Incoming Buddies evaluation

An Insight into the Welcome Buddy Program

of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences (MIN)

during the Pandemic

MIN BUDDY TEAM: Could you introduce yourself to our MIN Buddy students?

Christine: I am Christine and I was born in Ontario. I am studying MSc. Ocean and Climate Physics at the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences (MIN) at Universität Hamburg. I have volunteered to be a Welcome Buddy in order to assist  prospective and newly enrolled international MIN students to get a good start with their studies and everyday life in Hamburg.

From November 2020 to the present, I have provided support for Proshonni from Bangladesh.

Proshonni: I am Proshonni and I was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I am also studying MSc. Ocean and Climate Physics at the MIN faculty of Universität Hamburg. I had a request to the Buddy team of the MIN faculty. I was looking for a Welcome Buddy to get help and support in a new city and also in the study program.

From November 2020 to this day, Christine has been my Welcome Buddy and she has been so supportive and very helpful to me.

MIN BUDDY TEAM: Proshonni, Can you tell us something about the Welcome Buddy Program of  the MIN faculty?

Proshonni: The Buddy team of the MIN faculty matches up an international student from abroad (Incoming Buddy) with a local MIN student (Welcome Buddy) who helps make the international student’s arrival in Hamburg easier. The matches are generally based on the studentsʼ field of study and their similar interests.

MIN BUDDY TEAM: Christine, what is it like to be an international Welcome Buddy for an international student?

Christine: Most of the Welcome Buddy students who volunteer to help prospective and new international students of the MIN faculty are German students or German-speaking students. But I come from Canada and I don't speak German. The MIN Buddy team paired me up with an international student from Bangladesh who is also an English speaker.

MIN BUDDY TEAM: A Welcome Buddy from Canada was matched up with an Incoming Buddy from Bangladesh. Both are studying MSc. Ocean and Climate Physics in Hamburg! That’s amazing! We must say that the Buddy Team did a good matching job there!

(laughter)

Christine, isn't it a bit of a challenge for you, as an English native student in Hamburg to assist another English speaking international student? You both speak English with no or little knowledge of German…

Christine: Helping students from abroad to settle in Hamburg includes loads of administrative procedures. Even if I don't speak German, I was able to give Proshonni advice about how I previously navigated being here and tried to point her to English speaking services.

I didn't have a Welcome Buddy upon arrival. But I know what new students from abroad before and upon arrival in Hamburg need, having gone through the whole process myself.  I went through the procedures and know about the steps to be performed in the correct order in all matters concerning new international students from abroad arriving in Hamburg.

MIN BUDDY TEAM: Sounds great! And how has the pandemic affected your Buddy activities?

Christine: Due to the current situation, Buddy activities of the MIN Faculty were explicitely restricted to e-mail exchange and virtual meeting. We exchanged texts.

Proshonni: I planned to come to Hamburg for the winter semester (2020/21). But in November, I was still stuck in my home country, in Bangladesh because of the current situation. So the Buddy team of the MIN faculty sent me an e-mail to ask me for a short feedback how the Buddy activities are going in view of the pandemic and the running winter semester.  As I said, I was still stuck in my home country and there was nothing much to do till I arrive in Hamburg. But my Welcome Buddy has been super helpful about everything that mostly includes inquiries about the courses, the programs, the university and overall Hamburg.

While I was still in my Bangladesh, Christine briefed me from Germany on registration, residence permit, health insurance system and companies. She gave me advices on the most popular bank account options for international students.  Christine also informed me about campus activities that consist of virtual activities, welcome events, German language courses offered by the University Language Center „Sprachenzentrum“ and explained the German language levels „Common European Reference Framework“ (GER). So I am taking some German (online) classes this semester and hope to improve my German language skills.

Christine: Furthermore, I  ensured that Proshonni had all the necessary documents for administrative offices in Hamburg, as it was not possible to accompany her to the registration office, due to Corona.

As for the accommodation, I helped Proshonni to complete the various forms like the „Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung“ required in Germany for renting an apartment. I filled Proshonni in on the funding opportunities international students may be eligible for at Universität Hamburg...

MIN BUDDY TEAM: What scholarships are available for international students enrolled at Universität Hamburg?

Christine: International students can apply for a merit scholarship during their studies or a degree completion grant during their final study phase.

BUDDY-TEAM: Awsome! Thank you so much for your strong commitment and voluntary activities within the framework of the Welcome Buddy Program of the MIN Faculty, Christine! It is certainly not easy to help and guide incoming students from abroad under the current circumstances but you did a fantastic job!

One last question, please: How did you find out about the MIN Buddy Program?

