4. What after finishing school? Higher Education/Vocational training in Germany

Written with inputs from Zeynep Acharya, Petra Varma and many others; and also from official internet sources

In a certain sense it can be said that the decision for what a child in Germany will go on to become in life is already decided in the 5^th grade with the choice of which type of secondary school that child joins; of which there are essentially three kinds -- the Hauptschule, the Realschule and the Gymnasium. Let us take a closer look at what choices students have after finishing one of these three forms of secondary school.

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3. Some further aspects of the German school system

Written jointly with Zeynep Acharya and with inputs from various official internet sites

This is the third part of a series of essays on the German school system, the first was the school through the eyes of a student, the second was the school system through the eyes of a teacher and this third part is about some important points that have not been mentioned so far.

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2. The German School System – A View from the Teacher's Room

Written jointly with Zeynep Acharya and from her view point, with inputs from various official internet sites

I have been a teacher in Germany for many years, and during this time I have accompanied children and young people at very different stages of their educational journey. As a teacher, I face a class full of young people every day, each of whom brings their own unique story. When I look at our school system, I see a complex web of opportunities, challenges, and traditions. Let me begin by saying that what I describe below from my own experiences in Hamburg is only a representative example – Education is a state subject in Germany and hence the details of the education system vary slightly from state to state.

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1. Between the Blackboard and Dreams – Lena's Journey Through the German School System

The German school system through the eyes of a student Lena. Written with the help of Zeynep Acharya, who teaches in Hamburg, with inputs from various official internet sites

Lena sits at her classroom window, gazing out at the gray schoolyard. It's her last day at the Realschule (Intermediate school) in Hamburg, and while her classmates talk loudly about the upcoming summer holidays, Lena reflects on her journey – a journey that has led her through the many facets of the German school system.

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Back again in Germany at springtime

I don't have a lot to say right now....because just as I was planning to write a happy post about the lovely things I saw during a forest walk in the Eifel the other day, terror struck in Pahalgam and killed so many innocent people that I am terrified, terrified even to be happy. Terrified to say that this world is in order because my world back home is not in order. How could it be when so many people were killed needlessly by a bunch of terrorists who have no religion, no country, no God, or perhaps that is wrong, perhaps hate is their religion, their country, their God... who can say...

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My personal journey: existential questions

Last of the seven part story about my life in Germany and in India

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Civilizational markers

In part six of the seven part series, I write about the cultural scene in Wuerzburg, what I enjoy doing while here and also what it means to me. 

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Easter festivities in Wuerzburg

In part 5, I write about the expereince of again being in Germany in spring, after a gap of a few years.

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Handwork in Germany/India

The second full day in Germany, handwork musings

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Indologists and friendship

The first full day in Würzburg after getting back. Anna calls, Cornelia drops by..

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Geeting used to being in Germany again

The first few hours after getting back to Germany this spring...

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Four summer months spent with friends in Germany

Lyubov and me in Limerick

These last four months in Wuerzburg this summer went by very quickly, almost too quickly. What is more, many things -- both good and bad -- have happened in that time, and have left me rather out of breath. But I have realised, all over again, that I am very lucky in my friends. More about all that below:

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Random thoughts about Indian tourists in Europe

I am an Indian myself. But there are a few things I find hard to understand about my guests from back home when they come visiting: here is a random sample of some problems I have had. I am not complaining, perhaps I am just as bad as any of them, but I just wanted to make a list so that I knew what to expect, and what not to expect, next time someone comes visiting me. I guess some of my friends will be cross with me because they think I am talking about them, I hope they will forgive me and take it in the right spirit. I am being grossly unfair here I know, for most of my friends who have visited me over the last years have been very independent, capable, accommodative and were a lot of fun and no trouble at all.  But still, there are some typical Indian traits that I need to talk about. Or perhaps these traits are not Indian at all...

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Beauty that heals; and some thoughts to ponder on

As luck would have it, I have been to a few places in the last few weeks that have filled my heart with a kind of joy that only naturally beautiful and old places and objects can give... First I spent a wonderful day in the beautiful north German town of Lübeck where the exquisitely beautiful hofs (inner courtyards) of many old but newly restored apartment complexes made me jump with joy... 

Following closely on that trip came a visit to the quaint little city of Hannoversch Münden, where the rivers Fulda and Werra join to become the river Weser. The beauty of the half timbered houses of that ancient city and the natural beauty of the area around the 'Weserstein' (the Weser Stone on which is inscribed a lovely verse about the rivers, more about that later)  are unparalleled. I have to write about those two places if only to show you some photos to prove my claim.  

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The stuff of dreams

When I had said yes to going to Freiberg, little did I know what was in store for me... and then it all began to happen... and before I knew it I was drawn into that rabbit-hole like little Alice in Wonderland...What happened to me in those days in Freiberg was an illustration of the statement, 'The secret, Alice, is to surround yourself with people who make your heart smile. It's then, only then, that you'll find Wonderland.'

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Stephan's 75th birthday message

It was a little over four years ago when Stephan and I spent some days trying to write a 75th birthday message that Stephan wanted to send out to his friends. It was also supposed to serve as a kind of farewell letter because he wanted to also announce in that letter that he was in the terminal stages of pancreatic cancer. He wanted to celebrate his platinum birthday in Bremen, but his health did not permit anything more than a small celebration on Saturday, 18th May, 2019 in Volkach. Today he would have celebrated another birthday, if pancreatic cancer had not snatched him away from us on the 26th July 2019, not even three months after his 75th birthday.  Here is the letter he wrote and a few photos from that last birthday celebration. He never got to host the summer garden party that he wanted to organise in Volkach in July that year (that he mentions in the letter).  But we did organise a memorial event in his memory on the 10th August that year in that very garden in Volkach. 

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A rough landing

I guess Gina was not sure what she was in for when she decided to come with me to India. She had just finished her schooling and wanted to intern at some institution in India for a few months before starting with University next year. She could help in a Girls' Home that I was connected with. And she could also see a bit of India. Sounded like a good plan... But then...
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A summer spent well in Germany

More than four months have gone by since I arrived here from Guwahati this summer. It has been a summer filled with many new experiences. And now as I get ready to return to India for the winter, I need to recount to myself all that I have done and experienced this year. 

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Sunflowers will always remind me of you

My tribute to my sister-in-law Inez Maria Ruscheweyh who passed away in Bremen on the 18th April 2022 at the age of 82 years.

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The burden of knowing

This is a diary, an account of the period 1 Aug 2018 and August 2019, cataloging the progress of Stephan's illness (pancreatic cancer) and whatever else happened during that time... I did not have the courage or the wish to upload this earlier as it is very personal and very detailed but am doing so now with the hope that it might be of some help to other carers or to those who might want to know more about the progress of this terribly aggressive disease. This is a battle one cannot win. And it is very painful to not be able to help one's dear ones, the helplessness is numbing. Yet one has no choice but to keep going...to do what one can...to hope...

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