University of Applied Sciences, Fulda

Part Two

For a student from a "very strict" system of education, where almost everything is "prescribed", it is difficult to be left alone without enough guidance on how and what to learn. It was totally foreign to the interviewee to have "only Referat and Referats and receiving so many copies and Referat."
The language problem is one element that creates uncertainty. Another is that the international students have lost the networks which helped them to overcome problems and find information: ". . . especially when the group is from so many nationalities, and you have some language problems also. Sometimes I don’t understand what the students are saying in their Referats, and I am sure that’s the point when I am speaking, also . . . and I am really nervous to make this Referat, because of this language, . . . on one side I have to learn, but I think it should be taken into consideration and minimised . . . a combination . . . from a professor and from a Referat, it will be very good one."
Compared to the strict, hierarchical relationships which usually exist in a large power distance culture, the interviewee is surprised by the easy contact between the professors and the students. "Very easy, very easy, I am surprised, you can go, it is so easy, you can call, when they have office hours, they listen, what you’re asking. Well, they’re trying to help or that’s my personally opinion, but maybe, well–I think, I find it very– very nice atmosphere in this respect."
Being a relatively new program, ICEUS has to grapple with various difficulties; organisational problems as well as the contents of the program have led to some disappointments: ". . . I don’t know how to say that, I was irritated because of these discrepancies of the – between the program and the real content of the program . . . I think the idea was perfect for this program . . . I think in future it will be better, I am sure, but not this time."
On the question concerning the city, the attitude is negative: "For the city the program is good [a long pause]. Em– I haven’t lived in Germany in another city. I was in many cities, but only as a tourist. And I know from experience that you go as a tourist and you say, how nice, and when you live there, it is the other way round. But, well– so I am not sure. If I came to Fulda only for two days, there would be charms. If I have to live there, well, I don’t know if it is because the town is very small, maybe it’s the question of size . . . I think the city, this town is– not at all for such a program."
Financial support has always been an issue of concern for international students. In ICEUS, too, some of the students had to support themselves and counted on part-time jobs, which are usually available to the students: ". . . I don’t know, I gave up. . . . it’s very difficult to find a job here. Well, maybe there are not so many job offers. On the other side, the people are very, very unpolite when they understand that you aren’t speaking the language perfectly and– they are very unpolite . . ."