Meanwhile, close to 40 international students from 14 different nations take advantage of the opportunity to improve their language skills in one of the seven classes that take place from Monday through Thursday. Four German soldiers, who are based in the garrison, took over the teacher's job for this great cause.
"The German language course with top lecturers in the foreground is organized on a very professional level. In addition to learning the German language, through a lecturer's picked theme, it enables us to learn about German culture and discover the natural sights of the country. There is no doubt that it represents added value to every participant in the course," states Kristijan, Slovenian staff officer.
Chrissi, one of the voluntary German language teachers shares her experience as a JSEC Public Affairs officer taking on this secondary function. "For me personally, from a teacher's point of view, taking over German classes has been a great and educational experience," she states, "not only do the participants of my courses learn German, but I also get to learn from them and their culture."
In order to meet the circumstances of a growing international community in an ever-growing JSEC, new beginner courses are already scheduled to begin in late 2022.
"To introduce the students to my native language and to see them improving makes me feel like I am actively contributing to the integration of our multinational staff members and their families," says Chrissi, smirking, "my goal is to enable them to answer the question 'Sprichst du Deutsch?' with a confident 'Ja!' and a smile on their face."