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Transcript on

Analysis of the Intercultural Experience

16/03/2017

I: Now I am going to ask you some questions about your experience here
and we will try to compare it what was your experience in Germany as
well. So the first question is: did you have a variety of choice, before you
came here, some other countries?

K: Yeah. All European.

I: European?

K: Yeah.

I: What made you come here?

K: One of the modules that I wanted to take Airline management. And

Napier was the only one that teaches it. Well, one in England too, but it
was too expensive to go there.

I: Alright. Very well. Have you been in Scotland before?

K: Yeah, a few years ago.

I: Alright. Was it on a trip, a holiday?

K: Yes!

I: Did you like it? Did you see a lot of things?

K: Mhm. Yes!

I: Okay, what is your program of study then?

K: Tourism management.

I: What are the subjects you are currently doing?

K: You mean my modules?

I: Yes.

K: Then Airline Management, Visitor Attractions Management and the

Study of Food and Wine.

I: Alright How do you like it so far?

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K: I really like it I like Airline Management! That is what I came for.

Visitor Attractions is okay, but the Study of Food and Wine is useless.

I: Well, there has to be one of those.

K: Definitely.

I: Alright then. Where have you been in the city so far? Have you visited
some of the sights?

K: Yes, most of them.

I: Did you see them before or when you came here to study?

K: Some years ago, some now.

I: That is good. Do you have a favorite one?

K: Hmm the National Museum of Scotland. It is good.

I: It is good. The next questions are more university-related. For example,

which city were you studying in Germany?

K: Frankfurt.

I: Okay, and you were studying the same program as you do in here?

K: In Germany it is called Tourism and events management as a course.

I: Oh they are combined then?

K: They are combined!

I: That is good What about lectures and tutorials? Do you have them
altogether in one module, or you have other forms, such as seminars,
lectures?

K: We only have lectures and tutorials.

I: And tutorials? Do you have exams for every module?

K: Only one exam. For the Study of Food and Wine.

I: And back home do you have a lot?

K: Yeah. I have a lot

I: What about modules? Do you study more here or in Frankfurt?

K: In Frankfurt. I have twelve modules.

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I: Twelve modules? Good. How do you get assessed? Do you think there is
a difference at being assessed here and being assessed at home?

K: Here I have to do a lot of projects during the trimester and we only have
one exam. And in Germany I have less throughout the semester and the
exams at the end. A lot more to do.

I: Is it more stressful to have all the exams at the end of the semester?

K: Yeah, definitely.

I: What are your thoughts on independent studies? What would you

prefer? Studying with the help of lectures or studying on your own?

K: Studying on my own.

I: In terms of workload. Which one would you believe is harder?

K: In Germany!

I: In Germany? Alright. Moving on to another topic. What do you think

about international students: are there more international students in
Napier or Frankfurt University?

K: My University is very small, there are like 800 students. And there is not
that much international presence. And it is also a private university.
Therefore, there are definitely more here.

I: Oh, is it? I see.

K: Yeah.

I: What kind of subjects does your university offer? Is it a mix of such?

K: Yeah, well, Management: International management, Marketing

Management, Tourism management and so on.

I: Is it Fachhochschule?

K: Yes, it is Fachhochschule.

I: Right What about societies and sport clubs?

K: I never did any of those.

I: Did you have the option to do it?

K: Yes, I do not know. Maybe

I: What about support from the university? Do you have to make an

appointment to speak with someone?
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K: Here?

I: Here and back home. What do you think the main differences are? Did
you have any issues with that?

K: I do not know how it is here, because I never have issues. At home

there is some, surely.

I: What do you think about the relationship between student and lecturer?
Is there room in class for discussion? And for example, would you have to
wait until the end of the lecture to ask questions? Is it the same in
Germany?

K: Hmm no. We only have the lecturer in the classroom, who stands in
front of the class in times of lectures. And you cannot interrupt him.

I: What about if you have a question, would you ask him?

K: Yeah, you can ask him. At the end of the lesson.

I: Alright, can you make an appointment about it?

K: Yes, after hours.

I: What about fees? Is it there free education in Germany?

K: Well, I am going to a private university, so I am paying my own fees.

And my university is paying for me here.

I: Then you do not have to go through SAAS here?... Alright, there is the
system, called SAAS that helps fund students studies in Scotland.

K: No, I do not need to. I am actually paying a lot more, so

I: Alright, there is no need then. How long are you here for?

K: Only one trimester.

I: One trimester?

K: Mhm.

I: Okay, so back to university in Germany. What time do you normally start

and finish lectures?

K: In Germany I start at 8:30 most of the time until 7:00 or 7:30, all day.

I: How many days are you doing there?

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K: Five days. And in here I do Monday from 9 until 11, Tuesday 11 until 1
oclock and Wednesday from 11 until 12, then have Thursday, Friday,
Saturday, Sunday off. Not that much.

I: Quite the difference.

K: Oh yes.

I: What do you think about opportunities to meet local people and make
friendships? For example, in university lectures?

K: Not so many of those. I find it hard. The only Scottish person I know is
my flatmate.

I: Okay, so maybe outside of the university?

K: Yeah, that is a better idea.

I: What about at work? Do you meet local people there?

K: Well yes, it is different from university.

I: Okay, could you tell me now more about the practical aspects of living
abroad? Getting around, for example, did you find it hard getting around,
coming from Frankfurt?

K: No, it was good.

I: Do you live close by to the university?

K: No, I live in ---, which is a bit at the other side.

I: Do you use public transport then?

K: Yes, I take one bus. It is convenient, in Frankfurt, however, takes me

another hour.

I: Alright On the topic of practicalities, what about university canteens?

Is it the same?

K: No, we did not have one in Frankfurt. They tried it, but nobody was
using it, so At the end, there are at least a lot of supermarkets nearby.

I: Do you think if it is better to have the canteen in the university?

K: Yes, especially here, where there is not much around.

I: Okay. What about work? Were you working in Frankfurt?

K: Yes.
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I: And which job was to call it easier to find?

K: When I was I Germany, because I was speaking the language and had
the experience, so and here nobody wants to take me for a short time.

I: What about the interviewing process?

K: They both seemed the same to me.

I: How do you feel about your overall experience here?

K: I liked it, it was great.

I: Do you think you will stay in the summer?

K: Yeah, I am thinking of getting an internship here in Scotland. We will

see.

I: What kind of internship would you go for?

K: Events internship, how to organize them.

I Interviewer

K Kai (Interviewee)