Traveling to Giessen Getting to Giessen by plane : 1) via
Frankfurt Main Airport Frankfurt is one of the largest, if not the
largest, airports in Europe. There are two terminals (1 & 2).
Both have foreign as well as domestic flights. For example,
Lufthansa is the major airline in Terminal 1, whilst Delta and
British Airways are the major carriers in Terminal 2. A free
shuttle train "SkyLine" connects the two terminals. After obtaining
your baggage, if you want to come to Giessen with the train, go to
Terminal 1, lower level B (arrivals = Ankunft). The train station
is below the airport. Here, you can buy a ticket for Giessen at one
of the travel agents (one way = einfach) or at one of the automats
signed RMV (the local public transport company. From the GLEIS 1
(Platform 1) there is a train (Line S8) every 20 minutes to
Frankfurt main station until midnight (but with this latest train
you will not get a connection from Frankfurt to Giessen). Last
possibility from Frankfurt HBf (main station) to Giessen is at
23:28, arrival at Giessen main station 0:23. The third stop is
Frankfurter Hauptbahnhof "tief" (main station-lower level). At
Frankfurt Central Station you will arrive at one of the underground
platforms. To change trains, you have to go upstairs to the main
platforms. Trains to Giessen (usually the trains leave platform 14,
15 or 16 - but no garantee) are relatively frequent during commuter
times (for time schedule check Die Bahn service). A fast one (RE or
IR) will only stop in Friedberg and Giessen and later in Marburg.
The journey to Giessen takes about 45 minutes. A single ticket from
Frankfurt to Giessen costs EUR 11.Die Bahn service Helpful hint*be
sure to have the correct ticket for the train that you are on.
Getting caught riding without the correct ticket is a fine of 40
Euros!!! *
Slide 3
Location Giessen is located approximately 45 min by train North
of Frankfurt-Main. Only a short train ride from Marburg, the town
where the Brothers Grimm studied.
Slide 4
Living Arrangements Giessen offers many different dorms that
international students have the opportunity to live in. The main
dorm complexes are Eichendorffring, Unterhof, and Grnberger Strae.
These dorms are different than the typical dorms in America. Each
flur or floor has between 8-15 residents. A kitchen, bathroom, and
common area are shared by all residents on the same flur. Flurs are
coed, but each resident gets his or her own room.
Slide 5
Living Arrangements You can move in at the beginning of the
month, and move out at the end of the month. Orientation for the
Intensive Language program offered before classes begin for the
semester, begins in the middle of the month. Students pay rent for
the whole month. So to get your moneys worth, it might be better to
move in a week or two before orientation begins. Be sure to email
the school so they know if you are arriving early and figure out
what arrangements you need to make with Studentenwerk. (student
services)
Slide 6
Dorm Rooms Residents get their own room which includes: Twin
bed Desk Chair Cabinets Shelves Sink
Slide 7
What to bring (extras) Bedding Some you could throw away at the
end of your stay Possibly use your old dorm bedding Add some color
to your room! Pictures You will miss your family & friends from
home. It will help to see their familiar, smiling faces on your
walls. Towel You can throw it away at the end. Journal Writing down
your experiences during your stay will ensure you will remember
those small things. Its great to look back on your experiences
later in life! School Supplies It is cheaper to bring your own and
throw it away at the end of your stay.
Slide 8
What to buy after settling in (Shops are generally closed on
Sundays and dont stay open late) Curtains Not all rooms provide
curtains. They can be bought at a cheap price at places such as
Kartstadt or at other shops near Marktplatz. (bus stop) Small Fan
It gets warm in the summer and the rooms do not have air
conditioning. So it can get a little toasty! Extra pillow The
pillows provided can lose fluff easily. Its always nice to have an
extra little pillow around for comfort.
Slide 9
What to buy after settling in Detergent Laundry detergent can
be found inexpensively in shops such as PennyMarkt and DM. Hair
dryer/straightner Because of the electrical current difference
between America and Europe, it is best to buy a hair dryer and hair
straightener in Germany. These can be bought for a low price (about
5-20 euros) at Mediamarkt at the mall near Marktplatz. American
products can burn out with just an outlet adapter. Clothes pins
Doing laundry can be expensive. Hang drying clothes in your room
can help save about 3 euros per load.
Slide 10
What to buy after settling in Food Every student will have
access to a kitchen on their floor. Take advantage of your space in
the fridge for lunch/dinner/snacks. The Mensa (cafeteria on campus)
is not exactly close to the dorms. Its a great place to eat while
on campus, but not convenient while off campus. Canvas shopping bag
Its not only great for the environment but also great for your
wallet! In most stores in Germany, grocery bags are not free. You
must either bring your own, or buy a bag every time you shop at the
stores. Ethernet Cord Internet is provided, but it is not wireless
and you need a password to log on initially. (The cord, like many
other items, can be bought at MediaMarkt.) Cell Phone Can be bought
at MediaMarkt. You need a proof of your residence. Only some of the
employees speak English so be sure to either know German or have
someone that can speak relatively good German.
