A friend of mine once described Christiane as a character out of one of Astrid Lindgren's books: strong and clear and cheerful. I got to know her through friends, not knowing much more about her than that she studies for a teaching profession in English and political science and has a strong interest in acting sustainably and environmentally aware.
LIFE
In my school, we had a good culture of discussion. In comparison to that, university is a bit disappointing. I think students in school can give you quite amazing answers, when you are open for it. At the moment, I am part of a program where students become mentors for immigrant children, helping them to learn the language while doing something together.
What influenced me... After school, I spent one year in Peru – maybe that comes to my mind because my mentor child is also from there. That year was a main step in growing up. Not so much the different culture, but the living situation: Me and three other, very diverse girls in one room. There, I re-discovered the emotional part of my personality, which annoys me sometimes, but is also... valuable. In Peru, I realized that I am able to love everybody. What also influenced me are my parents, for sure. They are very different from me, both engineers. It is good to have them in my life as a kind of opposite pole, because one tends to surround oneself with like-minded people with a similar view of life.
HOME
In my childhood, my family moved a lot, therefore I was convinced that a specific sense of home doesn't exist for me. But that's not true: Land, so flat, that you can see the clouds from below and above to the horizon, a perspective you never have in the mountains. It doesn't make sense to me because I only lived in North Germany until I was five. But already the typical accent is likeable to me.
HAPPINESS
What makes me happy. The most difficult question, because I am quite... undemanding. I am a very rational mind. Most simple answer: Other people. I am happy when the people around me are.
Imparting something meaningful, like with my Peruvian godchild. I hope that my profession will make me happy.
But also projects like renovating our house, when everything works out and there are plenty of helping hands so that you really get on.
Christianes's question to you: What would you like to change in our society, if you could? Can you?