The education system in Germany varies from state to state, although
the basic K-12/13 system is fairly uniform. (Some states still require
13 years of secondary academic study.) As in the US, education is the
responsibility of each of the 16 German states (Bundesländer), but there is a national conference of state education ministers (Kultusministerkonferenz,
KMK) that serves to coordinate educational practices at the national
level. However, there is still a lot of variation in the school systems
across Germany.
Secondary
school students in Berlin on a field trip to the former
Hohenschönhausen Stasi (secret police) prison and interrogation center
in Berlin. PHOTO: H. Flippo
General Overview
Compared to the United States, the German primary and secondary
school system is a rather complicated one in which there are sometimes
as many as five different kinds of secondary schools (usually starting
at grade 5) and various paths leading to academic higher education,
advanced technical training or a trade. For more about the types of
schools in Germany see below.
In addition to Germany’s extensive public school system, there are
also some private and parochial schools, but far fewer than in the US
and most other countries. Among the private schools, Montessori,
Waldorf, Jena and other alternative education models are popular. But in
all of Germany, a country of 80 million people, there are only about
2,500 private and parochial schools, including boarding schools (Internate).
There are also a good number of international schools all across
Germany, which can be a good option for English-speaking expats. (See
more about international schools below.)
Compulsory School Attendance
Part of the reason for the dearth of private or church schools is the
German conviction that public education is a vital element that
contributes to a well-educated citizenry and a sense of common purpose.
Germany has a compulsory school attendance law. The law requires school
attendance (Schulpflicht), not just instruction, from age 6 until age 15. This helps explain why homeschooling is illegal in Germany.
The German Educational Class System
Although most Germans claim to be against elitism and favoring any
social class, their entire educational system is basically a three-class
system that divides students into three different tracks: (1) Gymnasium for bright students headed for college, (2) Realschule for the next step down, kids headed for average or better white-collar positions, and (3) Hauptschule
for the bottom tier, generally aimed at the trades and blue-collar
jobs. By the age of 10 most pupils in Germany have been put on one of
these three educational tracks. Although it is possible to switch
tracks, this is not very common.
Efforts over the past several decades to reform this system, with its
emphasis on tracking, have largely been unsuccessful. Essentially the
same tracking system also exists in neighboring Austria and Switzerland,
which have also resisted educational reforms. Citizens of the
German-speaking countries seem to feel that the current system produces
good results – despite a poor showing in recent PISA rankings and other
educational studies that indicate German schools don’t always produce
the best educated students.
The Gesamtschule Reform
In some states, usually governed by the SPD (Social Democratic Party),
there was an attempt to reform the system by creating a more inclusive
kind of secondary school, more like the American high school. Beginning
in the late 1960s, the Gesamtschule (comprehensive school) was
introduced as an alternative to the traditional three-tiered secondary
education system. Instead of three different schools, there are three
different tracks within one school. Beginning in the late 1960s and the
early 1970s, the first Gesamtschulen appeared in West Berlin
and a few other Länder, but soon there was resistance from the
conservative CDU (Christian Democratic Party), teacher unions and parent
groups, who felt that the comprehensive school was inferior to the
traditional sytem.
Although the original idea was to replace the old three-school system (Gymnasium, Realschule, Hauptschule) with a single secondary school, the Gesamtschule or Einheitsschule, in practice it has not worked out that way. Rather than replacing the three-school system, the Gesamtschule has merely been added to the traditional system. Some Gesamtschulen are also Ganztagsschulen
(all-day schools), with a class schedule that runs longer than
traditional schools, which usually only have classes until noon or 1:00
p.m.
The decade between 1972 and 1982 was supposed to be a trial period to see if the Gesamtschule was superior or not. The verdict was mixed, and the Gesamtschule
now only exists in various forms in about ten of the 16 German states.
In some German states, including Bavaria, Hamburg, Saxony, Thuringia and
others, the Hauptschule and Realschule have been combined to create the
Mittelschule (also known as Regelschule or Regionalschule) to
create a two-tiered system rather than three. Even in former East
Germany, where the “unified school” educated everyone to be good,
socialist citizens, the Gesamtschule has not been adopted uniformly. The good old academic Gymnasium has endured in most of Germany to this day. In Austria and Switzerland the Gesamtschule concept has never drawn any real support.
Special Education
As opposed to the US system of inclusion of students with special needs
whenever feasible, Germany also promotes tracking in that area. Förderschulen or Sonderschulen
are separate schools for students with moderate to severe learning
disabilities, blind or deaf students, or those with physical
disabilities. This practice, which puts some 430,000 German students in
special, separate schools, has been criticized for not meeting the 2008,
EU-ratified UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
which calls for a more inclusive, integrated education for disabled
students. Critics say that by separating special-needs students from the
general population, the German special education system fails, in that
it puts disabled students at a disadvantage and prevents their
integration into daily life. This is especially true for students with
physical disabilities. Only in a few places in Germany are some
special-needs students integrated into regular schools.
The School Day in Germany
Traditionally, the German school day has started at 8:00 a.m. and
finished at 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. – and that is often still the case. But in
recent years, some schools in Germany have started offering a full day
of education (Ganztagsschule). They offer study hours for
homework, extracurricular activities and a hot lunch at the cafeteria.
Since most German schools never had a cafeteria, this often requires new
construction to provide them.
Class Schedule
German secondary schools have a class schedule that resembles a US
college schedule, with different classes offered each day. Some subjects
are taught three days per week, with others taught only twice a week.
On Monday a typical schedule might offer four 45-minute classes (and
sometimes double 90-minute classes) in (1) math, (2) history, (3) art
and (4) English, while on Tuesday a student might have five classes: (1)
German, (2) religion, (3) calculus, (4) French and (5) PE.
There are also break periods, usually a short and a long break (große Pause),
during the school day. Most students eat lunch at home, since schools
usually have no cafeteria, and the school day ends fairly early.
Although there is some physical education, German schools are more
academic in nature. Competitive sporting events between schools are
rare. Athletics is usually done outside of school by belonging to a
sports club.
For a long time in many parts of Germany the school week included
Saturday. In the 1980s schools in Baden-Württemberg still had classes
every other Saturday. In East Germany Saturday was a school day
nationwide. Since the early 1990s most German school students, including
those in Baden-Württemberg, have enjoyed a full weekend. Only a very
few local schools still have Saturday classes (Samstagsunterricht).
