杏吧导航

Each year, the Dalhousie German Department helps students apply to be Sprachassistenten 鈥� language assistants to English teachers at schools in Germany. This excellent program is managed by the German P盲dagogische Austauschdienst (the Pedagogical Exchange Office) and has meant that dozens of Dalhousie Alumni have had the experience of living and working for 9 months in Germany.

One of these students is Oliver Robinson, a 2024 graduate with a BA Honours in Contemporary Studies and English 鈥� and 18 credits of German language classes. (A requirement for the PAD program is at least intermediate-level German ability, 鈥楢2 level鈥�.) In September 2024, Oliver was off (along with his beloved cat Ernie) to Dresden to teach at the Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium in Pirna, a small town close to Dresden.

How did it go for him? Here鈥檚 what he had to say: 鈥淎fter my nine-month stay in Dresden as an English language assistant, I can now confidently navigate the excellent public transportation system, discuss both lesson plans and the weather in German, and open a beer bottle using a lighter! Working closely with students and colleagues, my participation in the PAD program allowed me to learn about German culture and history from different generational perspectives.聽I also really appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the school's multinational language department. Czech colleagues, French colleagues, Ukrainian colleagues, oh my! I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is open to adventure and looking for a way to perfect their German!鈥�

Street scene from the Dresden Altstadt

Christmas Market with Oliver鈥檚 landlord and her family

English Department of the Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium

A hike with colleagues in der s盲chsischen Schweiz

Oliver has had a wonderful time in Dresden; he finds the area and Germany in general fascinating. The province Sachsen (Saxony) is in east Germany and was part of the former DDR. It has a beautiful landscape, a rich history, but also reputation for reactionary conservatism; nevertheless, Oliver writes that he鈥檚 met great people and finds the students and his colleagues to be open, thoughtful and considerate. There have also been lots of trips, for instance several visits to nearby Prague in the Czech Republic. The best sign of his success: he has renewed his contract for another school year!