. I used to participate once in International Business Management Study party, but I did not enjoy it much. Each student only pay 5 euro ( a good price for student)and the location is nice also (they rent a bar located in the centre to organise the party). Everything seems nice. Nevertheless, the space of the bar is too narrow for 100 students, and we really needed an air conditioner, although the snow was falling down outside at that time. Comparing to IBMS student organisation, USTA organisation of FH Pforzheim is much better. They negotiate with the restaurants, bars, cafe in Pforzheim to reduce the price for the student. One of my favorite bar here is Irish Pub. They organised a special night on every Wednesday. On every Wednesday, they do not arrange the table like they did as usual. All of the tables will be gone and the bar becomes bigger. Furthermore, everybody can choose a song to sing. Perhaps, I like this bar because they have Karaoke! But the air there is really friendly and that is the only place where I can meet many international student and foreigners. If you know the Horoscope of Vietnamese, I was born in PIG year. A pig stands for eating and sleeping. I therefore prefer to eat and look for a new food. Mostly, I came to Asian restaurant and Hong Kong is my favorite restaurant. It is also very popular to most of the German in Pforzheim because it serves a comparable price and dilicious meal. Cafe in Pforzheim is somehow the same with other places in Europe ( ofcourse not compare to Austria-Wien). My favorite cafe in Pforzheim is Italino cafe located in the new shopping mall. They really serves a real Italian taste of coffee and ice cream. Especially, the ice cream are so delicious and not so expensive ( 5 euro per ice cream glass). I like doing sport besides eating and sleeping also! The sport card for the student here really makes me surprise because of favorable price. I must pay 50 euro/ semester in Haagse Hogeschool, but only 7 euro/semester in FH Pforzheim. I can go to swim on every Tuesday and join in Hiphop dancing class on every Thursday with my sport card. Unbelievable! I also like bowling and go to disco. Unfortunately, both of them are not attractive because of the bad quality and old facilities. I should introduce Baden Wuerttemberg region in which Pforzheim belongs to because I really like this region. Perhaps, I have spent my whole life in flat city such as Ho Chi Minh or The Hague, therefore, when I have chance to live in mountain region like in Baden Wuerttemberg, I feel very intersting. I had travelled most of the places in this region such as Heidelberg ( Castle is the most attracting thing), Mannheim and Stuttgart ( place for shopping), Bad Wilbad (...

Since I was an international student, I must look for the room by myself in Holland and Germany ( I came to Holland to study abroad since 2002). I used to live in a apartment, or live with family in Holland. After that, I chose to live in the student building because it gives me many advantages. Currently, I stay in a single room in a student building of FH Pforzheim. It is extremely cheap comparing to the room in Holland. The quality, I may say that cheap price goes with cheap quality. The facilities are quite old since this building was built in 1975. However, I myself surprise because the room is not so bad and the cleanliness is not a matter. Furthermore, the location is very advantageous to me. As I used to go to the library to study, I usually chose the location near the university. Therefore, on Saturday and Sunday, I can walk to the library and study there. It is also near the centre ( 10 minute from the centre and the train station). For a student, price is the first criterion and it can followed by the quality. Furthermore, I need to save money for 4 years studying in foreign country, therefore, I must say, I am quite satifactory with my choice.

I intended to exchange to Germany to learn German. German is somehow the same with Dutch. Therefore, I really had an advantage comparing to my friends who study German as the first time. The German grammar is very complicated and the structure is totally differrent with English. Nevertheless, it is very similar to Dutch grammar. I still need to learn new words although I am familiar with the grammar. Fortunately, I had a German friends and she really helps me in improving German. I may say, if I have a chance to live in Germany more, my German will be perfect like my English. Studying a foreign language really needs a practice. If we do not practice, we cannot improve it. At least, we should have a local friends and try to talk as much as possible ( although nobody understands you). For difficult language like German, we need to spend more time for it. A German friends in this case is really helpful.

One of my cost-saving tips when staying in a foreign country is buying cheap things and know where to buy them. When I move to a new room, I must buy everything again. However, I must go somewhere else later such as exchange to another country. Therefore, most of my furniture will not be used anymore. Hence, I decided to buy second-hand furniture with only 2 euro for a table. Or buying things in 1 Euro shop. There, you can also find some glass, mirror, brush, and so on. They are much cheaper than in a normal shop. Ofcourse, they do not have a good quality. However, you will throw them anyway. Besides, I always wait for some discount season. For example, when I went to Germany, I chose www.Citynightline.de and booked the ticket from this website. It was unbelievable that they only charge me 19 euro to go from Amsterdam to Pforzheim. At that time, they have special offer. When I travelled within Baden Wuerttemberg, I chose the region ticket which 5 people share the ticket with the total price is only 23 euro. Or you can choose some cheap flight like www.hlx.com, www.germanwings.com, or www.ryanair.com and so on.

In conclusion, everybody needs to be initiative. Joining in a social event or university's party, travel and so on. There, you can meet a lot of people. You will get to know a lot of cultures and interesting thing that You have ever known. Do not stay at home and try to adapt to the new life althouhg you may not like it much. By that way, you will be more active and this will help you a lot, such as, know some cheap train ticket, cheap flight ticket and good place to go!