My First Week at Schmidt & Sohn: Describing a Typical Day

Okay, deep breaths. It’s been a week since I started at Schmidt & Sohn, a small printing company in Heidelberg, and honestly, it’s been… intense. I’m still completely swamped, but I’m getting a feel for things, and I’m starting to actually speak German more than just panicked “Entschuldigung!” I’m focusing on learning how to describe my workday, and the best part is, I’m actually using the language.

The Morning Rush – Ordering Kaffee und Brötchen

The first hurdle, always, is getting to work. The U-Bahn is… an experience. Packed like sardines, everyone shouting at once. But once I’m at the office, my boss, Herr Schmidt (obviously), tells me to “Kaffee und Brötchen!” – coffee and a roll – which is a must.

“Kaffee schwarz, bitte!” I managed to say, pointing at the espresso machine. He smiled, a tiny bit surprised, and said, “Gut! Dann legen wir los.” (Good! Then let’s get started.)

I’ve learned that “Kaffee schwarz” (black coffee) is the standard. “Mit Milch?” (With milk?) is asking for a latte. I made that mistake yesterday and nearly burnt my tongue – “Oh, mein Gott, es ist zu heiß!” (Oh my God, it’s too hot!) – Herr Schmidt just chuckled and said, “Langsam trinken!” (Drink slowly!)

Sequencing Tasks – “Zuerst… Dann…”

My job is mostly assisting with the ordering and checking of paper. It’s surprisingly detailed. Today, I started by checking the delivery manifest – “Die Lieferung prüfen.” – I had to count everything, compare it to the order, and write down any discrepancies.

“Die Lieferung ist nicht vollständig,” I told Herr Schmidt. (The delivery isn’t complete.) “Zuerst muss ich die Anzahl der Bögen überprüfen.” (First, I need to check the number of sheets.) He then instructed me to “Dann die Bestellungen für die Kunden vorbereiten.” (Then prepare the orders for the clients.) It’s all about the sequence, “Zuerst… dann…” – First… then… It’s really helping me think about how I’m doing things.

Client Communication – Simple Phrases and Mistakes

I had a brief phone call with a client, Frau Müller, about a rush job. I wanted to be polite and professional.

“Guten Tag, Frau Müller. Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?” (Good day, Mrs. Müller. How can I help you?) I asked.

She immediately launched into a complicated explanation about needing 500 brochures by tomorrow. I felt completely lost. I tried to respond, “Ich verstehe… aber was genau brauchen Sie?” (I understand… but exactly what do you need?). She looked at me strangely and said, “Sie müssen genauer fragen!” (You need to ask more precisely!)

It was a small, embarrassing moment, but I realized I wasn’t listening actively enough. Herr Schmidt has been patient, correcting my phrasing and explaining that simply repeating what she said back to her – “Also, Sie brauchen 500 Broschüren bis morgen, richtig?” (So, you need 500 brochures by tomorrow, right?) – is often the best approach.

The Afternoon – “Wie geht es Ihnen?” & Wrap-Up

Around 4 pm, we have a short “Tagesabstand” – a daily brief – where everyone reports on what they’ve done.

“Wie geht es Ihnen heute?” Herr Schmidt asked. (How is it going for you today?) I replied, “Es war eine lange, aber produktive Tag. Ich habe die Lieferung geprüft und die Bestellungen vorbereitet.” (It was a long, but productive day. I checked the delivery and prepared the orders.)

He nodded and said, “Gut gemacht!” (Well done!) – a huge relief.

Learning in the Moment – It’s All About Practice

Honestly, the biggest thing I’ve learned is that making mistakes is okay. Everyone makes them! Even Herr Schmidt sometimes slips in a phrase he hasn’t used in years. The important thing is to keep trying, keep listening, and keep asking questions. I’m still stumbling over pronouns – “Ich habe die Dateien ausgearbeitet.” (I have prepared the files.) – but I’m getting better. And I’m starting to feel like I’m actually building a little bit of a life here, one “Kaffee und Brötchen” and slightly awkward conversation at a time. Next week, I’m aiming to ask about the printer settings. “Kannst du mir das erklären?” (Can you explain that to me?).