IESN Traffic Light Party

Traffic Light Party organized by IESN at the end of September in Studentcafé De Beurs. Let's go out on Thursday and party!

People from International Erasmus Student Network organized thematic Traffic Light Party and as I had nothing else to do, I joined. The theme sent a clear message – your relationship status. Like on the traffic light, you were offered at the entrance 3 colours – green, yellow and orange. Green signalized that you are single, orange people are off limits (well, there is a saying that boyfriend is not a fence nor an incurable decease, but let's leave this now) and yellow… how knows, maybe secretly in love with someone or in complicated phase or a romance. Quite easy, no need to get a special outfit. I hoped that my fellow Czech exchange students would join me, but I didn't manage to convince them. The party was scheduled to start at 10 p.m., so I was there like 10.30, at the entrance picked up green bracelet in exchange for my ticket I bought for 2€ at the ESN office a week before and I entered the pub...

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Labels: Erasmus, Pretty Girls, Pub

First trip behind the borders – Lanaken in Belgium

It's sunny Saturday, ideal time for some bike trip to explore the neighbourhood of Maastricht after our first week at SBE at Maastricht University. The one of the closest Belgian town to Maastricht is Lanaken, so let's ride there.

I've been in Maastricht for almost 3 weeks now, but I have a bike only for a week. I wanted to use the first free Saturday with sunny weather for a trip. I convinced my fellow Czech student Zuzka to come with me. Bára had to do some stuff for school, but she said that we should stop by on our way back. Great idea, bike trip and then dinner together when we could discuss our first week at Maastricht University. I was not sure which direction to take, so why not to the nort-west to Belgium? I was curious if I could spot some difference there.

We met at 2 p.m. at my place and with a simple map in hand, we started out first bike trip. Biking in the Netherlands is fun and easy. Traffic is made for that, cyclist have enough space. No the case of Belgium. First difference spotted. But on the other hand the only other thing that signalized that we crossed the border was the sign. Later on the buildings we different too. In Maastricht and general in the Netherlands the architecture of regular houses is very similar and simple with mostly dark colours used. The suburbs of Lanaken were on the other hand were full of large houses and each of them was different to the others. Like as rich people would live there, a bit more similar to the Czech Republic but there you cannot see any trees close by.

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Labels: Beer, Belgium, Bike, Czech people, Erasmus, Sightseening, Weather

Period 3 at Maastricht University – summary

Period 3 lasts only 2 weeks and you have a skill course. This intensive training was the last part of my exchange semester in Maastricht.

Most of the exchange students do not attend the skill course in Period 3, because coming back for 2 weeks does not make sense if you live far away. The exams for period 2 are scheduled before Christmas and period 3 begins in the mid January so only those who need the credits come back after 3 weeks holiday. The second factor is the course selection possibility. As most of the master programmes lasts only one year, the only skill courses provided at master level are thesis connected and as Erasmus exchange student, you are not allowed to enroll and of course it does not make any sense to do so. Your choice is then restricted to the offered skill courses at bachelor level.

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Labels: Erasmus, Excel, Library, MSc, PBL, Study, University

Moving into a new flat in Maastricht

Changing from Erasmus to regular master student is time for change - my sublet contract expired with no possibility to extend it, so I had to move. I got lucky so I found exactly the same room from the same landlord just a new steps away from previous place of living.

I was not very fond of the fact that I have to move. Great thing is that I got accepted by the Maastricht University for master programme which could be also taken as time for change, but I think we had a good thing going with my flatmates and I also got quite familiar with the place and the room. Idea of moving was also a bit scary because I was worried about finding a new place – I remembered the previous searching process I done in June and July. In the matter of a new place I got lucky – the landlord of the flat owns more places and he offered me a place to stay since February – also a subrent as the girl living there was going to the world for an internship. Cool thing was that it's the same block of flats so I do not have to take all my stuff to the other side of the Maastricht.

