Report December - Margarita Nadelyayeva
How was your first Christmas in Germany?
My first Christmas in Germany was very charming and atmospheric, it was the first Christmas in my life. In my homeland, Christmas is not considered an important holiday for the reason that Kazakhstan is a Soviet state. However, Christmas in Germany is celebrated very colorful and beautiful, as if you find yourself in a fairy tale and an atmosphere of magic reigns around you. My inner child was very happy to see such a picture.
Did you manage to travel around Germany or in another country during the first months of your stay in Germany?
During my stay away from home, I was lucky to meet good friends who at any time will support my spontaneous ideas to go to another city. For this reason, I was able to visit such big cities as Munich, Berlin, as well as smaller cities like Nürnberg and Würzburg. There have been no trips outside Germany yet, but I think it's only a matter of time, because the discovery of the nearest state provinces is also a very good start for a novice traveler.
Where and how do you plan to celebrate the New Year?
I will fly home to Kazakhstan in February, so I plan to celebrate the New Year here in Schweinfurt. Most likely, we will gather with the Kazakhstan's diaspora and try to make a nice atmosphere of the familiar New Year, make a lot of Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad) and other salads, cook beshbarmak and manti for hot main dishes, watch the message from the President and will do everything to make the New Year's celebration feels like at home. Yet, this is the first family holiday away from family. I would like the emotions of warmth and magic of the atmosphere to largely overlap the homesickness.
Do you like Germany?
o be honest, I really like Germany. I like the accessibility of travel; food quality; living standards; the economic level of the country's development; the mentality and benevolence of the Germans, and this is only the smallest part. The balanced rhyme of life and the attitude towards other people is what distinguishes life in Germany from life in Kazakhstan. Here, people are in a hurry to live, draw up plans for six months in advance and try to get everything done in time, but not neglecting the free time of people around them, but on the contrary respecting it. Taking care of loved ones, Germans create comfort in their lives. In my opinion, this is great.
Where and how do you eat?
Mostly, my ration consists only of self-cooked dishes, which are not necessarily from Russian or Kazakh cuisine. Fortunately, we live in a time when the recipe for any dish can be easily found on the Internet in many cooking variations. So, depending on my inner desire and free time, I allow myself to cook something complex and outstanding (like lasagna, for example), mixing this with everyday quick lunches in the canteen or my fast mac'n'cheese snacks. Thus, I regulate my meals myself, sometimes allowing myself to relax and eat a large plate of fries in the canteen.
Do you attend language courses at the university?
There is a huge number of articles and different forms of verbs in German language, so learning it at an early stage is not yet very easy for me. I attend language courses at the university, however, due to the fact that the last language I learned from scratch was English in the first grade, the procedure of memorizing the rules and new words is a bit difficult for me. However, the stability of attending classes and the inner desire to learn a new language play a big role, therefore, the learning is successful.
Have you attended GAT consultations?
Unfortunately, I do not attend consultations because the time of consultations coincides with the time of my lectures. However, GAT tutoring is focused on freshmen and greatly simplifies student life: it helps to solve everyday issues, gives advice on how to prepare for exams and solve the problem of time management. If I had such an opportunity, I would gladly take part in these consultations.
Do you feel safe in Germany (compared to your home country)?
Unfortunately, the situation with the enforcement of legislation in Kazakhstan is very difficult. Here, in Germany, the laws are absolutely unquestioning on the territory of the country and for this reason, even not being a full citizen of this country, I feel more protected.