Now let’s look at the various types of schools in Germany.
Preschools in Germany
Surprisingly, in the land that invented the kindergarten, preschool
education is not part of the public education system. Most preschools or
daycare centers for young children in Germany are run by churches or
other non-profit organizations. The federal government does provide some
funding to the states, but despite new laws that “guarantee” at least
half-day childcare for children between the ages of one and three, there
are not enough places available. Efforts to increase the availability
of childcare have been hindered by a lack of funding, plus a lack of
trained staff. Less than a third of three-year-olds in Germany had
access to daycare in 2012.
The German preschool system varies from state to state, but in general it works this way:
Kinderkrippe (literally, “crib” or “crèche”) – For ages eight weeks to three years.
Kita (short for Kindertagesstätte (children’s daycare center) – For ages 3-6, open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or later.
Kindergarten – For ages 3-6; half-day or full-day kindergarten.
Hort or Schulhort – Provides after-school daycare for elementary school pupils.
Finding a place for your preschooler can be difficult, since there
are also many other parents trying to find a good Kita or kindergarten.
The better facilities tend to fill fast, so it is necessary to plan
ahead. Finding a place for your child often depends on where you live.
Getting your child into a good facility near where you live is
considered a wonderful stroke of luck.
Elementary Schools in Germany
After preschool, German pupils attend primary school (Grundschule, “basic school,” grades 1-4). Compulsory school attendance Schulpflicht
starts in September after a child has turned six. All students attend
elementary school from grade one to grade four in most states. Before
beginning the fifth grade (seventh in Berlin/Brandenburg), students and
their parents must choose the type of secondary school they will attend,
in other words, which educational track they will be on.
The majority of children attend a public elementary school in their
neighborhood. As in the US, schools in affluent areas tend to be better
than those in less-affluent areas. In bigger cities students “with a
migratory background” (as the Germans refer to immigrant Turks and other
non-Germans migrants) often lower the quality of education in schools
with a high percentage of foreign students. Efforts to combat this
inequality have met with limited success.
Secondary Schools in Germany
After completing their primary education (at 10 years of age, 12 in
Berlin and Brandenburg), children attend one of five types of secondary
schools in Germany. The five kinds of schools vary from state to state
in Germany: Hauptschule (HOWPT-shoo-luh, grades 5-9 or 5-10)
The Hauptschule is generally considered the least demanding of
the five types of secondary school, but it may be very appropriate for
students who wish to enter the trades or go through an apprenticeship
for certain types of industrial employment. The Hauptschule prepares
pupils for vocational education, and most of the pupils work part-time
as apprentices. Upon completion of the final Hauptschulabschluss examination, after grade 9 or 10. They also have the option of earning the more prestigious Realschulabschluss after grade 10. With that, the next step is often a Berufsschule, an advanced technical/vocational school with a two-year course of apprenticeship and study.
Realschule (ray-ALL-shoo-luh, grades 5-10)
This is the most popular type of secondary school in Germany. About 40 percent of German pupils attend this kind of school. The Realschule may be a step below the Gymnasium
(more below), but it can be a very good school, with academic standards
that usually exceed those of a typical high school in the US. For
instance, Realschule students must study at least one foreign language
(usually English or French) for a minimum of five years. (In Gymnasium a
second foreign language is required.) Graduates earn a Realschulabschluss
diploma. In some communities a Realschule and a Gymnasium may share the
same building, with a common library, and other common facilites.
Mittelschule (MIT-tel-shoo-luh, grades 5-10)
Only some German states have this type of intermediate school (grades 6-10) that combines the Hauptschule and Realschule tracks.
Gymnasium (ghim-NAH-zee-uhm, grades 5-12 or 5-13)
The German Gymnasium is an academic secondary school that
prepares pupils for a university education. It begins with the fifth
grade (seventh in Berlin/Brandenburg). After grade 12 or 13 (depending
on the state), students earn a diploma called das Abitur by
passing an oral and written examination. The Gymnasium has a long
history, dating back to 1528 in Saxony. Traditionally there was a heavy
emphasis on the study of Latin and Greek, but modern languages are
favored today. Until the 1970s there were separate Gymnasien
for boys and girls. Nowadays they are co-ed. The Gymnasium curriculum is
highly academic, with two foreign languages required, plus higher math
and science courses. Students also have the option of taking more
advanced “honors” courses (Leistungskurse).
Any student with an “Abi” diploma from a Gymnasium must be admitted to a German university,
but there are no guarantees concerning the field of study. Popular
fields such a law and medicine are very competitive. Students often have
to choose a second or third choice for their major, or have to enroll
in a more distant university than they might prefer.
Gesamtschule (guh-SAHMT-shoo-luh, grades 5-12 or 5-13)
Only some German states have this kind of school, which combines the
three school types into a comprehensive school that is similar to an
American high school. (See the more detailed information above.)
Even after parents have decided which school type they prefer, there
remains another choice, at least in larger communities. In a typical
city of even average size, there may be a choice of five or more Gymnasien or Realschulen
in the area. Unlike in the US, students are not zoned to a school in
their neighborhood or district. Students and their parents have a choice
of any school that will accept the student.
Some US vs Germany School Differences
The Grading System
The German grading scale runs from 1 to 6, with one being the best grade
(A) and six the worst (F). Poor grades in several subjects can result
in a student having to repeat an entire school year.
Class Schedule
A German class schedule is not the same every day. More like a college
schedule, with some classes three times a week, while others are only
two days a week.
School Days
German students attend school for 220 days in an academic year. The
school year in the US lasts 180 days. German students only get a
six-week summer vacation, but they have more frequent vacation breaks
during the school year.
School Vacation Dates
In order to avoid massive traffic jams, German schools in the 16 states have a staggered vacation (Ferien)
schedule that rotates each year. One year schools in Berlin may begin
their summer vacation in June, while those in Bavaria begin in July.
Another year it may be the reverse. There is even a website where you can find a state-by-state Schulferien guide for the next several years.
No Substitute Teachers
If a teacher is absent, there is no class that day, or the class is taught by a colleague who has a free period. Substitutes (Ersatzlehrer) are only hired for lengthy absences.
School Trips
School trips are often more ambitious and more extensive than in the US.
A typical English class in Germany might have an annual trip by bus to
London with their teachers for a week or ten days, staying in youth
hostels. No Hall Passes, No Study Hall
If a student has a free period, she is free to do whatever she wants
during that time. There are usually no study halls (except in a
Ganztagsschule) or hall passes. German secondary students are not
treated like babies. They are expected to be responsible.