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Labels: Bureucracy, Erasmus, Flat hunting, MSc, University

Period 2 at Maastricht University – summary

As I always did on my blog when I wrote about my bachelor studies, I am now going to summarize the exams and my courses I took in period 2 during my studies at SBE at Maastricht University. But not only the courses are described in the article, we cannot forgot the overall experience.

After I got acquainted with the rules at Maastricht University during the Period 1 I was no longer worried about the local school system. As an Exchange student I enrolled myself for courses not from one master track and therefore in second period at SBE I also met completely new people in my tutorial groups (there were a few Infonomics exceptions obviously). I first thought about writing separate articles about each course but than I realized that it's not necessary and also it's more interesting to have a shorter summary. Also the exams were very similar this time – both written at MECC, which is also a quite interesting story for someone, who is not familiar with practices at Maastricht University. Well, as I recently got to know, there are different practices at different faculties and even study programmes, but let's generalize it for the case of written exams As I may have (or also not) mentioned, I attended Intellectual propety law and Information Society (EBC4027) and International competitiveness and Antitrust policy (EBC4026) courses.

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Labels: Bureucracy, Erasmus, Infonomics, MSc, PBL, Study, University

SBE Introduction day for Exchange Students

There are a lot of exchange students at School of Business and Economics every year and in order to present the Faculty of the Maastricht University and to provide people with contact with other exchange students, SBE organizes Introduction Day.

As I mentioned in the last article about SBE Master's Introduction Day, I kind of took this introduction day at SBE twice. But I am really glad as each of those two days provided a bit different experience and as a result, I know more and I also had something interesting to do and I met a lot of people. Obviously I made the same mistake twice – I can't find any any pictures of the day, but I definitely took some and there are only a few provided by the University so the description has to be enough.

Introduction day for Exchange students is compulsory – you have to be there to get your Student card and let the UM know that you arrived and also to get all necessary instructions. And you also get a plenty of additional stuff including quite useful student handbook. You can also find it online, but printed version is more handy.

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Labels: Bank account, Bike, Czech people, Erasmus, Library, PBL, Pretty Girls, Sightseening, Study, University

Master’s Introduction Day at SBE

Today is the last day of August and my first official day at School of Business and Economics at Maastricht University. Let's talk about how was my first impression of the Faculty, PBL system and the people I met today.

First I have to mention that I am an exchange student, but quite an active one. I took part at , which is more for regular students and also today – it's introduction prepared for regular master students, as will be tomorrow But I've already signed in and it's better to have more information and see the school from different points of view, don't you think?

The whole day was great, ideal introduction to the university and also to the city. Great thing is, that you are the whole day in a small group where are also your future fellow students – ideal for getting know each other a bit. You get the information about the most important things and also how to get along. If you still have any problems with the student card, missing documents or are you just not sure about something and do not know where to ask, than Introduction day will help you! Well, I had a great tutor so I can only give a very positive feedback and I hope that also other students had the same experience.

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Labels: Beer, Erasmus, Infonomics, INKOM, Library, MSc, PBL, Pretty Girls, Sightseening, Study, University

ESN – Maastricht City Tour, dinner and beer

City tour in Maastricht organized by Erasmus Student Network (ESN) from the Maastricht University, is one of the first action provided for the exchange students in order to organize some activity for them before the school starts.

After INKOM 2011 when I spent my time with regular master students I was interested about events for Erasmus students in Maastricht if there were any. I did a bit of search and found website of Erasmus Student Network in Maastricht – ESN Maastricht. This organization helps incoming exchange students and also prepares some events so those people who are new to the Maastricht University would not feel lonely and can enjoy their exchange semester. Of course anybody can join and have fun, events are not limited only for exchange students. Regular students are also new to Maastricht and not everybody joined INKOM so discovering city with group of international students is great idea in my opinion. There are of course Introduction days for regular students as well as for exchange students, but it's a bit different and I will write later about that.

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Labels: Beer, Erasmus, Historical place, Sightseening, University