You came here as a volunteer from Germany, Nina. What motivated you to do a year of volunteering in Slovakia?
I just finished school in July and I felt like I needed a break before going to university. I want to gain some new experience. Living in a foreign country, meeting new people, learning a new language.
What has your volunteer experience as a teacher been like so far?
I really enjoy having a new point of view on the German language (I never thought so much about German grammar before). And I am having a great experience so far. My colleagues and especially my mentors are very friendly and supporting.
What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
That’s difficult because I look forward to many things. One of the most important ones might be discovering different places in Slovakia (visiting cities and going for hiking tours). But also meeting new people and making new friends. And last but not least the working experience as a teacher.
What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?
My Hobbies are mainly connected to music. I love singing and I play the violin. I started playing the violin during 1st grade. My parents and I were invited to a wedding and the groom’s sister played some songs on the violin during the celebration. When I heard her play I decided that I wanted to take violin lessons and I never regretted it. At the age of 13 I became part of our school orchestra and that’s what I still enjoy about playing an instrument: playing together with other musicians.
You are very good at languages. How many languages do you actually know? Which one is your favourite and which one was the hardest to learn?
I know German (my native language), English, French and Latin. My favourite language is French even though I feel more comfortable in English. All languages have their difficulties but I would say that Latin was the hardest of those to learn because of the grammar.
I know a few words and phrases in Slovak as well and I hope that my knowledge will increase during the next year.
Who do you admire most in the world?
Malala Yousafzai and people who stand up for their beliefs in general.
What’s your idea of a perfect day?
Sunny weather, getting up late, spending time with my family or friends (going on a trip, playing board games, cooking together).
If you were creating a bucket list, what would be your top 3 things?
1. going on a road trip with my friends
2. stargazing while sitting on a roof
3. being able to speak at least 5 languages fluently
What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?
I am a very social person. So small conversations, a little smile and spending time with others immediately brighten my day.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?
Being a perfectionist. Sometimes I focus only on the part that did not work out so well. I recognize my mistakes but not the success.
Rozhovor pripravila Ivana Sopúchová