University of Ulm, Germany....

[Susann]

Ok, Moms, looking for some help here. DD is a sophmore and is heading to Ulm the end of February to mid-August. She's doing a semester and was accepted to do a research project. She seems to have basically everything planned out and is very fortunate to have scholarships/grants to pay for it all. DH & I have moved a bigillion times but never traveled overseas. Soooo, any suggestions, words of wisdom, talk me down from the ledge advice out there? From a mom who is so excited, happy and already:crying: that her baby is going to be gone sooooo long!

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Take a good look at European fashion and have your daughter copy it as best she can. She shouldn't look like an American on the street. It can attract negative attention in Europe.

For example, white sneakers are for the tennis court only. Dark colored street shoes are worn here. Tee shirts with slogans and graphics are typically American, as is baggy clothing. The European look is more tailored.

The European woman is more dressed up than what you're used too. Wearing a skirt or dress on the high street is done. You are very much judged by how you dress and the quality of your clothing.

Also clothing here is very expensive, so having an extensive wardrobe is not done. Rather the season's latest is purchased and worn again and again. (If your Levi's cost the equivalent of $150 instead of $30, you have one pair and wear them three times in a week.)

Purchase good walking shoes. Make sure she has a small mix and match wardrobe in solid colors or simple patterns. Give her some allowance for purchasing a few key pieces in Germany, as dictated by local custom at the University.

I don't know where you are from, but crime is higher in Europe. Petty thieving and pick pocketing is prolific. Having said this Germany is safer than much of Europe, but if she does any traveling she needs to be aware. All documents, credit cards, and ID's should not be carried in her purse, but in a document belt under her clothing.

She also needs to be more aware of crime, when choosing where to live. Ground floor apts. are not good. A sturdy door, lots of locks, make sure the windows are secure, and a good set of curtains are a must.

These are just a few things to think about. It's not meant to scare you, but it is different than small town USA.

[regentrude]

A few things:

Your DD needs to be prepared to walk a lot and be outside, waiting for bus etc. Even in winter. Nothing gets canceled if it snows- life continues as normal. If she is there in February and March, she needs warm boots, a warm coat, hat and gloves.

A few comments on PP's post: while it is true that white sneakers are not usually worn, university students do dress in jeans an T-shirts, not skirts and dresses.

Clothes generally are more expensive, especially jeans; she should have all more expensive items of clothing, but you are able to pick up inexpensive articles of clothing.

Having lived in Germany for 30+ years, I do not share PP's opinion that crime is higher. There is less violent crime, and people are routinely out on the street, even at night (except for bad neighborhoods in large cities- her fellow students will be able to advise her). Of course, in every tourist location, be aware of pickpockets.

 

She should make copies of her important documents and keep them away from the originals.

Credit cards are less widely accepted, and only in large stores. She needs to carry some cash. We found that we can use ATMs with some of our US debit cards (check with your bank; not all cards work. I can check later what symbol it needs to have.)

When purchasing groceries, do not wait for the cashier to pack the bags. It won't happen.

[Penny_P]

Hey! I spent 6 weeks there in college! It's beautiful, and you can set your watch to the bus schedule. People were friendly. I got by without knowing hardly any German. You can walk/bus everywhere. The university itself, architecturally is a bit of a maze, and it embraced modern art a bit more than I would personally like. I found it to be a great jumping spot to the rest of Europe, which was sort of my ulterior motive for being there. I didn't use my shorts hardly at all, even though it was summer. But, I'm from AZ so take that with a grain of salt.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Ok, Moms, looking for some help here. DD is a sophmore and is heading to Ulm the end of February to mid-August. She's doing a semester and was accepted to do a research project. She seems to have basically everything planned out and is very fortunate to have scholarships/grants to pay for it all. DH & I have moved a bigillion times but never traveled overseas. Soooo, any suggestions, words of wisdom, talk me down from the ledge advice out there? From a mom who is so excited, happy and already:crying: that her baby is going to be gone sooooo long!

 

Culture Shock Germany and The German Way were helpful when we moved to Germany. Those particular books may feel a little dated now (for example, they predate Skype, You Tube and Facebook) but can help point the way toward differences in culture.

 

I agree with Regentrude about the crime. It felt far safer traveling on public transportation in Europe than in the US, in part because it is so widely used by so many people. Petty crime isn't unusual, but that is partly because you're out and about on foot or public transportation rather than locked into a car. But I never felt like I was in danger of being roughed up. (Ok, there was one time that we were in a train station when a bunch of soccer fans came through. I had no idea what they were chanting and couldn't tell if it was a rowdy political rally or something else. Finally, we noticed all of the matching scarves.)

 

I think she'll have a great time.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Sebastian (a lady)

[ErinE]

I'm sure you already know this, but she should get an international phone card there right away. I called my mother once a week like clockwork and it really helped alleviate her concerns. I stayed in Italy, but I traveled all over Europe and of all the countries I visited, I loved Germany the most.

