On the 12th of December 2024, the Winter Mingling took place, as every year, organized by the International Office & Welcome Center at RPTU Campus Landau, to welcome the new international students and celebrate the start of the winter semester. Janna, a student, tells us about it.
Winter Mingling, December 12th, 2024
At the Winter Mingling event, students from the Master of Environmental Science and Master of Ecotoxicology, along with professors and PhD students, enjoyed an intercultural and engaging evening. Thanks to the planning of our Welcome Center, the evening began with an engaging program. Of course, the coordinators of the Master’s programs (Prof. Dr. Frör and Dr. Carsten Brühl) were present and delivered a warm welcome speech.
The first highlight of the evening was a vocal performance by María del Rosario Pira Alegría. She sang emotional and captivating songs from Latin America. Thanks to her well-prepared presentation, the audience could not only enjoy her beautiful voice but also understand the lyrics. For the finale, she performed a song she wrote during her first winter in Germany, which she remembered as dark and cold.
Following this, Adelina Korniienko, Yana Maslova, and Maryna Revai introduced us to the most beautiful and popular places in Ukraine, their home country. They shared why these places are special to them and, along the way, spoke about their culture. This segment highlighted the importance of preserving these places and maintaining cultural heritage.
A thrilling quiz, prepared by Jana Meyer zu Hörste and María José Gormaz Aravena, sparked ambitions beyond environmental and ecotoxicological themes. It was a head-to-head competition until the very end, with victory hotly contested.
To conclude the program, Shivang Malik, Tithi Paul, and Krishna Venugopalan Variyer performed an Indian classical fusion. The interplay of wonderful music, stunning dresses, intricate makeup, and compelling dance brought a piece of India to Landau. Their lifelong experience in dance was evident.
Through expressive facial expressions, precise movements, and a strong sense of rhythm, they delivered an authentic and captivating performance (you can have a short glimpse at their amazing performance in the following video).
After the program, it was time to eat and mingle. Many students prepared dishes from their home countries, and the Welcome Center provided additional treats. Conversations about the various foods, the performances, and different cultures filled the room. The event also offered a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow members of the Institute for Environmental Sciences in Landau.
Janna Schulte
Thank you Janna for the post and thanks to the Welcome Centre for the pictures.