Christine: I volunteered for something like this when I was in Canada for our international students. (…) At some point I brought up to our Student Council in the IfM (Institute of Oceanography, MIN/UHH) about having a mentoring program for the new students in the online semester. But then, they told me about how the Welcome Buddy Program already exists at the MIN Faculty!

Proshonni: I was looking through the university website and also what types of programs are available. Then I came across this Buddy Program which seemed like a really good program. So I applied for a Welcome Buddy and after a few days, I got a reply from the Buddy team. Thanks to the Buddy Program of the MIN faculty and my Welcome Buddy, Christine, I had an easier start in Hamburg.

MIN BUDDY TEAM: Many thanks to the two of you for sharing your experience! We wish you all the best and every success for the future.

 "The Buddy Program at the MIN Faculty of  Universität Hamburg is an amazing experience that any international student should take part in. Not only did my MIN Buddy help me navigate the sometimes confusing technicalities that an international student in a foreign land often meets, but he also became one of my closest friends. My MIN Buddy and I spend a lot of time cooking, playing Mario Kart, and exploring the many wondrous locations Hamburg has to offer. 10/10 would recommend." (Luis, USA)

"My Welcome Buddy is a great person. If it wasn't for her, I definitely would have had a very hard time getting around Hamburg and learning what I needed to do about paper work (administrative formalities). She treated and treats me like her sister, or a member of her family. I absolutely recommend the Welcome Buddy Program to other students." (Mahsa, Iran)

"I am so delighted that I've registered for this program! My Welcome Buddy is so friendly and helpful. For example recently, I was struggling to get the residence permit because I had to get it from the Foreign Office, but no member of staff speaks English. So I had to go there several times and queue up for so long. And thanks to my Welcome Buddy I could finally get it without any problems." (International student, India)

"The Buddy Program is very impressive especially for non-European students who know little about the rules, regulations and cultural ethics in Hamburg. [...] This program is very helpful for international students." (Thisal, Sri Lanka)

"I had a great first experience when I landed in Germany. As I was new to the city and the country, I asked my Buddy to help me to get from the airport to the place I was staying at. She happily obliged and helped me to move into the city. Next day, she took me to show around the town hall and the Alster. [...] I would recommend the Buddy Program to everyone who is coming to UHH from a different country." (Kavish, India)

Dear Buddies!

Dana from Germany Welcome Buddy of the MIN Faculty BSc. Nanosciences	Gabriel from Chile Incoming Buddy of the MIN Faculty MSc. Molecular Plant Science

We are Dana and Gabriel. Last year we participated in the Buddy Program of the MIN faculty. I am Dana, the Welcome Buddy.

Dana: Right now, I am studying Nanosciences at Universität Hamburg. I was surrounded not only by different languages but also by different cultures. That only woke my interest in languages and cultures so that it is not surprising that almost all my friends are international. When I read about the CIC and MIN Buddy Program, I was amazed by the idea of supporting international students from the very first second on and yes, here I am!

Gabriel: Hey my name is Gabriel. I am from Chile. Right now, I am doing my Master’s in molecular plant science at Universität Hamburg. Like Dana, I´ve always been curious about the world and love to travel. That’s also why I went to Australia before I came here to Germany. It is kind of hard to get to know a new country and to find out on your own how everything works out there. Thus, I was more than grateful when I heard about the Buddy Program of the MIN faculty. And here I am.

Dana: We both met for the first time in September 2020. I took Gabriel from the airport to Hamburg to his new apartment. Because of all the restrictions by the government regarding the pandemic, we had to wear masks and keep a safe distance. Anyway, we had a lot of fun finally having a face behind all the emails we had exchanged.

We met up again and I showed Gabriel around: we went sightseeing in Hamburg and took a roundtrip by bike. We also just met to grab something to eat and kept up on each other’s life. Gabriel introduced me to his new friends and I introduced him to my friends here in Hamburg. But since the restrictions and rules tightened, we couldn’t meet up as often as before. We tried to go for a walk in the park and meet outdoors, so we don’t endanger the other one and when we can’t see each other, we use our phones.

For me, it is super interesting and exciting to hear about Gabriel’s life, culture and language. I also started with a Spanish language course. I would always participate in the MIN Buddy Program again. I think I made a really good new friend.

Gabriel: For me, it is kind of the same. I am super happy to have someone here, who already knows how everything works out and who speaks the language when I am struggling to understand something. I mean, it was difficult to get to know Germany and the German culture because after my arrival, everything got closed down really fast, due to the pandemic. I sometimes still struggle with the language, but I am doing my best and I think it gets better from day to day. I am looking forward to the day I can explore Germany in its fullest and when everything hopefully goes back to normal.

We hope we could give you a short impression of us and how the MIN Buddy Program affected us. We are happy that we met each other and would love to meet other Incoming and Welcome Buddies.

Lots of love Dana and Gabriel