Hi, I am Emanuele Biasi of the 3DS class. From March 5, 2025, to April 5, 2025, I had the opportunity to spend a month in Germany, dividing my time between school and an internship  in the IT department of the pharmaceutical company Merck.

My Host Families

During my mobility, I was hosted by two different families. I spent three weeks with the first family and one week with the second. Both were incredibly kind and welcoming, making me feel at home from the very beginning. They were always ready to help with anything I needed and introduced me to local traditions, cuisine, and places of interest. With my first host family, I visited the historic center of Darmstadt, viewing the nearby city Frankfurt and enjoyed some traditional German food in different restaurants. With my second host family, I went on a trip to Mainz, explored the Gutenberg Museum, and even played mini golf together. They also helped me get familiar with the city, showing me where the gym was located and taking me on walks in the local parks.

School

I attended the HEMS, a professional school in Darmstadt that focuses on various technical fields. My studies were centered around Computer Science and conducted entirely in German, which helped me improve my language skills. The school’s modern facilities made learning engaging, especially with the hands-on activities, often including group work with local students of different ages. This allowed me to collaborate with peers with different ideas and enhance my learning experience. I had the opportunity to participate in lessons such as working with Lego Mindstorms, attending network security classes, and using simulation software to learn about operating systems. The teachers were very supportive, combining practical and theoretical approaches that helped us better understand the subjects.

After school, some teachers spent time with me doing various activities, like taking me to see a football match at the stadium, visiting museums, going for walks, climbing, or exploring adventure parks in the trees.

Company

My internship took place during the last 2 weeks at Merck, in the Learning Center dedicated to students and apprentices. I worked with a classmate and some tutors on projects using Arduino boards, sensors, displays, and keypads, building an interactive traffic light, a fan control system, an RFID-based door system and more. I also observed how IT technicians work there and I visited their data center, learning how networks, servers, and security systems are managed. The company’s scale and organization impressed me. This internship allowed me to gain hands-on experience, helping me develop problem-solving and collaboration skills.