3. Diversity Days at Viadrina

Same Same, But Different – Einblicke und Ausblicke an der Viadrina

An exhibition as part of the 3rd Diversity Days
 

We all study or work here, we are part of the Viadrina, the Viadrina is part of our lives. We shape this place with our interests, our commitment and our diversity. We are enthusiastic and drive forward ideas and projects here. Same same, we are all part of the Viadrina family. But we are also different. We face challenges here, realise that the conditions for studying and working are not the same for everyone, encounter inequalities and unequal treatment and reflect on them. Perhaps we miss a common purpose, perhaps we want change or visibility for our concerns.

That's why this year we spoke to ten different people from different areas and faculties at Viadrina. We asked them what moves them, what they wish for, what ideas they have for the future of the Viadrina and how we can move closer together so that our university is a place where we all enjoy studying and working. What unites us? What university culture do we want to promote? Who is seen, who is less visible or not visible at all? What is the same, what is different, from what perspective are they looking at the Viadrina (insights/Einblicke) and in which direction do they want to go (outlooks/Ausblicke)?

At the same time, these conversations are about more than just personal stories of individuals. The portraits point to power relations and exclusions, which also characterise the Viadrina. A university that is characterised by openness and adaptability must deal with its own structures, create access, offer support and respond flexibly to different realities of life. A university that wants to be open to everyone must look beyond the same same, our shared similarities and understand that differences can make studying and working at Viadrina easier or more difficult, especially if they are not taken into account.

To this end, it is an important step to approach each other, to enter into dialogue with the people at the Viadrina and to listen carefully to their ideas and what they need in order to feel comfortable here and to be able to identify with the Viadrina as an institution. You can see this first step documented in the portraits in this exhibition. You will find extracts from the interviews on the posters; you can read the full texts on the website. Scan the QR codes for the German or English version of the exhibition.

We invite you to answer the questions in the interviews for yourself, to enter into dialogue with others and to share your views, insights and outlooks. We would be delighted if you would also share these with us, send us feedback, ideas, criticism and requests or post them on the Post-It wall at the end of the exhibition.

Your Equal Opportunity Department

Who are you and where are you working?

I am Anna Rößner, I work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Marketing at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics. I am also a member of many committees, for example the Staff Council, but I have also been on the Faculty Council and the Senate before.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

I did my Abitur in Berlin and even back then it was somehow clear that I wanted to go to Viadrina because it already had an international focus. At the universities in Berlin, you could only study subjects like International Business Administration to a limited extent. I then went abroad and did my bachelor's degree somewhere else but came to Viadrina for my master's. I also knew many people who were very happy at Viadrina. After my studies, especially after my final thesis, I discovered my enthusiasm for academic work. I really liked the chair, I really liked my topic, and then I came back to Viadrina as a doctoral student in 2016. The topic of my doctoral thesis was ethnic and religious minorities in advertising and in my work, I have now expanded on this and am looking more generally at the consumer behaviour of certain stigmatised, socially disadvantaged, or minority groups.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

I think the most important thing is that all status groups should develop a little more understanding for each other, including for different realities of life. I also believe that something like individuality should be encouraged more. Since 2016, I've seen quite clearly that everyone is a bit on their own, nobody really knows each other. You have the group that lives in Frankfurt, where people perhaps know each other a bit more. Then you have the Berlin group, and often there aren't such positive feelings when the Berliners only come and then leave again very quickly. So, I believe that more understanding, more exchange, more dialogue, and more communication are important. Sometimes there is also competition for funds or resources between the different faculties. It would be nice if these different groupings were simply broken up more. At one point, I suggested organising a speed dating lunch so that you could have more dialogue and get together with people you might not otherwise have anything to do with. I was then told ‘why don't you do it’, but I was still writing my doctoral thesis at the time and simply didn't have the resources for it. I think that would be something simple that many people would take part in. I believe that all the different events that we currently have, such as the summer party or others, are definitely a good step in the right direction.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work here?

On the one hand, more visibility for what the Viadrina actually is, what it stands for, what it has to offer. I am convinced that the Viadrina really has a lot to offer, both in terms of teaching, but also in terms of research and everything else.

We have so many committed employees and great programmes that go beyond teaching. Now we have the Diversity Days, we have a family office that organises things regularly, we had the Health Days, the student initiatives have also really got a lot going and I sometimes have the feeling that this is not seen very much, has little visibility. It would be important for this to be focussed on more, communicated and appreciated. I would like everyone to move more in the same direction and pursue the same goal. I also think that everyone has different goals, and of course different groups and areas within the university have different requirements, but it would be nice and important to work a little more together and towards the same goals. Also, a bit more flexibility when it comes to individual life realities. I only realised this when I was on parental leave last year. Before, the topic wasn't relevant to me at all, but now I realise that you have to fight for everything and in every situation. Sometimes I would just like to see more understanding and support and the search for individual, flexible solutions instead of this idea of ‘this is how we do it and we can't deviate from it’.

That would also have a positive effect on teaching and for the students: For example, lecturers want to return to teaching online in order to be able to organise courses more flexibly. However, the university stipulates that teaching must be predominantly face-to-face. Of course, I can only speak about our faculty, but they have come up with such innovative formats! All the finance courses in particular, what they have implemented with R on some platforms, is even better teaching than face-to-face teaching, I would say. 

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

Of course, I'm currently spending a lot of time with my child. In general, however, I am very active, try to learn a lot of new things, get to know different realities of life and put myself in their shoes. I try to go through life consciously, sensitively and socially responsibly. Sustainable interaction with each other is important to me, but also with our resources, and I always try to educate myself, read a lot and get to know new things. Apart from that, I do a lot of sports and spend time outdoors, I like to organise and try to bring people together, build networks in which people can exchange ideas and support each other. 

It's crazy how priorities change. I used to organise a lot of picnics, brunches, running dinners and things like that, then the pandemic started and I just didn't do anything and now it's more relevant again. I think other things are becoming more important to me again because I want to give my child as many tools as possible so that they can understand different realities of life, become empathetic and sensitive, deal with things and perhaps also have a network where strengthening can take place. I don't yet know how my child will be read later on, but I'm definitely trying to create networks that don't just include white people.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity department?

I already had points of contact with the department because we had once considered doing something together. Of course, topics such as racism, discrimination and, above all, intersectionality are very, very important to me. I've been dealing with this for a long time, firstly because I've experienced multiple discrimination myself as a non-white woman, but also because I want to be sensitive myself, be it in my language, be it in the way I deal with other people who perhaps have different characteristics or because they are also subject to discrimination because of their gender identity, religion, sexuality, etc. These are things that I therefore deal with a lot. My research is also more or less concerned with this. Sure, there's the marketing context, but it's still important.

 

You have brought a chili pepper with you. What significance does it have?

On the one hand, I love cooking, it's something from my childhood. My father used to cook a lot, including at street festivals, the Carnival of Cultures and so on. Among other things, he always made a hot sauce that everyone loved and that I think is the best hot sauce in the world. I have the recipe and regularly make it myself. I always loved seeing how people celebrated the food, which made everyone happy and created a bond.

That's definitely why the chilli pepper symbolises this, but also because I just like my food very, very spicy.

