In developing Living Language Platinum we hired a crew of language teachers from all over the world. These native speakers will contribute to this blog, answer questions on Twitter and our forums, and teach small group sessions. There’s nothing like learning the nuances of a language and cultural insights from someone who has lived it. We will introduce each of them in the blog with 5 Questions.
Name: Helga
Hometown: Esslingen, Germany (in the state of Baden-Württemberg, near Stuttgart, home of Porsche and Mercedes Benz)
Current Residence: Santa Monica, CA, USA
Languages Spoken: German, English, French (a little)
LL: What do you love most about the German language?
Helga: Its many regional varieties (dialects), many of which I, as a native speaker, may not even understand. Makes you realize that you can and must learn new aspects even about things you think you know inside and out.
LL: What’s your favorite phrase in German?
Helga: The following are old German sayings that I love:
- Abwarten und Tee trinken. (Don’t rush things. [Literally: Wait and drink tea.])
- Es wird nichts so heiß gegessen, wie es gekocht wird. (Nothing is as bad as it seems at first. [Literally: Nothing is eaten as hot as it is cooked.])
LL: What language would you like to learn?
Helga: Japanese
LL: Why did you decide to become an e-tutor?
Helga: I enjoy being able to connect with people from all walks of life, while sharing my mother tongue and a bit of my native culture. It gives me a chance to meet new people and stay connected to my own roots. And besides, I’ve worked for LIving Language for almost 20 years, and have been involved in so many things the team has done. I’ve written textbooks, cultural phrase-a-day calendars, teacher guides… I couldn’t resist being part of this as well.
LL: What’s your lucky number?
Helga: Zwei. Ich habe zwei Kinder (Zwillinge), zwei Katzen und zwei Goldfische. Irgendetwas an dieser Nummer passt gut zu mir. (Two. I have two kids [twins, actually], two cats and two goldfish. Something about this number suits me well.)