Klassenlehrer
Beginning in the fifth grade in a Gymnasium (seventh for other school
types), students are grouped into “homerooms” with a particular teacher Klassenlehrer. They stay together for the rest of their school years.
No School Bus
Although there may be school buses in some rural areas, in most German
cities and towns, pupils walk or use public transportation to get to and
from school.
Berufsschule
Usually the Berufsschule (vocational school, technical school)
is not part of the normal German public school system, but is financed
and supervised by the federal government in conjunction with industrial
groups (chambers of commerce/trade) and trade unions. As part of a
concept known as “duale Berufsbildung” (dual vocational education), in
which businesses and schools work together, a Berufsschule combines
academic study with an apprenticeship. In most cases, students must have
a diploma from a Realschule or Mittelschule in order to be accepted by a
Berufsschule, which usually has a two- or three-year course of study.
Successful tech school graduates are certified in a certain trade or
industrial field. With the increasing sophistication of manufacturing
and other fields, Germany’s technical schools help fill an educational
gap in a way that the US and other nations could learn from. Austria and
Switzerland also have their own dual education vocational programs.
Educational Options for Expatriates
The public education system, including higher education, is available
to everyone living in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, including
English-speaking expatriates, pretty much free of cost. Ideally the
children of expats attend local public schools and become fully
integrated in the country’s language and culture. But of course, things
are rarely that uncomplicated.
The choice of a school for expat children will be influenced by
several factors: the age of the children, the length of the expat
assignment, affordability (tuition, etc.), the school assortment in your
location, and several other considerations. If there is an
international school in your area, you may have to consider that option
as well.
Some international schools, including the K-through-12 John F. Kennedy School
in Berlin, are part of the public school system, but in most cases such
schools are private and charge tuition. They usually offer the
International Baccalaureate (IB) rather than the standard German Abitur or the Austrian/Swiss Matura
diploma. The big advantage (or disadvantage, depending on how you view
it) is that most international schools offer English-language
instruction. Large cities such as Berlin, Vienna or Zurich each offer a
choice of several international schools, but they are also found in
medium-sized towns. In Bonn, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin and other cities
there are IB schools that are part of the public school system, but
admittance is usually very limited. For example, the public John F.
Kennedy School in Berlin posted an announcement (in German for Berlin
parents) in September 2012 for the 2013-14 school year stating that the
school’s waiting list was already “überflutet” (overflowing), and the
school could not accept any more first-grade students – almost a full
school year ahead of time!
Admission to the Kennedy School, which has 1700 American, German and
other students, is also very competitive. From the school’s website:
“All admissions to the John F. Kennedy School are probationary. For
grades K through 6 the period of probation is one year from the date of
admission. For students in grades 7 through 13, the period of probation
is half a year or one semester from the date of admission.”
Higher Education in Germany
Up until recently university attendance in Germany has been tuition
free. That is such an embedded German tradition, that when seven states
(between 2004 and 2007) introduced very modest tuition fees (Studiengebühren) of 500 euros, or about $650 per semester, there were mass protests. By 2013 only Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)
still had university tuition fees. Bavaria recently dropped them, and
now Lower Saxony, the last holdout, has dropped its tuition fees,
starting in 2015.
So a German university education continues to be tuition free.
(Non-German exchange students may have to pay fees for some programs.)
Students usually have to pay only for textbooks, certain administrative
fees, and for room and board. However, most states continue to assess a
so-called Semesterbeitrag (semester fee) that ranges from about
50 to 300 euros. In some states if a student’s studies exceed four
semesters, there is a special tuition charge of 500 to 800 euros per
each additional semester. Tuition policies in Germany depend in large
measure on which political party (or parties) has control of the state
legislature (Landtag). In general the conservative CDU/CSU
party and the FDP (Free Democrats) are in favor of tuition fees, while
the Greens and the SPD (Social Democrats) oppose tuition for entering
students. The Linke (Left) party opposes any tuition fees, and none of
the states in what was once East Germany has even attempted to introduce
tuition.
As of 2013, there were a total of 427 institutions of higher learning
in Germany. Besides 108 universities (Universitäten), there were six
teachers colleges (pädagogische Hochschulen), 17 theological seminaries
(theologische Hochschulen), 52 art colleges (Kunsthochschulen), 215
technical institutes (Fachhochschulen) and 29 state administrative
training institutes (Verwaltungsfachhochschulen). Fewer than 100 of
these are private institutions.
Abiturienten aus dem Ausland haben verschiedene Möglichkeiten, sich ihren Traum vom Studium in Deutschland zu erfüllen. Welche sprachlichen und fachlichen Voraussetzungen müssen sie mitbringen? Und was müssen Lehrkräfte in den Heimatländern wissen, um sie optimal beraten zu können?
Wer sich in Deutschland für ein Bachelor-Studium einschreiben möchte, muss Deutschkenntnisse mitbringen. Die Hochschulen verlangen von Bewerberinnen und Bewerbern aus dem Ausland entsprechende Nachweise, etwa die Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH) oder den Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (TestDaF), auf die sich die Schüler beispielsweise in den Heimatländern oder auch im Rahmen von Summer Schools oder Sprachkursaufenthalten in Deutschland vorbereiten können.
Um wie deutsche Abiturienten als „studierberechtigt“ zu gelten, müssen Bewerber darüber hinaus belegen, dass sie die notwendigen Fachkenntnisse und Arbeitstechniken beherrschen. Schulabgänger aus EU-Ländern weisen dies mit ihren ausländischen Hochschulzugangsberechtigungen nach, die dem deutschen Abitur gleichgestellt sind. Bewerber aus anderen Ländern dagegen müssen in der Regel einen Umweg einlegen. Sie können sich entweder für ein Vorstudium an einem Studienkolleg bewerben oder das Studium in ihrem eigenen Land beginnen, bevor sie in Deutschland für das gleiche Fach zugelassen werden.
DIREKTZUGANG ZUR DEUTSCHEN HOCHSCHULE
Seit 2012 haben aber auch diese Abiturienten, deren Schulabschlüsse dem deutschen Abitur nicht automatisch gleichgestellt sind, die Chance, einen Direktzugang zu einer Hochschule im Bundesland Nordrhein-Westfalen zu erhalten. Möglich wurde dies durch eine Änderung des nordrhein-westfälischen Hochschulgesetztes.