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I'm delighted that everyone continues to be so committed to certain topics and I would like to see the university focus more on the topics that your department deals with so that they don't move further away.

 

 

Who are you and what are you studying?

I am Awanish, enrolled in the Master of Digital Entrepreneurship (MoDE) programme at the Viadrina. I serve as an International Viadrina Ambassador and I am building “The German Guy”, a venture passionate about supporting those with aspirations to study or work in Germany. For a couple of years, I was guiding students voluntarily, then I thought “why don’t I just start a company or something where I can assist students, especially people from Nepal who don’t have the resources?”. I wanted to start something where I can help people. So far, I’ve guided around 300/400 students and working professionals for free. People think I’m crazy, but I like helping people.

They pay a lot of money if they go to any other consultancies or agencies. For example, if somebody is coming for a bachelor’s here in Germany, they normally go to consultancies because they just finished school and maybe don’t have a lot of information and don’t know where to start. There, they pay around 4000/5000 Euro, that’s the minimum charge when someone proceeds the application process from the consultancies. For me today, I do also charge after doing everything for free because I’m spending a lot of time on someone’s application or guiding them. So, I changed the process and the whole business model and it’s simple: If I spend a lot of time on someone, then they have to pay for my time which will be around 25% of the cost they would pay to a consultancy. Sometimes it’s too much for them and they don’t have to pay, but they have to apply themselves and try to work things out. And if they need assistance, they can let me know. I am always there to assist them throughout the whole process. I help people with crafting a resumé and motivational letters, with the university, where they can find things here and also with financial documents they must show for study visa to come to Germany. I guide them from the beginning until they arrive here. Afterwards, I can help them to find student jobs or accommodation. People can find me on my social media accounts, on YouTube and on my website. Now I’m everywhere just trying to help people.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

While many students cite Viadrina's transdisciplinary nature, diversity, and its unique location in the twin cities of Germany and Poland, my decision was primarily influenced by the MoDE program, which perfectly aligned with my future business plans. Together with my nephew, who lives in Australia, we started one company in Nepal which was a B2B marketplace, then we started one company in Australia for IT services and then ‘The German Guy’ came to be. We’ll see if they give me the trademark for the name, but I’m going to fight for it. These are the things I already had in my mind before applying to the Viadrina. I wanted to study something related, that would help me put things together in the right way. Before, I was studying data science at TU Dortmund, but I realized that I didn’t want to work for others all the time. I wanted to start my own company and spend my expertise on my own ventures. So, I switched to MoDE.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

Expanding the availability of courses in English would be beneficial, along with updating traditional courses to integrate modern technological advancements. I’m from a computer science background and I feel like some courses here still teach the old methods that I started with in 2014. Now, they have to adopt and apply the new technologies. For example, there’s a hype of AI at the moment and you can include these new trends and market demands in the courses and still teach older technologies. Additionally, introducing more extracurricular activities such as additional sports tournaments, beyond ViaRun, could foster greater connectivity among students and faculty.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your studies here?

I only have my master thesis left, then I am done with my MoDE degree. I'm grateful for the supportive professors at Viadrina who have helped me refine my ideas and apply them practically. I would like to see more international students coming to Viadrina and successfully finish their studies to have a great career in the field they are interested in.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

I am a workaholic guy. When I’m not at Viadrina you will find me working at home, the office or CWS. My focus is primarily on my working student job at AutoScout24, managing my startups, and staying active on social media. On weekends I play Cricket.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

Regarding which topics move me, I believe that promoting equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background, gender, race, or any other characteristic, is incredibly important. I'm passionate about supporting efforts to create inclusive environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed. As an International Viadrina Ambassador, you likely appreciate the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels valued and has equal opportunities to thrive.

The Equal Opportunities department plays a crucial role in promoting fairness, inclusivity, and diversity within the university community and beyond, your engagement with these issues contributes to positive change.

 

You have brought your necklaces with you. What significance does it have?

These necklaces hold special meaning for me. The one in the cylindrical shape is from an old man in my village, who was my neighbour, and he was also sort of a priest. He made this necklace for me and waited almost one year for me to come back to the village. It keeps me safe spiritually. Then there’s another necklace that I bought in my hometown. It’s made of elephant horn, and it has Lumbini written on it, the town where I was born that is also the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha. I’m someone who meditates, so the necklace is aligned with everything, wearing it brings me a sense of positivity and calmness, helping me stay focused on my tasks. There is one more piece that one of my 5 sisters gave to me. It’s connected to the goddess of money. I wear these necklaces every day. One I can’t take off anymore, the other ones I could but I don’t do it.

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Feel free to share any additional thoughts, experiences, or aspirations related to your time at Viadrina or beyond. Your unique perspective matters, and I’m here to listen and engage with you.

 

Who are you and where are you working?

I'm Jana Wenzel, I’m a secretary at the Chair of International Law and I've been here at the university since 1993 and spent the first 7 years with Prof. Schweisfurth, who was my first boss. I've been working at the same chair with Prof. Heintschel von Heinegg since 2000.

We moved out here to August-Bebel-Straße with Prof. Schweisfurth in 1996 because construction work was starting on the main building, which had previously been co-occupied by the tax office. So new windows, wall openings, etc. And then all the chairs or people who worked in the main building at the time were asked whether we wanted to move within the building when our rooms were being remodeled or whether we wanted to escape all the noise and dirt and move out here to August-Bebel-Straße. We had a look at the rooms back then and of course we were thrilled! There's a round room next door that's fantastic! After that, we never wanted to go back. When Prof. Heintschel von Heinegg started in 2000, he came here for the first time, we got to know each other and then I asked him if we could stay here. He took one look in his office and said: Of course! We're definitely staying here!

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

I previously worked as a secretary in Schwedt and then moved to Eisenhüttenstadt for family reasons. I actually wanted to take care of the flat first, but then the job center immediately offered me further training as a foreign language secretary and I did it, but I was very unhappy. It was supposed to take two years and the first year was just the secretarial training, the second year was supposed to be about English training. But I'd already been a secretary for a few years, so that wasn't for me. Then I read an ad in the newspaper that the university was looking for secretaries for the coming professors, I applied, went for an interview and haven't left since.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

I thought about this question the most, because ideas about moving closer together didn't occur to me at all, but rather the reasons why we moved apart. As a small example: until a few years ago, when the inventory of the chair's equipment was due, the ladies from the household came here with their inventory lists, checked everything, we had a chat, sometimes a coffee together and then the annual or I think even biennial inventory was finished. Now the lists are sent to me, and I go through them myself and note everything down. That's something that has brought us apart. Or Formcycle, for example: in the past, when I made a procurement request, I used to put a nice sticky note on it saying, ‘Thank you for your efforts, Mrs. Dochow, you've helped me out’. Nowadays you send it away, you no longer have any control over where the application is, what happens to it, whether my colleague is going to more trouble because of me or not, and so on. Or the postman: our men from D4 used to do that, they used to come here with somewhat larger or bulky parcels, and we would chat a bit. Now PIN is delivering the packages, you don't know the people, they have nothing to do with the university and they don't come to the office either. I understand the change, but something has been lost and I don't know how it can be changed again. You do ask yourself: who comes up with this and do the y think about the consequences? It might be easy to just fill in a form on the computer, but I would have continued to make an application like I used to and stuck my little sticky note on it. And as nice as all these university parties are here, they're not for everyone. That's sad.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work here?

