Can you briefly introduce yourself?

My name is Liene Hennig and I come from the University of Jena in Germany. For my mobility, I went to the University of Poitiers in France. I stayed there from September to December 2020 for my Bachelor degree in Economic Sciences and Litterature and Languages.

Why did you choose this city and this partner university?

Poitiers is a city whose size is approximatively the same as Jena’s, so I thought it might be nice. I also saw some pictures and found it was a beautiful city. Moreover, the courses proposed suited me.

How did your mobility unfold?

The courses went very well, even if at the beginning it was quite difficult to make a choice between all the proposed ones. However, despite the restrictions due to the sanitary crisis that reduced contacts with other students, I could fortunately meet people from different countries.

What discoveries have you made?

With some friends, we went downtown, to the Blossac Park to get to know more the city. I also went to the Couronneries market, a very nice French market that is held on Sundays.

Furthermore, I lived in a residence of CROUS (Centre Régional des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires) and my neighbors and I often cooked together. I really enjoyed the evening moments and the discussions we had in the kitchen of the residence with people from different countries like Senegal, Morocco…

Could you speak the local language?

Indeed, I had French courses in secondary school, in high school but also in college. In addition to these previous ones, a centre in Poitiers offered French courses for Erasmus students.

What has this experience brought you?

It brought me a lot. I had a lot of new friendships with people from different countries and this is really good because it allowed me to know other cultures.

Also, I had courses that I enjoyed much and during which I learnt a lot of interesting things. And of course, I have improved my French level.

Can you tell an anecdote about your stay?

During the All Saints’ Day holidays, I went to the countryside where I visited a farm. It was a great experience because I lived for a few days with a very nice French family. I learnt to make a “baguette” (a French bread), goat’s milk cheese… I will never forget this beautiful experience because I really felt like experiencing French life.

A word to describe your mobility?

I would say Enriching. It brought me a lot on both personal and intellectual sides.

Do you have any advice for students who want to study abroad?

You have to let go and enjoy; be brave to try new activities and visit places. You also need to talk to people as much as you can.

What do you think of the EC2U project?

I really like the idea of strengthening the links between the universities. It is going to be an instructive experience for everyone participating to it.