Hans-Joachim Althaus ist Leiter des TestDaF-Instituts und Geschäftsführer der Gesellschaft für Akademische Studienvorbereitung und Testentwicklung. Er sagt: „Der Umweg über die Studienkollegs oder den Studienbeginn im Heimatland kann im Vergleich mit dem amerikanischen und dem englischen Hochschulsystem sehr aufwendig sein. Das führt dazu, dass wir im Wettbewerb um ausländische Studierende schlecht abschneiden. Deshalb ist es begrüßenswert, dass wir nicht mehr allein auf das Bildungssystems des Herkunftslandes schauen, sondern auf die individuellen Fähigkeiten und Begabungen der Bewerber.“ Althaus ist optimistisch, dass weitere Bundesländer nachziehen werden. Neben dem Abitur aus dem Heimatland müssen die Bewerberinnen und Bewerber für den Direktzugang ihre Studierfähigkeit zum Beispiel mit dem Test für Ausländische Studierende (TestAS) nachweisen und an einer propädeutischen Veranstaltung der Hochschule teilnehmen.
STUDIENBRÜCKE DEUTSCHLAND
Fünf Hochschulen haben sich am Programm Nordrhein-Westfalens beteiligt, um entsprechende Piloten für diese neue Möglichkeit des Direktzugangs zu entwickeln. Dort können sich jetzt Abiturienten aus aller Welt bewerben, die ihr Studium in Deutschland beginnen möchten – beispielsweise aus Russland und der Ukraine.
Um die besten Kandidaten auszuwählen und sie auf die Studierfähigkeitstests vorzubereiten, hat das Goethe-Institut Moskau das Stipendienprogramm „Studienbrücke Deutschland“ entwickelt. Dazu gehören
Sprachkurse, sowie
die Vorbereitung und Durchführung des TestDaF, aber auch
eine Studienberatung,
ein interkulturelles Training, sowie
dieTestAS-Prüfung inklusive der Vorbereitung.
Der Großteil dieser Angebote findet in den Schulferien statt.
„Die überwältigende Mehrheit der Deutschlerner in Russland und der Ukraine findet den Studienstandort Deutschland interessant, doch bisher war der Zugang zum Bachelor schwierig“, sagt Anne Renate Schönhagen, die am Goethe-Institut Moskau die Spracharbeit leitet und die Studienbrücke koordiniert.
Das Programm kooperiert mit den Universitäten in Bochum, Duisburg-Essen sowie mit der Technischen Universität Dortmund. „Schüler – und ihre Eltern – überlegen sich, mit welcher Fremdsprache die besten Karrierechancen verbunden sind. Da die Studienbrücke ein interessantes Programm und die Aussicht auf ein Studium in Deutschland bietet, stellt sie eine zusätzliche Motivation für das Deutschlernen dar“, sagt Schönhagen.
AUSLÄNDISCHE LEHRKRÄFTE INFORMIEREN
Viele Experten sind sich einig: Wenn es darum geht, über Möglichkeiten des Studiums in Deutschland zu informieren und Motivation zu schaffen, sollten die Lehrkräfte in den Heimatländern künftig eine wichtigere Rolle spielen. Dafür müssen Lehrerinnen und Lehrer wissen, dass Deutschland daran interessiert ist, ausländische Schüler zu werben. Sie können sich beispielsweise in der anabin-Datenbank, dem Portal zur Anerkennung ausländischer Bildungsabschlüsse, über die Zugangswege informieren, die ihren eigenen Schülern offenstehen.
Und last but not least können sie ihren Schülern – und deren Eltern – vermitteln, warum das Deutschlernen und das Studium in Deutschland lohnenswert sind. Maria Horschig ist beim Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienst (DAAD) für das Onlinemarketing der Kampagne „Studieren in Deutschland – Land der Ideen“ zuständig. Sie weiß, wie wichtig ist es, Jugendliche mit authentischen Informationen für ein Studium im Deutschland zu interessieren: „Besonders gut gelingt das, wenn die Lehrer Deutschland für ihre Schüler ‚erlebbar‘ machen, ihnen also die Möglichkeit geben, die deutsche Kultur im Unterricht hautnah kennenzulernen.
Empfehlenswert ist es, mit emotionalen Bewegtbildern und Informationen von Gleichaltrigen zu arbeiten, die man beispielsweise auf der Website, im Blog, auf der Facebook-Seite und im YouTube-Kanal von Study in Germany findet“, sagt Horschig. Der DAAD hat zahlreiche hilfreiche Broschüren entwickelt, auf die Lehrkräfte zurückgreifen können. Und er unterstützt auch vor Ort, in seinen weltweit vertretenen Büros.
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, we were about 5 hours out of Frankfurt, flying over the North Atlantic.
All of a sudden the curtains parted and I was told to go to the cockpit, immediately, to see the captain.
As soon as I got there I noticed that the crew had that “All Business”
look on their faces. The captain handed me a printed message. It was
from Delta’s main office in Atlanta and simply read, “All airways over
the Continental United States are closed to commercial air traffic. Land
ASAP at the nearest airport. Advise your destination.”
No one
said a word about what this could mean. We knew it was a serious
situation and we needed to find terra firma quickly. The captain
determined that the nearest airport was 400 miles behind us in Gander,
Newfoundland.
He requested approval for a route change from the
Canadian traffic controller and approval was granted immediately — no
questions asked. We found out later, of course, why there was no
hesitation in approving our request.
While the flight crew
prepared the airplane for landing, another message arrived from Atlanta
telling us about some terrorist activity in the New York area. A few
minutes later word came in about the hijackings.
We decided to
LIE to the passengers while we were still in the air. We told them the
plane had a simple instrument problem and that we needed to land at the
nearest airport in Gander, Newfoundland, to have it checked out.
We
promised to give more information after landing in Gander. There was
much grumbling among the passengers, but that’s nothing new! Forty
minutes later, we landed in Gander. Local time at Gander was 12:30 PM ….
that’s 11:00 AM EST.
There were already about 20 other airplanes on the ground from all over the world that had taken this detour on their way to the US.
After we parked on the ramp, the captain made the following
announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, you must be wondering if all these
airplanes around us have the same instrument problem as we have. The
reality is that we are here for another reason.”
