#15

My name is Emad Zoghi and I'm from Iran.

And I have taken part in the intercultural training "Welcome to Germany" in 2008 by Mrs. Ines Hofmann.

I have been working with a German company since 2002 before I come to Germany for living. and I always thought that I know the German culture very well, but as I started to work in position in Germany I found that I'm facing big differences that I can not handle it any more, and it was a start of very hard situation regarding daily work and emotional issues.

At the beginning I thought, may be, it is not some thing new for me in this course but just after beginning the course, I found so many useful materials in the class regarding cultural differences and how small issues could lead to big misunderstandings between a person and other people.

Without this curse I would have had so many problems regarding personal relation with other colleagues in the office, just because of cultural misunderstanding.

I recommend this curse to every body from every country or culture who wants to live in Germany (even living for two three months) and also for German people who want to have business with other countries.

#14

The contents of  information of your Seminar were  exact and important, then they gave me support to understand better the German culture. I was really satisfied, because I could assimilate information which are a part of my daily life, that makes me quite and sure to execute them.

Thank you for your help.

#13

I am sending you my declaration about the Seminar,

The Seminar was important to learn better about the German culture, the most important is to avoid embarrassement and mistakes in behaviour. Important dates were presented in the Seminar which could clarify  my doubts. Thank you very much for the signs, they were great.

#11

Ines Hofmann offers intercultural competence training at the University of Aalen for bachelor students going abroad. They learn how to deal with culture shock and benefit from Mrs. Hofmann's vivid experiences from China and Brazil.

Prof. Dr. Strehl (HTW Aalen)

#10

Hallo Ines,

vielen Dank für Deinen Vortrag in Bezug auf die Vorbereitung für unser Auslands-Praxissemester.

Dein Seminar, bezogen auf die interkulturelle Kompetenz, vor allem aber auch auf den Kulturschock waren sehr interessant und sehr hilfreich für mich bzw. uns Studenten. Du hast uns einen sehr guten Einblick gegeben, worauf wir achten sollen und mit welchen Problemen man im Ausland konfrontiert wird. Vor allem aber auch deine Praxisbeispiele und deine persönlichen Erfahrungen die Du uns mitgeteilt hast, helfen uns sehr uns auf unser Auslandssemester vorzubereiten.

Ich möchte mich noch einmal herzlichst für das interessante und sehr hilfreiche Seminar von Dir bedanken!

Liebste Grüße,

Joyce Vu

(Studentin der Hochschule Aalen - Internationale Betriebswirtschaftslehre)

#9

Bom dia Ines,

A nossa adaptação na Alemanha está excelente. Você é uma grande profissional.

Um grande abraço.

Familia de Souza

#8

Mais uma vez Ines, agradeco o seu empenho e carinho para conosco. Eu tenho uma grande admiraco por você.

(Brasilianischer Ingenieur aus Sao Paulo)

#7

Thanks again for arranging such a good course for us - you made it look so easy to get people from many cultures together in open discussion.

Best regards

(Internationaler Manager)

#6

Hello Ines,

thanks for these precious informations. I wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed this "Welcome to Germany" seminar. You did an excellent work. Keep up the good work.

Best regards

(Internationaler Ingenieur)

#5

The Intercultural Seminar presented by Mrs Hofmann was very important for me, it helped me to realize the differences between the German culture from mine and how to deal with the cultural shock caused by these differences. The seminar hadn't made me act like the Germans, the results from it are much better; it showed me how the Germans are in most aspects of life, how they act at work, at the streets, with friends etc, the German way of life! And knowing this is the tool that helps me adapt, with my own culture and beliefs, in a society so unique and so interesting as the German.

Best regards

Ana Carolina de Andrade Rufato

Voith Paper GmbH & Co. KG

#4

To whom it may conern,

Ines Hofmann is a professional with three important qualifications:

• being graduated in psychology
• having the practical experience of living in different cultural environments
• having the sensibility to observe and understand how the objects of her theoretical and practical experiences can affect the human being

Having lived in Brazil for 6 years, in close contact to people from all social levels - from the humble people to the university and enterprise environmentes - Ines Hofmann mande clear to me that she deeply understands the differences between German and Brazil cultures, as well as how the exposure to these different cultures may effect human and social relations.

Ines Hofmann played a major role during the adaption phase of my family in Germany, especially on those moments when "doing everything one could do" would just not be enough.

Luiz Secco

Mechanical Engineer
Process Manager of a German International Manager

#3

Frau Hofmann,

How are you? I will go back to China at the end of this month. I want say thank you before I go.

I arrived in Germany on the first of March. This was my first in Germany and I felt everything was different from China. When I thought I would live in this totally different environment, I felt interesting but also nervous.

Luckily, I and my Chinese colleagues had a seminar from you, which help us a lot on life and job. You taught us table manners, give us much useful information, and we talked about the different culture between Germany and China. And you give us many suggestion, such as how to communicate with German colleagues, how to spend time in the weekend. All these things help me in this half year, and I think it will still help me when I back to China, as I will continue work with my German colleagues.

Thank you very much!

Best regards

(Internationaler Ingenieur)

#2

To Whom it may concern,

Herewith I would like to recommend the services from Mrs. Ines Hofmann, that was hired as relocation agent to the transference from my family and me from Brazil to Germany. The following expertises were very important during the process and made it special:

• deep knowledge about Brazilian behavior and culture
• focus in the main differences between the life styles
• cordiality and attention to the details
• creation of  an atmosphere that made possible fast integration of the family during the orientation trip
• attendance and description of important details of the daily for the family (visits to supermarkets, stores, doctors, restaurants, etc.)

Any doubts or additional information fell free to make contact

Best regards

(International Controlling Manager)

#1

Dear Ms. Hofmann,

I have stay in Heidenheim for almost 8 months. As you told us in the seminar, I absolutely experienced the different stages of adaptation to the new culture. In the first period, everything was new, exciting and interesting and I was so curious and excited. Unfortunately, soon followed a lot of problems, know little local culture, difficultly comunicating with local people, missing home very much and feeling lonely. It was a hard time. Luckily, you gave us a timely seminar of Welcome to Gemany. We got a lot of nice information from the seminar, polite behaviour and special culture in Germany, how to go shopping and see a doctor and how to spend leisure time and so many important suggestions. I am so appreciated for your seminar. It did help me get through the crises-period. Now I have adapted myself to the life here and enjoy here.

Thank you very much!

Best regards

Shaobo Wang

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation GmbH & Co. KG

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