Gauss-Telegraph: 17 international people in Braunschweig – Andrés Muñoz

Gauss-Telegraph: 17 international people in Braunschweig – Andrés Muñoz

by Yasaman Kafshi

  1. Where are you from?

I come from Mexico.

  1. When and why did you come to Braunschweig?

In 2014 I came to Braunschweig. In 2013 I took part in the TU9-ING week in Braunschweig and Hanover. Through this I got to know the city and I liked the atmosphere for studying very much. Furthermore, my major is aerospace engineering and Braunschweig is one of the best locations for this field.

  1. Which problems did you have since the beginning of your stay in Germany?

At the beginning of my stay I had problems finding an apartment.

  1. Would you like to share your experiences of emigration to Germany with other international students?

Yes, I did that several times, for example last year when the TU9-ING week was again organized in Braunschweig.

  1. How did you find out about the Gauss-Haus?

Through the TU9-ING week. One year later, at the beginning of my studies, I looked directly for the Gauss Friends’ events.

  1. What do you think about the “Gauss-Haus” in general?

It is a good place to get to know many people and cultures. I also think it’s nice to learn more about the cultures. Usually you can’t just learn a lot about the culture of someone who comes from another country. In the Gauss-Haus there is the possibility to learn more about cultures and experience them a little bit through the lectures or at the cooking workshop.

  1. What is the special feature of the Gauss-Haus?

The variety of activities and people, also the different languages that are spoken at Gauss-Haus. I think another special feature is the openness for all cultures or ideologies (racist ideologies are of course not allowed). We are also composed of alumni students and employees of the University of Braunschweig. At Gauss-Haus you can exchange ideas with people from different backgrounds. For example, students can exchange experiences with alumni students who have already successfully finished their studies.

  1. When did you join Gauss Friends?

I have been active at Gauss-Haus since 2016. In the same year I got involved in the department for international students and in October 2017, when we started the Gauss-Haus project at the university, I got a HiWi position. Since January 2020 I have taken over the management of Gauss Friends and since February 2020 of the Gauss-Haus project.

  1. What tasks do you have at Gauss-Haus?

In 2016 we did everything on a voluntary basis and I was responsible for the coordination of the Gauss Buddy Program. I was also part of the coordination of the Gauss-Haus and therefore helped to plan the semester program, the First Steps program, various excursions and other events. In 2017 and 2018 I also helped more with the finances. 2017 was also the time when we used our homepage again and actively updated it. Since last year I have taken full responsibility for the finances of the association and have done more strategy work together with Younouss. Now I am the project manager and the provisional president of Gauss Friends.

  1. How did you like your tasks at Gauss-Haus?

I enjoy it very much, especially because I do not have a defined routine. I have also learned a lot and gained a lot of experience in the area of strategic thinking and leadership skills. Before, I had no knowledge of how to edit a website, so I have gained more and more experience in this area.

  1. Do you have any interesting stories about your work at Gauss-Haus? If so, please tell me shortly.

A nice experience was when I skyped from China with the others at Gauss Haus. We did a short interview after the presentation. It was the first time we used such online tools for an event. It was fun to be there virtually after a few months.

  1. What is your favourite event or activity at Gauss-Haus?

My favourite event is Santa Gauss. I think this evening is always a nice moment, especially when we have decorated everything nicely. Outside the Gauss-Haus, the excursion to Bremen is one of my favourite events.

  1. When and what was your best moment at Gauss-Haus?

My best moment was when we won the award last year. We were in the Gauss Library (the association room) and at that moment we got a call from Bonn that we won the price for the excellent support of international students.

  1. Was there already an event about your country at Gauss-Haus? If so, what did you think of the evening?

Yes, since I’ve been at Gauss-Haus, I’ve been presenting about Mexico in general, but also about the Day of the Dead festival and Maria has been putting make-up on people. I think since last semester the quality and atmosphere has improved.

  1. Are there such international projects at the universities in your home country? If so, please tell me shortly!

I don’t know exactly, because I did my whole studies in Braunschweig.