Then he went on
to explain the little bit we knew about the situation in the US. There
were loud gasps and stares of disbelief. The captain informed passengers
that Ground control in Gander told us to stay put.
The Canadian
Government was in charge of our situation and no one was allowed to get
off the aircraft. No one on the ground was allowed to come near any of
the air crafts. Only airport police would come around periodically, look
us over and go on to the next airplane.
In the next hour or so
more planes landed and Gander ended up with 53 airplanes from all over
the world, 27 of which were US commercial jets.
Meanwhile, bits of
news started to come in over the aircraft radio and for the first time
we learned that airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center in New
York and into the Pentagon in DC.
People were trying to use their
cell phones, but were unable to connect due to a different cell system
in Canada . Some did get through, but were only able to get to the
Canadian operator who would tell them that the lines to the U.S. were
either blocked or jammed.
Sometime in the evening the news
filtered to us that the World Trade Center buildings had collapsed and
that a fourth hijacking had resulted in a crash. By now the passengers
were emotionally and physically exhausted, not to mention frightened,
but everyone stayed amazingly calm.
We had only to look out the
window at the 52 other stranded aircraft to realize that we were not the
only ones in this predicament.
We had been told earlier that they
would be allowing people off the planes one plane at a time. At 6 PM,
Gander airport told us that our turn to deplane would be 11 am the next
morning.
Passengers were not happy, but they simply resigned
themselves to this news without much noise and started to prepare
themselves to spend the night on the airplane.
Gander had promised us medical attention, if needed, water, and lavatory servicing.And they were true to their word.
Fortunately, we had no medical situations to worry about. We did have a
young lady who was 33 weeks into her pregnancy. We took REALLY good
care of her. The night passed without incident despite the uncomfortable
sleeping arrangements.
About 10:30 on the morning of the 12th a
convoy of school buses showed up. We got off the plane and were taken to
the terminal where we went through Immigration and Customs and then had
to register with the Red Cross.
After that we (the crew) were separated from the passengers and were taken in vans to a small hotel.
We had no idea where our passengers were going. We learned from the Red
Cross that the town of Gander has a population of 10,400 people and
they had about 10,500 passengers to take care of from all the airplanes
that were forced into Gander!
We were told to just relax at the
hotel and we would be contacted when the US airports opened again, but
not to expect that call for a while.
We found out the total scope
of the terror back home only after getting to our hotel and turning on
the TV, 24 hours after it all started.
Meanwhile, we had lots of
time on our hands and found that the people of Gander were extremely
friendly. They started calling us the “plane people.” We enjoyed their
hospitality, explored the town of Gander and ended up having a pretty
good time.
Two days later, we got that call and were taken back to
the Gander airport. Back on the plane, we were reunited with the
passengers and found out what they had been doing for the past two days. What we found out was incredible…..
Gander and all the surrounding communities (within about a 75 Kilometer
radius) had closed all high schools, meeting halls, lodges, and any
other large gathering places. They converted all these facilities to
mass lodging areas for all the stranded travelers.
Some had cots set up, some had mats with sleeping bags and pillows set up.
ALL the high school students were required to volunteer their time to take care of the “guests.”
Our 218 passengers ended up in a town called Lewisporte, about 45
kilometers from Gander where they were put up in a high school. If any
women wanted to be in a women-only facility, that was arranged.
Families were kept together. All the elderly passengers were taken to private homes.
Remember that young pregnant lady? She was put up in a private home
right across the street from a 24-hour Urgent Care facility. There was a
dentist on call and both male and female nurses remained with the crowd
for the duration.
Phone calls and e-mails to the U.S. and around the world were available to everyone once a day.
During the day, passengers were offered “Excursion” trips.
Some people went on boat cruises of the lakes and harbors. Some went for hikes in the local forests.
Local bakeries stayed open to make fresh bread for the guests.
Food was prepared by all the residents and brought to the schools.
People were driven to restaurants of their choice and offered wonderful
meals. Everyone was given tokens for local laundry mats to wash their
clothes, since luggage was still on the aircraft.
In other words, every single need was met for those stranded travelers.
Passengers were crying while telling us these stories. Finally, when
they were told that U.S. airports had reopened, they were delivered to
the airport right on time and without a single passenger missing or
late. The local Red Cross had all the information about the whereabouts
of each and every passenger and knew which plane they needed to be on
and when all the planes were leaving. They coordinated everything
beautifully.
It was absolutely incredible.
When passengers
came on board, it was like they had been on a cruise. Everyone knew each
other by name. They were swapping stories of their stay, impressing
each other with who had the better time.
Our flight back to Atlanta looked like a chartered party flight. The crew just stayed out of their way. It was mind-boggling.
Passengers had totally bonded and were calling each other by their
first names, exchanging phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses.
And then a very unusual thing happened.
One of our passengers approached me and asked if he could make an
announcement over the PA system. We never, ever allow that. But this
time was different. I said “of course” and handed him the mike. He
picked up the PA and reminded everyone about what they had just gone
through in the last few days.
He reminded them of the hospitality they had received at the hands of total strangers.
He continued by saying that he would like to do something in return for the good folks of Lewisporte.
“He said he was going to set up a Trust Fund under the name of DELTA 15
(our flight number). The purpose of the trust fund is to provide
college scholarships for the high school students of Lewisporte.
He asked for donations of any amount from his fellow travelers. When the
paper with donations got back to us with the amounts, names, phone
numbers and addresses, the total was for more than $14,000!
“The
gentleman, a MD from Virginia, promised to match the donations and to
start the administrative work on the scholarship. He also said that he
would forward this proposal to Delta Corporate and ask them to donate as
well.
As I write this account, the trust fund is at more than $1.5 million and has assisted 134 students in college education.
Pretty cool story, huh. It reminds us of how many helpful people there
are in the world. The ones who aren't helpful just get a lot more press.
Danke, Alli. Ich besuchte selbst die Georg-August Uni in Göttingen, und bin stolz, dass Dr. Noether dort eine Lehrstelle als Professorin fand. http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/noether.htm -- From Agnes Scott College: Biographies of Women Mathematicians
Emmy Noether
March 23, 1882 - April 14, 1935
Written by Mandie Taylor, Class of 1998 (Agnes Scott College)
Traditionally, people consider mathematicians to be men. However, throughout history, there have been many women
mathematicians who have contributed just as much as their
male-counterparts, and
their contributions to mathematics have not been forgotten. One of these women
mathematicians was German-born Emmy Noether.
