Reflections on My Year Abroad in Leipzig, Germany

By Miranda Dreisin (Universität Leipzig, Germany)

Summer has always been a bittersweet time for me. The weather is beautiful and life is more exciting, but for the past three years, it has marked the end of a chapter. This time round, it marks the end of my year abroad in Germany, and in a year it will mark the end of my degree.

I am very lucky to still have just over a month left of my year abroad as the academic year finishes in late July in Germany for most people, including me. I do however have exams right until the end of July, which I find quite frustrating, especially as I need to move out of my flat during that time as well. I am upset about the year being over, but I’m very grateful I got to experience everything I did.

For my final On the Road article, I thought I would reflect on some of the highlights of my year abroad. The majority of the highlights listed here did not happen in Leipzig, My time in Leipzig has genuinely been one of the best experiences of my life, but all my previous articles have been about it and for this final article, I wanted to show just how diverse a year abroad can be.

1) Six weeks travelling South-East Asia on my semester break

I had a semester break that lasted two months (from the beginning of February to the beginning of April) and solo travelled for six weeks during that time. This was my first time leaving Europe, and I was initially apprehensive about going alone, but I wanted to push myself and I’m so glad I did. I backpacked through Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, and the memories I made on my trip are some that will last me my whole life.

2) A sunny weekend spent in Munich

A couple of weeks ago my friends and I took a trip to Munich. We swam down the canals, wandered the streets and visited several museums.

3) 21st birthday celebrations in Fulda, central Germany

For my 21st, my friends and I rented an AirBnB in central Germany. We did lots of hikes, explored the city and cooked together a lot.

4) Leipzig Christmas Markets

Unfortunately, the SD card containing all of my Christmas market photos broke before I had the chance to save them, so this is the only picture I have. Christmas markets are a huge part of German culture and my friends and I spent a lot of time there, especially as they were right in the city centre, next to the university campus.

5) A weekend trip to Luxembourg

I have just arrived back from staying with a Leipzig friend in Luxembourg to celebrate the Duke’s day. In 36 hours I saw the prime minister, the royal family, the EU headquarters, the most incredible fireworks I’ve ever seen, and also drove the entire length of the country twice. I had a great time and it’s definitely been one of my favourite memories- especially as a year ago, I never would have imagined visiting Luxembourg.

Concluding thoughts

Looking back, my year abroad gave me much more than improved language skills or academic experience – it gave me amazing friendships, confidence and memories that I know will stay with me long after I leave Germany.

Deciding to study in Leipzig was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Some people were initially apprehensive about me coming here, as it is not one of the most well known Erasmus destinations, but that was what made it more special. I got to go into my year abroad with no expectations and a very open mind, and it ended up being everything I wanted in a city. The city is big enough to have a lot going on, but small enough that it feels a lot more personal, and you get to know your way around and feel at home very quickly. I truly believe there is something for everyone here, even the variety in the city itself: there are beautiful old-build areas with gorgeous and artsy little bars, there’s a lake with a beach and canals in the east of the city (amazing place for a beer), there’s so many museums, there’s some of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever seen, and of course there are many social remenents of the German Democratic Republic for those interested in it. In Leipzig you are very close to Berlin and Dresden as well.

I am so glad I decided to do something different, and with that I would strongly encourage any prospective year abroad students to look for a destination that will challenge you, and show you a new way of living, for example, having grown up in London and then going to Manchester, I had very little experience of living in a small city, and coming here has helped me understand what kind of place I would like to settle down in the future. I can very confidently say Leipzig is the coolest place I have ever lived. Sometimes the places you know the least about end up giving you the most rewarding experiences.