Germany: Travel guide, visas and free housing · 2026

АМАнгелина Мардоянmardoyanal · Feb 24, 2024Read

A little about the program itself: StayAfrica was founded in 1972. Volunteers can choose the field they would like to work in: education (preschool and school), environmental protection, animal rescue, social work, medicine, sports camps, or community organizations. The duration is from 2 to 12 weeks. At the airport, I was met by a driver who took me to the volunteer house. It is a one-story building, but quite large, with separate rooms for guys and girls. There are several kitchens, a living room, and a private courtyard where everyone sunbathed during the day and hung out in the evenings; the bathrooms are shared. There, I was met by Papa Noel (that's what we called the house manager), a wonderful person with whom I had heartfelt conversations. The house itself is located in a safe and quiet area, but it was always noisy at our place, as the guys threw parties every evening. I quickly got to know the other volunteers; they are all very sweet and always ready to help. On the first day, I was scared and nervous, but I quickly got used to the environment. I lived with 5 girls in one room, but everyone was friendly, and there were no quarrels or conflicts the whole time. The volunteers were from all over the world, but mostly from Germany. I was the only one from Russia. I arrived there on Friday, and on Monday, all the newcomers had an orientation day. At the meeting, we met Kevin, the project coordinator. He explained what our work involves, warned us about theft, told funny stories that had happened to volunteers, and gave safety tips and just various life hacks.

DSDiana Semenenko02din02 · Jan 9, 2023Read

WHO AM I? First of all, let’s make an acquaintance, I’m Diana, I’m 20 years old, and I’m a student of the faculty of foreign languages. I study English and German and this is truly curious for me. I’ve been studying English since the 8th grade and exactly then I understood that I’m really into this, that’s why I entered the faculty of foreign languages, where I also began to study German . To tell the truth, English always was closer to me than German , and maybe because of it, I know English better. It’s clear that I also wanted to talk to some native speakers to check my knowledge or even confidence. Fortunately, I had such a possibility last year, but before I’ll tell you about it, I must explain the way how I hit this point… 2 YEARS AGO… The first time when I learnt about some exchange programs for students was the first year of my studying at the university. To be more specific, it was the first summer for me as a student, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t want just to rest, I contemplated how to find such an activity, where I could travel and earn some money. At first, I found the program Erasmus+, it’s an exchange program, in which students can study in another country and that’s it. That idea was inappropriate for me, cause I also wanted to clear my mind and not think about studying. Luckily, I watched a video on YouTube, in which a girl told about her participating in Work&Travel USA, after watching I was overwhelmed with emotions, I really liked the idea to go abroad, to another country and earning some money. And that’s why I started to search the information about this program. First of all, I found the stories about other students’ experiences, the information about companies who help the students to make their dreams true, also I learnt all the conditions thoroughly. So, everyone can take part in the program if she or he is: A student (full-time education in higher education institution) A student of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 5th course of study(not the last one, it’s very important) More than 18 years old Able to speak English at level pre-intermediate Also, I learnt that the program allows going not only to the USA but also to other countries, for instance, to Germany . MY EXPERIENCE At the end of summer 2021, I told my friend about all my ideas and she agreed to go with me, she was truly glad to hear such a suggestion from me. So, we decided to go to Germany . Why did we choose Germany , but not the USA? The answer is quite simple, we were afraid of the huge distance and new, such a big country. But to tell the truth, the idea of the USA was more attractive to me, but the fear was stronger than my desire. Now I understand the previous “me”, but everything changed after the summer of 2022, I’m not afraid anymore, I’ve already been so far from my relatives, friends and it was okay, 3 months or even more isn’t a big term. This participating in Work&Travel Germany became the reboot for me and I liked it so much. When you try Work&Travel once, it will be hard for you to give up. Why did I decide to take part in Work&Travel USA? As you’ve already understood I was glad to spend my summer in Germany as a participant of Work&Travel Germany , but my first desire was exactly the USA. Why? As I study at the faculty of foreign languages, where I study English and German , it would be good for my educational skills. I really like English and even in Germany when I tried to speak German , it was more convenient for me to speak English, then I decided that I will go to an English-speaking country the next time. If all European countries are similar, even Germany and Ukraine, then the USA is quite different. Even in my childhood, when I watched some American movies, I saw that the architecture, people and laws are different; I really enjoyed those high skyscrapers, friendly people and strict laws. Maybe, I’m mistaken, but I want to check it out. Now I’m more confident and if in 2021 I was scared of the thought about the USA, then