Emmy Noether was born in Erlangen, Germany on March 23, 1882. She was
named Amalie, but always called "Emmy". She was the eldest of four
children, but one of only two that survived childhood. Her brother, Fritz
also made a career of mathematics. Her father was Max Noether, a noted
mathematician of his time. Her mother was Ida Amalie, for whom Emmy was
named.
As a child, Emmy Noether did not concentrate on mathematics. She spent her
time in school studying languages, with a concentration on French and
English. Her mother taught her the traditional skills of a young woman of
that time. She learned to cook, clean, and play the clavier. At the time
of her graduation from high school, she passed a test that allowed her to
teach both French and English at schools for young women.
At the age of 18, Emmy Noether decided to take classes in mathematics at
the University of Erlangen. Her brother, Fritz, was a student there, and
her father was a professor of mathematics. Because she was a woman, the
university refused to let Emmy Noether take classes They granted her
permission to audit classes. She sat in on classes for two years, and then
took the exam that would permit her to be a doctoral student in
mathematics. She passed the test, and finally was a student in good
standing at the University. After five more years of study, she was
granted the university's second degree to a woman in the field of mathematics; the
first had graduated one year earlier.
Now that Emmy Noether had her doctorate in mathematics, she was ready to
find a job teaching. The University of Erlangen would not hire her, as
they had a policy against women professors. She decided to help her father
at the Mathematics Institute in Erlangen. She began doing research there,
and helped her father by teaching his classes when he was sick. Soon, she
began to publish papers on her work.
During the ten years Emmy worked with her father, Germany became involved
in World War I. Emmy was a pacifist at heart, and hated the war. She
longed for a Germany that was not at war. In 1918, her wish was granted,
as the war ended. The German monarchy was removed and the country became a
republic. Noether, and all women in Germany, were given the right to vote
for the first time. Even with the new rights granted to women, Noether was
not paid for her work teaching.
During this time, Felix Klein and David Hilbert were working on further
defining one of Einstein's theories at the University of Gottingen. They
felt that Emmy Noether's expertise could help them in their work. They
asked her to come and join then, but since there were no women on the
faculty, Noether was unsure if she would be welcome. Many of the faculty
did not want her there, but in the end, she came. She worked hard and soon
was given a job as a lecturer. Even though she still was not paid for her
efforts, for the first time, Noether was teaching under her own name.
Three years later, she began receiving a small salary for her work.
During her time at the University of Gottingen, she accumulated a small
following of students known as Noether's boys. These students traveled
from as far as Russia to study with her. Noether was a warm person who
cared deeply about her students. She considered her students to be like
family and was always willing to listen to their problems. Her teaching
style was very difficult to follow, but those who caught on to her fast
style became loyal followers. Noether's teaching method led her students
to come up with ideas of their own, and many went on to become great
mathematicians themselves. Many credited Noether for her part in teaching
them to teach themselves.
Peace-loving Noether was soon to wish for peace again. In 1933, Hitler
and
the Nazis came into power in Germany. The Nazis demanded that all Jews
be
thrown out of the universities. Noether's brother, Fritz, who was also a
professor at the time, accepted an offer to teach in Siberia. Even though friends tried to get Emmy a position at
the
University of Moscow, she opted to move to the United States, where Bryn
Mawr College offered her a position teaching. [The appointment of Noether
was made possible by a gift from the Institute of International
Education and the Rockefeller Foundation.]
Teaching
at a women's college was very different for Noether, where, for the first time,
she had female colleagues. Anna Pell Wheeler, another mathematician, was the head of the department at Bryn Mawr, and became a
great friend of Noether. Wheeler understood about how Emmy had had to struggle
to have a career in mathematics in Germany, and also about the difficulties of being uprooted from
her homeland and family. Noether kept up her charismatic teaching style, as a caring and compassionate teacher, even while occasionally lapsing into German if her ideas weren't getting across to her students.
Noether's
death in 1935 surprised nearly everyone, as she had told only her closest
friends of her illness.
Emmy Noether made many contributions to the field of mathematics. She
spent her time studying abstract algebra, with special attention to rings,
groups, and fields. Because of her unique look on topics, she was able to
see relationships that traditional algebra experts could not. She
published over 40 papers in her lifetime. She was also a teacher who was
able to inspire her students to make their own contributions to the field
of mathematics.
April, 1995
References
Angier, Natalie. "The Mighty Mathematician You've Never Heard Of,"
New York Times Science section, page D4, March 27, 2012 (print edition).
Available online March 26, 2012.
Noether, Gottfried. "Emmy Noether," in Women of Mathematics, A
Biobibliographic Sourcebook, Louise Grinstein and Paul Campbell,
Editors, Greenwood Press, 1987.
Noether, Emiliana Pasca. "Emmy Noether," in Complexities: Women in Mathematics, Bettye Anne Case and Anne Leggett, Editors, Princeton University Press (2005), 30-37.
Morrow, James. "Emmy Noether," in Notable Women in Mathematics: A Biographical Dictionary, Charlene Morrow and Teri Perl, Editors, Greenwood Press (1998), 152-157.
Olsen, Lynn M. Women in Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 1974.
Perl, Teri. Women in Mathematics, Lives of Women Mathematicians, plus
Discovery Activities, World Wide Publishing, 1993.
Noether, Emiliana P. "Emmy Noether: Twentieth Century Mathematician and Woman," AWM Newsletter, Vol. 6, No. 7 (Nov.-Dec. 1976), 1-6.
Smith, Martha K. "Emmy Noether's Contributions to Mathematics," AWM Newsletter, Vol. 6, No. 7 (Nov.-Dec. 1976), 6-10.
Profile in the "Emmy Noether Lectures," Association for Women in
Mathematics.
Kimberling, C. "Emmy Noether," American Mathematical Monthly 79 (1972), 136-149. [JSTOR, subscription required]
Kimberling, C. "Emmy Noether and her influence," in Emmy Noether: A
Tribute to her Life and Work, James W. Brewer and Martha K. Smith,
Editors, M. Dekker, New York, 1981.
Kimberling, C. "Emmy Noether, Greatest Woman Mathematician,"
Mathematics Teacher 84 no. 3 (March 1982), 246-249. (Available at the
Houghton Mifflin web site http://www.matharticles.com under section 10.1 in the drop down menus.)
Srinivasan B. and J. Sally. Emmy Noether in Bryn Mawr: Proceedings
of a Symposium, Springer-Verlag, 1983.
