Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the 6th biggest city in Germany and it’s located in the southern Germany. I think Stuttgart is just the perfect size for a city! It’s a big a city where you can do and see lot of different things, but it’s still not too big. Stuttgart is known for its automobile industry and wine; Stuttgart is home for Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, and Stuttgart covers 423 hectares of vineyards.
My Studies
Studying at Hochschule der Medien was a unique experience and I had the chance to study more about printing and packaging technologies. At TAMK I’m studying Bioproduct Engineering so most of the things I studied in Stuttgart were new to me, and it was interesting to learn about these topics. Studying was quite similar to Finland but lectures were much longer, sometimes 5 hours with only small 5-10 minute breaks. Lab classes were fascinating because the lab machines were super cool at HdM, it was like I was working in a factory but it was inside the university!
Punctuality is very important for Germans and it’s very important to not to be late. I also learned that Germans are very straightforward and they take their studies very seriously. I think in Finland the focus is on balancing studies with personal well-being, whereas in Germany, the culture felt more academically strict and efficiency-driven.
Spare Time Adventures
Beyond my studies, Stuttgart offered lots of opportunities to explore and enjoy. The city itself is a nice mix of modern urban life and traditional southern Germany. One of my favorite experiences was attending Cannstatter Wasen, Stuttgart’s Oktoberfest. Before going there I just expected it to be beer drinking festival but it was actually a whole big amusement park with lots of different things to experience! It was a great chance to experience authentic German festivity and culture.
Weekends often meant venturing outside of Stuttgart. Stuttgart is really close to many places, so it was a great opportunity to also visit other countries such as France, Austria and Switzerland. I also visited lots of different German cities, such as Heidelberg, Tubingen and Berlin.
My exchange semester in Stuttgart was an unforgettable experience that helped me grow in so many ways. I gained not only academic knowledge but also a deeper understanding of different cultures, lifestyles and ways of thinking.
Auf Wiedersehen!
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