33 Communication

Internet Access

All dorms are wired for Internet access, and plug-and-play Internet service is included in your rent. Freiburg dorms are served by the provider MyWire (www.my-wire.de). Internet access is available as a “plug-and-play” service; WiFi routers are provided in the dorm rooms. A connection link can be found on the router. When in doubt about how to connect your device, ask your WG mates for help. The connection speed is generally sufficient for video calls.

Telephone

• To call Freiburg from the U.S., first dial 011 (the international code). Then dial 49, which is the code for Germany, and then 761, the code for Freiburg.
• To telephone the U.S. from Germany, first dial 00 (the international code). Then dial 1, which is the code for the U.S. Then dial the area code and the regular number.

Using internet-based messaging services like WhatsApp, Facetime, Signal, and Facebook Messenger are advisable and used by most students and parents at no additional cost to either party with a standard internet connection.

Like the U.S., Germany uses daylight savings time in the spring and summer, but the dates on which clocks are adjusted differ – daylight savings time begins one week earlier and ends two weeks later. Except for these three weeks, Freiburg’s time is 7 hours later than the Central Standard Time zone and 6 hours later than EST. At 5 p.m. in Iowa or Wisconsin and at 6 p.m. in Michigan, it is midnight in Germany. Make sure your friends and family are aware of the time difference, so they call at reasonable hours.

Cellular Phones

AYF participants are required to adhere to the following policy on cell phones: first, to ensure easy communication and accessibility in case of an emergency, all AYF participants are required to have a cell phone at their disposal at all times during their study abroad experience. AYF participants are most welcome to bring a cell phone from the U.S. and keep their U.S. cell phone number for the year; alternately, participants may purchase a cell phone in Germany during their first week in Freiburg. Participants must keep the AYF Program Center staff informed of their cell phone number and any subsequent changes of their number.

AYF participants wishing to maintain and use their U.S. number are required to inform the AYF program prior to arrival of their number since this number will be used to set up online-banking for their German bank account initially.

AYF participants wishing to purchase a cell phone in Germany with a German phone number are required to purchase a so-called “pre-paid” cell phone or sign a contract with a monthly cancellation option. They are not permitted, in other words, to purchase cell phones with 2-year contracts; while standard in Germany, 2-year contracts are not suitable for one year of study abroad. Nowadays, there are very reasonable pre-paid options or plans with a monthly cancellation policy available at very moderate cost. These pre-paid options also offer E-sims for newer phones that do not have a slot for physical SIM cards.

German students generally use WhatsApp or similar apps to communicate which is cost neutral when used via WiFi. We will also set up an AYF WhatsApp group to connect you with staff and local alumni prior to your arrival to answer questions and will use it throughout the year to share announcements. Given the tremendous popularity among your future German classmates and the utility in communicating program matters, you may consider installing WhatsApp prior to arrival.

Letters

Airmail between the U.S. and Germany generally takes 7-10 days, while surface mail takes four to six weeks. German postal regulations forbid the mailing of cash in letters. It is recommended that checks be sent via registered airmail.

Packages

You may wish to have all packages from the U.S. sent to you c/o the AYF Program Center mailing address which is through the central Freiburg University mail drop (Poststelle). The advantage is that such packages can be delivered during regular office hours, Monday through Friday. If the German postal service attempts to deliver a package to you at your dorm room and you are not home, you will receive a notice directing you to pick up your package at the post office, which may be less conveniently located than the AYF Program Center or the Uni Poststelle. The administration at the dorms does not accept packages on behalf of students.

If you opt to receive your packages at the AYF Program Center, please use the following mailing address and always include your name and the tag “AYF” or “Academic Year in Freiburg”. This may seem obvious, but occasionally parcels have arrived at the AYF office without a student’s name. And if parcels are sent without AYF mentioned in the address, the carrier may not be permitted to deliver it to our address, especially if a package contains some kind of merchandise. For mailings sent through courier services such as DHL, FedEx, UPS you will need to use an address that includes a street name and house number. This may also occasionally be required by online merchants! Please note the differing ZIP codes and addresses for mailings sent via U.S. Mail and by courier service.