DAAD stands for German Academic Exchange Service(Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst)
Ten reasons for Germany:
Studying in Germany – the right choice for you!
Germany is the third most popular destination among international
students in the world. More than twelve percent of students at German
universities come from abroad – just like you. Germany is an attractive
place to study and German university degrees are highly respected by
employers worldwide.
1. You have a top-class degree recognised around the world!
German higher education is one of the best in the world! Whether it’s
cars or education, people everywhere recognise “Made in Germany” as a
seal of quality. You can benefit from Germany‘s long and famous
university tradition especially in the fields of engineering and
science. A German university degree is highly respected by employers
around the world.
2. You have a diverse range of study opportunities!
Germany’s higher education system has something for everyone! There are
almost 450 state-accredited universities with some 17,500 degree
programmes in Germany. German universities offer degree programmes in
every possible subject and academic level – be it bachelor’s, master’s,
state examinations or doctoral degrees. General universities focus
strongly on scientifically oriented study in a wide range of
disciplines. Universities of applied science, on the other hand, are
very practice-oriented. If you’re more interested in artistic subjects,
you can enrol at a college of art, film or music.
3. You can study in English!
More and more courses and degree programmes are being offered in
English, especially at the master’s degree level. This is good news if
you don’t know any German or if your German isn’t good enough yet.
You’ll find an overview of international degree programmes in Germany in
the large DAAD database.
4. You are not alone!
Around twelve percent of students at German universities come from
foreign countries, just like you. You can make friends from around the
world, become acquainted with different countries and expand your
horizons. The universities offer support to make your start in Germany
as easy as possible. There are many mentoring programmes available, such as “Buddy” and “Tandem” programmes.
5. You pay very low tuition fees – and sometimes none at all!
Students normally don’t have to pay tuition fees at German
universities, and if so, the fees are very low. Most German universities
receive considerable financing from the government. Bachelor’s degree
programmes are usually tuition-free at public universities. Some
master’s degree programmes, however, come with tuition fees, but they’re
not as high as in other countries.
6. You have very affordable living expenses!
Compared with other European countries, the cost of living in Germany
is reasonable. The cost of food, rent, clothing and cultural activities
are equivalent to the EU average. There are also a number of concessions available
to students. You can receive reduced prices at theatres, museums, opera
houses, cinemas, swimming pools and other institutions. All you have to
do is present your student ID.
7. You can benefit from many scholarship programmes!
As an international student with outstanding academic achievement, you
have good chances of receiving a scholarship to finance your studies in
Germany. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is one of the
largest scholarship organisations in the world and offers countless
scholarship programmes. No matter what your country, subject or status,
you’ll find a scholarship that matches your profile and needs in the DAAD scholarship database! And not only does the database contain programmes offered by the DAAD, but also many other organisations in Germany.
8. You live in a safe country!
Germany is a safe country – also on an international scale. The police
are reliable and help you in every situation. Whether you live in a big
city or in the country, you can move freely day or night without having
to take any special precautions.
9. You live in a diverse country in the heart of Europe!
Beaches and mountains, medieval city centres and pulsating
metropolises, and above all, lots of nature. Germany is a diverse
country with many facets! Living in Germany means living in the middle
of Europe surrounded by many other countries. Whether you’d like to
visit Paris, Prague, Rome or Copenhagen, you have a wide range of
destinations at your doorstep. Within a couple of hours by train or
plane, you can experience an entirely different culture and language.
Weekend trips are no problem and affordable.
10. You learn a language which can open many doors!
German is one of the ten most spoken languages in the world. Some 185
million people worldwide can speak German. You can still study in
Germany even if you don’t know German, but having some knowledge of the
language can make everyday life easier and help you make friends faster.
Knowing a foreign language also looks great on a résumé! Nobody says
that German is an easy language, but there are many ways to learn German
– in a course, with a tandem partner or with German flatmates.
Here's a super new video from DAAD entitled NEW HORIZONS:
FINALLY: Since German universities have nothing comparable to our General Studies, or even Liberal Arts, here is some truly practical advice from one of my main gurus, Dr. Kuhn-Osius, of Hunter College CUNY. --rsb
The DAAD material is very general. The two things to keep in mind for an American high schooler:
1. There is no general education at German universities, so you have to have a very good idea what you want to study.
2. To be admitted to a German university, you will need 4 AP tests in a specific combination. Otherwise you will either need two years of college or you'll have to go to a Studienkolleg.
This is not something you want to do on the spur of the moment. The German educational system can be excellent for those who know what they want (and so can be the US system). If you are in any way uncertain, it may not be worth it.
The Department of
Germanic Languages and Literature at Yale University has recently developed a
new outreach program in collaboration with the Public New Haven library. The
outreach effort is geared toward children ages 6-12 and planned and led by
graduate students in the German Department and the School of Music. Supervised
by the language program director, the four one-hour events are intended to give
children an opportunity to learn about German language and culture in a
friendly and playful environment. Each week, the sessions introduce a new topic
(basic phrases and numbers, animals, carnival, and fairy tales) and students
participate in songs, games, crafts, and a simple introduction to German words
and sentences pertaining to the topics.
Through this outreach program, the
German department at Yale hopes to increase a general interest in German
language and culture and offer children who don’t have the opportunity to take
German in school a chance to learn about a different language and culture.
The
library is providing the room and craft supplies, and also set up a
pre-registration system so that patrons of the library could sign up for the
event beforehand.
Through this program, the graduate student volunteers are
getting an opportunity to share their love of German language and culture with
younger students and are gaining valuable teaching experience outside of their
usual classrooms.
Please allow me to let your students know of a new program my college has just passed for which it will be accepting its first class this summer/fall. Rollins is offering a dual degree program in International Business with the Universität in Reutlingen. That means that in four years students can earn two bachelor's degrees -- a BA in international business from Rollins and a BS in international management from Reutlingen. Students spend the first four semesters at Rollins before transferring for their 5th through 7th semesters in Reutlingen. The capstone semester (number 8) is spent back on the Rollins campus. They undertake an international, full-time, semester-long internship in their sixth semester.
We are also negotiating with Middlebury College in Vermont to offer a 4-credit immersive intensiveprematriculation option to study German at whatever level they currently fall this summer before their studies begin.
