We asked Lucy about her experience at GLP school, what it's like to take care of a baby while you study, and her ongoing plans in Germany.

– Hi, Luzie. Today I want to talk to you about the German learning experience at GLP school. First, tell me a little about yourself, please.

– Hello! Yeah, of course. I am 34 years old, and I have a 1-year-old daughter. When I started to learn German, I was pregnant for already 3 months. And right before my B1 mock test, I delivered a baby. Currently, I'm unemployed, 'cause my contract ended in February. I worked in Saudi Arabia in the Surgical area and ICU departments for 7 years. For now, I'm in the Philippines waiting for my department in Frankfurt. I'll be working there in Sana Klinikum Offenbach.

– Ok, and why in the first place you have decided to learn German?

– It's a long story. At first, I wanted to move to the UK to change my life. I tried to pass IELTS, but I failed twice, and I was so frustrated. But some of my friends already were in Germany, and they told me about this country, encouraged me to give it a try. They also told me about all the benefits of Germany, and I become motivated! So I started searching for a language school on Google. I saw GLP, they offered an education without quitting my current job, which was my main criteria. I filled in the form, passed an interview, and started my education in 2019. Back then, we started from scratch! I mean, the school has just started up, and I just gave my full trust to ma'am Erica. Then I got my motivation and inspiration. Soon I delivered a baby and the family became my main goal!

– What was the most difficult thing for you in learning German?

– For me, studying once I had my baby was a real struggle. But maybe it's also because of the difference in time: we used a Saudi Arabia time and when I was in the Philippines. Though, the teachers really helped us. Especially sir Jeremy (he is my favorite). I can say that he made all things possible for us. He gave us all the materials that we needed, he helped us a lot!

All my classmates became my friends, and I'm really happy because of it. So basically for me, it wasn't that hard, specifically with all support we had from our teachers

– How did you manage to study, while caring about your little baby and having a busy schedule at work?

– It was really hard. I thought it would be different when I was pregnant. I experienced all kinds of troubles, but when I gave birth all my problems doubled! Imagine, I'm listening to my teacher and my child is behind me. I had to adjust my time with the lessons schedule (KSA time). So at 1 a.m. in the morning we started and at the same time, I had to take care of my baby. I didn't have enough sleep, especially when the baby kept on crying. It was hard. But when you have your goal and are strongly motivated, it's easier to handle. I took the exam 3 times, I failed twice. It's really frustrating. But these failures get you more motivation, so I had no other option except to finish it!

– Do you think the German language is hard to learn?

– Yeah, It is! It's different from English, and it's hard when you start to learn it. But I think when the foundation is great it will hallow smoothly. Our program from A1 was really great, and that really helped me.

– And who helped you in your learning process?

– My teacher, of course. Also, Jasmine, Alvin, all of my classmates. We had video calls to review our homework. During our preparation, we checked some TELC materials and the ones that Jeremy gave us.

– So what was your goal during the education?

– To raise my child in better conditions and to be with my husband. He is working in Dubai right now.

After the wedding, we've been separated. He had to work in Dubai, me - in Saudi Arabia. Hopefully, he is going to Germany with me.

We have not seen each other in 1.6 years. After the wedding, I got pregnant. And because of the pandemic he did not see me pregnant, and our baby personally. That's also my motivation - Be together in Germany with my family

– Do you have any advice for the new language learners, who want to move to Germany?

– Maybe I would just tell them about my experience, my motivation, and my goals. When you do something new or have a plan like German language learning, you should have a certain goal. And that goal will keep you motivated. And I'm sure that there will be a time when you will burn out or will be frustrated. When you will think about quitting. But you always need to remember your goal and inspiration like the family. Not passing the exams is not a failure. Just like me - the A2 mock exam - I did not pass. B2 mock exam - I did not pass. B2 TELC - twice did not pass. But my motivation keeps me going and not stopping.

– Who is your inspiration?

– My baby! Because she is the best! Every time I see her, I know exactly that I'm doing this for her. I sacrificed my time for her!

– What did you know about Germany before your education?