ASAdemi Seiilkhanovaademi.erbazina · Jan 7, 2023Read

The future is in the hands of the youth! This is why it is so important for young people to receive an education, gain experience, and serve their country. There are many programs for youth to study abroad and gain experience in the country, including Bolashak, WAT USA, and academic mobility programs, which I consider the best. Such programs have many benefits for young people: they broaden their knowledge, enhance their experience, allow them to study the culture and language of other nations, learn to apply modern technologies in life, implement them in our country, and also make friends from other countries and become advanced citizens. My name is Ademi, I was born in the city of Aktobe, and I am currently a 3rd-year student at Zhubanov University, a prestigious educational institution in the western region. I have many hobbies for all-around development; I love reading books, watching movies, especially Marvel, watching football, and learning languages is a special pleasure for me. Since childhood, I have dreamed of studying abroad and traveling a lot. But now I am studying in Kazakhstan, so I try to make the most of the opportunities provided for a high-quality and interesting student life. Currently, I am studying in the Republic of Poland for one academic semester on a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This was my first trip abroad, and I am very grateful to Allah, my parents, and the university staff for being here at this time. It was a big step for a 19-year-old dreamy girl. Here, I am not only improving my English but also learning Polish, have found many friends, broadened my horizons, and seen the culture and lifestyle of other nations. I was also a volunteer at the university; in Poland, there are many competitions and sports events for different age categories, from small preschoolers to elderly people over 70. And this also gave me ideas about the development of sports in Kazakhstan. And since we are in the EU zone, traveling to other EU countries did not cause us any problems, and I traveled with friends to countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and the Czech Republic. During this trip, I had many new ideas, sincere emotions, and, most importantly, the thought: 'I am not going to stop at what I have achieved.' Also, for the first time in my life, I traveled on a liner, sailing across the Baltic Sea to Sweden. In Sweden, I became interested in Scandinavian culture, and this trip brought many ideas that could be implemented after seeing clean, smooth roads. One of them is the production of asphalt from waste; it is known that the country has many problems with roads, and I think that to find a solution, it is necessary to take such latest technologies and innovations from developed states as a model. And the emotions I received from the trip, especially from being at the sea for the first time, gave me special sensations; the first impression on the Baltic Sea, I fell in love with the beauty of the sea on the beach in Barcelona, Spain, and a burning love for the water world appeared. I was also in Barcelona at the Camp Nou stadium, one of my childhood dreams. I will say that over the last 3 months abroad, there have been many useful and interesting moments for me. In a month, I will return to Kazakhstan; many events have happened in my life in Poland, there were many interesting moments in our trip to Europe, and I will always remember this period of my life. And now, if I talk about why I want to participate in the WAT USA program. This program is very useful for students; I believe it is better to have more such programs so that students can not only study but also spend 3 months of vacation having fun and being productive. I have known about the WAT USA program since the 10th grade when my teacher's daughter first visited the USA, and my teacher talked about it interestingly, showed photos of her daughter, and gave me motivation that we would al

AGAnzhelika Gorbachevaangeliika210 · Dec 19, 2022Read

Answers began to appear in my curious mind little by little, which brought some peace of mind. Three days later, my friend took me to the International Exchange Center office, where all my worries and fears vanished, which I was very happy about. While the memories are fresh in my mind, I decided to share what I learned after getting to know the International Exchange Center. But first things first. So, various exchange programs had been familiar to me since childhood: they were written about in English textbooks (yes, those ones with the perpetually happy faces), my school and language courses participated in experience exchanges, and private exchange agencies were promoted by linguist teachers (in my school, these were trips to countries like Germany, the UK, and Finland). However, it was scary and expensive to participate in such private programs: you are alone, in a host family, without classmates or friends, and communication with relatives in your native language was kept to a minimum. One fine day, in a critical situation, you could simply be put out on the street with your belongings. Such a prospect did not please me at all, so I always refrained from such events. Now, a completely different, modern, and effective type of international exchange has opened up to me: full informational transparency, interesting speaking clubs, and the support and help of the wonderful International Exchange Center team (for which I am very grateful to them). I was surprised that you are supervised, in fact, until the very end of the program, and most of the paperwork, which I don't like very much, is handled directly by the International Exchange Center. In a word, doubts are gone, and risks and fears have been minimized as a result of interacting with the organization. This is very helpful when participants, like me, come without experience, knowing almost nothing about exchange programs.

