Many weeks or even months passed since most of us leaved Malaysia, or, to be more precise, Southeast Asia. The last of us returned only a few days ago. Now that everyone found his way back to normal, we want to draw a conclusion.
It’s probably best to continue where we stopped the last one…
Right after our variously and creatively spent mid-term break, the first final exams hit with much work to do than before. As we can tell from the designers, most of us were working insanely often and long on our projects. Even though, the assignments where unexceptional interesting and fun, the work that came with them made us spare lots of our time. In the end however, all of us can tell how proud they are about what we have created in that little time. But not only have we, as designers, worked hard and often, but the managers as well.
Nonetheless was the level of difficulty set high due to the unfamiliarity with some of the programs used to realize our tasks. As an unfortunate consequence, this circumstance forced us to concentrate on a even wider ranged field of tasks, including the understanding of our tools. During that period some of us felt disappointed by the sometimes little help and advice we received from teachers. But this applies only to the stressful part of the semester that, as all of us know, is kind of meant to stress the students in order to learn how to solve problems and finish projects in a certain amount of time.
Talking about our classes, we soon discovered that the engagement of other students was way lower than we are used to here in Germany. As long as students deliver the work they were asked for, the teachers don’t even bother to motivate them and we were surprised by that behavior.
Unaffected by this however, all of us put a lot of effort into the assignments which is definitely noticeable in the outcome.
Right after the last exam, our group began to split and spread itself all over nearby places like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia or others. Even though most of us continued to travel and explore Asia, a little part head homewards already.
Thanks to the semester’s early ending we had enough time to spend for traveling and the like before Christmas came, what turned out to be the main reason for finding the way back home.
Speaking of myself, I made a trip through Southeast Asia for a month and in retrospective I can only say it was worth every cent. We travelled in a small group of four and went to see Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia for one month. Airasia offers a cheap way – the ASEAN ticket – to get everywhere for some hundred euros in total. In these four weeks, we could experience much of these other cultures that are all very different compared to the Malay life and something special for itself.
(Isabell)
Whereas a great friend of mine and I have chosen to stay in Malaise for a little longer. We returned to the beach called Cherating once again and spend three weeks of pure relaxation and adventure alike in our very own hammocks. Thanks to the amazing people there those days turned out to be one of the most precious ones I ever had. Friends and experiences we made during that time are truly priceless.
After leaving our new gained home, we continued the travels in Bali, where we had the great pleasure to meet our families and spend the holidays around Christmas together with them.
All in all I can’t think of an better way to spend the time that was given!
(Benjamin)
When we think back to the time we had in Malaysia and around, even counting the negative aspects in, we are pretty sure to be able to rightfully say, without being corrected by our companions, that we had a hell of a trip everyone is happy to have made.
The Germans have proven their ability to stick together, work together and live together without any major complications. That connection stayed strong even after meeting up with individually chosen new friends from all around the world, what makes us proud and happy.
We would be lying, if we’d say we weren’t happy to finally check out of our accommodation. But being stuck there and held together only strengthened our connection as a group. You wouldn’t believe how strong a bound can become when there is a common obstacle to face.
To name only one of those obstacles, the house’s condition is to criticize in a way of cleanliness and organization, even though it only exists since merely a few years. What makes is even worse is, that the management hardly made a move to change that.
Concerning the University, at lest we as Designers ended up pretty satisfied. We were confronted with new programs and essentials to improve our skills. Unfortunately the Managers couldn’t be pleased the same way. Their classes turned out to teach only basics and knowledge all of them already knew, what didn’t help the to evolve themselves.
As we are already kind of used to from our former semesters in Germany, the organization of Limkokwing could be improved. All the students have to manage their ways through the struggle of signing in, finding the classes and delivering the assignments correctly.
Even though the list of points of criticism could be much longer, we don’t have the aim to talk that negatively about it, since we owe it all, the positive and the negative, what we got in return: An absolutely amazing Semester full of new experiences and memories.