On October 14th, the first-ever GEAS cohort gathered for a trip to Riverside Hotel Zeuthen. Although many of the 12 multinational students met each other, members of staff, postdocs, and faculty for the first time, a warm welcome was guaranteed and conversations easily manifested on the basis of similar international experiences in the East Asian region.

The mutual warm-up session was framed by the unique scenery of the river Spree, which the passengers enjoyed via a boat ride with drinks and snacks provided by the school. After this pleasant introduction to one of the many faces of Berlin/ Brandenburg, the first informal meeting took place on the Bar Boat of the Riverside Hotel Zeuthen. In a collegial and relaxed atmosphere, the cohort got to know each other’s backgrounds and research topics. This was followed by dinner and further excited conversations between the doctoral candidates until deep into the night.

On the next day, a mixed programme offered a wealth of essential information and hands-on guidelines throughout the day. Professors, staff, and doctoral candidates presented their carefully thought-out tips and shared their vision for the GEAS. Much time was allotted to questions and feedback from the doctoral candidates in order to ensure a smooth start into the next three years of focused work.

After the final dinner, an already tighter-knit cohort left Zeuthen together by train, prepared and hopeful in the face of the prospects that a future at GEAS would hold.

Oul Han