Do you now what has been making me happy, since my first post? I already knew how the last post would be called and what about it would be, it was kind of obvious, though.

So today was my last day not only at A2.1 course but in Deutsch Akademie too. For the last two months I have accustomed and attached to this place. Because it has it’s own atmosphere of friendliness and amiability. To be honest it was a little sad to leave this walls and people I met. But good things always have its ending.
By the way it wasn’t a regular day. Despite the fact of doing the same things, that we have been doing for a month so far. I felt myself very happy and thankful, for the time that we had, and I think today the most active mode of me was on. So we had a good last day, with a lot of laugh, important grammar and smiles on our faces. Just like other days there 🙂
I would really like to mention how good is Nina (our Teacher) at teaching and making the most effective atmosphere of language learning. It is a great pleasure to have so open, with good sense of humor and charisma teacher. I learned a lot during my two month education, and this is her merit.

My next aim is to reach the required German knowledge to star my Bachelor’s degree in University. But this is yet to come. And Now I’m going to start my deserved summer rest.
So Goodbye, Blog readers and have a nice summer!

Is it really need to leave your country to get a bachelor’s degree or even a master’s? You say „Higher education abroad is prestigious.“ But what actually is prestigious?
If you think about this question, then their own pros and cons are beginning to take shape.

European Diploma is an European Diploma.
This one is recognized in more countries than domestic, and there’s no need to translate the number of read hours ECTS points (European Credit Transfer System), less worries and concerns.
And in my subjective opinion, if the employer (not from CIS) have to choose for a vacant position between two candidates: with Kazakhstan diploma or with an European Diploma, the choice will be made in favor of the latter.
While studying abroad, we are investing in the ‚real‘ education. By this we believe that for the money we get knowledge ( sometimes for really few money and even for free).

However, where are the pros there are and cons.
You will live in a different country
Not all are thinking about this one while planning to study abroad. Socialization – one of the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of foreign students. Experience shows that most citizens of the CIS after arriving in a new country immediately starting to look for an opportunity to find their compatriots to communicate in a familiar language and in the familiar environment. This one,of course, isn’t forbidden, but think about it, you made this long way to another country to continue to communicate with your compatriots? This might have done at home too.

Away from family.
Yes, nowadays we have Skype. And it helps when you are far away from home. However sometimes, homesickness can make you feel to return back home. Not everyone can withstand this.You need to know whether you can handle it or not.

The German language is very beautiful, smooth and melodic. This is my subjective opinion, which has developed more in Almaty while hearing many voices of German speakers (not Austrian) and strengthened after moving to Austria. In German there is „barking“ sounds which traditionally can be heard in a parody of German speech, what is in my opinion absolutely wrong impression.
Half of German sounds pronunciation, native Russian-speakers need to learn. But the second-half sounds very similar and familiar. Slavic ligaments can easily imitate them almost with absolute precision. Often, when people talk on the streets of Vienna or someone talking on the phone, with the first sounds, I think that it’s  Russian speech (many Russians living in Vienna), but after listening more carefully, I understand that I got confused. English, French, Italian can never be confused like that.

Some people believe that studying in Austrian universities at  English-language program, is possible without any German knowledge. However, as I can say, to live in Austria, you need to know the national language. Time has shown that not all employees of the central post offices and consultants of stores speak English. Of course, sometimes in a large shopping centers employees come and help each other and translate the requests of foreign customers. Even owners of small bakeries, or clothing repair store, surprise me with the knowledge of Russian language.
However still, in most cases when dealing with employees of polyclinics, magistrates, insurance companies, you will be able to point out what you need only and only in German. Moreover, street signs, adds and description of products in supermarkets are still not in English 🙂
So don’t fool yourself with false excuses and start learning!

Today on Monday, June 27 started the last week of my course. So far we have learned such a many things. The main focus , as I think, was on teaching us how to use words with indefinite, definite and without articles. Since most of the exercises were including this theme. And this is understandable, because it is a basis, which is used in everyday life. Also I have learned other things as well, and became a little closer to understanding and being a part of this language.