For me personally, of course, the most important thing now is that I get such a great boss again, who is due to start in October. I hope that the collaboration and the work will continue as well as before.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

I am a passioned gardener! I have a small garden, I'm outside from April to September and I'm fully occupied. That's actually what I enjoy and what I like to do and what I keep myself busy with when I'm not here.

I also brought my parents to Frankfurt 9 years ago and they are still involved as much as possible. I look after them now and it will certainly become even more intensive as the years go by. Before, we were just about 2 hours away from each other and we were always on the move. What's more, I had a serious car accident a few years ago and, well, I didn't really realize it at first, but now I don't want to drive such long distances so often. I also don't want to be away from my little oasis outside in the garden for so long. It's probably an age-related thing, but the solution we've now found with my parents is the best thing that could have happened. Especially because the flat next door to me became available at just the right moment!

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

Of course, this care situation is the most important thing for me in this regard. It's not yet the case that they are completely in need of care, but that will keep me very busy at some point. As it's not so acute at the moment, it's more about visits to the doctor or if there's something wrong with the bank or insurance, more organizational things, which is what I'm taking care of now. I had a full-time job and have now voluntarily reduced my hours for the second year and I'm very happy with it. I now have 30 hours a week and of course that makes it easier to have the time to go to the doctor and also organize my own appointments, which was more difficult before. It was also really stressful for me to juggle so many appointments for me and my parents. Fortunately, the university is relatively flexible in this respect, including when it comes to health measures. I've been in physiotherapy permanently since the accident and it's great that this is made possible.

 

You have brought a book with you. What significance does it have?

I thought about it for a long time, but I found this item very fitting. It's the book ‘Eine unmögliche Universität – 30 Prüfungen, die die Europa-Universität bestehen musste’ (‚An impossible university - 30 tests that the European University had to pass’) by Stephan Felsberg, Tim Köhler and Uwe Rada. First of all, I'm a bookworm through and through anyway, everything across the board. But a few weeks ago, there was an obituary for Prof. von Brünneck and this book was mentioned in it. Of course, I immediately got it from the university library and read it in one go. It brought back a lot of memories for me, because I had experienced everything described here from the beginning and of course hadn't thought about it for a very long time. It not only made me nostalgic, but also brought back memories of when we started out. What simple means we used to try and get something going here from scratch! It's something that really moves me at the moment and also has a strong connection to me. The 30 tests were published for the 30th anniversary and yes, I've been here longer than 30 years, but that suits me now.#

Who are you and where are you working?

I'm Julia Walter and I've been working at the Viadrina for almost 20 years, so I'm a bit of a veteran. I originally trained as an event technician here and during this time I also trained as an electrician, was then taken on and have been here ever since. In these 20 years, I have ‘taught many of our students how to walk’, as we call it. That means supporting them in planning their events, seminars, colloquia and other things. I am very involved in this and appreciate the fact that I can still see eye-to-eye with the students, even if this is slowly becoming more difficult after such a long time. In the beginning, I was also ridiculed as a young woman in a technical profession, but people understood relatively quickly that it works well. Over the years, I have also shown that you can continue to develop and build something that remains at the university in the long term and that everyone can benefit from.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

It's very easy to explain: My mum opened the newspaper! I was very young when I finished my Abitur, I had just turned 19. I actually wanted to go into media design and went to several job interviews in Dresden, Munich, Hamburg and Berlin, but it was just as difficult then as it is now to find a flat and pay for it with my training salary. In the end, the only decision I had to make was to say that I would stay in the neighbourhood. So, the offer from the European University, which had advertised a training position as an event technician, came at just the right time and I wanted to apply straight away. But I didn't make any effort at all at the interview, I turned up in jeans and a T-shirt and took it a bit casually. Of course, I was able to say that I like organizing and that I'm good at it, but when it came to the technical questions I was out, I thought they would never get back to me. I wasn't even at home when they called and offered me the job. That was in the summer of 2004, and the fact that I'm still here now was perhaps not necessarily the plan, but everything just turned out really well.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

I think these so-called covid years have really hit us hard. Many people take the luxury of working from home, but I hardly ever do that myself. That's one reason why everyone has distanced themselves from each other. Everyone looks at each other differently, refrains from the obligatory coughing or keeps their distance. And as a result, the bond with the students has also been severely lacking. In 2020, we had to re-equip everything within days and create hybridity with things that didn't even exist yet. We then worked with laptops, which we placed in some form or other to simply tell our students ‘We're still here!’. That ruined a lot of things. Social change has also made many things more difficult; people have become more cautious.

The only thing that can help, but this is my personal opinion, is for the Viadrina to remember what it once was. Viadrina used to be a family, and everyone called it that. Now there is a lack of transparency so that people know where our President, our Chancellor, the direct superior, the colleague etc. wants to go. We no longer use the communication channels that we used to, where we would actually have a chat in the corridor, or students would dare to speak to us directly. I just miss that informality and transparency. And the Viadrina can only achieve this by doing more for its employees again. The trend in 2024 is that we have a strong presence in politics, as you can see from the many political events that are currently taking place and are intended to illustrate the world situation. These are all good events, but they do nothing for the university internally and that has to change. Our student numbers are sinking, and we are doing everything we can to make ourselves more attractive to the outside world, but we also need to become more attractive internally.

I still remember the days when students put on musicals that we produced. The university summer party used to be amazing! Everyone was there. But back then it didn't cost as much money as it does now. Now, of course, it's a huge expense if you want to book a band and comply with safety aspects, etc.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work here?

I think working from home is a great invention, I also think work-life balance is a great invention, but in moderation. I work in a department where 50-80% of people can't work from home because they are tradesmen or electricians or people from the the post office. They're not allowed to work from home, how could they? Should they sweep their own yard at home or what? For me, it would be nice if people moved closer together again and the home office was no longer the top priority. Of course, it's a great giveaway for people who start here young with families and children or something, but the employment contract says, ‘place of employment is Frankfurt (Oder)’. I don't think working from home is a bad thing, but as I said, the bond with each other is no longer there. I often ask myself: Are they still there at all? Are they still working here or have they seamlessly retired? Who is that, who is writing to me, I've never seen them before?

What I also want to advertise more: we are not only a university and employer, but we also provide professional training. I am currently the training supervisor of two trainees here. I was lucky enough to have two girls as trainees and to be able to accompany them into professional life. A new trainee will join us in September and another young skilled worker will be handed over to the world of work. We are quite well positioned with the technical professions that we train.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

As atypical as it is to learn a technical profession as a young woman, my private life is just as atypical. I haven't been away much, let's put it this way, I own a house and a yard. Of course, I left home in my youth and lived in Frankfurt and Berlin for a few months, but I never really got away. I'm very good craftly, I like building things, whether it's with stone, concrete or wood. I'm naturally into engines, so cars, big vehicles that make a lot of noise or motorbikes, boats, jet skis. That's my life! My day starts early at 04:50, I get up slowly and am usually here at work by 06:00, unless it's a late shift or something. And that's exactly how I drive home, I have the 45-minute journey home to completely unwind and look forward to either knocking down walls or building walls or working on other people's assignments. I have a huge circle of friends who always just drop by. That ends up in the party room or by the fire. That's my life, I wouldn't have it any other way and I don't want to be changed at all. I'm always happy to help, I'm really not good at saying no.

