My Adventure Learning German in Berlin16. May 2023
Our student Grecia tells us here about her first months in Berlin, during which she has already successfully completed A1 and A2 German courses and is currently attending a B1 course. Of course, this also includes many experiences outside the language course. But now we’ll let Grecia have her say:
Hello, my name is Grecia, I come from Mexico, and I am 18 years old. I have been studying German in Berlin for the last 3 months and I must say that they have been some of the best months I have lived in my entire life.
These last months have been full of learning and connections with people that I will never forget.
Berlin is completely another world, the lifestyle and the people are amazing. Being here in Berlin, every interaction has helped me to improve my level of German since every day in Berlin is a new adventure full of new knowledge and laughter. I move forward with the certainty that here in Humboldt I will achieve my goals and I will be fluent in Germany very soon!
From the first day I arrived here in Berlin, I knew it was something completely different from what I was used to in Mexico. You see, I come from a small city in the south of Mexico, and Berlin has been a big change since day one. Thanks to all the people who are at the Humboldt-Institut, my adaptation process has been most comforting. From the day I arrived everyone made me feel welcome, the teachers, Stefan, my classmates who would later become my friends and Elena the supervisor, made me feel at home. I never thought I would feel the saying: “mi casa es tu casa” on the other side of the world. Every day I learn new things from my teachers, friends and of course the lifestyle here in Germany and especially in Berlin. I really look forward to becoming fluent in German!
I started the German course practically from zero. Right now, I am currently in a B1 class and my goal is to complete the C1 level of German. During my stay here in Berlin I have had the best teachers: Eva and Lena have accompanied me on my way through A1, A2 and currently Raphael is my teacher in B1. With each of them, I enjoyed each class I had. They are all fun and each of them has a unique way of teaching, from card games to group work improving our teamwork skills, to games to recap the grammar.
The Humboldt classes are energetic, and make learning a new language an easy, energetic, and fun activity, although it also takes dedication. Thanks to the fact that they have supported me in every step and in every area of German (grammar, listening, reading, and writing) I have passed all the levels without any problem.
The learning system is very good, every Monday we have an exam to recap what we have learned the previous week, and with each exam we prepare for the final exam, the Stufentest, which takes place every five weeks.
The teachers provide us with everything from learning techniques to written resources to improve our skills in speaking, writing, reading, listening, and – above all – in German grammar. And of course, being in a country whose language you want to learn day after day helps immensely. Every interaction with locals, from buying juice at Rewe [supermarket chain] to going to the pharmacy, helps me improve my German.
While we have responsibilities and classes during the day, in the afternoon we venture out to explore the different faces of Berlin. Visits to museums, cafés, flea markets, ping pong in the park, music and interactions in the Mauerpark, movies in the student lounge, kicker, puzzles, and card games are some of the activities that we enjoy daily in the institute.
Saturdays are my favorites because we venture on excursions to a different place every week. Thanks to the excursions, I have been able to have closer contact with German culture. From Rostock and Potsdam to Dresden, each excursion has something new to teach you and new laughs with friends and memories that you will remember forever.
Berlin has given me friendships that I will never forget, and delicious food that I will always carry in my mind. The Döner is one of the things that I enjoy the most here in Berlin. Eating a Döner with friends completely makes my day and prepares me for a good session of German study!
Gracias Berlin!
Gracias Humboldt!
PS: You can find more stories from former students in Berlin here: