Lukasz is an Expat living in Zürich (Switzerland).
He works as a Delivery Manager at UBS.
He started my online-program “From Zero to C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” at A1.
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 himself when speaking.
In March this year, he gave it a try and took the official B1 Goethe exam.
He was able to pass it with an incredible 90% score in Speaking:
- Reading: 100/100 (100%)
- Listening: 97/100 (97%)
- Writing: 82/100 (82%)
- Speaking: 90/100 (90%)
Here’s a complete interview I did with him so you can learn from his journey going through my program.
Let’s jump right into it.
Lukasz,
What did you try before starting with my program “From Zero to C1”?
I tried attending regular classes which I had to quit due to insufficient time. I tried then also 1:1 skype lessons with a teacher but found them chaotic and quickly got demotivated.
What was your biggest challenge you faced with learning German?
The biggest challenge for me was to find some time for learning in my busy schedule.
What kind of program were you looking for?
I was looking for a program that will allow me to make progress regardless of focusing my time on work and family.
What was your goal when you started?
In my day-to-day work I am using English. My goal is to be able to switch when needed to working in German..
What struck you the most the first time you came across my program?
It had a good structure and clearly explained steps to follow the process.
What was the big difference between my program and the way you learned German before?
Your program allowed me to study at my own pace and in my own time, using every little pieces of time that I had (like commuting time, exercise time)
What are some of the results you’ve achieved so far going through my program?
I passed the official B1 Goethe exam and I am able to communicate in day to day situations (get a car repaired, buy/sell something, basic conversations at work). I am at the stage where I have basic command of language and now can dive into vocabulary and phrases to enrich the way I speak.
How did you prepare for your B1 exam?
I followed the advice described on your program. I did several mock exams and I practiced speaking part in the advanced Personalized Coaching Calls.
How long did it take to prepare your B1 exam?
It took me about a month or two to prepare for the exam.
What was the most difficult part in the exam?
I was afraid about the writing part as I tend to make a lot of little spelling/pronoun mistakes. I tried that part several times before the exam and in the end I got 80/100 so it was not that bad. On the other hand I felt confident about the speaking part but that turned out to be tough. First I couldn’t decide on the topic to speak for too long and therefore lost a lot of valuable time. Then my speaking partner turned out to be unprepared and it was hard for me to have a normal conversation with her.
Which specific resources helped you the most along the way?
I always liked Memrise packages which I was often repeating when I commuted plus all the listening resources that I used when commuting or running.
How did you stay focused and motivated through the program?
It helps to join the advanced Personalized Coaching calls to have more contact with other students. There you see how others are making progress and it motivates you to keep up with your learning.
How did you manage to combine a full-time job and learning German on the side?
My wife and I, we both work 100%. We also have two kids. This leaves really little time for learning a new language. It helped that most of the program tasks you can do whenever and wherever I wanted.
How did a typical daily learning routine look like?
Memrise, podcasts or some exercises while commuting to/from work. Podcasts while jogging (3x week). Advanced Coaching calls during lunch breaks (2x week). Some additional study in the evening when kids are asleep (whenever I still had energy to do it).
How much time did you spend daily on average for your learning?
I’d say on average 1hr.
What did you emphasize the most when learning?
I think it is important to learn everything properly from the beginning. We are living in German-speaking countries and want to speak proper German – not some “tourist German”.
What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
I find it hard to maintain motivation to learn consistently. I stopped learning for a few months at the beginning. It helps to realize your goals and why it is important to learn the language.
What was the most important thing that helped you become more fluent in speaking?
It is important to gain confidence and have courage to speak. I still make a lot of mistakes while speaking but I don’t shy away from speaking German whenever I have the opportunity.
What helped you the most to overcome the fear of speaking to others?
It helps to practice in the advanced Personalized Coaching Calls. Anyway once you get to B1 level then you are definitely ready and the fear is only in your head.
What’s one piece of advice would you give to someone that wants to learn German but finds it hard to find the time due to his busy life?
Try to re-use every little piece of time you have. Most of my learning time was during commuting, exercising or while having lunch.
“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.
If you’d like to be added to the Waiting List of “From Zero to C1”, enter your information below, and you’ll be the first to know when I re-open the course.