It was always a dream of Andreas Peter, a BA Business Management student, to experience the ‘American way of life’. A period of study in Jackson, Mississippi, taught him that clocks in the south tick differently from the way they do in showcase cities like New York and San Francisco.
Why did you choose this country, and this university in particular, for your exchange semester? What was the language of the course?
The United States was my preferred country right from the start. Above all I wanted to have a closer experience of the ‘American way of life’. On the one hand the country does of course have familiar features, which we come across in Europe as well – on the other, I was very much attracted by the possibility of getting to know the differences. Here I am thinking in particular of the dynamic business culture, the size and variety of the country and the different attitudes to life you find. In choosing a country it was also a factor for me, naturally enough, that I wanted to improve my English. I decided to go for Millsaps College, a small private university in Jackson, based on the quality of its teaching, the recommendations of former students and its situation in the sunny south of the USA.
How did you prepare yourself for your exchange semester? What help did the team at the International Office give you?
Along with my application and the usual formalities, with which the International Office helped me out, my student visa was one of the things that needed the most preparation. By contrast with a standard Erasmus exchange, this called for a fair amount of time and organisation. Finding accommodation on the other hand turned out to be quite simple, as I got a place in a student hostel on the campus. Apart from that I just brushed up my English a bit, and found out what I could about the university, the city and the country.
Paddle steamer on the Mississippi
What did you look forward to most? What was the biggest challenge?
I very much looked forward to familiarising myself with the American way of life. I had always been attracted by the idea of spending several months in a country on a different continent. It was a change for me, of course, that practically everything took place on the university campus. This applied to lectures and accommodation for a start – and nearly all sporting and evening activities happened on campus as well. Mobility issues also called for adaptation on my part, as you could hardly do anything without a car.
What kind of reception and support during your studies did you get from our partner university?
The support from the university was excellent right from the start, when they picked me up from the airport. Then they were helpful if I had any questions, and the university’s International Office also arranged excursions and intercultural events. Generally speaking the supervisors and students were all very open and friendly, which made my study residence in the USA a whole lot easier, at the start above all. 
Fourth Night Ceremony at Mississippi College
What did you like best? What have you learned for your studies or for yourself personally as a result of this time?
After an initial acclimatisation phase, I really enjoyed life on the campus. American college culture has always fascinated me, as there are significant differences compared with European university life. With my studies, as well, this period abroad resulted in valuable input. I acquired a deep insight into the American slant on business processes, and as a result was able to develop a broader understanding of business and other aspects of life. In addition I was able to deepen my knowledge of subjects to which I would have paid little or no attention on a regular study course, like American business law for example. For myself, I had lots of fabulous experiences in the course of the year. It was fascinating to get such detailed insights into the culture of another country, both from daily living and by travelling across the USA. Taken all in all it was a fantastic year, and did a whole lot for me in linguistic, professional and personal terms.
What recommendations would you give to other University of Liechtenstein students who are likewise planning an exchange semester?
Above all if you want to study in the USA it is important to start planning your exchange semester at an early stage. Getting a student visa, in particular, is quite a bit more complicated than you would expect, and so you need to leave plenty of time for it. Also you should book your flight to America early, to avoid unnecessary expense. It’s always good to have a certain degree of openness and flexibility. You need to be aware, too, that in the Deep South above all the clocks sometimes tick differently from the way we are familiar with in showcase cities like New York and San Francisco. I can only recommend students to make the best use of their time by travelling around the country. Whether you take a car, plane or bus, there’s lots to discover.
Andreas Peter
Country of origin: Germany
uni.li. course: Business Management BA
Semesters: 5
Living locally in: Vaduz
Exchange semester
Country: USA
Chosen university: Millsaps College
Number of semesters: 2
Type of accommodation: student hostel on campus
New Orleans