My student Nahuel is an Expat working as EMEA Marketing Lead at Microsoft in Munich (Germany).
He started my program “From Zero to C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” at A1.
He went through my A1, A2 and part of the B1 Module.
My Program offered him a structured learning system that he could easily integrate into his busy life.
Step-by-step he has been improving his German by developing a better understanding of grammar and sentence structure and growing his confidence in expressing his ideas in speaking.
A few months ago he passed his official B1 Goethe exam with a 95% score in speaking.
Here’s an interview I did with him so you can learn from his journey going through my program.
Let’s jump right into it.
What did you try before starting with my program?
Before starting this program, I tried several other platforms (and online instructors), as well as software based learning such as Rosetta Stone.
What was your biggest challenge you faced with learning German?
I personally struggle to find time and a consistent learning routine. I travel often for work internationally and It is hard to establish a fix date/time to sit down and learn. With your program, I have the flexibility I need.
What kind of program were you looking for?
I was looking for an instructor that offers a structured approach toward learning German. I find the different levels and modules very helpful to achieve short term goals while working towards a bigger outcome.
What was your goal when you started?
My goal is to being able to achieve business proficiency in German. We are only at the beginning of the journey, but will continue to steadily work toward the Test DAF.
What struck you the first time you came across my program?
The structure stood out as a key factor but also the integration of different learning mechanisms was a highlight for me. I really enjoy the Memrise Packages and Podcasts. It is certainly an end to end learning solution.
When you started, although you were actually already at an A2 level, you preferred to start again at A1. Why?
Although my German understanding was at a A2 level, I wanted to ensure I set the basics right. Hence, we decided to start from scratch and work toward excellence.
What are some of the results you’ve achieved so far going through my program?
Last month I passed my official B1 Goethe exam and ended up with a 95% score in the speaking part.
How did you prepare your B1 exam to pass it with flying colors?
Preparing the B1 exam did not require any different than what we were doing. I completed the activities of your program “From Zero to C1” and worked on our Couching Calls on the items I needed to improve: Getting a super clear talk-track structure for the Oral part and practising the written exercises from different sources. I would write the 3 different types of exercises and review them afterwards in our Calls.
How long did it take to prepare your B1 exam?
I went through your program with a normal rhythm. The last 3 weeks we got into a much more intense review process of the exam structure.
What was the most difficult part in the exam?
There was nothing difficult about the exam. It was exactly as expected. All the activities and exercises we did during the preparation were almost identical. I felt confident in every single part of the exam. No surprises.
Which specific resources helped you the most along the way?
I really felt I needed to work on my writing and speaking structure. The writing exercises on our google docs document was a key resource as well as your structured system to prepare for the speaking part. I also purchased a magazine called “Deutsch perfekt” which offers different levels of German. Reading that magazine on a regular basis allowed me to excel the reading part of the exam.
How did you stay focused and motivated through the program?
I set up short term goals and focus completely on achieving them. In this case was getting the B1 exam done.
How did you manage to combine a full-time job and learning German on the side?
The hardest part for me was to incorporate learning time in a non-structured working schedule. That said, all the elements of the program enabled me to learn “on the go”. Memrise and Podcast on planes, google docs and Coaching Calls in hotels, office or at home in the evening.
How did a typical daily learning routine look like?
I had no such a things as a typical daily routine. I needed to improvise almost every week. This program offered the flexibility to do so.
How much time did you spend daily on average for your learning?
30 to 45 minutes.
What did you emphasize the most when learning?
Speaking and Writing were the two areas I really needed to improve.
What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
Finding consistency in my learning. I decided to force myself into a specific deadline. I booked the exam date and used that as the forcing mechanism to work towards.
What was the most important thing that helped you become more fluent in speaking?
I feel I still have a lot to learn, but the key is to just use every available option to practice (easier said than done :))
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to learn German but finds it hard to find the time due to his/her busy life?
Commit to short term goals that build to the overall goal. In my case, my ultimate goal is to get the DAF test done. But we defined short term goals that help me stay focused, such as the B1 exam, C1 exam, etc etc. Break overall goals into achievable short term milestones.
“From Zero To C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” is my All-Inclusive, complete, step-by-step, no fuss, hassle free 75 Lessons online program (yes, only 15 lessons for each Module A1/A2/B1/B2/C1) for Busy Professionals like you, so you can go from scratch to become fluent and confident to join meetings with your colleagues, negotiate with your clients and give presentations in front of your bosses IN GERMAN. Even if you have a busy working schedule.
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