My Erasmus semester is over, and I am back in Germany again. I used the last weeks I was there to travel around: I explored Cayenne and the surrounding area. It was good to take part in excursions organized by the Erasmus office especially for international students. I was also able to go on tours organized by other departments. There were six excursions altogether: from one-day tours to trips over four days, everything was included. The costs were largely covered by the university.

We took a boat to three islands off the Guyanese coast in the Atlantic and drove to the Brazilian and Surinamese borders and to the jungle. I experienced one of the most beautiful moments on our trip to Ilet la mère, a small island off the coast of Cayenne that can be reached by boat. Due to a research project that has now ended, there are plenty of little squirrel monkeys that are extremely curious. If you dig into your pocket, you quickly have a monkey on your shoulder. But the monkeys weren’t the highlight for me. On the way to the island, we saw a school of dolphins! That was a very special moment for me. I also had another, but less enjoyable, first experience on this excursion: my first encounter with a tarantula ...

Through the other excursions, I got to know French Guyana from a different perspective and could better understand its relations with the neighboring countries – Suriname and Brazil.

By the end of the semester, I also knew my way around in Cayenne very well. I enjoyed shopping at the market, which is held three times a week in the city center and where I discovered something new every time.

During my stay, I was able to experience the coexistence of different cultures and languages and dealt with topics that were new to me, such as the history of the overseas region. But I also had to deal with difficult situations and sexual harassment. Every time I walked through the city, I was honked at and called after. Several times I was followed, which is why I stopped going out alone after dark.

I witnessed numerous appeals to the local youth that they are the future and must invest in their home. It is clear to me that French Guiana is still trying to find itself and its identity and that the local young people have to be part of it and will have to get involved politically.

I am grateful that I learned so much and left my comfort zone. I think the knowledge I gained in French Guiana will be with me for a lifetime. Even though Cayenne is not the right place to live for me personally, I met many people who have found a home there.