Sometimes I'm drawn to go outside, then I come home from work and jump on the boat and headfirst into the lake because I live right on the water. In the evening, I realize that it's been too long again and then I stand on the jetty and get bitten by mosquitoes because I didn't get the tarpaulin on the boat in time. You have to have fun like that, even if you forget that you have to get up early again in the morning. I don't know boredom.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

I am particularly interested in the ‘Frauen in Führung’ (‘Women in Leadership’) programme. That was actually the decisive factor for me in becoming aware of your department in the first place. Before that, it was just an accessory that existed and had to exist within the university structure, but there were no other points of contact.

But the ‘Frauen in Führung’ programme was very important for me because I'm part of complex structures here, so although I'm a kind of team leader, I don't have much say at the same time. I wanted to stand out with the programme. Alongside my work, I completed a bachelor's degree in event management in 2015 and a master's degree in technical business administration in 2023. Just like in my private life, I can't stay still professionally either. This programme was simply intended to show me how I can separate my team so that it can become independent at some point, as it has also grown considerably in recent years. This has been going on for some time now, but perhaps there will soon be a separate department for event technology and event management. We will see exactly how this will be structured in the end. In ‘Frauen in Führung’ I also wanted to learn how to work well with my colleagues in the position of head of department that I am aiming for. Whether this is a weakness or not, I'm a very honest person and I'm often very outspoken and some people don't cope with that so well. That's why I took the programme with you, so that I could deal with it better and I think it has helped a lot. I am so grateful that I was able to get to know the programme leader, I was really impressed by her, it was a great contact.

 

You have brought a notebook with you. What significance does it have?

The object is the notebook you gave me from ‘Frauen in Führung’.  I wrote two short stories in the notebook at the workshop. We were supposed to imagine where we see ourselves at university after this increase in knowledge. When I have days here now where I run into walls, where something or someone doesn't go the way I imagine, I always read these two stories. That's why the notebook is always in my private desk compartment.

Apart from that, it's not necessarily an object that characterizes me personally, but rather the fact that I'm always seen running quite fast.  You could probably call it an occupational disease, but you can always see me walking quickly between the buildings.

 

Who are you and where are you working?

My name is Katrin Hennig, and I work here in the Studentenwerk canteen. I mainly work at the cash desk and prepare the events we have here.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

There were a lot of changes with the turnaround in the 1990s and of course I was looking for a new job and I got the job here through an acquaintance. I've been here for 23 years, started in the former bistro in the audimax and then moved over here when this building was new. I then took over the bistro in the GD and am now in the cafeteria.

I like being here, I like working with young people, I've always done that, even back in the GDR days. It's always been my thing. It keeps you young yourself, I think. It's especially nice when former students come and introduce me to their children, I always think that's great. 

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

I can see the problem: Berlin is not far away. And if you want to party, let's say, you go to Berlin. What do we have in Frankfurt? For example, the Helene has been closed down, the students used to have their beach parties there. That's all missing a bit, including the cultural side. We need to make the city more attractive again and link it more with the university so that people can get together and do things outside the university.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work here?

I think that the university and the Studentenwerk should communicate much more with each other. Especially when there are events involving foreign students who perhaps don't speak German very well. I haven't learnt English myself, for example. Counsellors are needed so that people who don't speak German can be better supported. Sometimes we stand there and try to explain with our hands and feet how it all works here. The process with the card machines, for example, is something that many people don't understand at first. We can chat to each other in German, but like this... You don't always have the time to explain everything, the cash desk is busy, you can't just leave. The will is definitely there to support people, but it's difficult. You can only use the card machine with an EC card, a credit card or both would be better, so that foreign students can also top up their card with their Visa card, which hasn't worked so far. And most foreign people don't have EC cards.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy? 

When I'm not here, I spend a lot of time at the Helene, where I have a bungalow. That's my free time to unwind and I enjoy it. And apart from that, my husband is no longer completely healthy, so I look after him and worry a lot. It's exhausting, but you wouldn't know it any other way. Back in the days I was also stressed in the food service industry and could always deal with that. Not so good in old age, but well. I also read a lot. I tend to be quieter; I don't go out or anything, those days are over, I don't need that anymore.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

You're talking about equal opportunities, and I think, as far as I'm concerned here at work: we have men and women here and all the women are part-time employees. And we women have no chance of being promoted. I think that's unfair. It could have been spread out a bit. Work gets harder and harder as you get older, and you should think about the future. As I only work part-time, I can't afford to retire after 45 years because otherwise the deductions would be very heavy. If I look at my own situation, I'll probably slide towards the poverty line. That's what bothers me. Plus, this kind of work is no longer attractive enough, young people aren't interested in it and we're all getting older. Even if young people want to do it, who can make a living working part-time? Especially here in the catering industry, we need cooks and service staff.

Apart from that, we're at an international university, so it should go without saying that we're open to everyone. That's my opinion.

 

You have brought a book with you. What significance does it have? 

As I said, I really enjoy reading, especially John Grisham. He writes crime novels and is very authentic because he used to be a lawyer. I must have 10 thick books by him next to around 80 books from other authors at home. I have a huge shelf in my bedroom, full of books from top to bottom. I can't throw books away either. I've always been interested in crime fiction. If I'd had a different life or been smarter, I might have gone into forensics.

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

One thing weighs heavily on me. I don't want to lump everyone together, but many students lack respect for our Frankfurt citizens, especially when it comes to older people. I take the tram every day and our students all sit down; the older people get on and nobody stands up. That really annoys me. A while ago, an elderly gentleman with crutches got on the tram and I had to get loud to get someone to stand up. I can still stand up, but I mean, they sit in the lectures all day and are all young, they look at their phones and don't even look up. But I also think it's always been like that. For God's sake, I don't want to say that our young people here are different, they're certainly the same. Maybe it's also due to the mentality of the youth, but I notice it a lot. I don't want to play it up, but it annoys me every day. Some people just don't realize what's going on around them, sometimes it's stubbornness or a lack of humanity, I don't know.

 

 

Who are you and where are you working?

I'm Nicole Klück, I've been working in the Department of International Affairs for many, many years and I send students abroad here. I also take care of the formal, bureaucratic background work, especially the contracts with the partner universities, the communication with them and all the little things that have to happen to make it all work. I am also responsible for the formal transfer of credits from abroad for KuWi Bachelor's students and advise on the establishment of double programmes.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

I came to Viadrina in the summer semester of 2003 to study Cultural Studies. Above all, I wanted to deepen the foreign languages I already spoke, English, Spanish and French, which was important to me, and I really wanted to go abroad again. I had previously been in Madrid as an au pair and had the feeling that I wouldn't be able to go again if it wasn't a compulsory part of my programme.

