Testimonials
Aufenthalt in Deutschland – Leena Ajay Dhakad
German Study Trip and Exchange Programme organised by Assosciation of Friends of Germany in collabration with Homburgisches Gymnasium was a wonderful sojourn for me. I learnt about German culture from Goethe Instiut, Pune and later experiencing it in reality in a german family, was like a dream come true to me.
The study tour comprising of various sight seeing spots including the picturesque view of Austria, the majestic Rhine Waterfalls in Switzerland, Shoe and Cheese factory in Amsterdam and castles, cities, school of Germany occupy a special place in my heart. After study tour, the wonderful family stay with Selina, Mama and Papa always make me nostalgic about Germany. Those 18 days in Europe were the best days, staying with a completely unknown family and then becoming their Indian daughter. I sincerely thank Ms. Savita Kelkar Ma’am for giving me this awesome opportunity of being a part of this tour.
Name: Kanaad Aphale
Partner: Laura Sievers
My name is Kanaad, and I am a student at Fergusson College. I had taken ‘German’ as my second language in the FYBA course and soon I started liking ‘German’ a lot. Right from my Junior college days I was interested in doing an exchange but that time I didn’t even know a single word of ‘German’ but this time I got an opportunity to do so, thanks to Savita Ma’am.
My partner Laura stayed with her friend for the initial days as I was out of the station. He was the same guy she had hosted in Numbrecht last year. I had missed the initial days of the exchange programme, so I met Laura for the first time in the College Fest of FC on the 30th of December. For the first time when I saw her I thought she is a shy kind of a person but later when I interacted with her I got to know that she is so friendly and easy-going type of a person. She knew a lot of words in Marathi, she even tried to read one Marathi newspaper at my place, and I was quite stunned to see that. I taught her many new words and she was so eager to learn the language. The best part was that she had a liking for Indian culture and she used to ask me a lot of question related to it. As a nationalist Indian I felt proud to answer all those questions. I had got to know about various food habits of the Germans, their cultures and many other things. We visited a lot of places around Pune, like the Bhuleshwar Temple and Dhepewada. We had practiced for a dance for the farewell programme and we performed quite well. As it was my first exchange programme I was a bit nervous initially but now I am really looking forward to go Germany. The way Laura has described Numbrecht, makes me feel excited to visit the place soon.
It was really a nice experience to host Laura at my place, and I am looking forward to meeting her again in Numbrecht.
Sophie
Association of Friends of Germany was founded in 1972 and recognized as returnees association by Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft of Germany now known as InWEnt from 1979. Over the last 37 years about 800 guests from Germany and German speaking countries were invited to stay in different families. Many small bridges of friendship were built between Pune and Germany through these guests. These achievements can only be made possible by a dedicated team.
Since 1998 Dr. Savita Kelkar has been organizing Students exchange programme personally I admire the strength and the accomplishment reached by Dr. Savita Kelkar with her exchange programme. Students are given the excellent opportunity not only to travel to Europe but to use their in College acquired language skills!
During their stay with German families and visit to Städtische Realschule, ( school) in Bergneustadt town the Indian as well as German students showcase their extracurricular talents through stage performances. As an expert in the field of foreign language teaching I must acknowledge the great value of this programme for the learning motivation and hereby the opportunities given to the students.
I congratulate Dr. Savita Kelkar and her team heartily and I am looking forward to meet next year’s exchange group in Europe.
I wish all the best to the students and parents!
Sophie Engel
Pedagogical Expert, Max Mueller Bhavan / Goethe – Institut Pune
Parth Ranade
My name is Parth Ranade was a part of the AFG German exchange program in 2017. I was recommended to apply for it by my German teacher Mrs. Savita Kelkar, who promised me that it’d be the experience of a lifetime. To put it briefly, Savita Ma’am made no exaggerations in saying so. Our group had the opportunity to witness the enticing charm of rural Europe first hand. From the windy heights of a man made heap of trash, to the snaking pathways of the Blackforrest, we were left mesmerized. Our German peers welcomed us with open arms, and we participated in an enlightening exchange of our two cultures. To this day the memories I formed in Deutschland hold a cherished place in my heart and I am eternally greatful to Savita Ma’am for making this trip possible (and also for helping me not fail in German, thanks ma’am!)
Selbstvorstellung Urvi Jangam
Samstag, 13. Juli 2013
Als ich mit meiner Hochschulbildung in Ferguson College in Jahr 2004 begann, habe ich mit der Deutsche Sprache angefangen. In Schulzeit hatte ich Sanskrit gelernt. Da der Sanskrit Lehrer bezüglich Fremdsprachenerwerb gewisser Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen diese 2 Sprachen hervorhebt, habe ich mich für Deutsch entschieden. Dank die lebendige Unterrichtsklima, empathische Klassenkameraden und kompetente Lehrkräfte verstärkt sich meine Interesse an der Sprache. Schon damals habe ich mich entschieden mit Deutsch weiter zu machen.
