Name: Crystal
Age: 23
Country of origin: USA
Degree course: Psychology
School: Ruhr-University

Hi, I'm Crystal. I live together with my german boyfriend in Bochum since August 2002. I am studying for my Bachelor in Psychology at the Ruhr-University, and am presently in my third semester. It wasn't easy to get accepted: my first application was denied. The Academic Foreigner's Bureau then explained to me that I had to go to the Studienkolleg for a year first because students go to high school one year longer here than in America. The Studeinkolleg is a special school just for foreign students who also go to school in their native countries less than the 13 years required by german universities. I decided to study for my Bachelor in Psychology in Bochum because of the good results in the university ranking in the monthly journal "Focus".

When I came to germany, I couldn't speak a word of german. I learned german here at the Goethe Institut, which was very expensive, but I completed everything from beginner's level to the advanced level test in only 10 months. I still make some mistakes, but I've learned to live with them. At the beginning I spent most of my time with another American student in my class. But after he was moved into a higher semester, I had the chance to find a couple of really good german friends.

At first I found it unusual that the stores in germany are closed so often even in a big city like Bochum. The many public holidays that are most often religious holidays, were also new for me, especially since church and state are so strictly separated where I come from. But in exchange, I really like the wonderful public transportation system (in comparison to my home town) and all the cultural opportunities, for example the students pub quarter Bermuda3eck, the Bochum Schauspielhaus theater, the International Video Festival Bochum and especially the Mining Museum, where you can go underground and wander around in the mine.

I miss my family here the most, but I talk to them on the telephone every week, so homesickness isn't too bad. Besides that I mostly just miss lots of little things, like favorite foods that aren't available here - Fish and Seafood for example are very expensive here. Many of my favorite foods are unhealthy junk anyway, but I would kill for a bottle of ranch salad dressing. I also miss hot summer days and the ocean.

I don't know yet what I'm going to do after I have my degree, but hopefully my boyfriend and I will be able to stay in the same country.