COLOGNE MEETS NEW YORK
THE PERFECT ENDING OF OUR FIRST TAVEC COOPERATION AND THE PERFECT START FOR MANY MORE PROJECTS TO COME
OUR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (B.A.) STUDENT LEA MARIE KUR REPORTS ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES IN NEW YORK
After having finished the first round of projects in our Trans-Atlantic Virtual Exchange and Collaboration (TAVEC) with Adelphi University in New York, it was finally time for “TAREC- Trans-Atlantic Real Exchange and Collaboration”. While the project winners from Adelphi University had the opportunity to visit Hochschule Fresenius and Cologne in October 2021, it was time for a revisit to the Big Apple in December 2021. It was the ending of our amazing international project and although the first project round itself is over, the impressions, experience as well as the newly developed friendships are ever-lasting.
On December 6, our travel to New York was supposed to start. Until then the worsening of the Covid-19 crisis had cost us a lot of nerves and daily changing regulations kept us anxious about the ability of flying. Even happier we were after finally having landed at JFK Airport where we were warmly welcomed by two Adelphi students who guided us to our first hotel in Garden City, close to Adelphi University.
The week was filled with an exciting program and great activities starting already on Monday night. Finally, all the Adelphi University and Hochschule Fresenius lecturers and students could meet in person again at a dinner get-together before visiting a spectacular Christmas light show at Jones Beach, Long Island.
Sunny Tuesday called for a visit to Adelphi University’s campus. The Hochschule Fresenius students were not only fascinated by the size of the campus but also by the various classes to take and activities to do apart from the accustomed study programs: gym classes, theatre classes or even swimming in the campus-owned pool. Outstanding for us was the campus-integrated nursing station! A great finish of the day was the Adelphi Men’s Basketball Game what felt like being in an American movie.
On Wednesday it was time for moving places further into the city – namely to Manhattan. The city was overwhelming. “You know New York from a lot of movies but being here feels unreal. You cannot capture the size, noise and overall atmosphere of this great city, I suffer from overstimulation”, was the tenor of the German students who were in New York mostly for the first time. Also taking that into consideration the program was developed conscientiously because it integrated free-time to discover the city. The hardest decision was which places are to be prioritized, thus we prioritized to see as many as possible. A long walk started at the ferry to the Statue of Liberty to Battery Park, led us to Wall Street and Broadway and to Brooklyn Bridge. We had coffee in Little Italy, walked through China Town and called it a perfect day at Time Square by night. I agree: you cannot capture New York in pictures, you need to experience it yourself.
Time flew until Thursday when we visited Adelphi University’s Manhattan Center and learned about the Finance Industry from a former Wall Street professional. Central Park was the right choice to spend the cold but sunny afternoon before it was already time for a closing event at Hochschule Fresenius’ Manhattan Center – a good opportunity to brainstorm about the TAVEC project itself but also for some personal talks. Meanwhile the right time to thank our organizers Lena Mewes and Priya Nayar but also the lecturers who enabled us to work on this project and accompanied us with guidance and resources. Afterwards, the American students invited us to a final city tour to their favorite places, including Grand Central Station. After a night full of good talks and laughter we said “goodbye” but added “see you soon” to the Adelphi students and to New York.
The journey to New York was one of my personal highlights in 2021 and I am very glad to have experienced such an amazing project already at the beginning of my bachelor’s study, especially in times of a global pandemic.