Last semester I studied at the European Business School (EBS) in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany. Studying abroad was one of the best decisions that I ever made, but I wasn’t so sure of what I was getting myself into before I left. One of the main reasons was because I had never heard of Oestrich-Winkel and had no clue what to expect, so that’s why I want to take the time to describe the small town that I spent last semester in.
One of the first things that you’ll notice when you arrive in Oestrich-Winkel is the vineyards. They’re literally everywhere! The town sits right on the Rhine River and is a part of the famous wine region of the Rhine Valley, so vineyards cover every open tract of land in the town.
Vineyards (August 2014)
More Vineyards (August 2014)
The Rhine River (August 2014)
Overlooking Oestrich-WInkel (August 2014)
Since it is a smaller town, there are fewer amenities. There are about five grocery stores, four or five bars that students go to, three pharmacies, and a lot of bakeries, random shops, and wineries. Buses and trains typically come only once an hour depending on where you are catching them from. However, when you arrive at EBS, you’re required to purchase a semester card for the buses and trains which lets you ride them for “free”. You can get to bigger cities like Rudesheim (5 min), Wiesbaden (25 min), Mainz (35 min), and Frankfurt (1 hour) by train with your card. Being able to get to Frankfurt for free is also really convenient for travelling since it is a major transportation hub and has buses, trains, and planes constantly departing to cities all over Europe.
Street in OeWi
Another Street in OeWi
Most of the international students (there were about 300 last semester) live in either Oestrich-Winkel or Wiesbaden. Some people prefer Wiesbaden because it is a larger city while others like being closer to the campus by living in Oestrich-Winkel. I lived in Oestrich-Winkel in a flat with four other girls. A couple months before you arrive you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a flat hunt organized by EBS or you can find your own flat.
My Flat
I think that that covers the basics of what to expect in Oestrich-Winkel. Hopefully it helps you get a better idea of what to expect if you’re thinking about studying there 🙂