Seit 2006 gleichzeitig mit meinem Bachelors im Anglistik und Geschichte, habe ich am Goethe Institut Mumbai der Sprachbildung fortgesetzt.
In Jahr 2009/11 bin ich Studentin im MasterProgramm der Germanistik an der Universität Mumbai gewesen. In meine Masterarbeit habe ich mich mit ‚Deutsch als Fremdsprache für blinde und sehbehinderte beschäftigt. Deutsch lernen ist einer der größten Herausforderungen meines Lebens gewesen.
Ich musste meinen eigenen Weg finden, um die Sprache zu erreichen. Dieser Weg ist aus Experimentieren in Klassensituationen, viel Betonung auf Kreativität und Spontaneität bestanden. Also es ist mein Versuch gewesen, eine neue Methode zu entwickeln und anzubieten, die aus meiner eigenen Erfahrungen entstanden ist. Ich habe einen Weg gefunden, der nicht nur meine Reise, die Fremdsprache Deutsch zu lernen ermöglicht hat, sondern zugleich mir das Fenster zu einer neuen Welt geöffnet hat. Als ich im Rahmen des DaF-Didaktikkurses im ersten Jahr des Magisterstudiums studiert habe, habe ich eingesehen, dass die Menge von Lösungen, die ich als persönliche Einsichten gewonnen hatte, zur Methode entwickeln lassen. In 2011 bin ich Stipendiatin des Projekts Wertewelten an der Universität Tübingen gewesen. Das ist die Blütezeit meines Lebens. Nach meiner Rückkehr habe ich bei einem MNC namentlich Lionbridge Technologies pvt.ltd gearbeitet. Gleichzeitig habe ich die UGC NET Prüfung absolviert und zwar beim ersten Versuch mit JRF. Zurzeit bin ich Doktorandin an der Department German, Universität Mumbai. Thema meiner Doktorarbeit lautet ‚eine Ästhetik des Nicht-visuellen‘. Diese Arbeit bezieht sich auf Ästhetik der Blinden und Sehbehinderten, deren Ausgangspunkt im Sehen mithilfe Sinnesorgane außer der Sehkraft ist. Außerdem unterrichte ich Übersetzungstheorien an der Department (MA1).
Shri Vasant Shankar Kanitkar,
Ex. Chairman, Deccan Education Society
Roving Ambassador and a trend setter Dr. Savita Vinayak Kelkar deserves to be profusely congratulated for adopting a new trend in Personality Development of young students. In the process she has become extremely popular among the students worlds.
Cultural Exchange Programme has been a traditional custom in (Bharat) i.e. India for ages. Dr. Savita has obviously taken a cue from this fact. She has been visiting various countries in the West particularly Germany and a few countries in the rest of the world. In the process, she has become a serving ambassador of a famous educational society, namely the Deccan Educational Society, Pune. While she had her College Education in the S.P. College, she chose to become a teacher in the Fergusson College of Deccan Education Society., Pune which again is a famous College otherwise. Hundreds of past students of Fergusson College have settled down in various countries all over the world. Being basically a teacher Dr. Savita has been taking deep interest in the welfare of the College students. She participates in all social and cultural activities in the DES.
The management council of the Deccan Education Society took a special note of her multifarious personal achievements and selected her as a lady life member of the Deccan Education Society. Since almost 50% of the teaching staff consists of ladies, Dr. Savita has one more onerous responsibility in lieu. Naturally she has become equally popular with her colleagues.
That is not all while in the initial stages she took only students learning German language. Now she welcomes College students from all other areas too. Besides this the students have now roped in their parents too. They all go to visit the foreign countries, manage to stay with the local families for a short period and invite them in return. This is why I call Dr. Savita a roving ambassador. Dr. Savita is a vital member of a joint family but has been managing her responsibilities inside and outside her home, dutifully well. You will be surprised to know about her hobbies. She can play mouthorgan and a synthesizer. She also sings on cultural programmes. She conducts large gatherings very comfortably. She is equally at home on the fields. She has played Volleyball, Table tennis and tennis during her school, college and university days.
On the academic side she has her Masters in German also master’s in education and for her Ph.D. she had chosen a subject close to her heart viz. Cultural Exchange Programme. The Yashawantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University honored her with Ph.D.
Do join me for giving a big clap and calling three cheers to Dr. Savita Vinayak Kelkar.