My name is Katie, and I am 24 years old. I am originally from the very small but lovely state of Delaware, U.S.A. I am currently living in Bremerhaven, Germany completing my apprenticeship to become a pastry chef.
How did I get to where I am?
I love baking and cooking and just about anything that involves the kitchen. One day, I picked up a cake decorating book and starting teaching myself all about cake. From there I followed through making cakes and cupcakes for special occasions, family, and friends. I knew after a short time of cake designing that I wanted to pursue a career in the pastry arts. Fortunately, I found out about Germany's education system and how different it is from the United States. In the U.S. it is typical that after high school students will then go to a college or university in order to gain a bachelors and/or masters degree in the field that they choose to have a good and successful career. In Germany, after school, students can choose a field of study and apply to a company. This is called an apprenticeship. Once hired, the company trains you in that profession while you work for them and attend school at the same time. On hand, real life experience from the very start? In my opinion that's extremely practical. After hearing this, I knew that this would be an amazing opportunity for me because Germany widely known for it's delicious cake, pastries, and bread. Not to mention the international experience is a huge bonus.
This is not an exchange program, and no, I did not speak very much German before traveling here. All my schooling and training is in German. I know what you may be thinking, I'm nuts. At times I also think that I'm nuts, but in the end, this has proven to be one of the most beneficial experiences I will ever have in my entire life, and I plan to take it for what it's worth. As for the language? It seemed like an impossible feat, and was one of the hardest things I've ever done. German is not an easy language! However, I can now say that I am fluent in German (something I never thought I would be) and can finally converse with others and complete an entire day of work and school with ease.
I've cried, I've been so frustrated to the point of wanting to come home, but the benefits and the feeling of success outweigh every tear and bad day. This blog is about my entire experience in my 3 year apprenticeship including everything from my daily life, my struggles with learning German, my travels across Europe and tips and techniques in baking that I learn while working and going to school.
Contact:
Katie Mazur
kakesbykatie.cake@gmail.com
Baking Through Germany's Facebook Page!
Check out my portfolio! Baking My Way
What company do I work for?
Stadtbaeckerei Engelbrecht in Bremerhaven, Germany. Check out the bakery's Facebook and our video!
This is not an exchange program, and no, I did not speak very much German before traveling here. All my schooling and training is in German. I know what you may be thinking, I'm nuts. At times I also think that I'm nuts, but in the end, this has proven to be one of the most beneficial experiences I will ever have in my entire life, and I plan to take it for what it's worth. As for the language? It seemed like an impossible feat, and was one of the hardest things I've ever done. German is not an easy language! However, I can now say that I am fluent in German (something I never thought I would be) and can finally converse with others and complete an entire day of work and school with ease.
I've cried, I've been so frustrated to the point of wanting to come home, but the benefits and the feeling of success outweigh every tear and bad day. This blog is about my entire experience in my 3 year apprenticeship including everything from my daily life, my struggles with learning German, my travels across Europe and tips and techniques in baking that I learn while working and going to school.
Contact:
Katie Mazur
kakesbykatie.cake@gmail.com
Baking Through Germany's Facebook Page!
Check out my portfolio! Baking My Way
What company do I work for?
Stadtbaeckerei Engelbrecht in Bremerhaven, Germany. Check out the bakery's Facebook and our video!
