Hi everyone!

I just want to say that it was my pleasure to write a blog during the last month. I tried to transmit a foreigner’s everyday life in Berlin while learning German in Deutsch Akademie. And – I’ve enjoyed sharing it!

Several of you have approached me telling that you liked my posts and pictures, but I saw just few written comments concerned. Anyhow, I hope you liked reading my blog.

As regard to me, I’ve already enrolled into the course A2.2. at DA and will be looking forward to reading posts of a new blogger/s.

Finally, I’d like to thank to Viktoria for this opportunity.

All the best to all of you!

Ivana

P. S. My working table photo attached as German language became a very important part of my presence :).

We played a very interesting game in German classes. This is a game is played in three rounds.

First, all participants have written on three pieces of paper a movie, a place and a name of a famous person. Then all these papers were mixed and placed in a basket. The participants were divided into two teams of 4-5 participants. Then both teams have the opportunity for a period of one minute to guess about as many things as possible. The papers that were guessed right were put out of the basket. Then the second team is back and so on.

In the first round, the person must explain the concepts in words. In the second round one can only explain by facial expressions or body language, what is written on paper, without something to say. In the third round, players can only say a certain word, but that should not be on the paper.

The winner is the team which collects most of the papers (guessed papers). The winning team was the one in which I played. It was interesting because we talked in German only!

Wir haben ein sehr interessantes Spiel im Deutschunterricht gespielt. Dies ist ein Spiel, das in drei Runden gespielt wird.

Zuerst haben alle Teilnehmer auf drei Stück Papier einen Film, einen Ort und einen Namen von einer berühmten Person geschrieben. Dann wurden alle diese Papiere gemischt und in einen Korb gelegt. Die Teilnehmer wurden in zwei Teams von 4-5 Teilnehmern aufgeteilt. Dann haben beide Teams die Chance, für einen Zeitraum von einer Minute so viele Begriffe zu erraten wie möglich. Dafür zieht eine Person aus dem Team ein Papier aus dem Korb und beschreibt, was darauf steht.

Dann ist die zweite Mannschaft dran und so weiter. In der ersten Runde muss die Person die Begriffe mit Worten erklären. In der zweiten Runde wird nur mit Mimik erklärt, was auf dem Papier steht, ohne  etwas zu sagen. In der dritten Runde können die Spieler nur ein Stichwort sagen, das aber nicht auf dem Papier stehen darf.

Gewonnen hat das Team, in dem ich gespielt habe. Es war interessant, weil wir alle nur Deutsch gesprochen haben!

Die Gruppe von Studenten aus dem Kurs A2.1. am Freitagabend zum Abendessen zusammen gegangen. Ich bin in dieser Gruppe :).

Das hier ist das Restaurant „Noah’s“, wir uns getroffen: http://www.noahs-berlin.de/  um 18 Uhr. Es war ein Tisch auf Pias Namen reserviert. Pia ist unsere Lehrerin.

Von den zehn Studenten, drei sind nicht gekommen. Wir sieben haben eine Menge Essen und Trinken, und vor allem über die Dutsche Sprache sprachen wir.

Das war ein sehr interessanter Abend:)!

The weather is not so nice today, as yesterday. There’s no sun. An average February day in Berlin, as everybody says. I woke up early, as I had a meeting at the University.

After beautiful day yesterday, I woke up fresh, so I quickly managed to do all morning preparations for new full working day and even to bake several anti-gluten bans and give the water to my plants.

At the Faculty there’s almost nobody – the spring break started last week. I was so happy to do my research at peace finally, but there is a problem! Actually, some works in the building where my office is have to be undertaken during the spring break :(. Unfortunately, it is so noisy there that I could not work there these days. So, I took some books from the library and left in order to work from home… However, I do not have so much of inspiration today.

Anyhow, this Friday is not going to be completely average and a kind of a boring day, because tonight the group from German course is going out together for a diner. Und – wir mussen Deutsch sprechen heute Abend!

Today I went to my German course relaxed and not tired at all, despite previous three days. So, naturally, my concentration was at high level. And, I felt very good at the class as I understood everything, I did all exercises without mistakes and took part in all conversations in full capacity:).

So, the day was really great: I stayed at home in the morning, did things in a manner of taking my time (not in a hurry as the other days), prepared my vegetarian lunch, did my homework for German course in which I took part in the evening. I’ve really enjoyed my day!

It is great to organize day like this from time to time. Also, as I read Einstein’s motto had been: „Work, don’t speak (unnecessarily) and take a rest.“

I really feel like I am taking intellectual rest while learning German.

After previous busy weeks and days, full of intensive research work, German learning and sightseeing (what a combination!), I decided to stay one day at home until 6 pm when my German course starts.

But, that doesn’t mean I am not working on my German language. Ich muss Deutsch uben…

Namely, I took a receipt for a salad meal with vegetarian croquets/nuggets from a German cooking book and made it without any problem. OK, I know the salad is not a difficult meal, but the vegetarian nuggets are not an easy job, though!

So, this is the photo and I can tell you it is very tasteful. Mmmm – das ist lecker!

The position of Deutsch Akademie at Wittembergplatz is simply perfect! Everything you need for normal functioning is nearby: supermarket, U-bahn, stores, cafes, KADEVE, restaurants, mobile phone offices, giros place, DM, Rossmann, Keisers’, bookshop, pharmacy, and much more.

Everyday, while coming back from the University, going to the course I am so thankful that I chose such a great location for learning German. It is convenient to almost all activities one may want to do. For example, today at the course we’ve been talking (in German!) that we would like to go out for dinner together one evening. And – it was easy to choose the place: we will simply meet in front of the DA and just go along the street and pick up some of numerous excellent restaurants around Wittemberplatz.

I like especially the atmosphere of the restaurants in shopping centers with a lot of people who are relaxed while drinking their coffees and bears. Here are some of today’s photos from nearby center Europa.

So, since we are aware that we make our own universe on the fly, why not make it easier and pick up nice locations for our activities? That makes life so easier and more fantastic!

It is really great to have such a beautiful, sunny and just a little bit chilly day in Berlin. Actually, this weather has been kept on during the last week, as well :).  I haven’t imagined that February could be such nice here, as everybody kept talking about strong German winter, lasting even until late March.

On the way from my new home to the University campus I found these beautiful plants with thick dark green leaves that reminded me on beautiful nature of my home country. In addition, here there is a pigeon nest at my balcony, just as I had one in Montenegro. So, it is lovely to feel like at home :).

After the working day at the University, I’ll go to my German classes at DA. Thanks to the sunny day I feel fresh and energetic, so very eager to adopt new German phrases, see good people in the course and interact with them.  It is great to have a day full of vitamin D – the „sunshine vitamin“!

The spring’s coming. It’s felt in the air :).

The beautiful weather allowed people to sit on the ground in the parks, enjoy walking by sun, having coffees at open and enjoy the sun and fresh air.

My friend from Pretoria and me decided to visit the famous Maurer Park, having a slow and relaxed day. So, we’ve been walking a lot, eating and drinking outside, Since he is a philosopher, there was a lot of interesting talks and a kind of contemplative discussions. Also, one of his mother tongs is German, so we’ve been speaking it (actually I am not self confident in my German yet, so I’ve just said couple of sentences and listened to his perfect German with no Afrikaans pronunciation, with pleasure:).

The day was fully well packed: sunny & warm day, good friend, sightseeing and – I’ve been practicing German on the fly. Wenn wir zusammen Deutsch lernen, werden wir auch auf Deutsch sprechen!