On Saturday, 15. May 2023 I found myself walking towards the Old Mainbuilding (Altes Hauptgebäude) located on TU Darmstadt’s Stadtmitte Campus. As a student whose classes primarily take place on the Lichtwiese Campus, I’m fairly unfamiliar with the area (aside from the library and the cafeteria, maybe).

However, with my phone in my hand, I was determined to do something: to find the room where TUtor International’s Kulturreise Event takes place. I know it’s a room called S1|03 / 107, but even with the help of the Campus Navi and the short guide video on TUtor International’s Instagram story, I still managed to get lost somehow.

After trying out a couple of doors and ending up in some random, yet beautiful courtyards (it was a happy accident, I think, because I would love to go back and chill in one of those courtyards someday), I eventually managed to find the main entrance to the Altes Hauptgebäude and make my way towards the room the event was being held at. As soon as I saw a couple of people wearing dark red hoodies with the TUtor International logo on them, I knew I was at the right place.

My whole journey might sound a little ridiculous, but can you blame me? It was my first time ever going to a TI Event, so I was pretty excited, but also very nervous at the same time. Sure, I’ve seen some of the photos and videos they post on Instagram and I’ve always wanted to go to one of the events, but I never had the courage to just go alone.

Even coming up to the table, I was still feeling uneasy, but the fact that the tutors were so friendly and welcoming definitely helped me ease up a bit. They gave me a food ticket and a little sticker to write my name on. With that, I was on my way to joining my first TI event.

Sitting in the presentation room where I didn’t know or recognize anyone was –as you would expect it to be– pretty nerve-wracking. Some people were already talking to one another and seemed to already know each other from previous events and for a moment, I did feel a little out of place.

Typically German

Before I could think too much about it, the event finally started. The presenters introduced themselves and the Kulturreise event officially began. The overall vibe of the event was very light-hearted, but still informative. Here are some of the topics that the presenters touched on during the presentation and what I learned about them:

• The German School System: the system is quite different to the system in other countries that I know of, but one interesting and cute fact is that German kids often get gifted a Schultüte (a cone made out of paper filled with sweets and stationery items) for their first day of school.
• Food: Aside from the stereotypical German food and drinks like sausages, bread, potato, and beer, I learned about the existence of Käse mit Musik, a dish from the Hessian region consisting of cheese, bread, vinegar, onions, oil, salt, and pepper. The ‘Music’ comes from the sounds you would make when you digest it.
• German Kids’ Shows: Some shows they mentioned were Die Sendung mit der Maus and Biene Maja. I’ve never personally watched any of these shows, but they could be a fun way to learn the German language!
• Festivals: From Karneval to Oktoberfest to Weihnachtsmarkt, we went a bit more in depth about German festivals you might’ve already heard about and the history behind them. Heinerfest is another one that’s especially relevant for us Darmstadt students, so if you happen to have the time, going to festivals is always a beloved and recommended activity !
• Dialects: This section of the presentation reminded me that before I came here, I thought everyone in Germany speaks Hochdeutsch or formal German, but as you might have already found out, a lot of people speak in dialects here. One you might know is Hessisch, the one that people in Hessen often use. In Hessisch, you would greet others with a ‘Gude!’.

I was having so much fun that I stayed all the way until the end and got to talk to more people, some who aren’t even international students and just like the experience of getting to know people from different backgrounds.

Overall, it was a great experience that will be in my memories for a long time. It was a great opportunity to get a break from my studies, to learn more about German culture, and get to know a bunch of cool people. I can’t wait to go to the next event that TUutor International has planned, so I hope to see you there!