– I knew that the German people are very strict, punctual, straight forward. The culture according to my friends is very nice, high technology, especially in medicine. If you want to travel – Germany is really a must-go place. Also, I knew about their food, wine, beer, and bread! As I know, bread is everywhere in Germany 🙂

– What about are you excited the most?

– Traveling, definitely. Me and my friend soon will be in Germany, and we plan to travel a lot, maybe to other European countries. And of course, I want to try food and wines. Especially sausages! Because my friends keep telling me, "You should try it! It will be your new favorite food!"

– And what about the weather?

– I have no experience with snow before, so I'm very excited to see it! I already bought warm clothes when I left Saudi Arabia.

– Are you nervous about living in a new country?

– Yeah, I am. I mean, it's different people, culture and I have to adjust again, but it's fine. I already prepared myself for it.

– What are your ongoing plans for the future?

– Staying there with my family! Hopefully, it all will be good.

– Great! Hopes you'll succeed! Thanks for your time and Good luck. Bye!

– Bye!

                                                                        ***

If you want to follow your dream, just like Luzie – sign up for an interview. Start learning German online without quitting your job. Get yourself and your family a bright future in Germany 🇩🇪

We talked to Jasmine about her working experience, education at GLP and the German dream.

– Jasmine, tell us a little about yourself and your work.

– I'm 28 years old and I live in the Philippines, Santiago city. In 2013 I started working as a nurse in an Adventist hospital. I worked there for four years, then moved to Saudi Arabia in another hospital and worked there for another three years in the isolation department. So, in total, I have 7 years of work experience. And in February 2020 I started to learn the German language in GLP. So basically I was working and at the same time studying the language.

– And how did you know about the GLP school?

– I just saw it on my Facebook page. So I filled the form and applied. Later I received a reply from the school asking me to come in for a Zoom meeting. Two days later, Ms. Erica interviewed me and I was enrolled in school.

– So why in the first place you decided to learn the German language?

– In 2017 my boyfriend and I decided to go to Germany. But since there were two of us and moving required a lot of money, we agreed that he would go first and later I would learn German and also move there.

So basically, I wanted to learn German and move because of him:)

– And for how long you haven't seen your boyfriend?

– For two years( I really miss him a lot!

– What was the hardest thing about learning German when you started studying in GLP?

– Of course, the language itself, because, as we all know, German is really hard! Especially, when you are working and studying at the same time. I had a Duty schedule at the hospital and sometimes worked for 12 hours. By the time you reach your home, you want to rest, because the next day it's the same scenario again. But, instead of sleeping, taking a rest, and gaining some strength for the next day, you need to prepare yourself for your class. Sometimes, because of my duty, I wasn't able to attend the class as productive as possible and just listened to the teacher on zoom. So, yeah, this is the hardest part definitely!

– And what helps you the most while you're learning?

– Primary the teacher, Sir Jeremy! He is the best!) He gave us a lot of materials.

Even when you can't attend the class, at least you have the material to review, so there's no excuse for you not to study!

That's helped me a lot. Aside from that, we do the studying review outside the class with my classmates. I made a lot of friends during my studies.

– What additional materials in your training did you use besides the ones your teacher gave to you?

– I have a lot of apps on my phone! Every time I saw something about German in the AppStore, I need to try this) I mean, it's was very helpful for me. I didn't finish all of it because of the paid subscriptions, but at least I tried some. When the free trial is done, I've deleted the apps and tried another) Also, YouTube helps me a lot. I have a lot of channels. I heard some lectures from these channels, when I was doing some self-study. There are a lot of German language teachers on YouTube and I learned from them as well.  I think, there's a lot of ways to learn the language, and of course the best of it – the exam.

– And what about your exams? How were your results?

– As I remember, I only failed once during my B2 level. But only one of my classmates passed that time. But A1, A2, and B1 I passed from the first time. Sometimes  I attended other classes because I wanted to learn more and be prepared.

– Who can you call your inspiration if you have one?

– My boyfriend, definitely!  Yeah, because, as I said earlier, that's the main reason why I wanted to move to Germany. Before he had moved there, I just wanted to do some vacation maybe in a couple of European countries, because that was my childhood dream.

