Meet Mechi: Teacher Interview
This year was also special because our colleague and friend Mechi joined the team. Many of you already know her from intensive or evening courses. For those who haven’t met her yet, we sat down with her for a short interview. Did you know she once lived in Denmark?
Get to know Mechi a little better here:
TRANSMITTER: What inspired you to study German as a foreign language?
MECHI: Actually, I stumbled across the degree program by chance. After starting to study media and film studies in combination with English, I decided to make a complete fresh start. After an internship at an elementary school, I applied for several degree programs in the field of education. I loved the combination of German as a foreign language and educational sciences, as well as the opportunity to teach abroad, so much that I decided to continue with German as a foreign language for my master’s degree.
TM: Where did you teach before?
M: In addition to teaching at Transmitter, I teach at the Language Center of the Free University of Berlin. Before that, I spent two years as a teaching assistant for the DAAD in Copenhagen, where I was able to support language practice courses (B1-C1). During my master’s degree, I taught courses at Transmitter and several other language schools here in Berlin.
TM: What do you enjoy most about teaching?
M: I especially enjoy interacting with the students. I am always happy when students from different backgrounds can discuss topics that are important to them, and that everything is done in a common language that they are learning together. As a teacher, I also learn something new in every lesson.
TM: Do you have a favorite word in German?
M: I don’t think I have a real favorite word in German. However, I have often come across the word “Eichhörnchen” (squirrel) in the context of teaching, because my students find the pronunciation particularly difficult, but they think the word and the animal itself are very cute. Personally, I find the word “Heimat” (home) very interesting, which can mean so many different things to so many people. This is something that is also critically examined, especially in the context of German history, and it still provides opportunities for discussion.
TM: You also organize our cultural events: What cultural events do you like to attend in your free time?
M: When it comes to cultural events, I try to take in a little bit of everything. Whether it’s festivals, museum visits, theater performances, or trips to the cinema. I also like to go to small art exhibitions that my friends put on and let myself be surprised by new things, such as a violin concert where Taylor Swift songs are rearranged.
TM: You also lived in Denmark for quite some time. Did you learn Danish? What was your experience like?
M: Yes, I lived in Copenhagen between 2022 and 2024 and of course I learned Danish – I even completed B1, although I have to say that I’ve already forgotten a lot of it 😀
Since Danish is very similar to German and English, I was able to understand a lot early on, but it took me longer to get the pronunciation right. Reading well-known books like “Harry Potter” in Danish also helped me a lot.
TM: What advice would you give to people learning German?
M: Speak and read as much as possible, as early as possible. And don’t forget to have fun while learning.
TM: And last but not least: Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
I love dancing and singing and definitely want to do that more often next year.
Thank you for taking the time, Mechi! It was great to get to know you a little bit better.. 🙂
See Mechi and our team on Insta 😉