BGBibikhanym Gabdilkhalykbibikhanyms · Dec 17, 2022Read

The new year 2022 has come, I am leaving with a group of friends from the city of love, Paris, we are heading by bus full of exhausted, but nevertheless happy people, to Germany , passing Brussels. During these adventures, everyone fulfilled their little dreams. Young, excited people sing songs in chorus, waiting for the next destination, and only I am sitting in the thought… I'm thinking what to do next after returning to Kazakhstan. After all, my exchange semester should end soon, and not all young and ambitious people, whom I am, want to stay in one place. On my return, going through all the options to continue exploring our vast world, since Europe has shown what a multicultural world it is, I came across all kinds of programs for students, including Work and Travel. I have a golden rule, "if you see an opportunity- take it." And I follow this rule dutifully. Despite the fact that I, as an ordinary person, have a habit of breaking the rules and not keeping my words. And as you can see from where you see this story, my dear readers, I followed my rule this time too. And so, let's figure out why Work and Travel? And what kind of experience do I want to get? Firstly, I would like to point out that the program allows you to work in an English-speaking country. This is a great opportunity for guys whose profession is related to English, and even more so for future teachers like me. Language is an instrument of thinking. To handle the language somehow means to think somehow: inaccurately, approximately, incorrectly. Learning and knowing the structure of a language is one thing, it's another thing to speak and feel a language. When you try to speak correctly, follow language rules - this creates difficulties, and being in the environment with native speakers gives the person a huge bonus and removes those very barriers. In the process of working together you get used to live speech, remember the features of intonation and pronunciation, learn to distinguish different dialects. Moreover, knowledge of the language develops memory and thinking, enriches the inner world, helps to better understand the culture of native speakers. In addition, words that sound somehow in your language take on a different meaning in a foreign one. Secondly, travel. As the name of the program itself says, the purpose of the program is to work and travel. Coming to travel and going back is a good and pleasant pastime, but the experience that I will describe to you now is much more interesting. Summer. You found friends from different countries, you have one common language, you worked and were a close-knit team, you spent a productive and most atmospheric summer in the country of Netflix, McDonalds, Apple, skyscrapers, baseball and capitalism, and then you go on a trip to the states that you dreamed of getting to since childhood on your hard-earned money. You have to admit, it sounds fascinating! When else in your life will you have such a chance? Travel develops us. I'm sure you've heard it many times. So how does this manifest itself? Before my exchange studies, I thought I was good at geography, and I was wrong. It turned out that I was confusing ordinary facts, and it was my arrival in Europe and the desire to visit every corner of it that helped me consolidate my knowledge about this culture. Now, I know which country borders on another, now I know the capitals of the Scandinavian countries, which I constantly confused, I can distinguish the architectural style of medieval cathedrals, and that Finnish is not a Germanic language at all, as I previously thought. I know facts that I would never have guessed to search on Google in my life, I know folk history from the stories of the citizens themselves. I thought I knew enough about America, because my generation grew up consuming American content. However, based on my experience, I know that I still have a lot to learn. In addition, it is an opportunity to show the world your people. Kazakhstan is a mul

NANurkhan Almasalmasnurkhan7 · Dec 13, 2022Read

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE CENTER My Trip to America Performed by: 2023 International Exchange Contest participant Almas Nurkhan Checked by: International Exchange Center Astana, 2022. Youth travel and student exchange programs – what I know about them. Nowadays, one of the main dreams of students is to work abroad through an international exchange program, earn a substantial amount of money, and travel to see beautiful places that satisfy the eyes. This is the only effective way to fulfill these dreams: youth travel and international student exchange programs. It is no secret to those interested that this program has achieved great success to date. The program has been operating for over 50 years. Of course, the country that students are most interested in is the United States of America. The beautiful cities and amazing scenic places of developed America inspire not only students but people of all ages. However, the program is not limited to the USA. Besides that, it opens paths to the best countries in Europe, such as Germany and England. But the main goal of summer travel and international student exchange is to provide an opportunity to expand knowledge and understanding of the United States of America through joint cultural and work experience. Yes, it is certain that every student who has participated in this program learns a lot by engaging in interesting traditions, new culture, civilization, and a new society in the USA. As the saying goes, "Seeing is believing," a person quickly integrating into the life of a country on another continent across the ocean teaches them more than just earning money and working. Furthermore, by seeing historical places with their own eyes, they can understand history, and by talking directly to people, they can understand the culture, education level, and social stereotypes of that country. My experience in the youth travel and international exchange program. I am participating in this program for the first time. Therefore, this will be my future experience. I have not been to the USA, but I know what it is like to go to another country. In 2017-2018, I traveled to Uzbekistan twice. During the trip with my mother, I visited Tashkent, where the Kazakh judge Tole Bi is buried, and Samarkand, where Amir Timur built a mausoleum. Although Uzbekistan is a neighboring country close to Kazakhstan, there are other places full of different nations, different cultures, different history, and civilization. Especially, the Registan mausoleum in Samarkand, which delves into the depths of history, made a special impression on me. The peculiarity is that Amir Timur, after having this mausoleum built, cut off the master's eyes and hands but gave him gold equal to the weight of a horse's head. Such interesting events and meeting people were a great experience for me. This trip inspired me to go to the USA through the youth travel and student exchange program. Why did I decide to participate in the program? The program opened up great opportunities for me. That is, if I implement it, using these opportunities would be the most effective way for me. What are these opportunities? First of all, it is earning a large sum of money. As we know, the value of money in the USA is significantly higher than in Kazakhstan. Accordingly, we can work in the USA and earn a large sum of money. Saving this money allows us to travel abroad, see beautiful places, bring gifts to our family, friends, and other loved ones, and also spend this money effectively in Kazakhstan. For example, my goal is to buy a car and a house. Since I am a student now, my parents bear all my financial burdens. And a car and a house would improve my situation quite a bit. Yes, although the money from the program is not enough to buy a house completely, it is enough to pay the down payment. The youth travel and international student exchange program gives its participants such great financial opportunities. I used to think of this as a gift. Secondly, b