Yesterday we had a very good and challenging activity with our class. We did some interactive interviews with people on the streets. Our aim was to ask random passers about Vienna. What we can do here, which places we must visit, and maybe some insider information about non-tourist leisure time spending. At first it was a bit scary to talk with strangers, in addition in German. However after a first conversation, I could breathe easy. Because people were very open-minded and kind. They all gladly helped us, and willingly shared with us all information they knew. So we had asked about ten people and then in our hands was a plan with various places to visit. It was very good and motivational activity for language learning.
By the way sometimes staying motivated to keep going on a way of new language is a bit hard. Because with time comes fatigue when doing routine stuff everyday. Our brain needs to be shaken once in a while, that we can continue our study without stress.
I have some tactics to stay motivated. First of all, don’t do routine stuff like ordinary learning words and trying to keep them in your mind. Improvise! Speak out with yourself, while doing some cleaning at home, or buying products in the supermarket. With that way new words will come, the existence of which you were unaware, and old words will be remembered in easy way. Also try to watch your favorite movies in language you’re learning. And read everything on the streets, like advertising banners, newspapers, and even signs on the wall, with that will come an understanding of some language features, which can’t be taught in grammar books.
Improve yourself and never stop!

What do I like about Vienna – you will always find a way to entertain yourself and spend a free time. There is a hundred number of activities and places which can satisfy anyones‘ demands.
You like history? No problem, just open map and lead yourself right to: Art History Museum, Natural History Museum of Vienna, Belvedere Palace, Schloss Schönbrunn and many more. Historical places for every taste 🙂
If you just want to walk through city and look around, ask somebody where the „Old City“ is and go that way. There you can observe a monumentally beautiful  architecture right from previous centuries. Undoubtedly take a look at Parliament Building and take a foto of yourself with Rathaus on the background. When you become tired, certainly visit wonderful gardens of „Volksgarten“ and sit peaceably under the shade of old trees.
Dreaming about shopping? Don’t worry, Vienna can fulfill that wish. „Maria-Hilfer Strasse“ – the main shopping street here. Brands of all kinds, from quiet cheap to impossibly luxurious. Also in this place you can have a cup of coffee or tea, find a hotel to stay for a night, or buy souvenirs to fasten on the fridge in your homeland.
If you can’t imagine your life without sport – breathe easy. On the every corner located fitness center. Like literally. Or if you just like jogging in the warm evening – a numerous parks are at your disposal.
To sum up, Vienna is a great city for anyone. No matter what activity you’d like to be in. Vienna will provide everything on your demand.

Looking back when I was younger I would never have thought about studying in Austria. It all came suddenly, as a spontaneous decision that leads me to this day. One of the main reasons of it, is that I always trying to challenge myself in something new and unexplored. In something what scares me a bit and makes me want to give up. Because our whole life is about challenging ourselves, about overcoming a bit of fear of the unknown and adapting to changes. And it’s a moment when you start to build your own life.
As a result, I chose Vienna as a place where I can get a higher education. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, and it is really so. But who fears of battles would never win one. Therefore, I will totally learn that schwierige Sprache 🙂
I really like my current course because of many reasons. To begin with, in our class are only 5 people, and the teacher can pay attention to every student equally. We have a very good program that contains everything that will be useful and productive in language learning. In the lesson we aren’t just learning grammar and do typical exercises. We also play helpful games, that teach us hard stuff in easy ways. Moreover, we initiate some life situations that might happen in daily life. And our teacher is very good at teaching and making hard things look very easy. In my opinion that atmosphere of friendliness and fun is one of the best ways to learn a new language.
Thanks for it to our teacher Nina:)

Actually, this is my second course in „Deutsch Akademie“. I started from A1.2 and keep moving on now. What I like about language learning – new experience all the way through. No matter how many students remain in your class – a dozen, ten, or just five. No matter how old are they. Not even matter what job they have, which language they speak, but it’s always one thing that unites us all. We are just trying to speak German.
At first starting to speak out loud was a little bit hard and embarrassing for me. Many thoughts were going through my mind, such as: “ What if i say something wrong, or confuse Dativ with Akkusativ, they all gonna laugh at me. And God save me from der\die\das misplacing…“
Of course this is an exaggerated joke, but initially it had it’s own truth. And while i was thinking about this disturbing and none helping stuff, other people around me, were just speaking! Certainly with mistakes – grammar, phonetic and etc. because we are people and we do mistakes ( especially at A1.2 ). However the point was, I realized the main thing in learning languages. You don’t need to worry about your grammar or pronunciation at all. All that you need is – speaking. Speaking with other people, speaking with your teacher, speaking with neighbors opposite your door, speaking with anyone who can speak! And after that, after all that practice, you will understand, that it wasn’t so hard at all. It’s the time what I called „The Minute of insight“. After reaching this point all changes: grammar are not so hard, words are not so complicated, and language is not so difficult to learn. So you better not to fear and just…
Speak!

Hello to everybody, who may read it! My name is Daniyar, Ich bin …Ops, sorry, already started mixing up my English and Deutsch 🙂
So, I’m 19 years old and my Motherland is Kazakhstan, from where I arrived in Vienna a month ago. I’m here because I chose Vienna as a place where everyone can get a world level higher education. In addition to this, for me it’s very exciting to get acquainted with the new culture, and the way of life. In short, now my aim is to reach a required language level, so I can apply for a Psychology degree in Uni Wien and that’s why I’m here with Deutsch Academy.
A couple of facts about me:
1. I used to be a guy, fully sport addicted. My list of routines contained many various stuff: Karate, boxing, judo, bodybuilding ( btw I trained a lot for 3 years, but still can’t get big enough to go sideways throuh the doors)and even American football player. However now, it’s all pushed aside because of new life, I have here, but I don’t lose faith, that one day I’ll start over with my previous habits.
2. To be honest I’ve already fallen in love with this city. You can’t pass by the Parliament building and remain indifferent. Wind of history will totally touch you.
3. In childhood I wanted to be a traveller, seeker of adventures all around the world. Who knows, maybe one day that would happen 🙂

And now my current adventure is A2.1 intensive course with Deutsch Academy. Hope I will do it great, and my notes would help somebody, who may find it useful.

The journey starts here!

This course has provided me with ample opportunity for various writing exercises. These are great practice, especially when I’m given a subject I would normally not choose since they necessitate new vocabulary.  My devoted teacher proof-reads my work and tells me what needs correcting but makes me figure out the way to fix it.

I love writing in my own language. I love how words fit together and create pictures and sounds and feeling.  Writing in German is not yet something I have grown to love. Right now it is just work. It takes me an hour to write what would take minutes to write in English. This is frustrating at times. I still need to return an email to a friend which I keep putting off because I know it will take so long. Besides allowing for procrastination, writing in German is easier for me than speaking. It gives me time to look up words I don’t know and think about things like correct verb placement and other proper grammar. Even so, I think my instructor used all of her red ink on my paper!

When I speak I feel like I have to concentrate so much on finding the right vocabulary that my grammar is almost never right on the first attempt. Depending on the patience of the person I’m talking with, I’ll stop and correct myself when I catch it or ask for the right form of the word. There are a few people who are a perfect balance between trying to understand me without correcting every mistake (of many) and still helping me learn to speak correctly.

So on I press.  Perhaps one of these days it will feel easier.