International Tutors' Magazine February 2019 | Page 12

INTERNATIONAL TUTORS’ MAGAZINE
LETTER TO CONFUSED
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
BY CHRISTINE YIP HIU NAM
Dear students,
How is your life going at EdUHK? Are During my exchange journey, I learned
you living the life that you expected before not only about living with the locals and
starting your first year? Do you feel hopeful immersion in German lifestyle, but also
or kind of uncertain about the future? No about the study life. At my host university,
matter how much you struggle, worry Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe,
or feel excited about the future, I just what amazed me most was the Germans'
want to give you a big hug, and
serious attitude towards learning
Have
whisper to your ear: “Do you
and how they craved for
have any dream country and
you been to knowledge outside the
still haven’t been there yet?”
classroom. In Germany, the
your dream earliest classes usually start
Way back in my second year
country yet? at 8am, and it is common to
at EdUHK, I was still a bit
see most students show up 10
clueless about myself, especially
minutes before the class even starts.
about who I wanted to be in the future. I
fancied going to some medieval place to get During lessons, students were proactive
inspiration, like the Neuschwanstein Castle and shared thoughts and brought up
near Munich. So I chose to go on exchange challenges with the tutor. Some interesting
to Western Germany (in same region as courses such as Doing Nature enabled
that castle!) and embarked on my studies student teachers to learn by doing; the
at the University of Education Karlsruhe. most remarkable experience for me was
Not everything was well-planned at the DIY (do it yourself ) Easter Egg
first, but every fortune and misfortune Workshop in the school garden. The
brought me farther than I had anticipated. professor demonstrated the way a teacher
Left: A sunny view
at a student hostel
at the University of
Education Karlsruhe.
Right: Adjusting
to the serious study
habits of German
students.
all photos by Christine Yip Hiu Nam
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