My experience so far in Mindelheim has been great. Since arriving in Germany on September 1st, 2018 I have had an all-around excellent time here in Germany. Living with my host family the Hacker’s was an excellent opportunity for me and I cannot thank the Hacker family enough for letting me stay with them. During this time I got to practice my Deutsch, settle into life in Germany, and learn more about German culture. I am really glad I got to stay with the Hacker’s and I still enjoy visiting the house every once in a while, they are like my second family!
The first month of living in Germany was a crazy time in my life; starting a new job, living in a new city with new roommates and a new language was, at times, a lot to deal with. However, after I spent a few weeks here and settled in, everything started to improve. I feel comfortable here in Mindelheim and at my job which I really love. In the states I never thought I would have a passion for teaching, but after only a few months in the school I believe it could be a future for me. I really enjoy interacting with the kids, fellow faculty members, and just experiencing something new every day. Teaching English is especially rewarding because students are now speaking good English to me, when two weeks prior they did not know a full sentence. Seeing the results of my work has made me really enjoy my time in the school.
Life in Mindelheim is also nice, I have met some wonderful people in this town and in Bavaria in general. I am lucky because I visited the area last year so I have some friends and know my way around a little bit but regardless, the people here are so welcoming and kind. Social life here is nice, there is always something to do in Mindelheim or the surrounding areas, I am having an excellent time and only making more friends as the time goes on. My roommates are also great and we have become good friends as the time has gone by. I will miss the girls when they leave but it has been a great experience learning from the girls and getting to know them. They have taught me a lot about South Africa and living with a house full of girls has been eye opening, in a good way.
Overall I am very happy here in Mindelheim. I really enjoy my work and the people I work with, I love Bavaria and the people here, and when I am not busy working I am having fun with friends. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to do something like this and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested.
by Kevin
