German pupils and teachers from India take a three-week journey to the place where their elective subject is part of everyday life. They delight in pedestrian traffic lights, waste separation and chocolate, but most of all in their visit to see Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Berlin, Federal Chancellery, first floor. There they all hang, in oil, beautifully framed, side by side: the former German chancellors. In front of them are about thirty Indian pupils, stretching their arms to take photos of themselves with the paintings. Their favourite selfie partner is Helmut Kohl; they are all familiar with him.

But their hero is Angela Merkel, who, of course, is not hung here yet as she is still in office and who the young people will meet in real life for a group portrait in a few minutes. They are all excited, jumpy, curious. “The most powerful woman in the world!” “A role model for all girls!” “She’s so intelligent!” “She has a doctorate!” “She doesn’t just care about her own country, but about all!”

Seflies with former German chancellors. | Photo: Anja Martin The 31 pupils from all over India, between the ages of 12 and 15, won the Startup with German competition this year. They are learning the language as an elective subject at public and private schools and entered the contest by sending in creative videos, in German, of course.

Their prize: A three-week stay in Germany, including language lessons and a supporting programme ranging from the Frauenkirche to the Blue Man Group. Also Startup with German chose India’s best teachers of German in 2017 in four categories and rewarded them with a language course at the Goethe-Institut in Berlin. They, too, are here today.

And that is no coincidence, because all this came about because the German chancellor won the Indira Gandhi Prize in 2013 and wanted to give the prize money back to India. The Goethe-Institut was successful with its competition idea and found other partners: the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA), the Indo German Teachers Association (InDaF) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Rolls, cake and breakfast eggs, but it’s all too bland

The pupils have been in Germany for a week now. When asked what has impressed them so far, 14-year-old Gursimar replies, “There are so many cyclists. And the Ampelmännchen!” She not only means the jolly figures, but the fact that there are pedestrian lights at all. “That everyone is so friendly,” says Divya from Pune. Gursimar reports about how a woman in Dresden bought one of the pupils an ice cream because they had no money with them. Somehow they like everything here: the clean cities and the street festivals, the churches and the architecture, Leipzig, Berlin, football, cars, waste separation.

And what are they disappointed about? “The food. It’s too bland!” they shout in unison. But Kuntak, 15, from New Delhi, will not leave it at that, saying, “I like the rolls, the cake, the breakfast eggs.” The others nod in agreement. “And chocolate!”

Visit with the Chancellor | Photo: Bundesregierung/Guido Bergmann Now everything happens very quickly. The group takes the lift to the Sky Lobby, half a floor above the Chancellor’s office. They have never been so close to world politics before. Then Angela Merkel arrives, asks them a few questions, and joins them for the photo. Thank yous are said and gifts presented and then she’s gone again.

“I’ll never forget that all my life,” says a girl, obviously moved. Only one of them takes away more than the memory: Kuntak has managed to get an autograph. Outside the Chancellery, they all surround him and photograph the signature. Merkel may be the hero of their journey, but Kuntak is the hero of the day.
 

On the evening of 8th June 2017 children from various KVs from the states of J&K, Punjab and Haryana started arriving at KV Jutogh in Shimla. The heavy downpour did not dampen their spirits at all. Rather their energy levels soared high after the round of hot ‘pakoras’ and steaming hot tea.  Next morning though chilly was bright and sunny .

The students of various KV schools from the regions Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana took part in a two day KV youth camp held at KV Jutogh Shimla in June 2017. The students worked in groups and developed stories on different topics with the help of the German teachers and the team of the Goethe-Institut. The students with the artistic bend drew pictures related to the stories. The students prepared picture books, which can be used by other German learners as Easyreaders.

The students accompanied by their German teachers assembled in the school’s ground for an ice breaking session. In continuity to which they got an insight on the activity that was planned for the next two days. Within their groups the students chose the topic which they would be working on during the camp. Assisted by their German teachers and Goethe-Institut experts they collected ideas and vocabulary related to their topic. Now came the more difficult task – to frame sentences with the vocabulary learnt and to weave a story to correspond to their main topic. Some groups were lucky to come to a consensus in three to four attempts but many could get their final version only after 10-15 drafts.

Well after a hard day’s work the trip to the Shimla Mall Road was definitely a welcome break. The weather Gods were very kind and the shining sun made it possible for all of us to enjoy the Ice-creams at the Ridge and take a lot of selfies in front of the Church.

Next day started with heavy rain and chilly winds. So we had to shut all windows and doors and restrict our activities to indoors. But there were no complaints as each and everyone got a chance to let go of his/her creativity. Today each group set out to put their story in a small booklet form all complete with illustrations.

All the hard work was interspersed by a lot of fun time with German songs, decorating the rooms with balloons , a lot of craft work and not to miss the delicious food and the pranks the children played not only on each other sometimes on the teachers as well. But all in good spirit.
The end product are some really interesting booklets which can be used as easy readers by all German learners.