While we know that URI also offers a similar dual degree program in International Business, with a partner campus in Hamburg (alongside the world-famous engineering program, based in Braunschweig), we hope that this new opportunity may pique their curiosity, and tempt them into checking us out. For more information you can contact Rollins:
The application deadline early decision for the fall semester is January 15.
The deadline for regular decision is February 15.
Nancy M. Decker
Associate Professor of German • Department Chair • Department of Modern Languages & Literatures
Rollins College • 1000 Holt Ave., Box 2752 • Winter Park, FL 32789
FAX 407-646-2264 • Tel 407-646-2410 ndecker@rollins.edu
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If
you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." Nelson
Mandela
22-jährige Elite-Student Robert Chesters sitzt in einem Londoner Coffee-Shop und
schlürft seinen Tee. Es ist Februar, Robert studiert Neurowissenschaften
am berühmten(at the famous) "King's College", eine der besten Adressen für
englischsprachige Studenten in der ganzen Welt. In wenigen Monaten wird
er seinen Bachelor abschließen (finish up) . "Aber danach will ich so schnell wie
möglich weg aus England. Am liebsten (My preference) würde ich meinen Master in
Deutschland machen", sagt Robert.
Nicht Oxford, nicht Cambridge, nicht die University of Edinburgh.
Ausgerechnet Deutschland.
Nun ist es so weit(Now it is that far...time has come) - wenn im Oktober das neue Semester beginnt, werden
unter den Studenten voraussichtlich auch viele Engländer sein.
King's-College-Absolvent Robert Chesters ist mittlerweile in Tübingen
angekommen(meanwhile, has arrived in Tübingen) . In wenigen Tagen beginnt er seinen Master in "Cellular and
Molecular Neuroscience".
Die Vorlesungen finden komplett in Englisch
statt. (Here, he can arrange his classes so that the lectures are completely in English.) "Das ist eine gute Alternative. Ich hätte mir ein Studium in
England einfach nicht leisten können", sagt er.
Wie die britische Regierung Studenten in die Flucht schlägt
Wie er können sich viele englische Studenten ihr Studium nicht mehr
finanzieren. Die konservativ-liberale Regierung von David Cameron hatte
die Investitionen in Hochschulen 2010 dramatisch zusammengestrichen und
setzte die Höchstgrenze für Studiengebühren in England hinauf, sie stieg
von 3290 Pfund pro Studienjahr auf 9000 Pfund, umgerechnet etwa 11.000
Euro. So viel verlangen viele Universitäten ab diesem September.
Daraufhin ist die Anzahl der englischen Bewerber um rund zehn Prozent eingebrochen. (Looking at tuition costs in Britain, is there any wonder why there is a 10% increase in demand from English students studying in Germany? -- Also, How do they compare with ours in the USA?)
"Auch die Lehrmittel für die Masterstudiengänge werden gekürzt -
wodurch die Unis langfristig auch deren Studiengebühren anheben müssen",
sagt Claire Callender, Expertin am Institute of Education der London
University. "Ausgerechnet Großbritannien riskiert den Ruf seiner guten
Hochschulen", sagt sie. Und so kommt es, dass die Engländer nach
Alternativen im Ausland suchen.
Einer von ihnen ist Sam Dolbear. Ab Oktober wird er seinen Doktor an
der Philosophischen Fakultät der Freien Universität Berlin machen. "Ich
liebe die Stadt und das Studium schon jetzt, auch wenn ich erst seit
kurzem hier bin", sagt er. (One new British student is Sam Dolbear. He's studying for his Doctorate in Philosophy in Berlin. "I love the city and the courses already, even if I've only just arrived," says he." Dass ein englischsprachiges Studium in
Deutschland überhaupt möglich ist, erfuhr er nur durch Glück. "Die
meisten Engländer haben davon keine Ahnung. Aber ich glaube, das wird
sich schnell ändern. Aus englischer Perspektive hat das deutsche
Hochschulsystem momentan wirklich viel zu bieten", sagt Dolbear.
They say goodbye, we say hello
Die Freie Universität, an der er studiert, sammelt seit Jahren
Erfahrungen mit der englischsprachigen Lehre. Seit 2007 hat sich die
Anzahl britischer Studenten an der Uni verdoppelt. Entsprechend weit
gefächert ist auch das Angebot an Kursen. Damit ist sie kein Einzelfall:
Der Studienplattform StudyPortals zufolge haben die deutschen Unis in
den letzten zwei Jahren den größten Anstieg an englischsprachigen
Masterkursen in ganz Europa verzeichnet.Inzwischen gibt es rund 650. (In the meantime, there are about 650 master-level courses offered in Englich throughout Europe.)
Besonders in technischen und naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern sind die
deutschen Studiengänge beliebt. Ingenieure können aus einer großen
Auswahl an rund 200 englischsprachigen Studiengängen wählen.(German technical and natural-science programs are particularly favored. Engineers can choose from an array of approximately 200 English-language courses of study.)
Auch die Deutsche Wirtschaft setzt zunehmend Hoffnung in die
Studenten aus dem Ausland. (Also the German economy is increasing its hopes in foreign students.) Lars Funk vom Verein deutscher Ingenieure
sagt: "Das Interesse unserer Firmen an englischen Studenten ist groß.
Denn der Fachkräftemangel könnte uns nachhaltig schädigen."
Robert Chesters könnte sich vorstellen, später in Deutschland zu
arbeiten. Auch wenn ihn im Moment noch ganz andere Probleme
beschäftigen. "Jetzt brauche ich erst einmal ein Bankkonto." Das dürfte
unter dem Studium in Tübingen deutlich weniger strapaziert werden als in
London. Und Tübingen sei ja schließlich auch eine nette Stadt, um zu
studieren. Er sagt: "Ich habe mich gleich wie zu Hause gefühlt." (Tübingen is such a nice city in which to study, that Robert Chesters said: "I immediately felt at home here," He can imagine working in Germany after he's finished with his college.)
22-jährige Elite-Student Robert Chesters sitzt in einem Londoner Coffee-Shop und
schlürft seinen Tee. Es ist Februar, Robert studiert Neurowissenschaften
am berühmten (at the famous) "King's College", eine der besten Adressen für
englischsprachige Studenten in der ganzen Welt. In wenigen Monaten wird
er seinen Bachelor abschließen (finish up) . "Aber danach will ich so schnell wie
möglich weg aus England. Am liebsten (My preference) würde ich meinen Master in
Deutschland machen", sagt Robert.
