In the summer of 2007, I stepped on Canadian soil for the first time. I’ve been to Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria before, but this was different. Unusual flats, new faces on the balconies, new graffiti on the walls. Not a single sign that resembles Macedonia. I didn’t like it at first glance – people seemed so cold, like no one was interested in anything else but their own business. That first week I kept asking myself if this was the promise land people talked about.

On the one hand we have a very varied range of music shows: from hardcore techno to singer/songwriter, hip hop and rock music, you can find every style that moves the youth today. On the other hand we also have more theme-related shows, as for example a campus radio show done by students from the University of Luxembourg; a youth magazine with different interviews and features and a show coordinated by the youth section of an NGO working on North-South issues.

Living in a dormitory can sometimes be the best option: you have plenty of opportunity to meet a lot of new people, to experience a proper student life and to party on the weekends. But, if you prefer to study hard, sometimes the noise echoing from the corridors can be a problem for you. However, nobody can deny the fact that living in a dorm is the best option for international students, first and foremost because it is cheaper and secondly you will have some friends around whenever you start feeling homesick.

Macedonia? Hmm, that might be too much. That was the first idea, which came to my mind when I found my hosting organisation. It is true that I wanted to go to the Balkans from the beginning, but I had never thought about Macedonia. And here I am! One of the first challenges was the Cyrillic alphabet, but being the language freak that I am I prepared well. Luckily, because of the Internet it was not a problem to start learning it before coming here and as soon as I started I was really excited about it.

One of the most important questions you need to deal with once you decide to work or study abroad is the question of accommodation. The number of options available is vast, from student dormitories to renting an apartment. Finding the perfect place to stay at is not an easy job at all, because all these places have their own advantages and disadvantages.

A common sight every morning and after working hours are young people rushing to the subway or the near-by cafes for a beer or a cup of coffee. Dressed business casual, they hail from every corner of Europe and are replaced by another batch of young people every five months or so; the internship programmes of the European Parliament and other European institutions usually last that long.

First it was ‘Working Weekends on Organic Farms’, a local initiative that was established in 1971 in the UK by a woman called Sue Coppard. Her idea was to make the countryside accessible to people living in the cities, while at the same time giving support to the organic movement. It comes as no surprise that an initiative such as this one was introduced in the UK, as the English have always had a deep fascination with the countryside.

After the application has been filled out, the CV and the motivation letter have been sent, the next step is getting a call for an interview. The interview is the part of the application procedure where you can best show what kind of person you are and whether you are the one that is best suited for the particular scholarship programme or job position.

I came to Germany a year and a half ago, believing that Germans were cold, but friendly, punctual, well organized, pathologically honest and straight.
My first encounter was a lady in the International Students’ Office. I was one month late for my studies because of some visa problems, felt guilty (in a typically Russian way of feeling guilty for any kind of authorities), was very nervous, and again, already guilty, because of my poor German language skills, especially when it comes to listening comprehension. Fortunately, or unfortunately for that matter, she was not going to talk to me neither in German nor in English; apparently, consultation hours were over.

Looking for a place to stay for a couple of days? Want to visit a city, but have almost no money to spend on accommodation? Want to meet new people and have somebody to show you the city nightlife and give you a sightseeing tour during the day? Then, Hospitality Club and Couch Surfing are the right services for you! Hospitality Club and Couch Surfing are organisations that share a clear vision and a noble mission. Not only do they help you find a place for a few days, but they also facilitate the process of making friendships and contribute to creating a better world, where people help each other without expecting something in return.