Steve's sandbox

Tag: Friedrich-Schiller University

  • Case Study: Jacob Lloyd, Germany – 2018

    As part of my International Business with German course at Sheffield Hallam University, I have the opportunity to live in Germany for 18 months: 6 months studying and 12 months on a work placement.

    I received support from the John Speak Trust in the first 6 months during my study semester at the Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Thuringia.

    Here I undertook regular language classes in addition to business modules taught in German alongside native speakers. This allowed me to progress my language skills more rapidly than I have previously experienced. My reading, writing, speaking and listening skills all felt like they were improving as the language became my main focus. Weekends and my free time also provided opportunity to explore the rest of Germany, allowing me to experience the things that cannot be found in a classroom, such as the extensive use of slang and the true variety of German dialect, as it is such a linguistically diverse country. This was most evident when I visited Stuttgart just before beginning my work placement with Bosch, as the contrast in language, dialect and culture compared to, for example, Cologne was remarkable. The Swabian dialect is definitely something that takes a bit of time to get used to, but is a much softer way of speaking and I’m beginning to rather like it. The people I met whilst living in Jena and Stuttgart have only enhanced my experience.

    Finding myself in new cities but feeling so comfortable with a solid group of friends is one of the many highlights that I will always remember.

    I will now enjoy the rest of my time on placement abroad before returning to Sheffield to complete my course.

    I am hugely grateful to the John Speak Trust, as without the funding I would not have been able to explore nearly as much as I have and would have felt much more restricted.

    The monthly reports have also left me with something to look back on and reminisce in a way that would not otherwise be possible.  Thank you.

     

  • Jacob Lloyd – Germany, April 2018

    ENGLISH

    My first report is being written just under two weeks into my Erasmus+ undergraduate semester at the Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, Germany; studying the course International Business with German. I am attending three business modules (Macro Economics, Management and Human Resource Management) all taught in German, in addition to language classes.

    Actually getting here was the first task, as having only five days previous experience in Germany navigating the trains from Berlin Airport to Jena was definitely an experience. This was mainly due to the ticket machines being slightly confusing and I’m still unsure how they work if I’m honest. Something to learn in the weeks to come!

    Stepping off the train I was unsure what to make of the street that greeted me, littered with old blocks of flats in varying shades of yellow and orange and I remain unconvinced the colours will grow on me. Once finding my flat I was greeted by a lovely woman, who let me in and gave me the keys. A top floor room in Jena offers quite a view, as I face one side of the hills that surround the city which has offered great views to two thunderstorms in the past two weeks alone.

    I have met a wide variety of people since coming to Jena, mainly through my German classes and the Erasmus Student Network, where so far I have counted 15 – 20 represented nations including Russia, South Korea, Georgia, USA, Spain, Italy and Armenia to name but a few. However with four out of five flatmates being German I still have plenty of opportunities to practice my language skills when out of lectures. So far there have been many social events, such as Barbeques in the park, while also getting started with lectures which are challenging but interesting.

    So far so good!                 

    GERMAN

    Meine erste Bericht kommt nur weniger als zwei woche innerhalb meine ERASMUS+ Bachelor Abschluss Semester an der Friedrich-Schiller Universität Jena, Deutschland, um Internationaler  BWL mit Deutsch zu studieren. Ich muβ drei Geschäftsmodulen besuchen ( Makroökonomik, Management und HRM ). Alles sind auf deutsch gelehrt, zusätzlich Sprache klasse.

    Die erste Herausforderung war wirklich hier zu kommen, mit nur fünf Tagen Erfahrung in Deutschland, zu fahren von Berlin Flughafen bis Jena was unbedingt eine Erfahrung. Wahrscheinlich, weil die Kartemachinen ein bischen verwirrend war und in aller Ehrlichkeit, bin ich noch unsicher wie sie arbeiten. Etwas zu lernen für die nächsten paar Wochen!

    Als ich auf der Zug getretten bin, war ich unsicher mit der Straβe, dass mich begrüβt hat. Es hatte viele älte Wohnungen in Schattierungen von Orange und Gelb. Ich bleibe nicht überzeugt, dass die Farben auf mich wachse wird. Als ich meine Wohnung gefunden habe, war ich mit eine Schöne Frau begrüβt, die die Schlüssel hat mich gegeben.  Eine oberste Etage Zimmer  in Jena bietet eine schöne Aussicht an, denn ich eine seit die Berge sehen kann, dass die Stadt umgehen. Es hat eine tolle Sicht für zwei Gewitter angeboten, in nur die letztes zwei Woche.

    Ich habe eine weite Vielfalt von Menschen  kennengelernt, seit wohne ich in Jena. Ich habe meistens durch meine deutsche klasse und das Erasmus Student Network getroffen, das so weit habe ich ca. 15 – 20 Länder gezählt, einschlieβlich Russland, Sud Korea, Georgien, USA, Spanien, Italien und Armenien  zu nur ein bischen namen. Jedoch, habe ich schon viele Möglichkeiten zu meine Sprachfähigkeiten zu üben, wenn ich keine Vorlesungen haben, weil vier von fünf meiner Mitbewohner Deutscher sind.  So weit gab es viele gesellschaftliches Ereignisse z.B. Grillen im Park, während auch Vorlesungen anfangen, die herausforderuglich aber interessant sind.

    So weit, so gut!