The German course started 3 weeks ago and I’m very very happy with the school and with the course itself. Everyone at the school is very friendly and helpful and from my point of view they have a good teaching method. I took a placement test when I first got to Munich and was placed on the intermediate 2 level. We have 2 different teachers: one 2 days a week and the other one 3 days a week. We work a little bit on grammar, only a little bit since by now we all should have learned the fundamental of the German grammar, and we do a lot of conversation, discussions, small presentations and reading comprehension. A lot of it takes place through group discussions and also through games that make the classes very entertaining and dynamic. I also like the fact that embedded in the class material we learn a little bit of the German culture and history. The school occupies the third floor of a 6 story building; with about 8 classrooms, a small kitchen where I purchase a cup of Milchkaffee (café con leche) every morning before entering the class, a study room with a couple of Apple computers and a big and open reception area. Each class has 6-8 students on the average. My group started out with 5 students and we are now up to 7. The fact that it is such a small group gives us all more opportunities to talk, read, and participate in class, and also a better chance for the teacher to correct our unique mistakes. The group is very diverse as far as the ages, cultural background, education and motivation for learning German. Just so you can see what I’m talking about let me introduce you to my classmates. We have: a 19 year old History major student from Penn. State in Philadelphia, an 18 year old high-school student from the Czech Republic, a 24 year old recent law graduate from Brasil, a 25 year journalism graduate from Spain who is also a Spanish-English translator, a 27 year old doctorial candidate in philosophy from Spain, a 29 year old contrabass player and soprano from Japan and then of course the 33 year old engineer from Colombia who lives in Miami. Given their age range, they all think or assumed that I’m 26-27 years old….and of course I haven’t had the heart to tell them they are mistaken. How could I break such news to them?!?! I just can’t. Ja ja ja ja!!!!
The school organizes several activities outside the classrooms to get us to meet other students outside our classmates. For example 2 weeks ago we went to a beer garden inside the English Garden. This is a very big park in the heart of the city; something similar to central park in New York City. We had a beer right next to the Chinese Turm or Chinese Tower. There were about 12-15 students who came to this activity where we all shared a little bit about ourselves while drinking a beer and enjoying a typical Bavarian meal. I had the best pork schnitzel that I’ve eaten in Germany so far. They have also organized a couple of get togethers to play pool at a bar near the school and a visit to the “Tollwood” festival in the Olympic center. Tollwood is just a festival that takes place everyday of the week between June and July. It is an arts and crafts festival with food tents from all over the world, music tents, beer gardens and lots of people.
Thus far my plan is go to school the remaining of June and all of July. I will probably take a break in August and then resume my school activities in September.
The school organizes several activities outside the classrooms to get us to meet other students outside our classmates. For example 2 weeks ago we went to a beer garden inside the English Garden. This is a very big park in the heart of the city; something similar to central park in New York City. We had a beer right next to the Chinese Turm or Chinese Tower. There were about 12-15 students who came to this activity where we all shared a little bit about ourselves while drinking a beer and enjoying a typical Bavarian meal. I had the best pork schnitzel that I’ve eaten in Germany so far. They have also organized a couple of get togethers to play pool at a bar near the school and a visit to the “Tollwood” festival in the Olympic center. Tollwood is just a festival that takes place everyday of the week between June and July. It is an arts and crafts festival with food tents from all over the world, music tents, beer gardens and lots of people.
Thus far my plan is go to school the remaining of June and all of July. I will probably take a break in August and then resume my school activities in September.
No comments:
Post a Comment