The Corners and the Cornerstones

After a long day of tidying my apartment, hanging sheets, watching children, and exam preparation, I am finally sitting in my favorite spot: the corner of my bed atop a pile of pillows. The window is opened just wide enough to share the sounds of the night outside while offering me a taste of spring air. It's the end of January and the rain storms have been marching through Cologne all week, but that is no sure sign that winter has been fought off for very long. I am savoring the air, however, because that momentary ambiance of spring brings joy to my senses and my fingers as they write.

Just after midnight!
(Oldenburg, Germany)

January was quite eventful I suppose, looking back. Bjoern and I celebrated our first New Year's Eve together alongside 25 other friends in Oldenburg, Germany. We shot off our own fireworks, despite my personal aversion to the idea, and kissed all the way through the midnight minute as the city around us sparkled and cheered. Since Christmas, the necklace he gave me has not come off my neck; there is a silver airplane charm dangling and constantly reminding me of both my wanderlust and the words he whispered, "the airplane keeps us together and kept us apart." Those machines might make me shaky at takeoff but they connect me to my future, my love, my joys in life; I can never take that for granted!

My birthday dinner from left to right:
Rita, Charlene, Bjoern, Me, Katrin, Ornella, Marta, Sayra, Juan

On January 9^th, I celebrated my 22^nd birthday in Cologne. I invited over several of my closest friends from my time here so far, cooked them my favorite dinner of fettuccine Alfredo and a salad with homemade Ranch dressing from the seasonings sent with love from my mother back home. It was a wonderful time as I chatted with friends from Germany, Mexico, Russia, France, and Poland; opened presents from their own home countries; ate traditional, American recipes; and reveled in the recognition of how truly intercultural my community has become. We danced the night away in a local place near Zulpicher Platz and, sometime at the end of the night, Bjoern took me in his arms, kissed me fondly, and announced: “I am going to kiss you on your birthday for your next 80 birthdays, starting today.”

Tulips, croissants and fresh orange juice.
Welcome to Amsterdam

After a brief visit to me in Cologne, my darling Irish friend Emma and I left on January 17^th for Amsterdam aboard the luxury bullet trains called the ICE (Inter-City Express). We remained in Amsterdam for 4 days and had an absolutely grand time of things, further details of this trip will be provided in a location bio later on. While alone aboard a regional train to explore some traditional windmills, I helped two exchange students find their way and we ended up spending the next few hours together eating mustard soup, tasting cheese, walking across frozen canals and chatting about our own cultures and experiences abroad. Chi and Tony, from Taiwan and Spain respectively, shared with me about their current program in the Netherlands and how they are teaching languages while focusing on international studies. I am constantly left in awe of the people in my surroundings; not a dull moment exists once you open your eyes and introduce yourself to someone new.

Currently, final examinations at the Fachhochschule are dominating both my schedule and mental capacity. At the same time, though, I am somehow finding time to write letters; file my taxes; conduct research for my internship; indulge in a bit of painting; coordinate rent agreements for next year; read Rich Dad, Poor Dad; research the stock market and add some new investments to my portfolio. I suppose there is never a moment when I don't have an idea or something to do, but I don't feel overwhelmed in the least. On the contrary, I feel finally able to open up, relax and embrace the opportunities that lie around every corner. Trust me, Europe and Cologne alone have quite a few corners. What will I find next?

Meeting the Family: An Outsider's Way In

Decorating the Christmas Tree: Success
(Oldenburg, Germany)

After spending six months in the wonderful land of Germany, I can hardly say that I was prepared, nay equipped, for the Christmas holiday with my German boyfriend's family. Two months of German language lessons twice a week left me struggling to follow the quips, sarcasm and overall flow of conversation that came as soon as the car door opened in Siegen en route to Oldenburg. I felt ready to rip my ear off, dip it in a good beer and toss it to my new "German Family" in hopes that somehow I wouldn't be lost in translation any longer. Many mistaken der, die, and das in between hearty meat, good cake and Christmas beverages later, we were all laughing over a game of billiards (during which I reportedly had become the "profi" professional). Perhaps communication lines are eased when a bit of healthy competition, fun and good beer are thrown into the mix.

When it came to Fooseball (called Kicker in German), my boyfriend would apparently much prefer to work up a sweat and crack the table in half than lose. However, even table soccer needs cheerleaders, so I contributed with some jolly and mispronounced "ja Woll!" "gut gemacht" and "toller Schuss!" (Yes sir, well done and nice shot!)

In Germany: respect the process and theme of
decorating the tree and you just might survive!

