#goodbyeEisenstadt - My semester abroad in Cyprus

10. June 2021

Monika Köstinger

What motivates our students to spend a semester abroad and why nothing - not even a pandemic - can stop them from embarking on a semester abroad to gain new experiences? We asked students what they experienced and why it's worth taking the plunge and spending a semester abroad.

I think this semester abroad was something very special, despite or perhaps because of the coronavirus pandemic, and I'm very glad I did it.

Sarah Tesch, Master's student in Digital Media and Communication

In this article, student Sarah Tesch talks about her experiences abroad in Cyprus. She is studying for a Master's degree in Digital Media and Communication and spent a summer semester at the European University Cyprus in Nicosi, Cyprus - one of our many partner universities.

I've always wanted to do a semester abroad, but I've never really "gone for it". Now, in my final Master's semester, I really wanted to give it a go.

Sarah Tesch, Master's student in Digital Media and Communication

Why exactly Cyprus?

I looked through the partner universities of FH Burgenland and for some reason I didn't start from the top but from the bottom - from Z. The university in Cyprus was the first one I saw and as I immediately found it interesting, it stayed in my mind, even after I had looked at other partner universities. I didn't know much about Cyprus itself at that time, but I had almost been drawn to Cyprus a few times in my life before (holidays, job...), but I never flew - and so I finally decided to go.

How did you plan your semester abroad?

First of all, I enquired on the FH Burgenland website. Then I contacted the International Office at Burgenland UAS to clarify any remaining questions. Over the course of the months, I continued to fulfil the requirements set by my home university and the host university: Letter of motivation, Learning Agreement, etc. I wanted to let my employer know as early as possible - at the beginning of September - but I also said that I would like to come back if that was possible. The plan is therefore for me to return to BVZ Oberpullendorf in June.

How was the search for accommodation?

Finding accommodation wasn't so easy at first: the university accommodation only had one-year contracts - in exceptional cases six-month contracts, which was too long and too expensive for me. I didn't find anything on Airbnb either. In the end, I turned to a Facebook group that advertises accommodation for Erasmus students and found a nice flat share within a few hours.

How was your stay?

The stay was really interesting and a real enrichment - even in times of the pandemic, because despite the restrictions, the exciting new experiences you have abroad outweigh everything else. I got to know a lot of new people from all over Europe. I got to know a country, its history, culture, language (and writing), nature and mentality better, which I found incredibly interesting. The courses were also exciting and I learnt a lot and also improved my English a lot.

How were the courses, lecturers and students there? Did you make many new friends?

The courses were all online, so I was never able to meet my lecturers and fellow students in person. But basically they were all very good - we were only a small group of eight people. I had a group project with a fellow student, so we met up several times and became friends.

Did you see a lot of the country? What did you do alongside your studies?

Besides studying, we travelled a lot in the country, as Cyprus is not very big and you could be at the other end of the country in two hours by bus. We were often on the beach, in other cities or hiking in the mountains or visiting small villages. Occasionally we also hired a car - although driving on the left caused me a lot of anxiety at first. We were then able to visit more remote places by car. Of course, there were also parties and Erasmus meetings, especially as Cyprus had very relaxed rules for a while and even restaurants and bars were open. The northern part of Cyprus, which is occupied by Turkey, is completely closed due to corona, which means that when I say we travelled a lot through Cyprus, we were actually only in the southern part.

What were special moments and experiences, is there a highlight from this time?

I can't speak of a particular highlight, but I really appreciate the many friendships - of course we all talk about visiting each other one day. I was also very impressed by the beautiful natural spots that Cyprus has: the sea caves, the beautiful beaches with crystal-clear water, traditional villages, the mountains and their incredible formations, shipwrecks... Another special thing for me is that I went diving here for the first time and also did a diving course - there are some interesting shipwrecks off Cyprus.

Were there also low points? If so, which ones? What motivated you to carry on anyway?

There were no real low points, but of course there was a time when I was really looking forward to being back home. That was probably shortly after I visited my family in Austria for a week.

Would you do your semester abroad again and would you recommend it to others? Why?

If I were in the situation again where I had to decide in favour or against it, I would definitely choose it again. The many new impressions, people, experiences etc. were really wonderful for me as a curious person. It also made the pandemic much more bearable. I also think it makes you much more open-minded and more relaxed in dealing with unknown situations.

What tips do you have for students who would also like to spend a semester abroad?

At first it seems like a huge effort to plan and organise everything with your home university, host university, employer, etc. But if you want to go abroad, you shouldn't let that stop you, because in the end it's "easier than you thought". Other students, staff at the International Office etc. can help you with their experiences.

Would you like to find out more about Sarah, her semester abroad and her impressions? It's easy: she recently took part in our Insta Live Talk and shared her experiences with us and answered lots of questions. You can watch the talk on Instagram!

Of course, you can also look forward to more blog posts from our students about their experiences abroad, for example in France, Finland or Switzerland.