About Saarbrucken for new exchange students

Is worth it to be an exchange student in Saarbrucken?

In this article I share my experience about how is like to be an exchange student in Saarbrucken.

What is Saarbrucken? Where is located?

You’ve probably heard about the most known cities of Germany like Berlin, Munchen, Hamburg or Leipzig, but never heard about Saarbrucken. Don’t worry nor did I knew of it until I was looking at the possible partner universities from which I had to choose back at my home university in Bucharest.

Well, now I know that Saarbrucken is the residence of the Saarland County located in the west of Germany, in the immediate vicinity of France.

Saarbrucken is not a very large modern like city, but rather is more like a green city situated on hills and surrounded by nature.

Plus, the river Saar, from which the city tales it’s name, crossees Saarbrucken creating small green banks where people are relaxing, or drinking a few beers with their friends or family.

The green aspect of the city is something that I truly enjoy because I am a person who loves nature. So, for me, coming from too crowded and polluted Bucharest to Saarbrucken feels like a full and long breath of fresh air that I don’t want to let go from my lungs.

How much the rent costs? How can I find a rent?

I notice that in Germany is common to live in a shared flat which they call a WG. Here I insert some examples of websites where you can search for accomodation:

• WG GESUCHT
• IMMOBILIEN SCOUT 24
• E-BAY
• IMMONET.DE
• MY-NEXT-HOME.DE

Before arriving here I had to find a place to stay by my own because the university doesn’t offer a student dormitory.

One of my german friends suggested me to look up on WG Gesucht which is the most popular and updated website for rentals. I searched a lot and send messages to all of the people who were offering what I was looking for.

Usually if you are planning to stay for a longer time, they will accept you, but with short period rentals is harder.

Finally, after more then one month of sending message I had finally found a room to rent in a shared flat.

The monthly rent is 265 euros and the price includes everything (utilities, internet, etc). I know from asking other collegues that this is quite a reasonable price in Saarbrucken. For example, other friends of mine are paying:

• 300 euros
• 280 euros
• 240 euros
• 190 euros ( but for a very small room ).
• A single room without internet and shared kitcken in one of the dormitory costs 220 euros. But l also think that living in a dormitory is not a preferred option in Germany.

Is Saarbrucken a student city?

As far as I know, there are 4 universities in Saarbrucken. I am an exchange student at one of those three, namely Hochschule der Blindenden der Kunste Saar which is the newest and smallest here. But, apart from my courses in HBK, I also go to same courses which take place in other 2 universities.

HBK is the Academy of Fine Arts where students can follow subjects like free arts, media art, communication design, product design, art education, curating and many more.

In HBK I am enrolled as a Free Art student and I have courses such as Atelier Project, Ceramics, Digital Printing, Baum and Bild ( creating an artwork in the French-Deutsch Garden). Actually, I think it is wrong to name these courses, because none of it is theoretical, but rather a workshop where we develop our ideas into a practical work with more or less help coming from the teachers. A thing we do for sure: we discuss.

HTW-Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes offers fields of study like Electrical engineering, Computer Science, Energy System Technology, so topics related to technology and economy. For sure, I don’t go here for these, but for the deutsch language course.

Saarland University has probably the largest campus I’ve ever been to. In this university students are doing research in computer science, materials science, nano technology, being consistently remembered as one of the top universities in these fields in Germany. Among the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science or the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, there are faculties of Medicine, Law, Humanities.

Why I go here if I am an art student?

Saarland University offers sports programs for students at a very low or affordable price and same classes are even free.

I participate in a dance course called “Dance Revolution” that costs 28 euros per semmester and in the Zumba class which is totally free. I enjoy it so much and have lots of fun during these courses and I highly recommend it for people who like to dance.

Other times, when I want a quiet place for studying I go to university’s library where I always find concentration to study and wifi. And yeah, even if I am not a student at Saarland Uni, I still can enter the library or take the sport classes and I’m not the only one who does this.

And let’s not forget about Hochschule für Musik Saar which is an university dedicated to music, sound research and maybe other things that I don’t know about.

I can say that because of these universities, Saarbrucken is inhabited by quite a few students. When I go out in the city I notice them biking, studying in the campus, drinking a beer in a pub or working in one and relaxing down the river on hot summer evenings or free days.

From what I see around the campus there are many events dedicated to students, so they will not get into a boring routine. For example, I know from a friend who is a student at Saarland University, that every week groups of foreign students organize an international evening with a presentation of their culture, food and music to which everyone is invited.

From my experience, the atmosphere at the Spanish evening was wonderful.

Student festivals and various parties are organised by all of the universities.

Art, culture and history

When it comes to art, culture and history, I observe that the city has few important institutions of which I can talk more about the Saarland Museum and it’s Modern Gallery.

Now on display there is a solo exhibition by Giuseppe Penone, an italian sculptor who happens to be on my list of favorite artists. He is known for his large scale artworks made out of natural materials.

In Modern Gallery along the tall walls Penone exposes what appears to be the inner part of some big trunks of trees which seem to float creating a meditative atmosphere. On the opposite of the room, the artist arranges a pile of dry leaves on the floor creating a beautiful relationship with an outside tree that can be seen through the glass wall.

In other interesting and provoking works, the italian artist uses naturals horns and by doing so he develops strong compositions of drawing, color, texture and meaning.

His works will remain on display until 18th of August 2019. I encourage you to visit his exhibition before it is over.

Besides the temporary exhibitions and events, the museum has a permanent collection that includes, for example, paintings by artists such as Girogio de Chirico, Picasso, Franz Marc, Max Ernst many sculptures created by the Ukrainian-born American avant-garde artist Alexander Archipenko, important graphic and photography works.

I have not written above, but now is the time to mention that HBK has a gallery called “galerie der HBK saar” where there are many exhibitions that are constantly changing and showing usually contemporary artworks.