But since we met, everything has changed and now I'm almost in Germany

– What did you know about Germany as a country before you start learning the language?

– I knew only about the benefits they have. That's the basic thing. I knew, also, that the education they offer is free, which is not free here, in the Philippines. Because you need to pay for everything here!

– And what do you excited about the most in Germany?

– I am very excited to see the palaces there. There was a time during our B1 level when Sir Jeremy asked us which country or which place in Germany we want to visit.  And then I saw it, Neuschwanstein Castle, yeah. I was so amazed. I want to visit this castle and reach the top of it. That's my dream!

– And what about the weather in Germany? Have you prepared for it?

– I’m excited about the weather, because here in the Philippines it’s very hot. There's no room for cold weather in Saudi Arabia as well. The weather here has extreme temperatures, and there's no snow.

– So when do you move to Germany?

– As soon as my visa is ready, I’m Passing to Hessen. The embassy will set an appointment. Then, after you book an appointment, if it's approved, I can go to Germany.

– What are you nervous about the most?

– Only about the language. During our classes, the teacher showed us the instrument they're using in German hospitals. So it's almost the same with Saudi Arabia. In terms of the equipment. Of course, I'm just afraid how I'm going to communicate with the people. So right now I need to study more on nursing and reading books. My friend gave me one and I already started reading it.

– Ok, and final question for you. Do you have any advice for those, who want to start learning language and move to Germany?

– You should always have a goal! You need to do your part as a student, and not only depending on the teachers and what they're giving you. I look at some other materials, other learning tools to study the language. Learning is not only what the teacher is giving to you, but it's also about yourself. And you need to be motivated, of course, you should think first about your main goal. Why are you doing this? Everybody has a goal when they start. And yeah, someday they will also, pass and be there, in Germany. Also, I think most of us want to earn a certain high salary. Here in the Philippines, we have a really low salary, because our country is poor.

And you should have an inspiration. I have the support of my family and friends. I want to be a nurse whatever it takes. There is no other way for me. That's my passion.

– Thanks a lot! I hope you'll soon be in Germany with your boyfriend and working as a nurse as you want. Wish you good luck. Bye!

– Bye!

                                                                     ***

If you want to follow Jasmine's steps – sign up for an interview. Start learning German online without quitting your job. Get yourself and your family a bright future in Germany 🇩🇪

We do our best to earn the title of our students’ Second Family. However, we know that most of our readers have their first and only family, their loved ones. In this article, we list everything one needs to know about family and child benefits in Germany.

To start with, working for a German employer means being able to move to Germany together with your loved ones. No more family separation due to working abroad. Moreover, all parents are entitled to child benefits to offset the cost of raising children. In this blog post, we will tell you what exactly you as a parent can take advantage of as a foreign national living in Germany.

Parental Leave (Elternzeit)

Parental leave is a legal entitlement to time off work, given to both parents. To apply for Elternzeit one needs to notify the employer 7 weeks in advance in the writing form, specifying the time planned to stay off work during the leave. How much time is the parental leave? Well, according to German law, up to three years, thus anytime between your child’s birth and third birthday. It’s also important to mention that you can save up to 2 years of parental leave for later, thus taking another 24 months off work between your child’s 2nd and 7th birthday. To do so, you also need to notify your employer and get their approval.

Child Benefit (Kindergeld)

Kindergeld is a benefit available to all parents in Germany, regardless of the income they have. Child benefit is provided by the Family Benefits Office, so its local representation needs to be visited by parents to apply for Kindergeld. Although only one of the parents is entitled to the Child Benefit, so the family needs to decide who it will be. How much can you claim? It only depends on the number of children you have at the moment. If you have one or two children, you’re entitled to receive 219 euros for each of them. For the third child you can claim 225 euros and for the fourth and more — 250 euros each.

