International students discover Mount Oybin on a spring hike.
The journey is the reward - Confucius already knew this. With this in mind, international students from the university were invited to a spring hike on Mount Oybin on 6 May 2022. The bus set off punctually at 15:00 to the Teufelsmühle in Oybin. The ascent to the village's local mountain with its impressive castle and monastery ruins took place along the Goldbach stream and finally through the forest to the foot of the castle complex. On the way, we heard that some had never been to the Zittau Mountains before and others come here often to hike or cycle.
The group comprised 31 students from countries such as Vietnam, Morocco, Indonesia, Nepal, Greece and Ukraine. The nationalities were as diverse as the minds, and for some the climb was quite a challenge. From the foot of the castle complex, the impressive old walls could be explored independently, for example the two castle gates or the museum in the main castle. Our guests were also very impressed by the ruins of the monastery church and the tower, and several photo sessions took place.
In the best spring weather, the view of the nearby high forest was not obscured and after a few small discussions, the students also recognized their university town of Zittau in the valley. Some initially thought it could have been Leipzig or Dresden. But the bus had only been on the road for just under fifteen minutes... Afterwards, they were able to enjoy a small snack in the outdoor area of the mountain inn. Well fortified, the group then headed back to the bus past the mountain church and along the tranquil main street in the village. Many will certainly return and explore the picturesque village again on their own.
The excursion was organized by the university's International Office. It was financed by STIBET funds, which are raised annually via the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). A big thank you also goes to Barmer, which also contributed financially. International students can look forward to other events of this kind in the course of the year, which will finally be able to take place again after a forced break of over two years.
