A semester like no other...

Combined study placements and semesters abroad sound a little unusual at first.

But during the first semester of my combined study placement in industrial engineering at Einhell Germany AG I realised that this would be a very appealing experience and started to make plans. Both Einhell and Deggendorf Institute of Technology supported me during the whole decision and application process for all areas.

The variety of partner universities the DIT has means that there is a huge choice countries and cultures to choose from. I ended up choosing the Lakehead University in Northern Ontario, Canada, as it is in beautiful location surrounded by the Great Lakes and you get the opportunity to discover North American uni life.

When I got onto the plane in my winter coat, hat and gloves on, there was no doubt I was very nervous. But three flights and 16 hours later I arrived to the welcome of the helpful, friendly Canadian culture. It took no time at all to settle in thanks to the fantastic support from the uni. I had so many amazing new experiences and met some great friends from around the world. I also managed the linguistic conversion regarding lectures relatively quickly, as the lecturers and other contacts for international students always had an open ear.

Despite the fairly intense course, there was still plenty of time to explore the country and I visited Banff/Lake Louise National Park and the American city of Chicago with other exchange students.

Finally, I would highly recommend a semester abroad, whether it's a theoretical or practical semester, to anyone who has the opportunity. It allows you to develop technically and linguistically, but also personally and it is an excellent opportunity to think outside of the box. You discover a new culture and also understand what will be helpful for your future professional career.