“Galerie Zimmerling & Jungfleisch” is also another gallery of this kind which I recommend too.

Among the most significant cultural and historical institutions in Saarbrucken I find:

• Saarland Museum
• Saar Historical Museum
• Saarbrücker Schloss
• Ludwigskirche
• Johanneskirche
• Saarländisches Staatstheater
• IntensivTheater

Which are the best parks?

Very often I go by myself or with the other Erasmus students and friends in the Deutsch Französischer Garten, a large park that has also a lake with many types of birds and ducks.

The green area is spread, clean and flat, so having a picnic on the grass is more then perfect. The atmosphere is relaxed, but on Sunday is getting a bit crowded.

Am Staden is a park situated down the river in which I like to go when the weather is super nice and I want to drink beer outside and not in a pub. It is also a good place for having a barbeque or celebration with friends.

Wildpark has animals like deers, bisons, goats, wild boars, owls and here you can have an experience at Park Aventura too.

How is the transportation?

The public transport covers all of the little parts of the city.

From the begining of the semmester I have had a student ID card for the transportation. The subscription costs 130 euros for the whole semmester and with it covers the use of bus, tram or train in entire Saarland. For example, my card is valid for a trip from Saarbrucken to Trier, which is very cool.

Otherwise if I don’t have my card transportation I have to pay more then 2 euros for one bus ticket. That’s expensive and not worth it.

An important bus station which can be useful to know for newcomers is Rathaus, a central point. A lot of buses are departing from here in various parts and neighborhoods of the city.

Many people are riding bikes too, so I think having a bike and going around with it is a good idea too.

Places to visit near Saarbrucken

The main reason for my mobility in Saarbrucken is travelling around it. So far I have been to:

• Luxembourg ( 1h 20 minutes away with the FlixBus )

• Trier ( about 1 h with the train )
• Strasbourg ( 1h 30 min with a car )
• Metz ( 1h with a car )
• Frankfurt ( about 3 h with the FlixBus )
• Paris ( 5 h with the FlixBus )
• Mettlach ( 30 to 40 minutes away with the train )
• Volkingen ( 10 minutes away with the train )

Saarschleife and Volkingen are the closest places to visit and a must see when you are leaving in Saarbrucken.

In Mettlach you can hike up to “Saarschleife” to see a beautiful landscape with the loop of the Saar river about which I encourage you to read my article about this place.

In the 19th and 20th centuries Völklinger Hütte used to be one of the greatest iron-making complex whose production stopped in 1986.

Now Volkingen Ironworks are a part of a large museum and has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

Weltkulturerbe is an european center for art and industrial culture organizes here various events such as the “UrbanArt Biennale” or "Pharaohs Gold - 3,000 Years Ancient Egyptian High Culture".

Students from HBK have also studios in this industrial but now cultural space.

Where I can drink a beer?

There are a few good pubs in the city. The ones in which I go and recommend are:

• Tante Anna ( we play table games here )
• Synop ( good music )
• Mono Gaststätte ( this one and the following one are situated in Nauwieser Viertel, a neighborhood in which there are many bars, pubs, music stores, boutiques )
• Gasthaus Bingert
• Ulanen Pavillon ( outside brewery located in Am Staden park )
• Kaverne ( hokaah lounge )
• Old Murphy’s( an irish pub located right in the old city center )

  

As for clubs, it depends a lot on your taste. If you like all kind of music then Garage can be an option, if you prefer latino and reggaeton music Havana is a place to be, on the other hand, if you are all about the techno music, Silodom or Mauerpfeiffer are match for you.

Where I eat in Saarbrucken and how much it costs?

The universities have Mensa.

In HBK, the food is cooked by students and there isn’t a menu, only one meal option which costs 2,5 euros. Usually, the food is vegan and vegeterian friendly. I remember having a delicious vegan lunch with rice and vegetables.

Most of the times, I eat in HTW canteen before my deutsch course starts. The canteen is quite big and here there are diffrent menus from which students can pick what they like. A full meal that contains meat, pasta or rice and salad is about 3 euros.

Because I am vegan, here I can have a large serving of spicy rice, steamed vegetables, pasta with tomato sauce, salads and bread. I also like the fact that I can put the food by myself in the plate so I can control how much or less I take.

For my meal I pay arround 2,5 euros. The food is good and at the end of my lunch I feel full.

Saarland Univesity has the largest canteen, but I have not eaten there yet, so I can’t say my opinion about it. All I know is that, compared to the HTW canteen, here the portions are smaller, but more expensive and you can pay only with the student card.

I have a feeling that the most known cheap and good place to eat in Saarbrucken is Arian Grill. There are always people in front of it eating or waiting in line for a donner or rigatoni.

I ate here a few times and thier falafel donner is very good and it costs 3 euros.

I recommand Arian Grill especially if you find yourself being hungry while going home from a pub, club or party.

In Kalinsky you can eat delicious traditional german curry wurst. One serving of curry wurst with fries costs 4-5 euros and in my opinion it’s so worth it. The vegan version of the wurst is lecker! lecker! lecker!, extremly tasty. Plus, the people working in Kalinsky are always very nice.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money by eating out or you simply like to cook at home then you can shop for groceries in

• Lidl
• Aldi
• Edeka
• Rewe
• or the oriental markets.

Often I do my groceries shopping in Lidl because is the closest to my home and has the lowest prices for what I always get: fruits, vegetables and hummus.

Edeka is also an option that I prefer due to it’s variety of products and brands.

Small oriental markets or asian markets are perfect if you are looking for specific foods as pita bread, tahini, hummus, halva, falafel, olives, rice, spicy sauces, noodles.

My weekly cost for what I buy in the supermarket is around 10-12 euros.

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