Solveig Werner

I wish you and your family and your friends a good, healthy and successful year 2026. 

The year has only started 8 days ago, and so much has already happened. 

Do you have new year’s resolutions, or do you have projects for this year? 

It always feels as though resolutions are there for us to change habits / take up good habits and that when you talk with people, they most likely fail after a few weeks. Resolutions tend to be a to-do list that you keenly write up on the 1st of January. Thus I don’t have resolutions. 

What I have is projects, that need to go from the drawing board into the realm of reality. “But isn’t that the same as resolutions Solveig?” I already hear you asking. No, I don’t think so. Resolutions would be: reduce sugar intake, go to the gym once a week, do lent, clean the house more often … But projects are different, at least for me, and January is just the perfect moment to get cracking after the Christmas break. 

What are my resolutions projects then? 

I will offer more and different learning experiences. I am a German teacher and with budget cuts and AI-competition on the rise I do need to innovate. Thus I launched Allemand hors les murs in October, taking my student(s) outside of the office setting. Instead of being seated around a table or working together online, the course is a conversation-based class outside and/or in an exposition. Even beginners can try practicing their German, of course there won’t be much note-taking or grammar. 

Close to this type of German lessons I will offer conversation based English and French classes, walking language classes. The French classes are aimed at tourists who want to gain some basic vocabulary that is actually useful when visiting France (order a baguette, go to a pharmacy and buy paracetamol, ask the waiter if you can sit outside in a non-smoking area etc) and to expats trying to survive their first few weeks in France. 

Over the years I have had to deal with a lot of French admin (I am self employed, so it is a given) for myself, my kids, my parents, friends etc. Year ago, I was told to propose an admin help service. Something that I did not do back then, but now, I am here. I’ll be helping people deal with social security when new in France, explaining that something is broken to the plumber, accompanying parents to parent-teacher meetings, filling out forms – in short things that everyone hates. 

And those projects are all just work related… 

I really want to write more seriously. I received some beautiful ink for Christmas that will make filling up my note-books much more pleasant. I’ve had put my novel on hold, but I think it is ready to be continued, I really want to write and publish collection of short stories. Maybe, I’ll be posting a bit more over here. I’ve also decided to publish on LinkedIn on a regular basis, hoping that it will generate some leads … And if I find the time, I will paint and draw a bit more. 

And you, what are your plans for the new year?