Parental Allowance (Elterngeld)

Elterngeld is a benefit for new parents by the German social security system, aimed to help the parents overcome the loss of earnings caused by the birth of a child. How much can you claim? Well, it depends on the amount of money you’ve been making for 12 months before the baby was born. The minimum amount is around 300 euros per month, and the maximum is 1800 euros monthly. A nice thing about it is that both parents can claim the Allowance. You can apply for the parental allowance online via the Elterngeld Digital portal.

It’s important to mention the scheme called ElterngeldPlus, which is allowed for those parents who wish to return to work sooner. It enables to spread the benefit payments over a longer period by receiving half of the regular parental allowance over a max period of 2 years.

Tax Deductions

Parents can make tax savings by deducting their expenses for childcare (up to 4.000 euros a year) and school (up to 5.000 euros). Also, there’s a possibility to apply for a one-time tax-free child allowance instead of the monthly ones. As of 2021, this is 5.460 euros per child. This needs to be done by applying to the tax office (Finanzamt) which will compare the amount of child benefit you are receiving to the amount you could save if the tax-free child allowance were granted to you. If a tax-free child allowance turns out to be more profitable for you, you will be given it minus the amount of benefit that you have received by that time.

To Conclude

There’s so much more to tell about the benefits you can claim while working in Germany, but those are outside the focus of our today’s article. This time we’ve covered all those benefits regarding family. We at GLP can’t wait to share more so that there’s no doubt left that working in Germany is a dream. Stay tuned!

Hallöchen! You probably know that the best way to learn any language is to practice every day. However, when you feel tired after a long day of work, you don’t really want to study grammar, do you? Instead, it would be nice to have fun and practice at the same time. Sit back and enjoy a German film, for example.

To help you choose, we’ve prepared a list suitable for all levels: from A1 to C1. For each of the films/series, we provide links to full videos with either English or German subtitles so that you can start watching any of them right away and with comfort. Make some tea, bring your favourite snacks and enjoy your evening with a good film.

1.  Nicos Weg — For A1-B2 Level

This story is about Nico who came to Germany to visit his aunt. As soon as he landed, he got confused and somehow lost his bag. As it turned out, the taxi driver took her away by mistake. At that moment he met Emma, and that’s how the long story of Nicos Weg in Germany started.

The series was produced exclusively for the audience of German learners. The YouTube link above shares all of the episodes put together in one film. By the way, there’s more of Nico's adventures, so if you like the film for A1 level, do your research and find the suitable ones for A2, B1 and B2 levels!

2. Extra German — For A2 Level

There are several short episodes (25 minutes each) about young German citizens’ lives. It may remind you of the well-known Friends show, however, Extra Deutsch was filmed with the German language learners in mind. There are numerous vital household and work situations depicted in the series, thus helping beginners with the primary vocabulary: How to say hi and goodbye, how to make an order in a cafe, ask for directions in the street, write an email, etc.

3. Good Bye Lenin — For B1 Level

We didn't talk about my father anymore — my mother married our great socialist fatherland.

Good Bye Lenin is a tragicomedy about the fate of an ordinary German family at the junction of two eras: before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The film draws attention to the real problems of real people, in accompaniment with brilliant acting and delightful soundtracks. Enjoy!

4. Sissi — Die junge Kaiserin — For B1-B2 Level

Princess Sissy is probably a must-watch film for every German student.

To start with, the main role is played by Romy Schneider, a true icon of the German film industry.

The story will immerse you into the history and culture of Germany and other European countries of that time. Also, it may challenge your understanding of the language, as there are several dialects depicted in the film. In fact, every region has its special accent! So watch this legendary German film if you are ready to upgrade your knowledge.

5. Knockin 'on Heaven — For B2+ Level

This film can be called an immortal classic. It is worth a lot to watch it in its original language. Everything is perfect in this work by Thomas Yan: dialogues that have become quotes, breathtaking soundtrack, and infinitely beautiful landscapes. And, of course, the sea. This film is among the best ever made.

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P.S.
Let us give you one more tip on how to learn German while educating yourself in other areas. This is, watch TEDx Talks in German. We at GLP think it’s a good one ;)

Please let us know if you like the film selection in our forum!

Learning German takes a lot of effort, doesn’t it?