 

About the clothes, I would agree on not looking too American. Her wardrobe should be composed of darker colors, like blacks and browns. Her winter outerwear and backpack/bags should be black or gray. American students tend to stand out if they are wearing the bright coats they brought from home. In Germany, I wouldn't say she has to be too stylish. In Italy or France, the fashion comes into play. In my experience, Germans tend to dress in classic cuts that can last more than a season.

 

Good walking shoes are a must! I brought only one pair of good shoes and I had to throw them out at the end of the semester they were so worn out. She should buy nice, comfortable leather shoes.

 

Above all, don't be too worried. She will learn so much in her brief time there. I hope she has fun!

[elinnea]

As far as clothing goes I think you will find what German college students wear is quite similar to what American college students wear. There was a time when the differences were more pronounced but not so much anymore. In general though most Germans are more formal in their dress than casual.

 

German women do not usually wear a lot of make-up.

 

I totally disagree with the poster who said that crime is higher in Europe. I've lived in two cities in Germany and NEVER felt afraid for my personal safety. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the States There are obvious places to avoid: train stations at night but otherwise it is very safe there.

 

I think the best thing is to go with an open mind and a sense of adventure.

[Liz CA]

Don't know if you live in a cold climate in the U.S, but I second Regentrude's warning that you stand out in the cold, snow, etc., waiting for transportation or you walk in the snow (city sidewalks and streets are cleared, of course). So...a very warm coat and boots will be good. The end of February does not signal the beginning of spring there. In fact, April may be still cold and snowy. I talked to someone in GER two days ago and right now they have record LOW temps! We are talking -27Celsius which comes close to -16F. Notice the "negative" sign in front of the number. :D

In terms of language, even if she speaks almost no German, the younger generation will be happily conversing with her in English. At least it was this way when I was there but that was twenty plus years ago.

 

Determine ahead of time if her cell has a reasonable international rate so you don't get any surprises, set up Skype if you don't have it, get an international phone card if cell does not work. Remind her that there are usually a lot of discounts for students on everything from bus fare to train travel.

Take a basic dictionary that covers some medical/dental terminology.

 

ENJOY. You too, Mom. You will survive. My niece has spent numerous semesters all over Europe and her mother is no worse for the wear. :001_smile:

[Serenade]

No suggestions, but Ulm is in a nice area. My mom grew up in Guenzburg, which is a hop, skip and a jump from Ulm. Sometimes my cousins and I would take a day trip via train from Guenzburg to Ulm when I used to visit.

 

Ulm is home to a bread museum! Thought I would mention that as a little-known tidbit.

[In The Great White North]

I'm sure you already know this, but she should get an international phone card there right away.

 

I'm assuming she already has a cell phone? She should be able to add international calling on to her current plan, buy a German sim card for it or buy a cheap phone there. She should be able to check prices online before she leaves.

 

Pay phones aren't any more common there than here and cell coverage is a lot better.

[TammyinTN]

She will have a wonderful time...I just arrived back after living there for 6.5 years and miss it greatly. College kids definitely dress about the same as ours...sweaters, jeans, t-shirts, scarves. Boots, gloves and a nice warm coats are a must for this time of year. A nice messenger bag would be great for her items and keeping her hands free. As far as crime...we never had any problems and our girls traveled quite a lot on their own while living there. I hope she will have the time of her life and hang in there mom...she will be just fine. :grouphug:

[TX6]

We recently lived in Germany for over 4 years, and as a child I spent my summers in Austria. I believe Germany is safer than any US city I have ever lived in.

 

I don't fully agree with the previous poster regarding the style of dress in regards to Germans. I have seen younger Germans wear American Eagle and Hollister. Yes, you can adjust her clothing, but she will still be obviously American. I could spot other Americans very easily. We just carry ourselves differently. :)

 

You may want to check H&M and Zara. They both are European stores that carry the exact same items here as they do in Europe.

 

Also, you could both set-up Skype accounts for daily communication, and she could purchase a cheap prepaid phone once she arrived.

[Susann]

This is my first time jumping online today so it's nice to see all the replies! I'm going to go back over them when I have more time tonight and will forward on to DD. She's a smart kiddo with plenty of common sense so that makes me more comfortable. I know she's going to love it-it's just the not knowing going in! Thanks for all the advice!!!!!

[mumto2]

For phoning home just open a skype account on your computers and set up times.

it is FREE and easy. Definately no white tennis shoes dark ones are fine.

[regentrude]

Few more things I remembered that might be helpful:

For international calls, Skype is the most convenient and free option.

 

One previous poster suggested buying a cheap phone in Germany: just be aware you need ID to purchase a prepaid cell phone and the card will be registered in one's name, so this will be a tad more of a hassle than buying one in the US.

 

They have different electrical outlets there, so your DD needs an adapter if she wants to plug in anything, such as a laptop or battery charger.

 

In many university towns, part of the student fees pay for public transit and students can use public transit free with student ID. She should check if that is the case in Ulm (simply ask the other students). This can save quite a bit of money. If that is not the case, very often monthly transit passes are a lot cheaper than individual tickets; she can estimate how often she'd have to ride to make it worthwhile.

Also, for many students the bicycle is the means of transportation of their choice. German cities are usually rather bike friendly, especially university towns.