My First Trip – From Esslingen to Ingolstadt

My First Trip – From Esslingen to Ingolstadt

Having travelled 7500+ kms from Tamil Nadu to Germany, I believe it would be unfair and unwise to confine myself within the walls of a room and continue a run-of-the-mill routine of watching movies & series and reading gossips & conspiracy theories. Which is why I made it a point to explore Germany (in tiny bits), starting 2017. Planning the trip While spontaneous trips to explore a city or visit a friend can sound quite thrilling, for students in a foreign country with limited travel budget, planning in advance can ensure that it’s worth their money. Not to forget, however, are the perils of over-planning and allowing pleasant travel experiences go down the drain. Balancing the level of details is an art in itself and can only be mastered with time and experience. Usually transportation expenses are the major chunk. However, one should also consider the factors of comfort and travel time, before making a balanced decision. Be sure that there is no...
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Learning German in Germany

Learning German in Germany

German classes in Germany   Shortly after arriving in Esslingen in September 2016, I signed up for a B2 level German class at the Hochschule Esslingen. I had earlier finished my B2.1 level at The Languedge and wanted to further advance my German language skills. The course was arranged by the Hochschule free of charge with a private instructor. Course fee and structure Unpaid courses are not common in Germany, since taking up a course outside at a Sprachschule (Language Institute) usually costs 180-220 Euros/course (average) with around 50-60 learning units (All classes in Germany are mentioned as number of Learning Units (UE), each UE being 45 minutes). Few private tutors also offer classes that are charged on an hourly basis. Another important point to bear in mind is, unlike in India, courses in Germany are not structured as A1, A2, etc. Instead each level is split into 2 courses and this means an A1 level comprises of a course in A1.1 and then an...
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The translated Testimonial

The translated Testimonial

When we have a strong unshakeable belief that something should happen, then it will. Definitely. The entire universe conspires in our favour.It is only a matter of time and sincerity to see it come true. My desire to learn a foreign language came into being even as I entered college. As I was a soon-to-be Automobile Engineer, Deutsch was my first choice. I began my Language classes in 2010 in my second year. During this A1 course, I learnt the language from and got to know my Deutsch teacher Ms. Mathangi.And the Rest is History! During these classes (which took place after college hours), we wrote letters in German and did many group activities. With a so-creative teacher and an interesting peer group, the sessions were definitely great fun (even after 8 hours of college lectures). I was also the Class rep (as it always turns out to be. I don’t know why!). During the certificate distribution ceremony, I also delivered on...
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Testimonial – entirely in German

Testimonial – entirely in German

Wann wir einen starken Glaube dafuer haben, dass etwas passieren soll, wird es immer bestimmt passieren. Es ist nur eine Sache der Zeit und der Ehrlichkeit ! Ich habe mich dafuer interessiert, eine Fremdsprache zu lernen, wann ich schon an der Uni war. Weil ich einen Auto-Ingenieurwissenschaft student war, waehle ich Deutsch aus. Ich habe meinen Sprachkurs schon in 2010 begonnen, wann ich in meinem zweiten Jahr war. Waehrend meinen A1 Kurs, habe ich meine Lehrerin Frau Mathangi kennengelernt. Und der Rest ist bekannt ! Wir haben viele Briefe geschrieben und Aktivitaeten gemacht. Ich war auch den Klassensprecher (wie immer) waehrend dem Kurs. Wann wir unsere Zeugnisse bekommen, habe ich schon meine erste Rede (bestimmt mit Hilfe meiner Lehrerin) in Deutsch in einen grossen Hoersaal gegeben . Nach dem Kurs auch, gibt meine Lehrerin mir Tipps und hilft mir Deutsch weiterzulernen. Leider konnte ich nicht weiter nach A2 in 2011 studieren. Aber alles zu seiner Zeit ! Um meine A2 Unterrichten teilzunehmen, musste ich viel...
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Connecting the Dots

Connecting the Dots

From Madras Institute of Technology to University of Applied Sciences Esslingen “You can never connect the dots looking forwards. You can only connect them looking backwards” were the famous words of Steve Jobs. My presence at Esslingen, Germany in September 2016 is a surely a series of dots (a collection of steady efforts, hard work and cumulative experiences) tracing back to the days of September of 2009 at Chennai, India. The Start It all started with my interest to learn a foreign language in 2009 while still at Madras Institute of Technology, not just for the career opportunities it offered me, but also for the feel good effect and sheer joy of learning a 3rd language. I signed up for the German classes in 2010 and by December of 2011, I was through with my A2 level in German. Though I wanted to go further, my language journey came to a grinding halt owing to a financial crunch. As a university gold medalist, I...
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