The application process was very simple and transparent: in addition to completing the application form for Erasmus+ and submitting an overview of grades and a CV, a letter of motivation had to be prepared. However, the selection process was delayed: as the coronavirus pandemic broke out in Germany and Europe following the application, no one was able to predict whether semesters abroad would be possible at all in 2020.

In June, the International Office then made the decision that we would receive conditional acceptance. The semester abroad would only have to be canceled at short notice in the event that the pandemic made a stay abroad impossible, for example because Latvia would no longer allow German citizens to enter the country. This was associated with a certain risk for us: Since the semester abroad was supposed to take place contrary to our usual study schedule, we could only participate in the stay abroad if we swapped the period of our 4th theory phase and our 5th practical phase. However, if the semester abroad had been canceled at short notice, we would have needed a way to make up for the 4th theory semester that we had previously skipped. We have therefore drawn up an emergency plan in cooperation with the International Office and the Examinations Office so that we can still complete our studies within the standard period of study in the “worst case scenario”. Communication with the International Office was very good and we were well supported throughout the whole process. Fortunately, the emergency plan was not needed as the semester abroad could take place as planned!

Apart from that, the preparation time for the semester abroad went smoothly: we only had to take out international health insurance, a visa or similar was not necessary.

It is possible to travel to Riga by car or by plane, with the latter being the more convenient option. As several low-cost airlines fly to Riga, it is possible to travel to Riga cheaply from several airports in Germany (including Düsseldorf and Dortmund). Nevertheless, we also know from some fellow students that they traveled from Germany by car. If you have a few days to spare, you can combine your journey with a tour of Poland and Lithuania and stop at the Polish Baltic Sea and in Vilnius or Kaunas, for example. However, as air fares are inexpensive and you can also hire cars for excursions in Riga at very reasonable prices, we would definitely recommend traveling by plane.

There are two options for your stay in Riga: you can either rent a room in the Turiba University student residence or find a shared flat for your time in Riga. Both options have advantages and disadvantages. As Uwe and Paul already knew each other before the semester abroad, they decided to rent an apartment as a couple. Leonie, on the other hand, wanted to live in a student hall of residence. We can therefore describe our experiences for both:

Your own apartment: Staying in your own apartment involves a little more effort beforehand and is also a little more expensive, but it is definitely affordable. Our apartment was located in the city near the National Library, about a 7-minute walk to the old town. The choice of accommodation was ideal for us: we were at Turiba University in 20 minutes by bus. As Turiba places more emphasis on self-study and fewer attendance hours are required, the journey was not a problem for us. On the other hand, it was a great quality of life to be able to go out for a walk to the river or into the old town every day. Especially on beautiful clear evenings with great sunsets, it was really nice to be able to walk into the city in just a few minutes.

The students who lived in the Turiba dormitory were less likely to be in the city center, as the university is located a little outside. It was also possible to invite fellow students over to watch soccer, cook, drink beer etc. … ;-) You also don’t have to worry that you won’t be able to socialize outside the student residence – you can do that at the university anyway and there are many fellow students who also live in shared flats near the old town. We would therefore recommend staying in a shared flat as close as possible to the old town.

Student hall of residence: I decided to move into the hall of residence directly on the Turiba campus. The Turiba Hostel offers a relatively cheap and flexible accommodation option where you can quickly make international contacts. The rooms cost between 67 and 270 euros per month, depending on whether you want to live in a single, twin or four-bed room. I requested a single room at Turiba Hostel a few weeks before my departure. On site, however, I spontaneously decided to move into a twin room with a fellow student, which wasn’t a problem.

The rooms are modernly furnished. There is a shared kitchen and bathrooms. The Turiba Hostel provides bed linen as well as a small and a large towel. However, you should note that you must either bring your own cutlery, pots and pans or buy them on site. However, this can also be shared with your flatmates. The hall of residence is located on the outskirts of Riga, but there are quick transport connections to the city center. There is a train stop right next to Turiba. You can get to the main station by train in 10 minutes for less than one euro. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the city center by bus. Supermarkets can be reached on foot in about 5 minutes. The Erasmus students all live on the same floor. Of course, it can get a bit noisy in the corridors, but it was a great experience to live with so many different cultures!

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in Riga organizes many excursions and events, usually free of charge or at really fair prices. At university, you get to know fellow students from many different countries, making friends and contacts that make your semester abroad such a special time. Riga has a beautiful old town, many bars, restaurants, clubs and stores. Fortunately, the number of coronavirus cases in Riga was very low at the beginning of our semester abroad, which is why we were still able to enjoy face-to-face teaching. The restrictions continued to increase during the semester and unfortunately we were unable to go on planned excursions to Tallinn, Helsinki or St. Petersburg – but we still made some nice trips to Sigulda, Liepaja, Cesis or Kemeri National Park in Latvia. You can also be lucky with the weather in Riga in September: We still had cloudless days with over 20 °C until October, so we were able to take advantage of our proximity to the coastal town of Jurmala and spend some lovely days at the Baltic Sea.

Financing the semester abroad was no problem: with the financial support from the Erasmus+ scholarship, the costs for accommodation and basic foodstuffs can be easily covered – and if you continue to receive your training allowance from the partner company, you can live well in Riga. The cost of food is comparable to prices in Germany, and some services are even cheaper. Compared to the capitals of other EU countries, the prices and cost of living are rather low.