Motivation for the visit
The opportunities here at Europa-Universität Flensburg to go abroad through Erasmus+ and/or EMERGE are so diverse! I’ve heard a lot about them and have been on the lookout for the right opportunity for quite some time. This Staff Week in France was the perfect opportunity for me, and the time was finally right! I’m very happy that my application was successful and that I was able to travel to Rennes at the end of June 2026.
In my position at the Secretariat for Language, Literature, and Media, we deal extensively with the “usual” foreign languages. I myself have a great fondness for French and am always thrilled when I get to speak the language, have opportunities to improve my skills, and immerse myself in French-speaking environments. Since Université Rennes 2 is an EMERGE partner university of the EUF and the Institute of Romance Studies frequently collaborates with lecturers there and with the International Center, this Staff Week was also an opportunity to get to know the staff there and form my own impression of the Rennes 2 campus.
Preparation
Early in the spring, I had already taken care of the necessary travel arrangements and found a place to stay. It was a typical old Breton half-timbered cottage right in the heart of the city, and I was very happy when the landlord wrote right away: “Be warned: it’s a college town and it might get noisy.” Yes, I definitely wanted to be part of life there! I’d also done some research on the city, the people, and the university: that way, you get the hang of things and find your way around much faster once you’re there.
Stay
There were 28 of us participating in Staff Week, coming from a variety of European countries. My language course had 14 participants and was taught by really great instructors who pushed us hard but still made it a lot of fun. Everything was conducted in French, even the breaks and the activities on the side. On the very day we arrived (Sunday), we joined the Fête de la Musique, which takes place all over the country, in the many small streets of the city center. We also got to take part in a wonderful guided tour of the city and explored the surrounding area. So we were truly immersed in French life and language, and we learned a lot about the French education system and social contexts.