Workingatanexhibitionforthe30thanniversaryofestablishmentofSino-Germanydiplomaticrelations.WereachedcruisingaltitudeshortlyafterSt.Petersburg.ThelastimpressionsofEuropefaded--lightsofitslessercities,riversandfactories--bringingustothevastextentofAsia.ThereremainedsixhoursofflighttimependingBeijing:myadventurewouldstartatthecrackofdawn.Itwasearlymorning,AugustandBeijing,asDutchwriterCeesNoteboommightsay.OnthisdayinlateAugusttemperaturessoared.Itbecamesohotthatdespiteconvictionsstemmingfrompastexperience,Itookataxifromtheairportintothecity.ThroughtintedwindowsIwatchedthemetropolisthatwastobecomemyhomeforthenextnineweeksglideby.Ayearpreviously,inspiredbyavacationinBeijing,IhadappliedforaninternshipattheGoethe-InstituteinChina'scapital.AsastudentofGermanstudies,IwasinterestedindiscoveringwaysandmeansofdisseminatingtheGermancultureandlanguageabroad.Aweek'svacationhadfueledmyenthusiasmforthisgiantcity.Butwoulditlastfortwomonthsofworkingandlivinghere?NomasteroftheChinesetongue,Iattemptedtofollowthistaxi'scostlypassagethroughurbanspacesonamap.ViatheThirdRingRoad,wetraveledtoBeijingForeignStudiesUniversityinHaidianDistrict.Adrenalinstimulatedbyapprehensionandanxiety,andtheoverwhelming,sometimessurrealimpressionsofthismetropolis,withitsmassesofpeople,cars,skyscrapers,andglass-facades,effectivelycanceledoutanypossibilityofjet-lag.Havingdinner.Thetaxi-driverleftmeandmyluggageontheuniversitycampusknowntointernationalstudentsas"BeiWai."LookingattheThirdRingRoad,carbonmonoxideanddeafeningtrafficnoisescloudedmysenses,butIcouldhearbehindmethemurmuringofafountain.TheGoetheInstitute,whereIconductedmyinternship,wasatthattimesituatedontheeasternrimoftheBeijingForeignStudiesUniversity.Istartedworktherethedayaftermyarrival.Iwasinthelanguagedepartmentformostofmystay,butdiverseoccupationalopportunities,suchasthechancetoobservetheworkofdepartmentsdealingwiththeculturalprogramandpedagogicdevelopment,alsoarose.AfteraweekofsupervisionIwasallowedtoteachindependently.IwaspleasantlysurprisedatthesuccessofmyfirstattemptstoteachGermanasaforeignlanguage:Ienjoyedmyselfandmystudentsprovedmotivatedandverylikable.Mylessonswerememorablefortheiraffluenceoflaughter,springingfrominterculturalandlingualmisunderstandingsandmisinterpretations.Ibelievethetruevalueofaninternshipliesinthepersonconcerned'sencounteringthelimitsofhis/herexpertiseandlearninghowtodealwiththemprofessionally.Misapprehensionsandcommunicationdifficultiesareeverydayoccurrenceswhenteachingaforeignlanguage.Tome,astudentofGermanstudies,ourdiscussionswererewardingforrevealingtometheEuro-centricityofmyviews.DuringmystayIwasluckyenoughtoparticipateinatradefaircelebratingcontinueddiplomaticrelationsbetweenGermanyandthePeople'sRepublicofChinaentitled"ThirtyYearsandtheFuture."Attendancewasexcellent,partlyduetotiming,asvastcrowdsofpeoplefromallprovincesvisittheircapitalonOctober1sttoenjoythenationaldayfestivities.TheGoetheInstitute'scontributiontothefairwasastandthatgaveaforetasteofGermanlanguageandculture--ahighlightintheoth