Story of a FIZZie in 2020

Story of a FIZZie in 2020

Rewind
Guest

Guest

Holaaaaaa! I'm Paula from México. This is my experience living in THE FIZZ. I've been living here for four months and had a blast in so little time!

Like Home

I arrived on June 8th, in the middle of all this pandemic of COVID-19. It was my first time being so far from home, I was so excited but at the same time I had feelings of fear and uncertainty.

Right after I arrived at THE FIZZ, Dirk (the House Technician) welcomed me with the warmest words I could’ve ever received. He opened the main door and said: “Who wants to move in?!” He and Anika (Dirk’s assistant) gave me a tour around the building, explained me how things work here and what I should know, they even introduced me to another “paisano!”.

First Day First Impression

After that, it was time to know my room. When I saw it for the first time, I just got in love immediately. It had everything I needed and the most important, it had a beautiful view towards the street, just perfect for spending 14 days in quarantine (Yes, I had to do it because of #Corona).  

I didn’t know how or where I was gonna get food and necessary articles to survive for two weeks. I was unpacking my stuff when Dirk and Ahmad (the Student Brand Manager) arrived with two big bags full of dishes, glasses, cutlery and kitchen items. They even bought me groceries. I was completely shocked (in a good way) because I wasn’t expecting that! I will always be grateful for that gesture, because the fact that someone makes you feel like you can count on them no matter if it’s the first time you meet is simply priceless.

Three picture tiles. The left one shows a girl in a yellow sweater, taking a selfie in the bathroom mirror, waving. The two pictures on the right show various newly-bought kitchen utensils on a kitchen counter and in a shopping bag,

Post Quarantine

After the quarantine, I just wanted to explore Hannover, the other FIZZies and the neighbourhood. I was passing the reception when Ahmad greeted me with a: “Hey, you are finally free! How was the quarantine?”. Apparently, I was well-known as the “Quarantine girl” because the first thing other FIZZies asked me was: “Are you the girl that was in quarantine?”

After that, Ahmad invited me to chill out in the inner courtyard, there I met more amazing FIZZies from Poland, Syria, Iran, Germany, Turkey, among others. Since the beginning they welcomed me with “open arms”, everybody was interested in knowing each other, listening to the different points of view, etc.

Creating Experiences

As time went by, we used to spend so much time together, we used to have breakfasts or dinners together, badminton tournaments (we took it to another level, a really professional one, but that’s another story!) and spontaneous trips until we became a family.

What I’ve learned during the past four months is that it is not just about living in a “Studentenwohnheim”, it is about creating experiences together. We are more than a community, we are family! We all are in the same situation, we came from different countries or cities in order to achieve our own goals; and even though you are far from home you feel like home in THE FIZZ – At least I can say that: I found a family here, and maybe that sounds so cheesy, but it is what it is.

Two picture tiles. On the left, an inner courtcard with two green trees and grass. On the right, a dozen or so people are sitting on a bench outside. They have food on plates in front of them. They are of different gender and nationalities and smiling.

My Advice

Don’t “self-isolate” in your room, give yourself the opportunity to live the experience of THE FIZZ, meet new people, create moments, participate in activities, share stories! Of course, with the proper “Abstand” and following the rules, but don’t skip opportunities.

Believe me, you are not alone here, and even when you feel like that, here will be other FIZZies, supporting and helping each other. As I said before, we are more than a community.

I am so happy living in THE FIZZ, every time I come back from school or other places, I really feel like I came back home and I’m looking forward of having more amazing moments here!

Special thanks to Dirk, Ahmad, Shadi (mein Brudi), Anika and Daniel (the House Manager), I will always be so grateful to have you.

Photo rights by International Campus GmbH