This year I have one goal: to have absolutely no regrets when I come back to Glasgow next year. As a modern languages student, having the chance to spend a year abroad and live the life that you have spent years learning about is a dream come true. It is no doubt that immersion is the best and to an extent only way to truly learn a language and a culture. Consequently, I had the ambition to do everything in my power to improve my language skills and have the best experience possible.
Last October, I made the decision to apply to spend my year working as an English Language Assistant in Germany through the British Council, and until June that’s all the information I had. But during the summer holidays, all the pieces in the puzzle began to fall into place. I was assigned a primary school in a small town in Bavaria, Germany, and it was at that point I knew that this was going to be everything I’d hoped for, and more.
When most people think of a year abroad, they have the image of big cities, universities, and thousands of international students all having the time of their lives. By choosing not to go on exchange to a German university, I was already breaking the mould of the “traditional” year abroad. However, also swapping city life in Glasgow to spend my year in a town smaller than my hometown (around 10,000 inhabitants), definitely did not fit in the stereotype.
In all honesty, I had no idea what to expect or what this year would bring, but I knew that if I was going to improve my German, the only way to do it would be in a situation where I had no other choice.
After several emails back and forth to my mentor teacher and the headmistress of my primary school and lots of paperwork, I arrived in Berlin at the beginning of September with no inhibitions. Besides, where else could I start a year in Germany than the capital itself? To say it was a bumpy start to my year abroad would’ve been an understatement as the first challenge I was met with was rail strikes across the city. Fortunately, I was staying with family so my cousin came to my rescue but it was clear that the only way from here was up.
When I was 16 years old in secondary school, my German teacher organised a German trip to Berlin. Going back to where it all began, I really had come full circle. Less than 48 hours later, I was on my way to Kronach, where I would be spending the next nine months. It only hit me around 30 minutes before I got off the bus and met my mentor teacher for the first time. There was truly no going back at this point and all that was left was to embrace German life for once and all.
Completely and utterly thrown in at the deep end, it was German or nothing. I was over the moon about being placed in a small town but unlike in Berlin, I hadn’t really considered the idea that very few people would want to or be able to speak English to me. The first couple of days were everything from stressful and intense to rewarding and exciting.
It was the first time in my life that I was forced to speak another language with very little to no backup. No doubt it was terrifying and I was scared to speak at first but it’s something I got used to very quickly, and before long I was able to be proud of what I had achieved so far.
To add to the small-town life, there’s very few people in my town that are the same age as I am. There’s no university and for many it’s the goal to get out as soon as possible. Living alone, there’s no denying the fact that it can be very lonely but as I said, the plan was to have no regrets so I had to find ways to entertain myself and meet new people. I’ll call it initiative combined with some severe character building.
In my first week in Kronach I was invited to a Richtfest (topping-off ceremony) in a neighbouring village by my mentor teacher and his family. It was true German culture and tradition that I would’ve missed out on if I’d been in the city. I was introduced to the mayor of the town and everyone was so welcoming. There is a real sense of community, which I’m slowly becoming a part of. However, the town life experiences don’t stop there.
More recently, I was invited to visit another teacher and her family after school. Despite being able to speak English fluently (one of the few, I might add), she is trying so hard to help me improve my German and speak as much as I can, which is exactly what I need. So, I spent the afternoon with her and her daughter helping with the animals in her smallholdings; two donkeys, a dozen sheep and 20 odd chickens.
I had an amazing time and for one of the first times since arriving, I didn’t feel stressed about speaking German — I actually surprised myself.
The nearest city, fortunately, isn’t a million miles away and I’ve done several day trips to bigger towns and cities in the surrounding area since I’ve been here. That said, I have been loving country life and everything about the rural setting. From the fields to the forests, I have enjoyed being out in nature and exploring the area around me. So whilst some students spend their year slap bang in the middle of the skyscrapers and office blocks, I am spending mine about 10 minutes away from the middle of nowhere.
It’s a chance to be free and escape the everyday stresses that I’ll be returning to next year. Of course, not to mention, the stunning views, sunsets and sunrises — they cannot be beaten!
Naturally, small-town life has its ups and downs. I’ve struggled with the accents and local dialects, found myself with nothing to do in the afternoons and evenings, and not easily met lots of new people, yet I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Kronach is one of the most beautiful towns that I’ve been to in Germany (so far), and I feel so lucky to be able to call it my home this year. Yes, I miss the hustle and bustle of the big cities, but this is such a unique opportunity and experience that I’m thankful not to have missed.
– Claire Thomson, Global Opportunities Ambassador 2021/22
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