Guest article by Sophia Scholz:Have you ever explored a completely different and new country and stumbled into a completely upside-down, crazy world? that's exactly how my trip to Bali started: fascinating, crazy and, of course, upside down.My name is Sophia, I'm 23 years old and I'm studying culture and management in Görlitz in my third semester. I brought my stay forward to the third semester and haven't regretted it for a moment. So I was able to spend a wonderful six months in Bali from September 2015 to February 2016. five months ago, when I arrived in Bali, I was initially disillusioned. in my imagination, Bali appeared to me as a unique, paradisiacal island with white beaches, light blue - turquoise water and above all quiet. compared to Germany, it seemed loud, dirty, hectic and I found myself wondering who would want to live here. but after a total of five months' stay, I can ask myself the same question for Germany.My first impressions quickly disappeared and the dream beaches with white sand and turquoise sea were quickly found, and the way of life in Bali still fascinates me. Stress seems to be a foreign word here. Many things are easier - people work together as a team, seemingly without pressure and the never-ending good mood is infectious... No one in Germany would believe how I lived in Bali. I moved a total of nine times and most of the time I hardly had any walls, but all the more open spaces and therefore lots of exotic animals around me. In Bali, it's enough if you have money and can show it - that quickly settles everything. Corruption is of course still a big issue. To be honest, it makes a lot of things easier, as bad as that sounds. The absurdity of this example is that sometimes fewer rules produce a better end result. And there are a lot of these "fewer rules" here and it works in many areas. We should think about this as a rule-ridden Germany: imagine if our traffic worked like in Indonesia: Loud, hectic and chaotic. There are no clear rules but a lot of unspoken ones. Speed doesn't matter, the most important thing is to be fast! Of course you can make the effort to wear a helmet, but you can also choose not to. In principle, it doesn't matter and it's up to you.Let's move on to drinking and driving: if you have everything under control, it's good. If not, it's okay, but you'll be politely asked to drive a little more carefully. On Gili Trawangan, a small island east of Bali, the only means of transportation are horse-drawn carriages. What a lifestyle!Last but not least: Did you really think mopeds were a two-person means of transportation? Far from it. The Balinese way of transportation involves at least three to five people on a scooter - preferably with some kind of pet (no matter which one) and a bulky object such as bamboo canes, window panes, air conditioners, etc. The list is long. The list is long - in Germany we would probably go straight to prison for this. In Bali, there are other things that get you arrested. Drugs are more than forbidden, as is sex in public, and the mentality couldn't be more exciting and different compared to Germany. It's not just the passion for the stunning landscapes, it's the different mindset of the people here. Of course, I can only guess, but for me the locals form one big community. Nobody is interested in tackling things alone. Community is the motto.Ceremonies or temple festivals are always prepared together. It doesn't matter whether you have a job or not. You have to do something for the community and nobody questions that, it's much more of a pleasure, just like traffic is an eye-opening example for me. It seems like a big mess but everyone cares about their fellow human beings in a very relaxed, friendly way. That's exactly how it works: community, caring and above all acceptance, the positive vibes are contagious. My daily routine could hardly be more different compared to Germany. Getting up early was no longer a problem, but rather a must in order to get more out of the sunny day, because the time went by far too quickly.Another example of how you quickly become a star here: no matter where you are, you are always a bit of an attraction. It's not unusual for the locals to stare at you and want to take photos with you. This is certainly not meant in a bad way, but rather out of interest and fascination. Just smile friendly into the camera!Nevertheless, it can be difficult to make real contacts. The line between friendship and earning money is often very close. But you can still find the right friends, and on the subject of money: it's not so easy to keep it together. Theoretically you can live reasonably cheaply, but practically not so much. Nightlife, food, shopping, travel and activities all add up in the end. But you're mainly here to enjoy yourself, and I also had to learn something completely new here: patience! No matter what it is - you simply wait for everything and it takes a lot of patience. It's best not to get irritated, as nothing will change. Just relax and be happy to be in paradise. Speaking of time: In Bali, it is very important to dedicate gifts to God and that takes a lot of time. These consist of