One of the most precious pages of my life story

I'm Marina Nasibova from Azerbaijan, and I'm studying finance at Azerbaijan University. This is my first semester studying abroad, which has been a dream of mine since I started university. Now, I'm actually living that dream here in Remagen.

When I first arrived here, everything was new - new people, a different education system, unfamiliar customs, and so much more. The beginning was tough, especially when it came to speaking English and expressing my thoughts. I missed my family and friends back home, and I had to handle all my financial and other issues by myself. It wasn't easy, but I didn't let the difficulties define my entire story. I started embracing the second part, which has been more interesting and exciting.

The best part is that I'm not alone here. I have friends from countries like India, Albania, Bhutan, Jordan, Georgia, Greece, and Ukraine. Whenever I need help or want to learn something new, the Sprachen/Internationales team is always there to support me. I'd love to share some of the memorable moments that have been special to me.

I'm also doing an academic internship here, which is like a part-time job. When I step into the student office every morning, it feels like I'm actually at work. Through this internship, I've learned new things like photo editing and managing social media platforms. I've also developed important business skills like leadership, multitasking, and taking responsibility.

The education system here is completely different from what I'm used to at my home university. However, one of my favorite courses has been the Asia module. It's been amazing to exchange ideas with students from different cultures and learn new things. As part of this module, we even went to Izmir. There, I worked on a marketing project, visited a top company in Turkey called DYO, and made friends with people from Portugal, the Netherlands, and Turkey. It was an unforgettable experience to go on a week-long trip to Turkey during my semester in Germany. I even kept in touch with a Dutch girl I met there, and we became close friends. I ended up visiting her in the Netherlands.

One of the most important and unforgettable events at RAC is International Week. During this week, we have guest lecturers from places like Australia, America, Albania, and Georgia. The highlight of the week is International Day, where I was in charge of making hot waffles. It was a challenge for everyone, including the students and teachers. At first, it was difficult, but later on, I enjoyed the moment. I think everyone will remember me as the "waffle maker girl" at RAC.

When I first arrived, I never expected Remagen to become such a special place for me. My favorite thing to do here is to sit by the Rhine River, read a book, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful surroundings.

Thinking about returning to Azerbaijan makes me realize how much I'll miss my life here. I hope to come back one day and start a new chapter. The time I've spent here will always hold a special place in my heart.