“I’m going to become a Waldorf class teacher!”

Risma Risma – a young woman from the Moluccas pursuing a master’s degree in Waldorf Education at Alanus University in Mannheim

From au pair to Waldorf teacher: During her stay in Germany, Risma Risma from the Indonesian Moluccas gained her first experience with Waldorf education – and was immediately fascinated. Today she studies Waldorf education at Alanus University in Mannheim and, also thanks to the support of Alanus professor Ulrike Barth, receives the STIBET scholarship funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). 

When Risma Risma began her teacher training degree at Pattimura University on Ambon, an island in the Indonesian Moluccas, in her early twenties, she was living with ten other children at her grandmother’s home. “She persistently kept reminding me, quite firmly, that education is important and that I should study because I was so clever,” Risma recalls. This early encouragement proved formative – and was the first step on a path that eventually led her to Mannheim.

At first, one thing mattered most to Risma: financial security. Before studying “German as a Foreign Language with a focus on intercultural regional studies,” she worked as a sales assistant. She financed her bachelor’s degree, which she completed in just three and a half years instead of the usual five, through jobs as a private tutor and a scholarship for gifted students. And even during that time, the desire grew not only to get to know Germany from afar, but to live there and continue learning.

An au pair stay in Altlußheim paved the way

“My host mother kept asking me what my plans were,” Risma says. One thing was clear: she wanted to become a teacher and stay in Germany. After her au pair year, she completed a Federal Volunteer Service placement, organized by Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners. During this time, Risma came into contact with Waldorf education for the first time – and was immediately fascinated. The understanding of the human being, the combination of cognitive, artistic, and practical learning content – all of this matched her own educational ideals.

At a seminar, she met Thomas Freiwald, who gave her lasting encouragement to pursue a master’s degree in Waldorf education. “I have always acted on the principle of opening up many options for myself by first doing thorough research and then applying broadly,” says Risma. So she applied to a whole series of universities for a Waldorf education degree and received offers from several of them – but her heart chose the Mannheim Study Center, which belongs to Alanus University. At that point, it was unclear how she would finance her studies. Unlike before, she did not succeed in preparing several funding options in parallel – an obstacle course familiar to many international students. The BAföG process proved lengthy and complex. After months without any positive news, the financial situation became increasingly difficult. “It was a time of constant waiting,” she recalls. Even so, it never occurred to her to abandon her studies. With pragmatism, part-time jobs, and a good portion of optimism, she managed to stay afloat. Eventually, Risma turned to people at the university from whom she hoped for advice and support. Her professor Ulrike Barth recommended that she apply for the so-called STIBET scholarship, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). With a reference letter from her professor and support from the university’s own International Office, Risma applied and was awarded the partial scholarship.

“But it still isn’t possible entirely without jobs,” she says. There is little time left for activities outside her studies. Risma even maintains phone contact with home through creative solutions: “With a phone holder on my bicycle, it works quite well.” Staying in touch with friends and former fellow students in Indonesia is very important to her. There, her enthusiasm for Waldorf education regularly causes amazement – for example, when she explains that school can also work without grades.

Teaching as a bridge between cultures

In two school placements, she brought in elements from her homeland: Moluccan legends in a first-grade class and the traditional construction style of Moluccan houses in a third-grade class during the house-building block. “Just as I am interested in German culture, I assume that my home culture is also relevant here.”

Risma is currently organizing a workshop with students from Alanus University in which traditional games and dances in typical costumes will be presented. Obtaining the clothing was not easy: Indonesia comprises thousands of islands, each with its own culture. At the Indonesian embassy in Frankfurt, she finally found some suitable traditional costumes.

Official requirements, financial bottlenecks – all of this is part of her everyday life. Linguistic barriers, on the other hand, she hardly perceives at all. “Being a teacher is my dream; I simply love teaching,” says Risma. She takes it with humor that she occasionally explains correct German pronunciation to fellow teachers. “That was sometimes funny, especially in Swabian,” she says with a laugh.

Risma’s life path is impressive not only because of the consistency with which she pursues her goals, but also because of the attitude behind it: that education is a key – to individual development, to understanding between cultures, to social participation. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” says Risma. But in speaking with her, it becomes clear that this path also requires a great deal of courage, perseverance, and optimism.

Her example shows how powerfully biographical influences and inner convictions can shape a person – and that sometimes all it takes is a bit of encouragement to set great things in motion.

The interview with Risma Risma was conducted by Sarah Nobel, Marketing and Public Relations Officer at the Mannheim Study Center, on 26 June 2025.

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