small banana leaf baskets filled with flowers, money, crackers and incense sticks. They are made every day throughout the year. A lot of time is also spent praying. Once you have processed the first impressions, you will quickly realize that everyone seems to have the same name (after you have crossed the path of the fifth maggot). There is a simple explanation for this: the names are assigned according to birth order and it doesn't matter whether they are male or female. There are two names to choose from. (From one to four: Wayan or Putu, Made or Kedat, Nyoman or Koamang, Ketut). There is a second name to determine the gender. If there are more than four children, the first name is used again.tourism clearly has the upper hand in Bali. Beaches, accommodation, food, activities... Everything is designed for the many vacationers and nothing is lacking, which can sometimes be quite stressful as everyone wants to sell their goods in the best possible way, but it also depends on the location.I would like to end with the Balinese food culture. The range of food on offer is overwhelming and incredibly delicious. There is a wide gap between cheap and expensive. You can eat in restaurants, in the so-called small, inexpensive warungs or at markets. nasi campur - rice with vegetables, chicken and sambal - is typical and delicious. This is also available in the two university canteens for 30,000 Rp. (Here, eating is considered a pleasure, here it is more of a process. People eat because their bodies need energy. In Balinese families, a large pot of rice is cooked for this purpose and everyone eats when they want or when they are hungry - alone.the locals often eat with their hands - it's best to try it out, have fun and make a big mess.The motto is: you are in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Don't waste a lot of time looking for differences. Just enjoy every moment to the full - it could be the trip of a lifetime.PS: Imagine there was a power cut in the whole of Germany for more than twenty minutes - that would never happen! Here it happens all the more often. :-)Practical tips before, during and after the trip:Bafög: (six months in advance) Be sure to try it out - Auslandsbafög is calculated differently than the "normal" one.Scholarship: There are many - get informed and apply for everything!Vaccinations: (three months in advance) Hepatitis A and B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid, cholera.Visa: (three months in advance) It is best to apply for a student visa in advance. Many students had problems here and had to leave after a month or didn't arrive at all.Driver's license: An international driver's license can certainly help in emergencies, but I never needed it. The excuse that you are a student at the Universitas Udayana has helped every police officer so far.transportation: Moped! Always make sure that the license plate is still valid and that the relevant papers are available. Otherwise, there are two wonderful apps. One is Uber - the cheapest local cabs, which come reliably and quickly when ordered. The other is GoJek - the cheapest scooter cabs for 10,000 Rp (approx. 70 cents).money: We were told to change our money directly at the airport. I would advise against this - the exchange rate is far too bad, it is better to go directly to an ATM (cash machine) at the airport and withdraw money.cell phone: Never sit on the scooter with your cell phone and let it navigate you. I can say from experience that it will be gone very quickly. (Just like in the club) Mine and many others were stolen directly from the scooter in the first week, as were rucksacks. Navigate with headphones and cell phone in the backpack. It's best to put it between your feet. Otherwise in the helmet compartment. SIM cards are available almost everywhere (Pulsashops) - 100.000 Rp. (6€) for 4G internet and phone calls: You can choose from Changgu, Kerobokan, Seminyak, Legian, Kuta and Jimbaran from north to south.Changgu is beautiful and ideal for surfing. It is green, quiet and alternative and close to the sea. Unfortunately, it is too far from the university.Kerobokan is about an hour's drive from the sea. It is hardly touristy but also too far from the university for me.Seminyak is quieter than Legian and Kuta and my personal favorite place to live. The journey to the university takes 30 minutes on a good day and a little longer on days with traffic, especially back from the university. Seminyak is good for surfing, great food, shopping, partying and relaxing.Legian and Kuta are not very different - it's crowded, noisy, hectic and far too touristy.Jimbaran is right next to the university. There are beautiful beaches. I think it's too quiet and too remote.rainy season: This only started in December after our semester. We experienced exactly two downpours (for a few minutes).Back home: Most students were back home in Germany on time on December 24th. I would avoid that at all costs - because you still have two months to travel. I was at home in February and wouldn't have wanted to do it any differently: have your vaccinations checked and, if necessary, refreshed and have a complete check-up.