It is very important to note, however, that there is a sort of mathematical curve in terms of German language abilities and beer consumption. These two are generally directly related and, as beer levels increase, so do speaking capabilities. This goes for billiards skill in relation to consumption as well. Unfortunately, as goes for the optimum tariff we've been studying in International Economics here in Cologne, there is a maximum level of benefit. After that level (of tariff % or drink consumption) the curve shoots you back to either trade decline or missed shots and misunderstandings. Let's just say that I properly performed my research and graphed this curve unwittingly and much to my own embarrassment. Fortunately, the whole experience became a good laugh for all, we lost at billiards, I made up my own version of what I thought was Deutsch and I was dubbed the "Sweet Girl" for the duration of my stay.  I must say that I'm relieved that that was the name I received after all the hullabaloo, but that might be because I never caught word of any other granted titles.

Though I may have caught my own hair on fire from the candles on the Christmas Tree (O' Tannenbaum!), eaten a pile of pink termed "Heringsalat," and crashed my bike into a

One of the nightly spreads on the dinner table!
(Pork filet wrapped with prosciutto in a cognac-cream sauce
accompanied by baked hash browns and creamed veggies.)

 lamp post amidst the frenzy of dozens of hurried, Christmas-shopping bikers, I learned to adore his German family with their traditions, present opening schedules, and especially palate in terms of what is to follow the hearty call of "GUTEN APPETIT!"

Step Five: Moving to Cologne

When I returned the following morning to apply for my Residence Permit, the office was open only from 8 until 12 pm. I made my way upstairs and found a hallway with no front desk but several people sitting alongside the narrow corridor. I began to ask around what I was supposed to do as there was no box to take a number. The best I could gather was that I was supposed to knock twice on the door marked with the first letter of my last name, enter, give my passport to the lady inside and then sit quietly and listen for my name to be called. I waited for nearly two hours and watched them close the office doors while promising to finish with the rest of the applicants inside. Finally, my name was called! I presented the lady with all of my documents and she paused a moment, looked at me apologetically and gently informed me,

“You live in Sülz. This is the department for the downtown area.”
“I didn’t realize that. I was sent here by the registration office downstairs. Can I still make it to the Sülz office?”
“Unfortunately they closed a half hour ago. However, they are open Monday morning at 8 am.”
“That’s in three days.”
“Yes, ma’am.”

So I had spent the night in Cologne for nothing, but I knew I couldn’t give up because I was fast approaching the end of my 90 days of travel in the EU. I took the train back into Cologne bright and early on the following Monday and went to the office in Lindenthal (which serves both the Sülz and Lindenthal districts). On the 4th floor I snagged a number and waited about 45 minutes before my turn finally arrived. You will need a lot of paperwork for this appointment so be sure to have everything in order! There is a copy machine available at 10 cents a copy but I suggest bringing your own copies beforehand if possible. The application itself is about 5 pages and fairly detailed concerning dates you’ve lived or visited the EU before, information on your family and any previous addresses you’ve had. These papers will all be filed and sent to the office in Berlin; you will receive a confirmation letter with a PIN for you to take back to the permit office at a later time where they will provide you with your permit papers and German ID card. This process takes about six weeks so you might have to get a temporary permit to stay in the country until your new one is processed. Unfortunately, I had only brought 100 € with me to the office as I expected the permit to cost around 40-60 €. Because of the temporary permit cost added on, my total was 120 € (temporary permit and a one year permit). There was no ATM in the office and they didn’t accept VISA cards; I had to come back the next morning again with the right amount of money to pay my bill because they had locked the doors for the day and I would have been locked out once I left.

The whole process is very specific, somewhat complicated and operates within a very limited time frame so be prepared, be flexible and bring copies of everything. That is the best advice that I can offer.

The following documents are needed to apply for a Residence Permit in Cologne:

-a valid passport (with your visa, if applicable)

-1 biometric passport photo (35x45 mm)

-application form (you can fill this out at the office)

-certificate of registration with the City of Cologne

-certificate of enrollment of Cologne University of Applied Sciences

-proof of health insurance

-proof of financial resources

Visit the city of Cologne’s website for more details and updates for your specific needs and requirements: http://www.stadt-koeln.de/en/1/administration/00085/
 
There is also a new “one-stop service for foreign students who would like to clarify issues with their residence permit as well as the formalities of registration.” The appointment hotlines are:
+49 (0)221 / 221-93339 for students from Germany or an EU state
+49 (0)221 / 221-93450 for students from a non-EU state

Step Four: Moving to Cologne

The next two pieces of information that I will give you are by far the most crucial factors according the city of Cologne. As an American student and according to laws as they stand in 2012, you must register with the city upon arrival (as soon as you have a physical address) and apply for a Residence Permit. Because the US and Germany have a fairly open border agreement, you can enter the country with only a passport and apply for your living permit from within their borders. You will not need a visa to live here or to enter, but if you plan on staying past your 90 day travel limit, then you will need a Residence Permit. Depending on the length of your program this information may or may not apply to you.

