Kia Ora & Guten Tag: Exchange Stories

Kia ora & Guten Tag! In this episode, host Mareike Schmidt welcomes Mia Horridge, a future maths teacher from the University of Auckland who spent an exchange semester at the University of Heidelberg. Mia shares what it was like to study in one of Germany’s oldest and most prestigious universities — from attending a preparatory German language course to diving into academic life and exploring...

Kia ora & Guten Tag! In this episode, host Mareike Schmidt welcomes Aleisha Wallabh-Smith, a University of Auckland student who received a DAAD scholarship to attend a six-week Winter Course in Freiburg, Germany. Aleisha shares what it was like to dive into intensive German language learning while discovering a new culture, navigating public transport, and enjoying surprisingly healthy and aff...

Kia ora & Guten Tag! In this episode, host Mareike Schmidt chats with Gemma Dykshoorn, a University of Auckland student who spent a full exchange year at the University of Freiburg in Germany. Gemma shares what it was like to live and study in Germany for twelve months — from navigating the application process with 360International to settling into life in Freiburg. With Dutch roots and a stro...

Kia ora & Guten Tag! In this episode, host Mareike Schmidt welcomes Emma Uren and Josh Wang, two students from the University of Auckland who received a prestigious DAAD Winter Course scholarship to study German in Freiburg, Germany. Over six immersive weeks, Emma and Josh dove into language learning, cultural exchange, and European travel — and today, they share their stories, surprises, and...

Kia ora & Guten Tag! In this episode, host Mareike Schmidt speaks with Sara McKoy, a University of Auckland graduate who received a DAAD scholarship to attend an intensive German language course — the Winter Course — in Berlin. Sara shares her journey from the stressful wait for her scholarship confirmation to ringing in the New Year (Silvester!) in Germany’s capital. With a strong interest in...

Kia ora & Guten Tag! In this episode, host Mareike Schmidt welcomes Elsa Popovici, a University of Auckland student who spent a semester abroad at the University of Heidelberg — one of Germany’s most historic university towns. Elsa shares how she discovered the opportunity to study in Germany, navigated the application process, and aligned her studies at UoA with her exchange semester. From se...

Kia Ora & Guten Tag – Exchange Stories Welcome to Exchange Stories , a podcast about international study experiences between Aotearoa New Zealand and Germany. Hosted by Mareike Schmidt - Professional Teaching Fellow in German at the University of Auckland and DAAD Representative - this show features conversations with students who’ve studied abroad or learned German in Germany. They share pers...