{"id":16202,"date":"2025-04-25T11:45:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T09:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=16202"},"modified":"2025-04-25T11:45:05","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T09:45:05","slug":"dear-berlin-wheres-the-international-student-manual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/16202\/dear-berlin-wheres-the-international-student-manual\/","title":{"rendered":"Dear Berlin, Where\u2019s the International Student Manual?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Berlin draws international students with its world-class universities and diverse community. Yet beneath the excitement, some students thrive while others struggle to find their place. With many initiatives designed to ease the transition, the question remains: do international students truly feel at home in Berlin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The wind swept across Tempelhofer Feld, tugging at blankets and tossing hair into eyes \u2014 but no one seemed to mind. The sun was out, and that alone was cause for celebration. In the wide-open field, international students had gathered for an oddly charming tradition: a Beerball Tournament hosted by Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Berlin. Laughter echoed as players sprinted across the grass, cheering for teams formed minutes before. There was no scoreboard \u2014 only a shared sense of fun and quiet relief at not being alone in a new city.<\/p>\n

For many students arriving in Berlin, the city can feel like a puzzle too large to solve. Its pace, its anonymity \u2014 all of it thrilling, yet isolating. ESN Berlin offers moments of connection through low-pressure events that make meeting people feel natural rather than nerve-wracking. \u201cOur main objective is to give them some kind of platform, some kind of possibility to meet others from the community, like from the community of international students in Berlin,\u201d says ESN Berlin president Charlotte Moller.<\/p>\n

As explained by Charlotte, since the city is so big and everything can feel very anonymous, it helps when students find friends through shared experiences. These kinds of activities create more opportunities for international students to meet people because everyone is going through a similar experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bar nights are a weekly recurring event, but we try to focus on different activities because we believe it’s important to offer alternative programs for people who aren’t interested in the party scene,\u201d notes Charlotte. She also explains that ESN organizes cultural events like museum visits and city tours. The organization focuses on diverse events because they have different working groups and want to provide something for everyone living in Berlin.<\/p>\n