The next step is registering with the city; for this step it does not matter in which district you are living as you can register at any of the offices around the city. However, you must apply for your Residence Permit within your own district so I would recommend doing both at the same time in your own district to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. I did not know this when I started the process so I hit several speed bumps along the way.


I made my way on that first day in Cologne to the Kundenzentrum-Innenstadt (Inner City Customer Center); because of its proximity to the Dom and the Hauptbahnhof (Central Train Station). I thought I could pop in, get my papers and head back to Siegen without paying extra for a hotel as I wouldn’t be able to move in until the week after. I entered the building and found myself in a large room with no English signage and no one to greet me at the door. I have found that, in Germany at least, administration runs on self-initiative; this has been a valuable life lesson along the way, though a difficult one in terms of cultural assimilation. Thus, I presented myself to an official looking gentleman at a desk and kindly asked, “sprechen Sie Englisch?” His limited vocabulary soon had me standing alone in a waiting room full of people; I took a number and proceeded to wait for 90 minutes before my number popped onto the screen overhead. The process of registering was simple, quick and easy! Well, if the advisor spoke better English, it would have been. She asked questions by gesticulating and showing me examples through her broken English and slow, articulated German. After 15 minutes she had made copies and entered the necessary information. When you go to register, you will need:


-registration form (they fill this out with you)
-a valid passport
-the name and address of the landlord (the rental agreement/subtenancy agreement)

Afterward, I asked her where the office was to apply for my Residence Permit. She walked me to the door because she couldn’t explain in directions due to the language barrier; we both then discovered that the office had closed while I was sitting with her and would not take me even though I had been in their building for near two hours. She apologized and wrote down the opening hours for me to come in the morning.

Step Three: Moving to Cologne

Fachhochschule Köln
Cologne University of Applied Sciences

Though you may be unclear on the different terms associated with your exchange, as I was at first, there is a major difference between acceptance and enrollment at a university. The city of Cologne demanded my matriculation paper which is a specific document from my host university that details my enrollment at their institution. In order to obtain this piece, I needed to seek out the international office which is a short walk through a park filled with large, aging trees that stretch upward toward the sky and outward to greet the small children running through their shaded gaze. The building itself is majestic in its age and stature with three sets of iron clad doors that both beckon and prohibit entry; her back faces the long and wide stretch of the river Rhine that wanders with a wink toward the cluster of students filing in and out of the doors. I made my way into the quiet gut of this stone-cold building and sought the directory which was helpful for all who spoke the native tongue of Deutschland. For me, however, it became a riddle of numbers, letters and hallways. After a bit of confused wandering, which had not gone unnoticed by an older gentleman behind a desk on the opposite side of the lobby who offered a corner of a smile to me, I made my way down a sunken hallway and sought out the esteemed coordinator from whom I had received so many cordial communications.

The architecture of Cologne has
 a character of its own

The process itself, after having finally found the lady who was much more vibrant than I had imagined, was fairly straightforward and proved to offer few speed bumps. I had arrived more than a month earlier than expected and was greeted with surprise but not with refusal. It seemed to be that I was on my own until September when the student benefits would start to kick in, though I had mentally prepared myself for such a case. My passport and insurance exemption form were requested with a smile and a well-prepared, well-accented English tongue. Just a few moments, simple questions and colorful, welcoming brochures later, I was on my way to picnic under the convivial trees with a sandwich and many forms through which to rifle. With another step completed, I paused to breathe in the delicious Cologne air before running off to find the registration office and the infamous “Laurenplatz” with just a notebook of address and a good head for maps.

The International Office of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences is located at Claudiusstrasse 1, room 56. They are open from 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. Be sure to ask about the ‘Karibu’ program for incoming international students. 

Step Two: Moving to Cologne

The second component in the moving to Cologne on exchange was that of insurance papers. I was required to take the insurance policy offered by the international office at my home university, so I applied for those papers in March of 2012. Because I was planning to be abroad for 15 months in total, my coordinator somehow ran across some speed bumps in the paperwork process. Despite my requests, continuous reminders and pleas for coverage, my insurance policy arrived not only more than 3 months after I requested it but after I had been abroad for one month already. Going abroad without insurance coverage is extremely risky and I would not advise it. Paranoia can grip you, trust me. Though it’s always important to be careful when traveling, the risk of being uncovered is not worth it and I advise you to take matters into your own, capable hands when it comes to this. Every coordinator has a supervisor. Don’t let one person’s apathy or refusals discourage you from pursuing your new adventure and dreams (in more cases than just this one).

