Mariya Heinbockel (née Lenska) (Alumna 2005)

The SHS was like that delicious Wiener Melange served in a small espresso cup. It was a perfect mix of educational, cultural and social experiences. It gave me friends for life all over the world. Oh how I wish the cup were bigger and those weeks longer!

SHS has helped me to learn German very quickly. Right after this amazing program I was able to successfully pass the language exam for my master’s studies in Germany. I had been studying German for a couple of months before SHS. So I would set a goal to learn and practice my German as much as I could. Within those four weeks, my German had miraculously progressed to the advanced level. Actually it was no wonder because there was always a possibility to communicate with native speakers and take the most intensive language classes in my entire life.

As for the present, I still eat a Kaisersemmel with strawberry jam and drink two cups of coffee in the morning, a habit that I first picked up at the SHS. And psss… (whisper) I am still in love with Mozart and the Alps. Maybe it explains why I now live with my husband in Munich, a Bavarian capital so close to Austria. I split my time between concerts of classical music and running a design business.

Mariya Heinbockel (née Lenska)
Strobl Alumna 2005