Podcast against feeling lost  [22.03.24]

Waste separation, sex education, campus life or job hunting: Many things are very different abroad. International students at the University of Hohenheim also experience this. In the "News4Internationals" podcast, they share their experiences - and help others to settle in. What began as a Covid-19 project is now an integral part of everyday life. The Online Courier had a coffee with the editorial team.

In the interview: Alessa Heisler from the Office of International Affairs and Deniz Erkan, Master's student from Turkey and student assistant for the News4Internationals podcast.

• News4Internationals on Spotify

 

Deniz, you started your studies in Hohenheim during the Covid-19 pandemic. How did you settle in here?

Deniz Erkan: The beginning was definitely tough. All lectures took place online and you sat alone in front of the screen in your dorm room. Zoom meetings and emails - that was my everyday life as a student. It was pretty miserable.

It wasn't until the second semester that there were more opportunities to get to know other students. I was suddenly motivated again.

I now feel incredibly comfortable. What I love about Hohenheim is the family-like atmosphere. In the UK, where I did my Bachelor's degree, studying was very anonymous in comparison and it was impossible to know everyone you were studying with.

It's completely different here in Hohenheim. I'm not only active in the podcast editorial team, but also in several student groups. I often think to myself: Wow, so many people are putting their heart and soul into making the campus even more inviting, interesting or sustainable! I think that's really something very special.

Ms Heisler, many international students probably felt the same way as Deniz during the Covid-19 pandemic. The International Office launched the "News4Internationals" podcast during this time. What has changed since the first episode?

Alessa Heisler: That's right, our internationals really didn't have it easy back then. Even events like Welcome Week had to take place online.

That's why we were looking for a creative way to establish a human connection despite everything and show them that they are not alone with their worries and questions. That was the birth of the podcast!

In the beginning, I moderated it myself. Now, up to eight assistants, including Deniz, are part of the podcast team. They all have different experiences and nationalities. News4Internationals has developed into a lively platform by and for international students.

We also have our own Instagram channel, where we regularly post and announce when a new episode goes online.

Deniz, you cover a very wide range of topics in the podcast. Is there an episode that you particularly remember?

Deniz Erkan: Oh, there are quite a few...

For example, "Birds and Bees" was great - the first episode that I hosted myself. In it, we talked about sex education - with testimonials from 8 different countries. It was super exciting to see how much the respective type of sex education has shaped us.

It became clear that, compared to other cultures, sexuality is talked about quite openly in Germany. For some of us, for example, it was a completely new experience to see contraceptives being advertised on the street.

I find what came out of this episode really exciting. And I think it's important to have conversations like this, especially about aspects that are taboo in some countries, such as queerness. Or about the topic of sexual self-determination and why consensual sex is an absolute must.

For all those who don't know News4Internationals yet: What topics do you normally talk about?

Deniz Erkan: Of course, it's primarily about student life in Hohenheim. For example, we present various contact points that might be of interest to international students. But also student groups, such as the volunteer team at the TMS Cafete. It was a real home game for us because I'm often behind the counter myself, and our editorial meetings often take place in TMS. The episode was called "A Whole Latte Love"

laughs.

Another big topic is everyday life in Germany with all its big and small questions. For example, would you have known how to dispose of a pizza box properly?

Um, in the paper garbage can...?

Deniz Erkan: Well, unfortunately not quite right. It belongs in the residual waste. At least if there's any cheese left in it. That's something you learn when you get to grips with the complex cosmos of German waste separation. Now I'm an expert!

laughs.

But Swabian culture, Christmas and carnival traditions, the Stuttgarter Wasen etc. are also rich topics for our editorial team. Then there are tips for excursions and so on.

Alessa Heisler: Our range of topics can easily be summarized under the term infotainment. Above all, however, we want to give our internationals the feeling that they are not alone and that their voices are important and should be heard.

At the beginning, our student assistants often had exactly the same problems as the new arrivals and can therefore report authentically on their experiences: How did they manage to make friends? What challenges did they face in everyday life?

Deniz Erkan: That's right, the challenges are similar. But our stories are always completely different. That's why we make an effort to invite different guests to the podcast. And we are always open to suggestions for topics via email or Instagram.

That sounds thrilling. Can you also say which topics are listened to by a particularly large number of people?

Alessa Heisler: The episode on sex education actually did really well.

Otherwise, everything about job hunting, internships or careers in Germany. You have to know: Internationals often struggle to find a job in Germany, partly because they often lack knowledge of German. We therefore try to provide support.

This is another reason why I'm glad that we can offer eight student jobs for the podcast at the Office of International Affairs.

Could the podcast also be of interest to German students?

Deniz Erkan: We would definitely be very happy if German students listened to us as well. I have the feeling that we move far too often in our respective bubbles and that internationals and German students rarely really get to know each other.

There are some student groups that are very mixed. But that's the exception rather than the rule. I wish there were many more opportunities like this. Maybe the podcast can help to make us internationals more visible - and lower the barrier to talking with each other. That would be awesome.

We will report back. Thank you very much for the interview!

Interview: Moormann / Leonhardmair