I then applied for my semester abroad in Spain and saw a poster on the door of the International Office saying that they were looking for an intern and I still had to do an internship. I did the internship here, was then a student assistant, at some point I was also a research assistant and then I just stayed. The tasks have always changed and since 2010 I have been doing what I do now in a permanent position.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

I often notice that we only hear others but don't really listen, that we are not really open to our counterparts and also to different opinions and goals. It's sometimes difficult to deviate from your own opinion. It's totally multifactorial, but I do have the feeling that we've lost the big picture a bit and it's unclear what the university as a whole is actually about. Why are we all here? I don't mean why I'm here in my office doing my work, I can explain that to myself every day. But I am part of a larger “whole” here and sometimes you don't see that as much anymore. It might be really practical to do things like get-togethers, whether it's for the Christmas or summer party or the open day and other events. When you meet at events or on the train or in the corridor and get talking to each other. I've noticed that here at our department, we've had a kitchenette for a few months now that we never had and suddenly people from different departments are meeting there when they boil water or put things in the fridge. That changes even very small nuances, because people suddenly talk to each other differently and meet in a different way than when they come together because they have a question or need something.

I really refuse to blame everything on the pandemic, but I do have the feeling that this time has made a big difference here. So many more things are taking place online, which is very practical. But some of the students demand to have online meetings with me. I now require students to come in person again before their stay abroad because it's so important to me to get in direct contact with people. To get back to what is really important: we are still dealing with people.

Apart from that, many years ago we simply had an extremely strong president in Gesine Schwan, who people still remember and who brought a certain spirit to the organization. Not everyone liked it, but she had it and you could feel it at this university. For many years now, we have had many presidents in quick succession who have only spent a short time here and were actually on their way elsewhere. But if I, as the head of a university, am only here for a very short time because I need it as a reference for a future job, then I have a problem. I don't want to blame everything on that either, there are many more points, as I said.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work here?

I think it's super important that we talk to each other and not about each other and that we talk to each other respectfully. I notice that quite often and I can't get away from it either, but that actually has to change. Then everyone will be paddling their own boat, and we'll never get anywhere. And what I think this is all about, and it would be interesting to hear from others how they see it: This university is about educating students. This is something that sometimes gets lost and should once again take centre stage. The needs of students are often not taken into account at all, by which I don't mean that we have to do everything for them. On the contrary, they should definitely take responsibility, which often no longer happens. But we have to bear in mind that this is simply a different generation and that there will always be other generations who need and look for different things. We can't just do the same thing we did 30 years ago because it no longer works today.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

When I commute home from the Viadrina, I usually read a good book and then I pick up my children and actually spend most of my time with them. They are 8 and 13 and we go out, we go to the forest, we go to the horses because my daughter does horse riding, we bake, cook, play, laugh, read. That's one part, of course I also do things other than university and my children. At the moment I'm singing a lot and dealing with the subject of trauma and trauma therapy, because I can often recognize that here too. I am primarily concerned with myself. When I'm with myself, I'm quite stable and can deal with everything and be there for anyone in a completely different way.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

First of all, I was a mentee in the ‘Mentoring for Women’ programme, which was a long time ago. So, I was already part of what the department is still doing in this direction today. I often attended breakfasts for students with children when I had children myself and advised students on studying abroad with children. That's how I got involved in this topic by accident, so to speak, and I still advise students with children here in the department, as well as students with disabilities or chronic illnesses who want to go abroad. Apart from that, we are always dealing with the topics of anti-discrimination and racism. I just had a student who went somewhere else to study abroad because she was afraid to go where she originally wanted to go. I had a long chat with her, but I can't change the situation or her perception. I think it's incredibly important to address this and not pretend that I can't see skin colour or something, because I just think that's bullshit. It's a big issue, even if it's not always talked about, but I think it's always present in some way, even if we don't talk about it. However, most incidents probably don't even reach us. 

 

You have brought a shell with you. What significance does it have?

I have chosen a shell. When I hold it to my ear, I can hear the sound of the ocean, but only apparently. I can actually hear the blood rushing. That brings me full circle to the other questions: if you listen, you can hear others and yourself. But to do that, I have to calm down and come to myself and then I can also come to the others. Then the shell also stands for life and death, because it is dead, which is why I have it in my hand, but also for life, and the two belong together. And at the same time, the shell also stands for travelling and experiencing different things. So, it fits in well with my work and with what else is important to me.

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

It shocks me how much weight is being taken away from the Equal Opportunity Department, how much funding is being cut, even though the issues the department deals with are so important. In essence, this affects all of us. We all care for someone, have children, are not from Germany and are perceived as ‘different’ here, have a disability or illness, etc. None of us has nothing to do with these things. For example, there are so many dyslexics, including colleagues of mine, for whom I have developed a lot of understanding over time. But for something like that I first need awareness and that doesn't just come to me, I have to be open to it. That's what this department stands for and it is sometimes neglected when even funding is withdrawn. I find that very, very regrettable.

Who are you and where are you working / what are you studying?

My name is Paulina Jonczynski and I have been working part-time as a secretary at the Chair of Eastern European Literatures with Prof. Werberger for almost 3 years while doing a bachelor's degree in Cultural Studies. I ended up here when I decided to go back to university 4 years ago and later realized that the money I was earning from interpreting jobs was no longer enough. As a result, I had to find another source of income and found the perfect job here. Now I'm really involved in the university as a student and employee. I fled from Poland to Berlin in 1987 and had all my documents, birth certificate, proof of studies etc. sewn into my bag. If they had found it at the border, they simply wouldn't have let me out of Poland. I couldn't even keep my passport at home in a drawer, only at a passport office. I came to West Berlin in February 1987, got married there quickly and soon had a child. A few years later, shortly after the Wall came down, I moved to Prenzlauer Berg, which was the coolest time. A squat, democracy in action, nights spent sleeping on the roof because it was warm and summer, someone playing the guitar, smoking a cigarette... It was a wonderful creative time when I really realized what opportunities there were. I had dropped out of my studies beforehand, I had studied Jewish Studies at the FU Berlin for a year, but with a child, as a foreigner, without Bafög, in a divorce dispute, studying just didn't fit. I'm sure there are super tough women who can manage that, but not me. Anyway, at some point I co-founded a school and a kindergarten. That was a phase in which I learned an incredible amount. I come from the big city of Gdańsk, but Polish society is very traditional. ‘Children and fish have nothing to say’, that's what they say, and it never really suited me to be subordinate. I wasn't too lucky with my parents either, because they were quite simple people, but not necessarily the good and warm simple kind, but the complicated simple kind. I thought Berlin was incredibly great, it had so much potential, so many opportunities, so many creative people and, as I said, I really liked this democratic idea and feminism.

