The story of Vreni, mentor

My name is Vreni Marti. A few years ago, I was interested in working at KoKoTé. At that time, however, they weren't looking for a mentor. So I was all the more surprised when I received a phone call in May of this year. At first, I thought my number had been dialed incorrectly. However, it turned out that my number had been dialed and they were looking for a mentor for a woman.

Despite brief doubts, I very quickly decided to accept the offer for an interview, a short meeting and an exchange with Yvonne and Mihriye.

Having experienced a job interview before, I was very pleased with how different this one was. The focus was on the person, their experience, their ideas and values, and not on following a rigid formula or a template, where the individual was forgotten.

I was excited to meet Elsa on the first day; she's an open, friendly, and lovely person. A woman who is very grounded and determined to speak German not just well, but very well, as quickly as possible.

First, we tried to gauge her German language skills, and the exchange took place using hands, feet, and our whole bodies.

However, in every hour we spend together, her progress and her great and intensive commitment are visible and recognizable. You can see how much she invests, that she wants to learn, that she has initiative, and that her language journey is steadily progressing.

It's a joy to teach and learn with her, to embrace new experiences each time, and to be open to whatever comes next. It's about making the most of our time together, observing where she is in her learning journey, what she already knows, and identifying which words she still lacks a basic understanding of. Her pronunciation can be corrected immediately, which, in my opinion, is a significant advantage despite the many technological language options available. Otherwise, repeating the same word, even if it's understood correctly, takes much more time and is tedious and time-consuming, especially when using a mobile phone or similar device.

My conclusion: It takes joy, fun, and openness from both sides to truly connect with the other person in the moment. And yes, it's always a new beginning—every day, every week, every word, and every text. I'm aware of how important it is to look at what comes with an open mind and simply be receptive to whatever arises. And in my opinion, that's one of life's greatest lessons, no matter where we are.