Moving to a new country as an international student comes with many challenges, from adjusting to a different culture to finding people you connect with. Through my experiences studying abroad in Mannheim, I want to explore the social needs of the international student community, why building connections is so important and how the university and local community help students find a sense of belonging.
If you ask me what community I’d say I’m a part of, I’d tell you I’m part of the international student community. This community has a lot of needs, naturally. Imagine being a foreigner coming to a new land where you barely know anyone. There’s so much uncertainty. You have to figure out how to apply for a residence permit, get a visa, find housing, learn your way around the city, open a bank account, adjust to new classes and the list goes on. However, if you ask me what I think this community’s biggest need is, I’d say it's help with socializing and finding people to connect with. Almost everyone I’ve spoken to has shared the same worry about not finding people they can connect with or feeling like they don’t fit in. There’s this fear that you could travel all the way to Germany, experience a completely new country and still end up feeling alone.
