A Journey of Culture and Connection: Berun Agic at TU Ilmenau

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the Blended Intensive Program (BIP) hosted by TU Ilmenau, focusing on cultural challenges and hurdles that motivate students to participate in similar events. The whole journey was an adventure and a real eye-opener.

Like every journey, it must have a beginning, and for me, it was the way to the destination. Even though I was going to the middle of Germany, and it was a long trip, I found that there was still a way to find friends. From the friendly Bosnian lady I met on the plane, to the great Uzbeki student I met at the airport in Warsaw while waiting on my connecting flight to Frankfurt, I saw that the opportunity to meet interesting people is just around the corner, only if you are willing to step out of your comfort zone. Next, after the plane, I had a train ride that took me right through the middle of Germany, which was, of course, also an adventure full of stunning scenery.

Then I had the pleasure of being introduced to the two halves of the city of Ilmenau. One is, of course, the historical city, which is a winter wonderland that looks as if it has escaped right from a scene of a Disney movie, and the other one is the University campus. The city itself is full of mystery that just waits to be uncovered, hiding in the dark Thuringian forests of Germany. Even though it appears to be small, one can find oneself wandering the city for hours, trying to relive Goethe’s wandering parts (yes, the Goethe that wrote ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’). The campus is a whole other story. It is like stepping into a completely different city with its own infrastructure, buildings, and transport. For the first few days, you feel like the campus will go on forever, as there are always some new buildings and places that you can discover. The university is also the home of some of the most impressive research centers I have ever seen. They have a clean room where they can work on everything from microbiology to nanotechnology, a 3d sound room with more than 50 speakers, where, when they simulated the sound of a fly to us, it felt like the fly was next to you and you wanted to wave your arm to hush it away. The studio media room was also a personal highlight of mine, where the faculty of Media has a full-fledged studio, as you would see in professional TV stations. I had the opportunity to play around in it and film a promo video in such an interesting environment that it was just surreal.

Even though the BIP had a tight schedule, it was still full of interests and highlights. We had participants from Italy, France, Cyprus, Germany, and, of course, me from Bosnia. I had the pleasure to attend, together with my colleagues who were also participating in the BIP, a lecture that was about Culture, cultural values, and what makes us all different, which was eye-opening. During the BIP, I got to know my colleagues well; we shared laughs, moments, and experiences together. We learned about each other's customs and became friends. It became almost a ritual that after every day that was full of exciting workshops, lectures, or excursions, we would pick a new restaurant to try together, so we tried original German food, Italian, Greek, and even Indian food, but I must admit that Bosnian food is still my personal favorite.

One of my favorite days during the BIP was the excursion to Erfurt (which is the capital city of Thuringia, Germany) that we had. The guide was super funny and entertaining, and Erfurt was really living the Christmas spirit, with the Christmas market being open and being full of attractions that make you wish the day to never end. The second favorite part was the Christmas Party at the TU Ilmenau on the last night in Germany. It had amazing performances from students who came from all over the world, so I got to experience traditional Chinese dances, belly dancing, and traditional Christmas songs all in one.

At the end, there is only left to say that this adventure was exactly what I needed. A blend of traveling, learning, and meeting that just came along perfectly. The only bad part was that it had to end. But still, even though it ended, I was happy to be a part of it. I am happy for the memories that I have, and I am thankful for the Sunrise Alliance, without whom this would not be possible to experience, as all of us come from universities aligned with the alliance.