Why I Teach at the Academy

I studied art education in Germany. So, I almost became a high school teacher. But while I was studying, I realized that I didn’t have enough patience to be a good teacher. At the end of my studies, a friend asked me if I wanted to do a doctorate with her. For me, it was like a project for me where I could finally do what I wanted. Without always having to hide. I could finally write about people and things that were like me and that I really knew – people whose parents were not from Europe. I studied for it at various universities. And, finally, I no longer had to speak a language that wasn’t mine. I could think the way the people who were important to me did. I finally met people who also weren’t hiding. That was a great fortune and an honor.

I wanted to stay at a university after doing my doctorate, because many people were able to try out and discuss language and images here without always being judged straight away. At a university you have the freedom to try a lot out. That’s what I still enjoy today and what I want to continue doing. I’m lucky enough to be able to talk about things that interest me and exchange ideas with others, and I get paid for it.