Kaixuan is from China. He began studying speech recognition at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering at TU Dresden three years ago. 

- What do you like about TU Dresden?

I like that there are so many other activities offered besides my actual studies. There are a lot of opportunities to make new friends. And there's also an amazing variety of sports offered, like skiing, all kinds of ball sports, frisbee or even horseback-riding.

- Did you try any of the sports courses yourself?

Yes, I regularly play tennis. I'm actually a member of a local tennis club and compete in tournaments. But I have also tried Ultimate Frisbee and attended dancing classes, like Salsa or Lindy Hop.

-  What should international students definitely try out while living in Dresden?

Dresden is a very beautiful city. There are a lot of nice places. For instance, I really like having a barbecue at the Elbe river in summer or to go hiking in Saxon Switzerland. Often, Chinese students are too ambitious and industrious and rather stay at home to study. But I think, it's very important to also try out other activities offered by the university and to meet new people.

- What was especially difficult when you arrived?

German. In China I had learnt German for about a year and afterwards I sat the DSH exam at TUDIAS. The oral exam was most difficult.

Additionally, Chinese students are quite reserved. Our culture is simply different - being shy and reserved is considered a very positive character trait; here in Germany, this might be seen in a different way.

Despite living in Dresden for more than three year now, I still find the language most difficult. While the everyday language is manageable, professional German, i.e. the working language and also jokes are still not easy to understand for me.

- Living in Germany what is the biggest difference to your home country?

China and Germany are like two different planets. First, the food is completely different. I find that some German dishes are really boring: almost all the time it's Schnitzel and potatoes. That's why I cook at home a lot. Many of my Chinese friends also want to return to China after their studies because of the food.

Another thing I find really peculiar is that after 8 PM and on Sundays most of the stores are closed. In China shops are open until 10 or 11 PM. People in China tend to start their evening after 8 PM, i.e. they go out to eat something together or to go shopping. That's their "time after work".

Of course, in Germany, the air is much cleaner and fresher. In my hometown, the air pollution is really catastrophic in winter due to all the coal used for heating! But only in winter.

- Any advice for other students living abroad for the first time?

Don't be afraid and don't be too shy. Just be open-minded, get to know your host country and try as much as possible of the things the country has to offer.

_{(The interview was conducted by Krista Aguilar in German in the winter semester 2018/19.)}