Today was a decisive day for my knowledge, which must have shown me, my real progress which I made in a last month. Test day.
In the evening, the day before it, I walked through all stuff, that we passed, and made some not done exercises in workbook. I felt myself very confident after it and the test didn’t seem so scary to me.
So that day is on and meanwhile I was doing test only one thought was on my mind : no fails. I checked each exercise with full attention twice. I just wanted to make it completely right, don’t know why, maybe it was my pride or perfectionism, or both at once.
After 45 minutes of an intensive brain work, test laid on the teachers desk, ready for a grade. Honestly I was 60 percents sure that everything is correct, but not today 🙂 I got my final result and it is 82 out of 84, just two little mistakes, made most of inattention than non-acquaintance. I am quite happy with this result, because hard work paid off. And good Deutsch Courses too 🙂

As I am still a new one in this city, I can’t name a big amount of places to spend evening or weekend in. However I have been in few places and some of them I liked and some not. Today I’m going to share information that I already have with you guys.
We are starting with breakfast. Most valuable and important meal of the day which fuels up your body for a new day accomplishments. Normally I eat it at home, but sometimes when you get up too late, there is a need in fast snack. And that’s the time when „Ströck“ is completely what you need. It would seem not credible at the first sight, because mostly they are located at U-bahn stations but don’t fool yourself with this and just try it. Because I have never tasted so delicious buns and well made coffee. Honestly, sometimes I get up too late just to eat in this bakery 🙂
Since I am a student, I don’t spend too much money on going out to the restaurants, but once in a while I make an exception. Exception for „Vapiano“. It’s not super a luxury place, where you need to reserve in the week ahead. „Vapiano“ is a normal restaurant, one of the many in city with calm atmosphere and good interior. This places keeps my attention and loyalty with one simple thing. Extremely delicious pasta. Like really, try it. Various types of pasta and fillers are at your disposal. Chefs are cooking right in front of you additionally asking about your preferences. Also plants which are staying on the tables, are edible. It’s kind of cool and very creative.
So choose one day and try my must-try places. Hope it will please you too 🙂

It’s already 2 months passed by since I arrived in Vienna. As I can say now, I’m already accustomed to the Vienna’s rhythm of life. However firstly some things were new and surprising for me. And about these differences between my Homeland and Vienna, I want to tell today.

When I landed in Vienna’s international airport at first I needed to get to the city. What was my surprise when I saw tickets for the train getting right to the City center! And only for 2-4 euro. Also then I realized, that transport question in Vienna is not a problem. Most likely it is an advantage. Because every kind of transport there is perfectly organised. It has schedule where with minute precision listed time of departure, arrival and road time. You don’t need to worry where to buy ticket for a bus and where for subway. Tickets there are valid for every public transport, so you just need to select required time validity – one day, week or month. Furthermore if you need an Internet access it’s not a problem though. Because almost everywhere here is a free Wi-fi point, just pick up your phone and connect.

However at the beginning it was a little discomfort for me, on the score of markets and shops which are not working on weekends. As in hometown we always used to do shopping on Sunday’s morning. But soon I changed my habit and now I’m painlessly accustomed to buying everything what I need in advance. Since I’m not the only one, who wants to have a rest on lazy Sunday’s morning, indeed 🙂

Yesterday 3 weeks of my current course were left behind. What can i say about it? Much. But you surely have heard about it. Nevertheless I will try to write something new 🙂
So recalling my first lesson nearly two months ago, I couldn’t imagine that I would have gone so far just in two month. Because when I started at A1.2 speaking out loud was a big challenge for me, since I couldn’t remember any words that I already knew and too many grammar which I did not know how to use. Everything was in a big mess. I needed to bring my thoughts and knowledge in order and then learn how to use it properly. And there ( in D.A.) they know how to do it!
Presently I already can understand people conversations, participate in it and even actively speak to express my point of view. Also now I can read my friends post on Internet in German and completely understand it, except maybe a few things. As you can see, great work was done to bring me to this point.
What I especially like at my study is an unstrained atmosphere which totally helps to learn easy and effectively. So far I have learned many things, such as an important grammar to build a grammatically correct speech, words construction and many more. However not the less important thing that get taught in D.A. is daily based topics for speaking. In my opinion it’s on of the best things to get in real touch with new language.
So 3 weeks are passed, one more to come 🙂

Each person spends his\her free time at own discretion. Somebody may stay at home and just relax, someone may be playing a guitar after a hard day. What about me? Actually I have a lot of things to do. As somebody, who may have read my notes, could remember that I like sport and everything what it includes. When I have time and mood in the evening, I wear my old shorts, put up a big hoodie and tie shoelaces on my sneakers and go out for a jogging on the streets. Places may vary, from parks to city center, depends on how many kilometers today I can manage to do. Sometimes I can have a functional training outdoors, which really helps to keep mind clean and calm. By the way, many activities which I used to do in my Homeland, are pushed aside. But what I miss the most about my leisure time is – Mountains.