I'll shorten it all a bit now. One day I found out that a small organic food shop was for sale. I wanted to do that! I really had no idea, but well, after 2 days of training I became the owner of a small organic shop in Pankow, that was in 2002. I'm naive and brave, it has its advantages if you don't worry about what comes later. The beginnings were very hard, I worked around 60-70 hours a week and had wonderful customers. A lot of it was self-exploitation, as many women in the organic sector know. I stayed there for almost 9 years, trained people in between, and apart from the absolutely tough working conditions, I was happy. But after my shop was robbed, I decided to give it up. During my time as a shop owner, I started teaching about natural foods and over-the-counter medicines at private training organizations. It was interesting because I worked for a month and earned a lot of money and then I had time off. The children slowly left home and then I had more time for myself after being a single parent the whole time. Then I had almost 2 years in which I worked alternating months and then had time for myself, travelled a lot and was able to visit my friends. That was great, but I caught pneumonia during that time and that led to a heart operation. That was a turning point in my life. At that time, I was in Chemnitz and always walked past the university on my way to teaching and realized that the university was where I belonged. I waited for my citizenship and then everything happened magically fast. I found a super nice room in a shared flat here and now I live in my own flat.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

Several reasons. I found cultural studies very exciting. Because of my age, I also know that I won't have another career, there won't be any big changes in my life. So, the programme is more for me, my hobby and for my attitude towards life. Cultural studies offer me the opportunity to study a range of different subjects without having to commit myself. Of course, the proximity to Poland is also exciting for me. I already knew Frankfurt and had been here from time to time. Everything was just right.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

I personally haven't noticed any drifting apart, but that may also be because I've only been here for four years. The coronavirus period was very stressful for many people, and I also think that some of the old habits have disappeared into thin air during this time. I found a good social bubble here relatively quickly. There are plenty of opportunities, there are regulars' tables in the WG-Bar, for example.

However, the proximity to Berlin is exhausting. People who live in Berlin won't spend their evenings here but will go home after the seminars. But we're not going to change that. I think it depends on you. It's not something that happens from the outside, it's something you actively do. We secretaries at the KuWi faculty also meet regularly, do things and exchange ideas. Even the Christmas party has now been revived. I don't know what it was like before, but I don't feel lonely.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work and studies here?

Of course, I hope that more students, especially those studying cultural studies, decide to study here. I have no wishes for my work in the office, I'm fine and the workload is okay.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

Studies, studies, studies! I hope to finish my bachelor's degree in a year and then I'm planning to do a master's here. Apart from that, I'm very interested in the life of the city because I like to observe how people think, how people act, what their motives are.

As part of this, I work as a volunteer interpreter for German and Polish here in Frankfurt. I see how important it is to accompany people to the doctors or authorities on a voluntary basis and to support families. For example, I was allowed to attend a child delivery, I was able to hold the child in my hands and hold it out to the mother because she wasn't feeling so well. That was amazing! Lots of very positive experiences, lots of people who are very happy to be helped and who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford an interpreter.

I also have a cat. After the attack on Ukraine, animals were taken from the Ukrainian animal shelters and then I saw a cat on Facebook that looked so funny, it was missing a tooth, it was pretty in its own way and its name was similar to my middle name. I thought, that's my cat! Nobody wanted her anymore and I think I have a soft spot for injustice in the world.

My sons are grown up now, but they remain my main focus.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

I've never been discriminated against as a white straight woman, and not really as a foreigner either. I came here with a relatively good knowledge of German. I can't complain. Here at university, it's not even made an issue of, you're seen for who you are and there are relatively few filters through which you're perceived. Not because of my age either, even the students have never commented on it negatively. I tend to get positive reactions like ‘I'd like my mum to do it too’.

As a feminist and ‘lefty’, I always find your topics important, so keep at it.

 

You have brought a photo with you. What significance does it have?

My grandma was my first thought when it came to the item I should bring. Because I used to move around a lot, most of the items turned out to be unnecessary. Objects were actually unimportant. There was once a situation when I was still living in a squat with my child and there was a ‘hot eviction’. The house was set on fire to smoke out the squatters because the owners didn't want us there. Then I actually had 10 minutes to pack everything up and leave the flat. It was 6am, I had the kid in my arms and thought ‘ok, I need something for the next 2-3 hours, some clothes for my kid, what else do I take?’ Then I realized I didn't need any of that and I had the memories in my head. Funnily enough, what has survived all the moves is the photo of my grandmother, who passed away when I was 6 years old. I had easier and more difficult times in my life and the picture of my grandma was always there. Later, I was fine, and the photo disappeared, as I no longer needed my grandmother. After I came to Frankfurt, the photo suddenly reappeared from somewhere in my documents. She loved me very much and I loved her very much and it has a symbolic value for me that it's back. I don't need her anymore, now she’s just there and resting.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

We live in a society in which we can all go our own way and if it doesn't work out at the beginning, it will work out later. You don't have to finish your studies straight away; you don't have to worry about whether you'll have a career. A lot of things turn out differently than we had planned, and I think it's important to be flexible and kind to yourself. Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. Study, learn, have fun!

 

 

Who are you and where are you working?

My name is Renate Berthold. I work as head of the user service at the university library, or UB for short. I'm also the subject librarian for political and social sciences and art, which means I decide which media are purchased for the university library.   

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

I was looking for a new challenge at the time (1993) after experiencing a previous position in Bavaria as very hierarchical. The Viadrina is not particularly hierarchical, but it is not really open either. I found the years of development in the 1990s to be very challenging and enjoyable. 

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections?

Yes, you can tell that the Viadrina has grown over the past 30 years. There are an incredible number of people you no longer know and in the early years almost everyone knew each other personally. Of course, I also feel that this closeness is no longer there, so sometimes you don't get a reply when you write an email, for example. But I think, and this may be due to my generation, even if not everyone likes to hear it, more presence of university staff in Frankfurt Oder would certainly be good for the city and the university alike.  

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your work here? 

a) I wish the Viadrina more students again I wish that more students will come to Viadrina and most of all, more first of all attractive programmes and subjects that are in demand, as our financial future also depends on this. Of course, the Future Centre would have been highly deserved and a huge opportunity for the university. But that didn't work out, so why not use the resources available in the faculty of cultural studies for the humanities teaching degree programmes, in cooperation with Potsdam, for example? If we don't have any chairs of education, we could split it up, e.g. two days here in Frankfurt Oder, and the other subject, which might be a natural science, could be studied in Potsdam.

b) My (professional) heart's desire is that the library finally regains the importance and perception that it should actually have. We need students to visit the library and realize what a treasure the media and databases there are and that they are important for the quality of their work. The quality of the library experience must also be improved. To achieve this, however, the financial resources must finally be made available to thoroughly refurbish the main building. It fills me with sadness and anger that hardly anyone at this university seems to care that it regularly rains in through the roof and that the top floor of the university library is too hot in summer and too cold in winter, thus hardly usable. A lift that is almost constantly out of order also doesn't lead to more users. It's simply preposterous.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

I love travelling, all over Europe, but also within Germany. I spend a lot of time at the theatre or at concerts, and also visit a stage outside of Germany from time to time, e.g. last year the Staatstheater Braunschweig, where I went to see Prof. Münnich, who played and sang there. This year I'm planning to go to the Nibelungen Festspiele in Worms. I also enjoy cooking and reading a lot. I like to take responsibility for the community, I was a city counsellor here in Frankfurt Oder for 11 years and will now be an honorary lay judge. I have also always tried to establish links between the city and the university. I was always aware that when I sat in any cultural event, I was also representing the university. It was always important to me to make student culture possible; there are great projects, for example what is organized at the Kleist Museum for the city festival.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

It was clear to me that you are against discrimination of any kind, whether it's based on gender or origin, racism, etc. I was also amazed at all the people you work with.