Slide 11
Registering for Classes It is recommended to arrive at least a
few days prior to the beginning of registration for the semester.
Many forms of paperwork along with proof of insurance are required.
Giessen requires students to have either insurance covered by your
home university or by the GermanAOK. *TIP: Be sure that
Justus-Liebig approves your insurance if you use insurance covered
by your university. If not, you MUST have the GermanAOK to register
for classes. The buildings that you need to go to are not
necessarily close to each other. You will do some traveling around
town to turn in the documents. The International office at JLU isnt
open for long periods of time, so be sure to check the semesters
office hours.
Slide 12
Important Documents Be sure to bring all papers, receipts, etc
that you have received from JLU. Passport Copy of your passport in
case it gets lost or stolen 4 Passport photos Be sure to not be
smiling in these. They are strict about it in Germany. You may be
sent to take another passport photo with a straight face for your
visa and other documents. Student card from your home university
Insurance forms (E 109 or E 111)
Slide 13
Getting around Giessen Bus system Giessen has a great bussing
transportation system. With the student card you can travel
throughout the state of Hessen for free. Be sure to have your
student ID card with you every time you ride the bus or you could
get caught and pay a 40 euro ticket!!! So if you may have forgotten
your ID card, just pay the small fee to your destination. A bus
stop is generally a short walk from the dorms. A bus generally
stops about every 15 minutes at the stops during the day. (i.e.
Eichendorffering stop, on the 06, 19, 34, 49 minute of the hour) Be
sure not to be late!!! The German Bus System is known to be strict
on timing. It is rare for the busses to run late.
Slide 14
Getting around in Giessen Taxis Taxis generally charge 5 euros
for each stop within Giessen. If 3 of you are going to the same
destination, you can split the 5 euros by 3. Be sure to pay with
bills or larger euro coins (50cent and euro coins are ok) *dont
forget that 1 and 2 euros are coins! Bicycles and walking! These
are great ways to get your exercise and just enjoy your day!
Bicycles can be bought at flee markets for cheap too! For more
information about traveling around Germany, visit this website!
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml
Slide 15
Where to eat (at least once) Youre studying abroad, so why not
try new types of food?! For traditional German food such as
Schnitzel, be sure to go to Alt Giessen Hotel and Restaurant. Your
exchange experience is not complete without eating a Dner from
Turhan! This is the BEST Dner-kebab haus in town! (if not all
Germany) The staff is friendly and loves the regulars. (sometimes
offering free drinks or delicious Turkish Tea) They are even open
late!
Slide 16
Where to eat (at least once) Mr. Jones (right by the
Hauptbahnhof in Giessen) Great place to stop for breakfast (if you
have time) before you head out for your travel adventures.
Kochlffel (In the city center with all of the other bistros and
shops) This place has great bratwurst and currywurst for a low
price! Any of the bakeries They all bake their own bread and have
incredible sandwiches! Dont miss out on Ksebrot and
Schokobrotchen!!! (cheesebread and chocolate bread)
Slide 17
Night Life Lokal International Usually good for a low key
night. Sometimes has large parties which are a lot of fun! Audimax
Party in lecture halls? Ja! Audimax is the largest lecture hall on
campus and hosts parties every Wednesday night! These are not an
event you want to miss out on! Haarlem Haarlem is a biergarten as
well as a night club. This is a very popular site when the World
Cup is going on, hosting public viewings. The inside (basement) is
a dance club.
Slide 18
Night Life Ulenspiegel This Tanzbar (dance bar) also has a
biergarten along with the dance bar in the basement. This is a
popular bar on the weekends so be sure to get there early enough so
as to not stand in line too long. Galant Bar & Lounge This is a
more classy bar with cocktails. It is a good place to hang out with
friends. Ascot This is just a small, hole-in-the-wall pub. The
owner/bartender can seem unfriendly at first, but he is just a
straight-forward person. It is a great place to just hang out with
friends and eat peanuts. Kitchen Parties Have a family meal with
all your closest friends in your kitchen. Get everyone together to
eat, dance, and enjoy the night.
Slide 19
Trips with the University The international student program at
JLU offers a few excursions for students to go on. These vary in
cost, but all are very reasonable. The trip always begins with a
tour. Students always have time to walk around and explore the city
for themselves at the end of the day. A couple of destinations
before classes actually start are Marburg and Bonn.
Slide 20
Excursions Marburg is just a small town a short train ride from
Giessen. It hosts great markets on the weekend, has great cafs, and
beautiful old buildings. This is where the Brothers Grimm studied
while at college. Every visitor should make the uphill walk to the
Schloss (Castle). At the top is a beautiful view of all of
Marburg.
Slide 21
Excursions Bonn is another beautiful city that the school takes
a trip to. This is the city that Ludwig von Beethoven was born and
raised in. You will get the chance to see the house that they claim
he was born in. But he was actually born in a small house behind
the one they say it is. Another site to see is the University. This
was the bishop of Klns castle years ago but is now the University.
