Konlan Lydia Madintin (Tamale, Ghana)

“My name is Lydia Madintin, I am a Master student in Sustainable International Agriculture and I have been living in Göttingen since 2016. Coming to Göttingen to study is one of the best things that ever happened in my entire life because it changed my perspectives and shaped my decisions in my career life.

My career ambition is university teaching, human capacity building in the field of agriculture, rural development, and gender and food security. This ambition prompted me to further my studies and I began to search in the internet for a university that could offer me the knowledge to realize my dream. Upon my search, Göttingen University appeared to be the best among all universities that offers numerous choices for studies into all areas of knowledge acquisition, especially research into agriculture and many other disciplines.

On my arrival in Göttingen, I felt sad I was going to miss my home country and I was a bit devastated. But to my surprise, everything turned just right for me: I now have a second home and this is the feeling every student in Göttingen can testify. I found the city very nice and interesting, a small city but you can find virtual everything you need, so many coffee shops where you can hang out with friends and spend good time together. The people are nice and always ready to help you find your way.

There is one thing I found very fascinating in terms of food that can make one to feel at home, that is, you find shops from several countries: Indian shops, African shops, Turkish shops, Asian and so on. But I find the German food here good and tasty, so I don't have to worry. Wherever you are coming from, you don't need to worry about getting food from your home country, all can be found in Göttingen.

There are also many student groups in the university that apart from studies also ensure that especially international students integrate well during their first arrival. I now have a German family through Göttinger Gastfreunde and a study buddy and I feel good about it. Living and studying in Göttingen has been very helpful and enriching, as it has exposed me to a wide range of experiences in the German academic, scientific, social and cultural environments.

The environment of Göttingen has given me a good and positive attitude, which I could not have found in any university in Germany. I have come to realize that Göttingen University is a home to several international students across the world and it is offering the opportunity to create a strong professional network with colleagues from different countries, as such networks are very important for career development and work in our ever globalized world.

I am happy I made the choice to study in Gottingen and I look forward to do also my PhD in Göttingen University.”

Educational background: BSc in Agriculture Technology from University for Development Studies, Tamale Ghana.