When I read about the mentoring programme recently, I thought that this is something I used to miss myself. In the first few years of my university studies, I often felt like I didn't belong. There was always a vague feeling of not being enough. I think that was less due to my gender rather than my background. I come from a non-academic household. My brother and a cousin, who are both younger than me, also graduated from high school, but in my generation, I was the only one who had ever seen the inside of a university. However, I even have a university degree in teaching, and I spent my whole life in universities after leaving school. More encouragement from mentors with an academic background would have been nice. You also support the Arbeiterkind initiative, which really appealed to me.

I believe that this has not changed to this day. There is still not a significantly higher proportion of students from non-academic homes, especially as the financial situation has become much worse. The Bafög reform didn't work out. Back then I was lucky enough to have an assistant's job, and at some point even two, so I worked 19 hours a week. That's why I got by well and it gave me a sense of security. I would have gone waitressing too, but if you can work in the subject that you're studying anyway, that's great of course. That was a great stroke of luck and set the course for my whole future: I was a student assistant at the department of political science and my boss was a library officer but didn't want to do it. The other librarian, who did what I do today, didn't want to do it either and I actually spent almost DM 20,000 on my own and made suggestions as to which books we should buy. When I later applied for this trainee librarian position, it was the typical work of a librarian. If I hadn't had this experience, I probably wouldn't be in the library today.

 

You have brought a necklace with you. What significance does it have?

I found this very difficult because there is no one thing for me that I could choose. However, I do have a soft spot for jewellery. After getting dressed in the morning, I always try to put on fashion jewellery that matches the colour of my clothes. So, it's not about gold jewellery or diamonds. For me, it's like putting on a suit of armour, only more beautiful. It makes me feel stronger and better prepared for the day, it makes me feel mentally better.

 

Who are you and what are you studying?

My name is Şevval and I’m 23, I’m Kurdish and come from Turkey. Here I study KuWi and in Turkey I studied political science. I’m really passionate about politics and social sciences.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina? 

Firstly, I came here with Erasmus and then I made so many amazing friends and memories here. I wanted to stay in Europe since I was 17, so I thought “this is my shot” and I decided to become a regular student. Here I am, working, studying, trying to find my way around this country. I think Viadrina is a really good place to do that.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections? 

I feel like there is not much of a university culture compared to how I experienced it in Turkey because in my university or other universities there, there are so many student clubs and so many student initiatives. If you’re interested in anything you can just start a club and like-minded people will join. I feel like this is lacking here. I mean there are some student initiatives, but there aren’t many and not many people can resonate with them. So, I feel like if people could just open their own clubs and make their own activities it could bring people together (more). Technically, I think people could already do that but when there isn’t an established culture to do so, there is no precedence and people are more reluctant to take the initiative and actually start something. That can be a bit scary, so I think the communities are hard to build and if there is no space to build it, it can feel a bit unsafe and uncomfortable.

We started a student club in my university in Turkey and I felt like I accomplished something, it was really beautiful. It was called a free dialogue club; my friends developed the idea. Each week we would choose a topic, political, psychological, historical or anything social and then people would register, and we would just match them randomly, so you would talk to a complete stranger. We would provide them with a paper with some questions, but they were not binding, just to kick off the conversation. We saw that people would talk for 1-2 hours maybe, even after we closed the place, they would go somewhere and continue discussing. People kept on coming and it blew up, it was one of the biggest clubs. It was really a nice feeling to be doing something, making a difference, influencing people’s lives like that, it was very good for the university culture. Actually, I’m planning something similar here.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your studies here?

For myself I’d like to move on with my life. This was a good place to start but at some point, I have to jump forward and continue with my master’s and find a job in Berlin probably. I really fell in love with Berlin when I came, but I will always remember my time here in Frankfurt fondly and I’m really thankful that they made everything so easy for me and for other international students. I have many other international friends that came here with exchange programs and then decided to stay here, and that opportunity is really nice. There are a lot of international students here and I think that makes this place what it is right now with the exchange programs, the English bachelor’s and master’s programs, that’s really good. For the future we maybe need some more student clubs or more activities in the city. I would love more cafés or bars to hang out or some museums and art galleries, stuff like that.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

I’m working part time next to my studies here, I’m studying German to get better because I really need to integrate myself more into this country and also, I have like a lot of hobbies. I don’t always complete all of them but yeah, my attention is always here and there, it constantly changes. I’m learning to play the guitar right now, and I like writing. I write small essays, stories and poetry since I can remember, since I was like 8 years old probably. I write mostly about my emotions because I’m a very emotionally sensitive person and I feel a lot, so I have to put it in a creative form. Poetry is one way for me, I really like writing poems. I used to write short stories, but these days that’s not going too well. I kind of lost my muse because I’m too busy and too tired all the time. Besides that, I’m also interested in filmmaking. I just made one movie years ago but still I sometimes think of an idea and build a scenario around it. In the future I’m going to make them come true and you will see them on the screen. I like to read and to explore Berlin because there are so many things to explore and so many things to do. I meet up with my friends and enjoy the sun, even the bad weather I enjoy here. I like cooking and especially feeding people.

For me it sometimes gets overwhelming because I’m just jumping from one thing to another. Now I decided to learn how to draw, I’m a terrible drawer, but still. You should see my bed! I just have my notebook where I write and I have my drawing pad and my colour pencils and my guitar on the side, I have one novel, one poetry book, one psychology book on the side, some movie or video playing on my computer. My brain is all over the place all the time, but I’m enjoying it.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunities Department? 

I’m an immigrant and there are a lot of other immigrant students and I kind of come from a bit of a difficult background, I’m Kurdish and grew up in Turkey. People’s difficulty levels vary but from what I experience and observe from myself, and my friends is that we come here and it’s a whole different country, it’s a language that most of us don’t speak and we’re trying to learn and we are mostly financially struggling because we come from economically underdeveloped countries. It can be a bit overwhelming to find your way around and it doesn’t come too easy to us to move on with our careers and everything because we leave our universities and families behind. Maybe we had a life plan in the countries that we come from and it’s really difficult to navigate here. In Berlin there are some places that give consultations to immigrants, refugees, students with immigration backgrounds and I feel like that’s missing here. I know a lot of my friends are just lost because they are working hard, working part-time or even full-time sometimes, they are trying to navigate their studies, navigate the language and it can be a bit overwhelming. It’s not too difficult to do it but it still can feel lonely sometimes.

Maybe at Viadrina some consultations for students could be helpful. Maybe there is stuff like that, and I just never heard of it, but if there is, it’s not very visible. There are some professional social workers in Berlin that I met who are working on this so maybe getting some professionals in to get a kickstart and then make it a student initiative or an official format. All these struggles come with mental health issues also and help should be more accessible to students.

 

You have brought a notebook with you. What significance does it have? 

