Internship in the Bavarian Alps
My name is Georgios – Nikodimos Asimomytis. I am 22 years old, and I am in the last year of my bachelor’s at the Department of Psychology of Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences. Being trapped by the Covid – 19 pandemic made me reconsider many things in my life and gave me the impetus to try spending time studying abroad and gain new experiences and horizons. The Erasmus+ internship programme, which I was able to attend through my university, was the opportunity I was looking for. Destination: the Bavarian Alps, Germany!
My internship took place in Garmisch – Partenkirchen in southern Germany, near the border with Austria, at the foot of Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze. The trip started in November 2021 and lasted 3 months. The reason I chose this destination was that I love nature, mountains, lakes, and rivers, and this destination managed to combine 2 of my biggest loves, nature and psychology. EFPSA also helped me a lot in choosing this location by providing me with information and many options for various institutions where I could do an internship in Europe.
The main reason I finally decided to take this new step in my life was that Erasmus + would give me the opportunity to meet a new culture, people, and places and get training in psychology in a country with a great history in this field along with many opportunities in the labour market. Germany also has a long cultural history, beautiful landscapes, and wonderful cities to travel to.
My internship took place in a child psychology centre (Child Psychology Practice Garmisch), which exactly matched my interests in dealing with the mental health of children and adolescents. There, together with my supervisor, I contributed to the preparation of a therapeutic project for the treatment of minor refugees in the Greek refugee camps. My daily program in addition to research work and bibliographic research included playing various therapeutic games, such as educational video games and chess, with children and adolescents. I was also trained in the administration of psychometric tests to assess the mental and cognitive abilities of patients in the office. All of this was an unprecedented and fantastic experience for me, and I greatly developed my skills as a future psychologist.
Garmisch was a large village without many inhabitants, but with many interesting work opportunities as well as opportunities for a winter escape, especially for lovers of winter activities. The view of the Bavarian Alps was captivating with the Loisach river, which crossed the city, and it gave an atmospheric and serene feeling to any hiker on their journey. A few miles away, whether by car, bicycle, or train, anyone could travel to the mountains and go hiking on lake Eibsee or mountaineering on the highest peak in Germany. The view at 2962 meters was immersive together with the temperature at minus 20. The city also had a stadium for activities such as ice skating and hockey.
In addition to the knowledge and experiences it offered, the Erasmus + program also gave me the opportunity to meet new people and explore the country. In most of the time that I had, I added new cities and destinations to my travel list. I traveled to Munich, home to the Englischer Garden and the Nazi camp, Dachau. I visited Nuremberg, an important centre for Nazi condemnation at the famous Nuremberg Trial, and I also met the German capital, Berlin, the most artistic capita in Europe with numerous choices of museums and historical places to visit. I went to Heidelberg, a place of philosophy and knowledge of Renaissance Germany as well as Stuttgart, the seat of the kings of Württemberg. Germany is a paradise of culture and nature, a jewel on the world map that I think everyone should visit.
The most beautiful thing about studying abroad is that you meet new people from different countries, who have the same mission as you, to explore the world. New perceptions, colors, and ideas enter your life and accompany you during your professional and personal life. I hope that everyone will be able to spend a semester in a foreign country through the Erasmus + programme. Even during a pandemic, it is possible to find opportunities to do what you have dreamed of, guided by health and protection. It is an experience that everyone deserves, and there is no way to regret it. I hope that you enjoyed reading this text and that I could give you the feeling of an Erasmus student, even a little. Germany is enchanting. Prost!!
