Student Profile: “Diya Ai from Nanjing”

Diya Ai from Nanjing, China, attended a German language course at the Humboldt Institute for about four months before starting at Steinmühle. There, she went by the name Andrea, a name by which many of her classmates here also know her.

Andrea has been living at the Steinmühle boarding school in the “Westfalenhaus” since early September. In a conversation with the new boarding school director, Jochen Eisold, she describes her first impressions of Germany.

She noticed that most Germans weren’t as strict as she had thought, that people here have a relatively large amount of free time, and that not everything is so fast-paced and hectic. “In China, you always have to work a lot.”

At first, she found it strange that they had sparkling water here—which she didn’t like—and that people ate so much bread. In China, she had hot meals three times a day. The fact that “everything is closed on Sundays” here was also a completely new experience.

Diya (Andrea) immediately liked the bus system, which was designed to accommodate older adults and people in wheelchairs.

Andrea describes the way of learning in Germany as a unique experience. While school in China typically goes until 5:00 p.m., here you have to organize part of your time on your own. As an example, she mentions the support provided by the boarding school’s study center. There, students can partially manage their own schedules to take responsibility for their own learning process. As a student, she plays a major role in shaping the content of this support by defining her educational priorities and individual needs, which are then coordinated through the study center with subject teachers as well as the newly established support program during vacations and on weekends. “This was a completely new experience for me,” says Diya.

In particular, Diya had to adjust to the way lessons are taught at Steinmühle. Diya: “At school in China, things are first taught using a textbook. They explain to you what something is and how it works. Then comes practice, practice, practice… Here at Steinmühle, you learn much more through hands-on experience. Under guidance, you search for answers to questions on your own or in groups, and together you gradually work out the solutions. I have to get used to that first.”

“This account shows that the boarding school faces additional challenges as it welcomes international students. The boarding school staff—especially the house directors—are tackling this task with great dedication!” says boarding school director Jochen Eisold with enthusiasm.

Andrea is also familiar with the upcoming Christmas celebrations from her time in China. There, too, people decorate their windows and families get together. However, the main focus is on shopping together. The Chinese New Year at the end of January most closely resembles our Christmas. Along with the “Mid-Autumn Festival,” this is the traditional family celebration, during which people also exchange gifts.

The boarding school community is really looking forward to these celebrations and is excited to celebrate them together at the Steinmühle boarding school.