A warm welcome: Khalil from Morocco has been studying industrial engineering in Zittau since this year. For about a year now, the "International Coffee Hour " for our foreign students has been held every 14 days, always on Wednesdays. This is an opportunity for fellow students, ERASMUS participants, foreign and German students to meet, exchange ideas and make contacts. We met Khalil there. The former Studienkolleg student tells us how he started his studies and how he was received in Zittau, where the Moroccan-born student has been in Zittau since 2014 and has been studying industrial engineering at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences since the 2015 winter semester. Prior to this, he successfully completed the preparatory college at our university. The first-year student explains his choice of subject as follows: "The 50-50 mix between engineering and business particularly convinced me of this degree course. The diploma degree also played a major role for me, as it gives me secure job prospects, at least in Morocco." He can't yet tell us whether his path will take him back to Morocco after his studies or whether he will stay in Germany, perhaps even in our region. The advantages of a small university location are very clear to him, he said: " The size of the university and the associated student numbers give us many advantages. Sometimes I have problems following the lessons because of my language skills. The manageable size of my course means I can keep asking questions until I understand. The professors are also happy to answer my questions, as they have the time to respond to me at the HSZG. "Khalil also applied in other cities, but it was clear to him from the outset that he would prefer to stay in Zittau. He recalls a campus tour he once took: "I was in Stuttgart once and visited the university and a class / course. There were a lot of people in a seminar room, everyone was talking during the professor's lecture and it was difficult to follow what was going on in class. For me, these are unfavorable study conditions. The peace and quiet at the HSZG is one reason why I like it so much in Zittau."[caption id="attachment_312" align="alignleft" width="803"] Khalil at a photo shoot for the HSZG[/caption]With a smile, Khalil also explains to us that the differences between the Studienkolleg and university are not very big: "The small differences are that I now have contact with more German students instead of foreigners and there are no more difficult German lessons. But the family feeling is still there. The university members have a close connection to campus life and if there is ever a problem, everyone is very helpful. I am already part of this family, for example I support the students when they have a question or ask me for something. "His fellow students and people play a special role in his everyday life as a student: " They are all very nice and friendly. They also always have an open ear for me." Khalil tells us that he lives in a shared flat. He moved into his room there in February this year. He got in touch with the alternative living arrangement through his friend. He decided to apply for one of the advertised rooms because of the shared leisure activities and the pleasant living atmosphere. Most of the people living with him are ecology students. Bernd is one of them. Bernd is the owner of an allotment garden where he invited Khalil. The first-year student reports: "The garden is tended by Bernd and his fellow student. After the two of them convinced me, I visited the 30 square meter garden with them. Of course, I helped them mow the lawn and harvest fruit and vegetables. Maybe I'll rent a garden for the coming summer, because as well as being able to grow fruit and vegetables, you can also relax in a garden and have a bit of a party. "Khalil was given a very good reception in his studies and by the students, and I can only wish the same to anyone else taking the step towards a stay abroad. Whether "there or away", everyone should be able to study without limits and with maximum success. At the end of our interview, Khalil is positive: " I feel very well integrated into the student body. My fellow students and flatmates contribute a lot to this. Even if the choice of study location depends a lot on the person, I can only recommend all graduates of the Studienkolleg to study at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. "Khalil is expected to stay in Zittau until 2019 and we would like to thank him for his positive feedback and his involvement in various projects for a good integration of foreigners in Zittau.photos: Hagen Immel