Connect with MEG16

Our tech-savvy world has given rise to new modes of intellectual growth, which have proven helpful for establishing a learning environment during the corona pandemic. These modes include teaching provided by online platforms like coursera and iversity founded in 2012 and 2008, respectively, as well as the University of Freiburg founded in 1457. Thanks to this transition, the MEG programme has the pleasure of welcoming a new generation of aspiring leaders in the field of environmental governance. Thammasorn, Peris, and Erica, students of the new MEG cohort, have spent the past weeks settling themselves up to digital discipline and in to the city of Freiburg. Here, we bring some of the perspectives on their arrival to reveal that the student life still revolves around the devotion to attend lectures, engage in discussions, and quest social resonance.

Thammasorn 'Tob' from Thailand arrived in Freiburg two weeks into the first module. A summer language course back in 2017 meant that Tob was well prepared in terms of language and orientation skills. His former host family welcomed him upon his return and provided him with a temporary accommodation in the neighbourhood called 'Vauban'. The district is located south of the town centre and is known for its sustainable housing project constructed in the late 1990s on the former French military base area. New housing districts are also shooting up in and around Bangkok, Tob's hometown, which has drawn his attention to the topic of urbanisation. Even though the peaceful countryside is the preferred location for recreational activities, Thai people are increasingly moving from the rural to the urban areas seizing the employment perspectives in the city. The demand for housing created by the influx of people has made Tob wonder how the construction sector can turn more environmentally friendly and can create ideal conditions for people to thrive. Only time will tell if Tob with his bachelor's degree in political science and, now, studies in environmental governance is going to influence the future housing situation in Bangkok. For now, though, Tob has moved a few blocks away from his host family and into a residential community, a so-called 'Wohngemeinschaft' (WG).

Peris arrived in Freiburg before the semester started and has settled into a dormitory in the same part of the city as Tob. Vauban is not only known for its houses, but also for its modern infrastructure that allows people to walk and bike almost anywhere. The purchase of a bike has therefore enabled Peris to integrate fully in the preferred mode of transportation in her surroundings. She named the bike "Kiko" after her beloved cats Kina and Kovu back home in Kenya, which means that they accompany her on her Freiburg explorations. The bike lanes recently took her to the bank, where she met up with Paula from MEG15, who assisted Peris and her fellow students with the first encounter with the German bureaucracy. Setting up a bank account in person felt cumbersome to Peris as mobile banking services are widespread in Kenya. Luckily, she is interested in figuring out how things are organised in Germany. This interest was sparked last year when Peris acquired work experience with WFP on organic waste management in Munich. Maybe this work experience, her background in business information technology, or something third, also created the fascination for the German waste sorting system. Surely, Peris will have plenty of opportunities to dive deeper into the topic of waste management during her studies in Freiburg.

Erica arrived in Freiburg from Lombardy after travelling 400 km from the Metropolitan City of Milan. A bus trip took her through the Swiss Alps, which brought back childhood memories of times with her grandparents in the mountains. Erica knew that she would find the forested mountain range of Schwarzwald on the other side of the Alps even though she had never been to the region before. The same trusted friend who had told her about the MEG programme had also recommended the dazzling surroundings of the city. Prior to her take off, a gap year had helped Erica to figure out exactly which direction to go. This time also allowed Erica to gather her past experiences in a well-packed piece of luggage, composed by a bachelor's degree in international studies and recent Internship experiences in Tel Aviv with environmental peacebuilding. She arrived a few days before the semester started and had time to both unpack and explore her neighbourhood north of the city centre. Here, Erica noticed that the cultural life in Freiburg differs a lot from Milan. Outdoor activities, though, seem to be equally cherished. The parks in Milan are in this comparison particularly treasured whereas the periphery of Freiburg seems to attract most citizens. Erica made this observation with her fellow students on an expedition to the castle ruin on the western summit of Schönberg.

In the coming months, the group of students will hopefully discover more of both Schwarzwald and the MEG curriculum while they get to know each other. Their interests to learn, collaborate, and connect define the journey ahead, exactly like former generations'.

Text: Adri Duarte and Sofie Hovmand