“Studying Abroad Prepares You for the Future Because You Learn to Adapt to Circumstances You Never Thought About Before”

What was your life like before you moved to Mannheim?

I was born and raised in Peru. When I was 17, I moved to Madrid to pursue a bachelor’s degree and lived there for five years. I was lucky because part of my family also lives in Madrid, so I wasn't all alone. I came to Mannheim for the first time for my Erasmus year abroad. I always wanted to study abroad because I like to leave my comfort zone and gain new experiences. I love my freedom and already had a certain feeling of freedom when I was 15 and visited Europe for the first time, and I knew that I wanted to take this step. I enjoy being independent and having my own space, even though I love my family more than anything. 

Why did you decide to do your master's degree in Mannheim after your stay abroad?

One reason is that the university has a very good reputation. The University of Mannheim's ability to integrate students seamlessly is something I greatly appreciate. Each semester, there are openings for student assistant positions. That wasn't the case in Madrid. Working as a student assistant gives you the opportunity to gain professional experience as a student. I also wanted to move to a smaller city than Madrid. In my opinion, Mannheim is the perfect size. At the same time, the city is still very international, partly because there are so many international students. There are so many places you can reach on foot. I'm glad I don't have to spend so much time using public transportation. But I also miss the friends I made during my bachelor's program in Madrid. 

Are there any other differences compared to the program you completed in Spain?

In Spain, for example, there are intermediate exams during the semester. On the one hand, this is good because the entire grade does not depend on a single written exam. On the other hand, you can work part-time in Germany. In general, students here have more freedom because they can decide for themselves when they want to take which examinations. I've also noticed that everything starts earlier here in Germany. This applies to lectures as well as other activities such as going out to eat or parties. 

What were the biggest challenges for you in Germany?

The bureaucracy! But my German friends share this frustration (laughs). I don't understand why so much still has to be done by mail. But I feel like I belong here when my friends here complain about the same things. When it comes to learning German, I find the pronunciation quite difficult, as well as the phonology, which is very different from Spanish. The sentence structure is also very different, which often leads to confusion for me, as you can't translate the words in the same order. 

What do you do besides your studies?

I am currently doing an internship in taxation and political economics at the Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW). I am helping with a project related to South America, which requires me to work a lot in Spanish. After the internship, I would like to look for a job as a working student. I am also learning German and would like to focus more on that so that I can reach level B1 in the next semester. In my free time, I like going to the gym, writing poetry, and dancing salsa. Writing poetry helps me organize my thoughts. I can reflect better when I put my feelings down on paper and then read them back to myself. And dancing simply makes me happy. It allows me to forget everything else. 

Do you already have plans for the future?

I chose the CaRE track (Competition and Regulation Economics) in my economics program and would like to work in this field later on. I could imagine working anywhere in Europe. The beginning is never easy, but so far, I've been able to connect with people everywhere. There are many people who move to a new country for a job, and I could definitely see myself doing that too. In general, I would like to encourage people not to be afraid of this decision. Studying abroad prepares you for the future because you learn to adapt to circumstances you never thought about before. It's normal to feel overwhelmed at first, but that goes away with time. 

Interview: Pascale Tamburini / October 2025