This week, we’re shaking things up with two campus cuties- exchange students Thomas and Klemens from Austria. Take a look as they share with us a little about their experience abroad and what they are learning from it. They have been studying at NMSU since August and would like to make as many memories as possible.
Interview 1
Name:
Klemens Stangl
Age:
23
Major:
Mechanical Engineering
What year are you in?
Undergraduate – Senior
Where are you from (city, country)?
Austria – Graz
Why did you choose NMSU as your exchange?
“I see my exchange semester as a personal challenge: new place, new people and a lot of experiences. I am here at NMSU via ISEP – a student exchange program. I chose NMSU because I was able to take engineering classes here, the Spanish speaking people to learn a little bit of Spanish and, of course, I like the good weather here.”
What do you think about this experience so far?
“Some of them I will never forget. Some moments were amazing for me. The semester abroad is so far extremely good, and exactly what I expected from it.”
Are you involved with any activities on campus?
“No, not related to the university.”
What do you enjoy to do during your free time here? Is it different from your hobbies back home?
“I really enjoy the possibilities of doing different sports here on campus and for free. I can go to the gym, I can go swimming, I can go rock climbing or just go running, and all of that on campus – and that is the difference to my home university. In Austria we don’t have sport facilities on campus.”
What do you think you will take away from this experience? Would you recommend it to others?
“Something I learned from this experience is believing in yourself. Far away from home, you are on your own and you have to deal with it. Of course there are a lot of friendly people around you that are more than willing to help you, and this in fact can make it much easier for you. For sure, I would encourage everyone to take the chance to study abroad. It is a mind-changing experience and you get to know other people and places, and also yourself.”
What are some places you’d like to visit?
“In the US there are some places like Hawaii and Alaska I would like to see. And of course a lot of countries I would like to travel to, like Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, China, Australia and more.”
Any future plans after graduation?
“Doing some international internships, because it is a great opportunity to work and travel abroad.”
Klemens (left) and Thomas representing their home country at NMSU’s Vista del Monte Apartments
Interview 2
Name:
Thomas Neger-Loibner
Age:
24
Major:
Mechanical Engineering
What year are you in?
Graduate Student, 3rd semester
Where are you from (city, country)?
Graz, Austria
Favorite quote:
“To accomplish great things, you need to dream as well as act”
Why did you choose NMSU as your exchange?
“I’ve always wanted to do my exchange semester in the United States, and so I applied for the ISEP-program at my home university. NMSU is part of this program and was recommended to me from some students who have been here in the last years. Moreover, I liked the huge campus and also the location in the middle of the US, which is the perfect origin for road trips. And last but not least, the weather is extremely nice here!”
What do you think about this experience so far?
“So far, my exchange semester here at NMSU is definitely the best time of my studies! I meet new people almost every day. I enjoy the life on campus and use most of the weekends for travelling!”
Are you involved with any activities on campus?
No.
What do you enjoy to do on your free time here? Is it different from your hobbies back home?
“In my free time I do a lot of sports, hang out with friends and participate in all kind of events and activities on campus. Basically I do the same things back home, but I just have a lot more free time here.”
What do you think you will take away from this experience? Would you recommend it to others?
“I’ll definitely recommend it to others, and I’ve already started to motivate some friends to apply for a student exchange. Although the whole application process is a lot of work, it’s totally worth it! During the whole semester, you experience new things and challenges almost every day, and I think it’s a big benefit for your personality!”
What are some places you’d like to visit?
“My list is still huge, but Australia and Thailand are on the top!”
Any future plans after graduation?
“Working in research, hopefully earning a lot of money and maybe starting a PhD.”