In Almaty (where I came from) there are a beautiful and endless mountains, surrounding the city from south. The minimum height starts from 800 meters above the sea level right to 3000-6500 m. So nearly every weekends, me and a couple of friends got up at 6 a.m. and went to conquer the mountain tops. It were always full of events and emotions days. One day we conquered Bukreev peak 3031 meters height. After 5 minutes of happiness, we noticed that something got wrong. Namely the wind got stronger,it’s began to snow and blizzard struck us. So we immediately took up our stuff and began to descend from the peak. I hope you will never experience it. Because descend with the wind and blizzard knocking you out is a real challenge. But fortunately everything ended good. And now I have a couple of adventure stories to narrate to my friends 🙂

Today I want to share with you one day at Deutsch Akademie class. My lesson starts at 11.45 every day till the Friday, four days a week, 3 hours per day – that’s my schedule there. But despite the fact of everyday lessons, they don’t turn into routine or annoying pastime. Because everytime, something new get introduced into educational process. And I can’t say I’m not happy with that 🙂

So today after I had come in class, we had a new kind of German learning. The point is, somebody brings a piece of paper for everybody with the lyrics of song in German. Then we listen to it, analyse, and translate almost every line. As I can say, it makes sense. Because I already used that tactics while had been learning English, and especially it helps when you cannot remember one particular word. You just need to recall that line from the song, which has this word and everybody is happy then! Also it teaches you some slang words and every day expressions, which can’t be taught by book.

By the way we did some grammar stuff as well, which is obviously, as it is still one of the main components in language construction. Today my whole world overturned, because everything what I had been learning about German so far and particularly the main state: „Verb is always on 2 position“ isn’t an axiom anymore! So let’s start again and learn that in the „Nebensatz“ verb is coming at last position…
What else do you have for me Deutsch?

Learning a new language is always a new and interesting experience of your life. Who knows where it may help you?
There is a couple of options of making this done. It’s on your choice – do it individually or in motivated team just like you. In addition, studying in big or even small groups, might provide you not only language skills practice, but a new acquaintances and maybe friends.
Last month i finished my first course at Deutsch Akademie, and there I found a new friend. His name is Sikai. He grew up in China and while  finishing high school, he decided to continue his education in Italy as an Opera singer. So now he’s in an exchanging program, which provides him a two month studying in Vienna, and that’s the time we met each other. What I like about an international acquaintance is that, you may be from different countries, have own mother tongue, have varied traditions and diversified view points, but you still can communicate with each other and be friends. Furthermore it’s very interesting to learn more about other culture and life from insiders point. So now I have one more person in Vienna, who i can call friend and ask for help if I need to, or to go out in the evening and have a bottle of beer together.
However now we are in different groups, but this doesn’t prevent us from communication and continuation our friendship. He has even invited me to Italy for the time when he will have returned home, so maybe one day I will go to Italy!

Vienna as an international culture and tourist appealing center, has a big amount of must-visit places. Everything depends on what you like and what you want to do. So here’s my own subjective list of activities to do if you visit Vienna.

At first, after landing in airport, go out and breathe in that wonderful air. As soon as you left your luggage in hotel, search for an U-Bahn plan in Internet, that will be needed. After making this done, go out for a walk through the city. At first i suggest to visit Stephansplatz, this is very nice and popular place to promenade, also sometimes varied fairs can be there where you can experience Austrian food or buy some self-made stuff. Don’t forget to visit the Old city, where is a lot of historical and wonderful structures still existing from the previous centuries. This is fascinating.
If you feel hungry, don’t be afraid of trying some stuff at street eateries, they are cheap and tasty.
Because our next stop is Belvedere Palace or Schönbrunn Schloss, they are both have giant territory and a bunch of things to do. It’s the time when U-bahn helps you, because it works perfectly and what is more important – even kids can manage to use it, in case of simpleness and accessibility how it works. So entertain yourself with Tiergarten,or going up the hill where is a wonderful view in Schönbrunn or join a sightseeing tour in Belvedere. You will find activities to do there for a whole day. Enjoy it!