This is a notebook that I have since I was 14, I think. I started writing short stories and poetry, anything that came to my mind. It’s something to let my feelings out. Then I stopped writing for some years, and I left my notebook somewhere. Recently I picked it up again and started to write. I also do some drawings in there, so it’s the place where I can pour out my soul, pour out the feelings that I have, the happiness and pains I feel. Most of my stories, especially those I wrote in high school when I was 15/16 are about the women in my family because I come from a somewhat conservative family, where women don’t have much to say and don’t have opportunities. They get married at such an early age and they’re struggling a lot in that patriarchal family system and the society. I just feel like I carry their pain and struggles with me, too, although I got out and broke the chain. But it’s still part of my life, so I just pour everything into that book. I feel connected to every person in my life, and they are all in here. I also have a diary that I’m holding since I was 12 and it’s really interesting to see 12-year-old me until now, that’s almost half of my life.

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with us? 

This is a really nice place to start but don’t get stuck because this city can get you a bit stuck here, especially when you don’t have so many opportunities.

 

 

 

 

Who are you and what are you studying? 

My name is Tom Hilmar Seidelt, I'm 25 years old and I live in Hoyerswerda, which is in northern Saxony, close to the border with Brandenburg. I'm studying Cultural Studies at Viadrina University and specialize in literature, where I'm particularly interested in Jewish literature and sports literature. I’m planning for this summer semester to be my final one.

 

Why did you come to the Viadrina?

Most of my friends went to Dresden to study, but that wasn't an option for me from the start because the city was too big and the university too confusing. Then I thought about a radius and as I live very provincial, the options weren't big. Viadrina was on the outer edge of the radius and, after looking into the concept of the European University and the programmes offered, I came to the conclusion that it would be a good choice for me. That was in autumn 2021, but knowing what I know today about my health, I wouldn't make that decision again. At the time, I knew that I was chronically ill, but I didn't know the extent or the actual severity of the illness. As a result, I imagined everything would be a little easier than it ended up being, but from a purely professional point of view, I am still very happy with my choice.

 

What would it take to bring the many people at Viadrina closer together and build connections? 

I've only heard about it from friends in other cities who are also out and about in the city outside the campus, e.g. going out together in the evenings. I think that's difficult because many people commute from Berlin or elsewhere and don't live in Frankfurt. Basically, all things that happen outside of the small student or academic setting are always a good opportunity to network and get to know each other and also to meet on equal footing, where this is otherwise not necessarily possible. I still remember when we used to have sports festivals at school. The headmaster would stand by the goal wall in shorts and flip-flops and become more approachable for us. That way you can laugh together and have a relaxed chat without any hierarchies. So, you have to think about something so that you can come together on a human level without this rigid university framework.

 

What do you wish for the future of the Viadrina itself and for your studies here? 

I would like to see more inclusion, for example through the reintroduction of online courses. I myself am affected by the fact that I can't travel for weeks at a time because my doctor forbids it, or I have to take medication that does not allow me to drive my car. I can only get from my town to Frankfurt by car, public transport is not an option. You're at a loss if you miss classes for weeks on end. I've also been able to join hybrid classes, but it's extremely unpleasant when you only see me on a huge screen and 30 students stare at me and ask themselves ‘what's wrong with him?’. I'm not saying that the campus has to be deserted, but making 5 or 7% of courses online, e.g. one per module and semester, would give many people an alternative and would also make us a bit more equal. In a Zoom meeting, you can't see who is chronically ill, looking after a child, caring for their grandmother or has to work directly before and after the seminar. I've already tried to bring this up at university. I just can't find any arguments against online teaching, and I think it's a shame that everything has been brought back to square one since the pandemic thankfully ended. Despite everything, we have seen that online teaching can work, and it would be a great relief for people like me who didn't know at the start of their studies what was in store for them health-wise. Personally, I've sometimes made it to Frankfurt, but then had to attend the seminar lying on the floor in pain. I forced myself to be present on site and that is neither effective nor sustainable in the long term. Not offering people like me and those who have even more serious illnesses than me alternative options for their studies also means that potential is not being utilized. I would like to see more tolerance and understanding that we don't necessarily need a lot of compensation for our disadvantages, some of which push us further into a marginalized position. Online courses would help many of us a lot.

 

When you are not at the Viadrina, what keeps you busy?

I have been active in local politics for the SPD since 2016, which is not exactly a feel-good environment here in Saxony. I'm also involved in election campaigns this year at local and state parliament level.

Apart from that, I do a lot of sports despite my disability. I first had to find out what I can and can't do. Unfortunately, ball sports are now taboo for me, and I can no longer be a football referee for the DFB, as I used to be. I've now discovered cycling for myself and have specialized in time trials because I can't sit on the saddle for 80km. Depending on how I'm feeling, I'm on my racing bike several times a week. But that brings new problems into play: I'm tall and have a slim, athletic figure - nobody can tell I'm impaired. People still think that only someone on crutches or in a wheelchair can be chronically ill or disabled, which of course isn't true. People often don't believe that this also applies to me.

 

What is the connection between you and the topics of the Equal Opportunity Department?

I think it's important that you exist because I'm convinced that all students should be able to study as freely and in as tolerant an environment as possible according to their needs. Otherwise, many people fall through the cracks for a variety of reasons, even though they don't have to. And in the worst case, talents are misjudged or not supported due to external circumstances, even though it would be possible to avert this risk. It is important that you draw attention to these shortcomings and that other parts of the university understand that such problems need to be actively tackled and that it is not enough to say how tolerant you are. This tolerance is often orientated towards ‘normal’ or ‘healthy’ people and anyone who deviates from this must ask themselves how they can integrate into such a system.

 

You have shown us your tattoo with you. What significance does it have?

I have a chronic inflammatory disease of the lumbar spine in its most severe form. My symptoms include severe to extreme pain, the inability to sit for longer than 60 minutes without discomfort, restricted movement and neurological deficits such as functional disorders in my legs. This is neither curable nor properly treatable and does not have a good prognosis for the future. I am not going through life unencumbered, even though the disease fortunately has no impact on my life expectancy, and I will be able to walk for the rest of my life. So far, 9 years have passed since the first symptoms, and I hardly remember what it was like before. The disease has become part of the reality.

I lived for many years with a clear disease pattern but without a proper diagnosis. At some point, my orthopaedic surgeon said that we needed to carry out extensive diagnostics and prepared me for the fact that this would take several months. It then took 9 or 10 months - with several examinations and hospital admissions, neurology, neurosurgery and several pain therapies. These complex examinations caused me an incredible amount of anxiety and pain. There were a number of suspected diagnoses, and it was even suggested that a tumour in my spine could be the cause of my symptoms. In this regard, I had an MRI in 2018, for which I lay in the tube for over an hour, knowing that my file might end up showing cancer. This phase was very difficult for me.  What gave me support back then were the games of my football club West Ham United. Back then I said to myself, ‘when the next game comes up on Saturday, I'll have this or that examination behind me that causes me a lot of worry’. As I was lying in the MRI, alone with my fears and thoughts, I had the idea for this tattoo on my ankle, which I eventually put into action. It was something that gave me some comfort in this crucial and honest situation. I've had the tattoo for four years and I'm still loyal to the club today. I watch every game and organize my weekend around it, it's a constant in my life. I always have the club with me, whether at doctors' appointments or before exams.

 

Is there anything else you would like to share with us? 

Where I can, I want to provide suggestions for change and, above all, bring online teaching back into the conversation. My personal mission for my last semester at Viadrina is to be a thorn in the flesh and to voice my concerns confidently and emphatically. I have nothing to lose!