Believe in your dream …
Last year I learned some very important things. The first one: dreams come true only when you turn them into goals. Second one: not all people are killers and perverts like our parents think, most people are really PEOPLE. Third one: to maintain a dialogue in Germany, creating a very knowing look it’s enough to know the word “eht?” (Seriously?), “ni-na!” (An exclamation, in which you smile and make the astonished eyes) “ja, ja” (“ yes, yes”; I advise you not to say “no” as then you have to substantiate) and of course at the time to nod and smile. Fourth one: wherever you go – change only faces, the essence of the environment remains the same.
The story draws its roots back to 2009, when I was studying at the 2nd course, when I realized that if there is a chance to win a scholarship to study somewhere in Europe – I have to win it. Originally was going to learn Italian from scratch, but fate decided to continue my knowledge of German language and accidentally introduced me to the program of DAAD. I gathered all the documents, of course sending them on the last day, but unfortunately didn’t get the scholarship. The next year without any desperation, but with greater confidence, again the day before the deadline i sent the documents to the same summer college courses. And on the 13th of May, 2011 my mother received a disturbing call from me, all this was in faltering-crying voice: “Mom, I won a scholarship of the DAAD and going for one month to Germany …”. And then everything is simple: travel agency, embassy, tips on survival, the airport and … IT IS.
The final destination was a small town of the size of Karaganda, with all its suburbs, Mannheim. But I was separated from Mannheim by the tickets to Frankfurt, and two extra days before the start of the course. The quick-witted John (ie, me, forgive me, but sometimes I like to talk about me from the masculine ) has decided not to spend money on hotels and find a reliable person from social networks, who would donate not only shelter for couple of days, but also to explore the city from the inside. In the future, when I will tell my friends about it, they will tell me that I was in a big risk by going to a new country to one “reliable person from social network”. But even if it sounds ironic such a person really met me at the airport, took my bags, sheltered in his apartment, made a gorgeous tour around the city, brought to the couple of cafes, bought the souvenirs and even took me to Mannheim on his car. Yes, the world is not without good people, but still, I can’t answer for every “reliable person”.
Mannheim. On the first day I met a Russian girl from Moscow, further supporting my enthusiasm, we began to get acquainted with all the newcomers who came to the first meeting (why the “enthusiasm” because newcomers were about 300 people), the next day, I have been already asked: “where’s your friend, whom you came with?” And really even we had the feeling that we’ve known each other for a long time. And from the first day we were conquering Mannheim together.
Working days. I lived in hostel in a single room, on 5th floor (but in fact on 6th, the ground floor is not considered like floor). There are 6 rooms on the floor, on 3 in each wing, and, from all possible French, Italian, Spanish neighbors … I was lucky enough to live with the Chinese.
By the way, the most cheerful and the sanest from them, on character resembled my good friend from Karaganda. We have become friends too with him from first days, and on the boring pairs which have become toward the end of German grammar I comprehended all subtleties of the Chinese calligraphy under his sensitive management.
First half of day I visited courses of German language, second half-drove about on various excursions, and third half, but already, alas, not day, spent on magnificent parties. Usual grey workdays, anything interesting.
Yes, I at all have forgotten about dream, it was come true – I have gone to Paris and, looking on sparkle in night Eiffel Tower. The matter is that still then, choosing in what cities to submit on the grant, my main criterion was – a close finding to border of France.
Now, recalling those days, it seems to me, that I have lived there much longer, than a month because I remembered every minute, all for me was new and interesting.
It is not enough one article to describe all journey, it is not enough even one evening to show all photos. My advice to all is to trust in the dream, in fact if it`s real it will come true without any doubt!!!
E.V. Tumina