The semester in Scotland follows a different rhythm than at German universities, which means that December is dedicated to exams and handing in essays. My lectures and seminars ended in the last week of November and fortunately, I do not write any sit-in exams in my masters programme. Therefore, I did not need to be around for exams and decided to spend Christmas time back home in Germany with my family and friends. The University of Freiburg offers great facilities to study and work and so I spent my days at one of the libraries, which in fact could be situated in Edinburgh, from its “Harry-Potter-looks”.
To be honest, I really enjoyed working on my reports and essays. I finally had the feeling that I could put my new knowledge and skills into practice. What I also really liked about my tasks was that I could choose my own topic, so I picked something which interested me a lot: For one of my classes I wrote a management report about the outdoor apparel company Patagonia, which might eventually lead to an idea for my masters thesis. The report was challenging, as I have never written anything like this before, but I think (and hope) I did well.
Besides work for uni, I took advantage of the proximity of mountains in the area of Freiburg and went mountain biking in the snow. One weekend trip took me to Finale Ligure in Italy, where we enjoyed warmer temperatures and excellent trails. Christmas was spent with my parents in Schwäbisch Hall and New Year’s with my friends in the Austrian Alps. As a first highlight of 2018, my boyfriend and I traveled to El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands and rode our bikes in and above the clouds, ate fantastic seafood and enjoyed each others company. It was a truly good start into a new year!
I’m now back in Edinburgh as classes have started. I’m excited for a class called "sport, society and international development” and look forward to learn more about the possibilities and challenges of sport as a tool for development.
DECEMBER 2017