Bonn is the home of the original Haribo factory, and still exists
today. The romantic Rhine river runs through this wonderful
city.
Slide 22
More Places to Visit Botanische Garten-Botanical gardens in
Giessen. They are beautiful! On a nice day, take a relaxing walk
through the garden to clear your mind. Mathematikum Hands-on
mathematics. Challenging puzzles, giant soap bubbles, deceiving
mirrors, mysterious bridges and more are offered at the
Mathimatikum. You are encouraged to touch and play with
everything!
Slide 23
Traveling Outside of Giessen Plane (Frankfurt-Hahn) Most of the
time if youre traveling around Europe by plane, your cheapest bet
will be through Ryanair. To get to the airport you must take a
train to Frankfurt-am-Main. A bus to Frankfurt-Hahn airport will be
outside the Hauptbahnhoff. This bus is 12 euros each direction. Be
sure to check all of their travel restrictions! They only offer a
free carry on bag, extra luggage has a fee. Train Traveling by
train can be much cheaper. A group ticket is available within
Germany, or just the state. The ticket usually costs about 35 euros
but up to 7 people may be on the ticket. This brings the cost of
traveling down immensely. Just be sure to plan for the travel time.
Taking the train across the country could take most of the
day.
Slide 24
Phrases to Know Entschuldigung Excuse me. Schnes Tag Have a
good day. Guten Tag- Hello/Good day. Wo ist die Toilette? Where is
the restroom? Sprechen Sie English? Do you speak English? Prst!
Cheers! (be sure to make eye contact!) die Polizei-The Police der
Bahnhof The train station der Flughafen The airport Halo!
Slide 25
Extra Information In buildings, the ground floor is called the
Erdgeschoss and the first floor up is the first floor. In elevators
the Erdgeschoss is represented with an E. Unlike in America, in
Germany you must pay to use a public restroom. It is usually only
about 50cents. There are no screens on the windows so be careful!
You will need a bank. Sparkasse is a common bank with Geldautomats
(ATMs) all around town.
Slide 26
Comments from Past Students "My time in Giessen was a life
changing experience. I met new and exciting people from around the
entire world and created lifelong friendships. I would not trade my
experience in Giessen for anything in the world." -Tony Behrens,
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Slide 27
Comments from Past Students At first, I didn't know if I would
like Giessen. Everything seemed small: my dorm room, the town, my
group of friends... But somewhere between midnight coffee with my
Yemeni, Lebanese, Ukrainian, and German floormates, the dinosaur
statues in the Marktplatz, and nights out at Haarlem followed by
bleary-eyed morning language class, I fell in love with the place.
I can't even begin to explain how much I want to go back - you just
have to do it yourself to understand. And try the Doener at Turhan
- its probably the best anywhere!-Lisa Colburn Wesleyan College,
River Falls Wisconsin
Slide 28
Comments from Past Students When I compare study abroad stories
with friends who did other programs through my school, I realize
how unique my time in Giessen really was. Rather than travelling
with a huge group from my home university, I went by myself to a
real German University. With real German students who would always
turn their heads when I spoke English in class. It was really cool
if you think about it. Classes were great, there are some great
professors in Giessen. Travelling was unreal, completely amazing to
go to a different city or country every weekend. And the people I
met were fantastic, hands down the best part of my study abroad
experience because really, I met a ton of other students doing the
same exact thing as me. They left their home to live in an amazing
part of the world for a semester. Even looking back a year later,
it's almost unreal that it ever even happened. But in all honestly,
going to Giessen was one of the best choices I've ever made.
Jennifer Graham, Suffolk University, Boston
Slide 29
Comments from Past Students It was great studying in Germany. I
got the chance to learn another language and out of 4 exchange
programs I have gone through, that was my favorite. People were
awesome and I really made friends for life. I guess that this whole
situation of being away from home and going through pretty much the
same problems brings people together. What amazed me the most was
the trip opportunities we got... everything seems to be so close,
just a few hours away you are in a totally different country,
listening to another language, and facing a distinct culture. I
seriously dont think there is any better way for you to grow up and
see that the difference is good and is what makes life interesting.
Jorge Faria, Univeristy of Brasilia- Brasilia, Brazil
Slide 30
Comments from Past Students "About my Erasmus experience in
Germany, I can only say that it has been marvelous. I have improved
my English skills and I learned a little bit of German as well. For
my artistic career it has been really positive because I was
working there all year. I made many important contacts that Im
actually using to get many international gigs outside of Spain. The
most important part is the friends I met from all over the world.
Im totally sure that if I travel to some of their countries I will
visit them, even years later. I think we made a nice group and
everyone would be happy to be visited by any other one of us.
Actually, I started missing my Erasmus year since the moment I
left. I even cried when I had to say goodbye. While at the
university, at least in my case, I received so much help from
friends and teachers. They made our time there easier, Ill be
thankful forever. Ultimately, I suggest everyone to take this
adventure out of your country, your friends, and your family
because it has shown me that I can adapt myself wherever I am. Kimy
Gomez Kaefe (DJ Kaefe)- Badajoz,Spain