Being in Cologne on business
yields interesting discoveries

Once you receive your policy from your home institution or if you have coverage from a parent’s policy that reaches the borders of your new home, you will need to file with the city of Cologne (or wherever you’re going in Germany) to receive an exemption form. This form is required to enroll in your host university. I tried to organize the last four components to be on one day trip to Cologne, in order of their required papers. I made my way to the office with the first train from Siegen at 5 am and arrived as soon as their doors opened 8 am. Be sure to check the address, opening hours, required documents and directions to the office you seek. Having all of this information with you will make your journey so much easier.

I emailed the office ahead of time to make sure that there would be someone who spoke English, to verify the hours and address, and to make sure that they could fulfill my needs accordingly. Check. The process itself was not so complicated. The secretary was very helpful and sought someone who understood my language better than he; the new girl input all of my information from my lease agreement as proof of address, my passport as proof of identity, and my policy papers as proof of insurance. They then printed two documents for me: one for my host university in order to enroll and the other for the city of Cologne in order to apply for my residence permit. Graciously, they offered me a free planner to help with my studies and reviewed all the information that I would need to know.

A stroll through Cologne from office to office

You can use a few different offices around the city to complete this task, but the one I used was the AOK Rheinland on Zulpicher Strasse 58. They are open from 8 am to 4 pm and you can visit their website at www.aok.de/rh

Next stop, running to my new university to enroll! I was wearing a nice, business casual outfit with a backpack full of papers, snacks and a train ticket. Don’t mess with this girl, she’s got an agenda. 

Step One: Moving to Cologne

Moving to a new city can be daunting, but I’ve done it several times now in three different countries, so I want to share the process for the future ease of those to follow me. I am the first student from the University of Northern Colorado to embark on an exchange to the Cologne University of Applied Sciences so I take my ambassadorship very seriously. I will document it, so take notes before you jump on the plane to follow me. My mistakes shall become your successes and my successes shall become your triumphs.

The riverbank of the Rhine river in
Cologne, Germany as I awaited my bus to the airport.

There are five major components (lease, insurance, enrollment, registration, and residence permit) that I have discovered must be solved in moving to Germany. I will cover each of these separately.


The first of these is finding somewhere to live because proof of housing is a requirement for each of the next steps. As an exchange student, it is very valuable to check with your university, fellow students and blogs for advice as to what types of housing are both available to you and would best fit your needs. In France, I lived with a host family and it was the perfect link for me to learn French as well as study the daily home life and culture of true French citizens. For others, living in a host home may equal loss of freedom or too similar an image of that which awaits them in their home country. Since I have already experienced a homestay, I decided to seek other options as I embarked on my newest adventure. I used a site called www.housinganywhere.com which is a network for both interns and exchange students to sublease housing. I first had to contact my host university in Cologne for the password to this site, and then I flipped through the ads based on their geographical location, price and duration of availability. After having sent several brief messages of introduction and inquiry, I received only one in return after replying to each offer twice. I offered to immediately come to Cologne to look at the place and discuss a contract. Housing is hard to find in a big city and, when it becomes available, it is generally very quickly snatched up. Being flexible and making consistent communication with your landlord or lease-holder is pertinent to obtaining a contract.

I was setting off for Cyprus via Cologne with Björn, my German boyfriend, on the afternoon of a Wednesday in July, so we took an earlier train to Cologne and met David, a German student who would be spending a year abroad on internship.  The apartment was beautiful, spacious and very cheap for only 280 euro a month, including water, electricity and internet. Most leases do not include the utilities, so make sure to check before signing anything. Rent in Cologne can be anywhere from 250-400 euro per month for a place close to the university so be sure to also know what you can afford and make a list of your expectations as you search for a place. I had asked David to prepare a contract before my arrival and we discussed all aspects of the exchange in English. The contract, however, was in German so I asked Björn to look over it before I signed.

With everything settled, I had a receipt of my down payment on the apartment (this can be anywhere between 400 and 900 euro depending on the length of the contract and request of the leaseholder), and a contract for 11 months; David and I each held copies of all pertinent documents. You will need copies of your lease or sublease contract to show during the next very important steps of your exchange, so hang on to it!

The famous Dom in Cologne, Germany.
Many people sit on her steps to wait for
trains at the HBF across the plaza.

After that was settled, I walked down the streets of my soon to be home with my first lease tucked safely in my bag and the firm hold of my handsome translator leading the way to a plane en route to paradise. Step one, nailed it. Move in date: August 21^st. The excitement was building in my gut; with each step I came closer to my new life. I knew that something big was in the air, just whispering at me to keep climbing the difficult steps to my future.  

For housing in Cologne, I searched with the following that may be helpful for you:
www.housinganywhere.com
http://germany.accommodationforstudents.com/Koln.asp
http://www.kstw.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=315&Itemid=11&lang=en (This is the Student Housing site that operates for the universities in Cologne)