My 6 weeks teaching English and Studying German experience

On my arrival in Germany on a Monday morning in early November I was warmly greeted by Rafat and the other volunteers at breakfast. This was my first time in Germany, and my first time travelling to Europe as an adult so I was understandably nervous upon arriving. Yet, the community spirit at the centre made me feel comfortable and welcome from day one.

Over the course of my stay, I enjoyed teaching English to 5 students coming from Syria, Ukraine and Germany, ranging from 9 years old to 85 years old, each with varying degrees of English. The lessons are held as personal one to one tutoring, so you have the freedom to design and tailor the lessons to each of the students' needs. I found this experience to be very rewarding, as it gives you the chance to build a constructive relationship with each individual.

At the same time I also took beginner A2 German lessons in the centre taught by Muaz alongside fellow acquaintance Caterina. Muaz is a great teacher, who really pushes you to speak your best every lesson. I found my German improved steadily over the course of my stay. I even held a few impromptu classes with Cat where I became the teacher :P The only negative was the scheduling of the lessons. Lessons were not scheduled in advance but rather, during the week whenever Muaz was available. Unfortunately this meant, I often didn't know if I was having a lesson or not until the day before, which became slightly frustrating. I found the same was true with scheduling my students as well. It is fair to say the centre at times can be a little disorganised, but it does not detract from the experience all too much.

For my accommodation, I shared a room with two other volunteers in a flat which belonged to one of the excellence centre staff. I did not mind the sharing experience, and it was fun to have roommates that I could bond with. However, I found the accommodation itself to be on the smaller side for four people. This was true of the kitchen which could only really support one person at a time, and also lacked both a microwave and a proper oven. It was also frustrating that we only had two sets of keys between the three of us, and had to frequently let each other in. However, your accommodation experience will likely differ from mine if you live with a host family.

Far and above the best part of my experience at the centre was getting to know the other volunteers. Each morning we would gather in the dining room to enjoy an Arabic breakfast with the other staff and volunteers. It's a great bonding experience and a fund blend of cultures. Even though, I came to the centre with a mind to learn German, I gained a new insight into Arabic culture and even picked up a few Arabic words along the way. Wallahi.

The centre attracts an amazing type of person, passionate about languages and eager to learn about other cultures. Everyone was so inviting, and together was organised some really fun European excursions, to Berlin, Dresden and even Paris. I will always remember enjoying a baguette by the Seine with James. The centre is also closely linked with the Erasmus Students Network in Halle, and through that social group we were invited to some really awesome parties.

Overall I had a really fun time at the centre and made some very unforgettable memories. I could not have wished for a better introduction to Europe.