I want to understand the people who live only about 100 km from my hometown ****************************************************************************************** * I want to understand the people who live only about 100 km from my hometown ****************************************************************************************** Czech language with its seven cases (by the declination of nouns), numerous declination an classes and typical sounds such as the of the letter „ř“ is claimed to be one of the most languages in the world. Despite that there are well motivated students of this language al mainly in Germany, Austria, Poland, Italy, Belgium or Britain (these are the countries fro Charles University receives the majority of the Erasmus students in this particular study For our series of the interviews to the 25th anniversary of the Erasmus programme, we have several of our past and present students from this group to learn more about their motivat Czech, the way how it is taught back at their home universities (in comparison with the Ch and their future job options and wishes. Our interview is with students who arrived to the Charles University in Prague from the Un Regensburg and the University of Passau, two seats of the Bohemicum specialized in teachin Carolin Öllinger studied Czech (together with French, Economics and Cultural Studies) at t Passau and joined the Charles University, the Faculty of Arts, in the academic year 2005/6 her studies in 2008, moved to Regensburg and started a job there. Carolin, you come from a Bavarian region neighbouring on Czech borders (Carolin’s home tow in the valley of Danube, a place just half way between Passau and Regensburg). Was your de Czech connected with the region you lived in or had you other motivations as well? My most important motivation to learn Czech was my love for languages. As I learned Englis school and started Spanish at the university, I was interested in learning a language othe or Romance ones. I had to choose between Russian, Polish and Czech and as you are able to receive a deep in the language and the culture of your country with the programme “Bohemicum” offered at the Passau, I decided to learn Czech. Another important aspect, of course, was to understand t live only about 100 km from my hometown. The University of Passau (together with the University of Regensburg) is by the German stu language famous as a seat of Bohemicum, a department specialized in teaching Czech – which How does the way Czech is taught in Passau differ from the programme offered at the Charle it of advantage for you to study in both the places? In my opinion, the Bohemicum in Passau and the department “Čeština pro cizince” at the Cha in Prague do not differ too much as they both combine teaching the language and giving you Czech culture and history. Bohemicum was my first contact with the Czech language and I have to say that it is a very programme. The teachers started with the similarities in both the languages, e.g. 'telefon and 'telefonieren' in German (= to phone someone). That was very good to loose the fear of which seems very different in the first place – and most of the time even after getting to But after one year of learning the language with this programme, I was able to orientate m to look for an appartment and to move in with two Czechs and a Slovak person and to speak That is also what made it so valuable for me to study in Prague – the combination of study university, to be in contact with Czech teachers and the state of research in the Czech Re with living an everyday live in Prague. It was great to learn how Czech students study, how the university system works and to exp is like to study in one of the oldest universities in Europe (I really like e.g. the gradu the Karolinum) – especially as the University of Passau is a very young one. The year at Charles University enabled me to really deepen my knowledge of Czech language Czech culture and to get to know Czech friends. Finally, the knowledge of Czech helped you to your job. What do you work as? Do you use Cz After returning to Germany I did an internship at “ti communication,” a company based in R provides intercultural training programmes and intercultural coachings for international c joined this company for work. As to what we do: experienced freelance trainers are preparing participants for an assignm i.e. living and working in another country for a longer period (usually approximately 3 ye cooperation in multicultural teams or for working in projects together with partners from etc. In 2009 me and my colleague Susanna Brökelmann joined “ti communication” founder Gerhard H the company and we were able to broaden our international clients, e.g. in the Czech Repub Unfortunately, I do not need my Czech very often in my job, but my knowledge of this langu me to understand our Polish or other Slavonic clients – and having lived in Prague enables the cultural differences and other cultural tendences in these cultures. Thank you for the answers. ---- Stephanie Karl joined the Charles University as a student of Psychology similarly to Carol the academic year 2005/6. Originally from the University of Regensburg, Stephanie made use the local department of Bohemicum and before coming to Prague learnt to speak Czech fluent Steffi, you come from a place located very close to the Czech-Bavarian borders, Eslarn. Ha any Czech before you decided to study this language at the Bohemicum? How is Czech actuall Bohemicum? As far as I remember, I did not know any Czech before I joined the Bohemicum and started t language there. At the Bohemicum you study both Czech language and culture. There is an offer of seminars, language courses. You have to take a certain amount of these three, but you have the choic take. I took both language and culture courses. In my first semester (winter 2004/5) it was for about Historical Monuments of Prague or a course on Women and Portraits of Women in the Cz my second semester (summer 2004/5), I attended a course about Franz Kafka and also a cours of Czech language. Usually, the language course takes 4 hours a week and the cultural courses 2 hours a week. own study field and the Bohemicum – so there is more work load, but the results are well w Was Prague (or the Czech Republic in general) your first choice of the destination for you stay? Was the knowledge of Czech a motivation for you – or was it the other way around and to learn the language because you knew you would be studying in Prague at some later point At first I wanted to spend my semester or year abroad at some university in Italy. But the cooperation in my study field, Psychology, with Italy. Then a friend asked me if I would like to attend the Bohemicum with her. And I decided to studying at the Bohemicum I made the decision to use my knowledge of Czech and to take par program with the Charles University in Prague. You finished the university in 2008, moved back to Eslarn and work now in your study field What kind of work do you exactly have and is your knowledge of Czech of advantage there? S very close to the Czech-Bavarian borders, do you speak Czech often? I work in an institution for psychosocial rehabilitation of addicts, “STE Lindau“ in the r Oberpfalz. I enjoy the work with our clients and my colleagues are really nice. The only d that I have to live in the country now, but since all else is suiting me well, I am satisf Unfortunately, I do not speak Czech very often and I have also forgotten quite a lot. Only Czech restaurant, Czech shop or Czech fuel station I try to use the language – so that I d out of the practice. Thank you for the answers.