Summer Mature Teen Residence Program in Berlin, Germany

  Germany

• Berlin: 
Berlin

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: June 21 to August 23, 2009

Description: Few cities have gone through the kind of dramatic transformation that Berlin has experienced over the past 20 years. While very little physical evidence of the Berlin Wall exists, memories of it are still alive and people come from all over the world to see a city once again unified after decades of separation. But little remains of the Berlin that fell to the East of the wall. Areas that were virtual wastelands from 1961 to 1989 are being rejuvenated and the results are exciting for residents and visitors alike!

But Berlin is so much more than the events of modern history. With recent archeological finds dating back to the 12th century, this is a city that has enjoyed a long and, at times, turbulent history reaching one of it's highest points in the 18th century when, under the rule of Frederich the Great, Berlin became one of Europe's most important cities both politically and culturally. Evidence of this vibrant period can be seen in the elegant architecture of famous monuments such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Opera House, the Palace of the Crown Prince and St. Hedwig's Cathedral. Since then there have been some very dark times but Berlin is re-building itself, literally and figuratively, and is re-gaining it's status as an important European capital.

Program:

Our Berlin summer program is hosted by one of Germany's leading private language schools. The school owns and fully occupies a campus of 5 beautifully updated buildings in Kastanienallee, in the heart of trendy Prenzlauer Berg, in what was formerly known as East Berlin. This is an extremely lively neighborhood with fashionable boutiques, art galleries and dozens of restaurants and cafes. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, this has become the "go to" neighborhood for young and hip locals and visitors.

The stunning school facilities include:
* 40 classrooms
* 2 guest houses with 50 studio apartments
* extensive grounds with a garden cafe
* a self-serve cafeteria
* a restaurant
* an on-campus bookstore
* a lounge with movie screen

Course:

The summer Mature Teen Residence/Homestay Program in Berlin has been designed specifically for 16-20 year olds and offers 20 x 45 minute lessons per week of intensive German instruction taught in the late afternoon. In addition, each day you will enjoy two activities (one in the morning and one in the evening) that allow you to take in the many sights and sounds of the city with your international classmates. Daytime activities include walking tours, shopping, museum visits, swimming and cycling; evening activities include salsa nights, movie nights, beach volleyball, clubbing and garden parties. Entrance fees for museums, etc. are not included in the price.

You will also enjoy 1 full day excursion every Saturday to places of significant interest such as Potsdam, Strausberg and Spreewald Forest as well as the cultural cities of Hamburg, Leipzig and Dresden.

Teachers:

The teachers are all native German speakers and fully qualified to teach German as a foreign language. They bring a wealth of experience teaching at all levels and design each lesson to focus on speaking and listening skills with appropriate attention paid to reading and writing.

Accommodation:

There are two accommodation options for this program:

1) Residence - You will either be accommodated on campus in a fully-equipped studio apartment (single or double with private washrooms) or in a hostel 5 minutes on foot from the campus in shared rooms with 3 to 5 beds, TVs and private washrooms. Males and females are accommodated separately.

2) Host family - You will be accommodated with welcoming hosts who are keen to share German culture with you. Families come in all shapes and sizes from single adults (female) to couples with and without children. Most families live outside central Berlin between 5 and 50 minutes by bus, metro or bicycle.

Meals:

The program includes two meals daily, breakfast and dinner, as follows:

- For residence students staying on-campus - you will eat both breakfast and dinner with your classmates at the school cafeteria.
- For residence students staying at the nearby hostel - you will eat breakfast at the hostel and dinner with your classmates at the school cafeteria
- For students staying with a host family - you will eat breakfast with your host(s) and dinner with your classmates at the school cafeteria.

For all accommodation options you are free at lunch to decide where and what you would like to eat.

Cost in US$: From USD 2180 for 2 weeks

Additional costs:
- Travel to and from Berlin
- Optional Activities (theater, musicals, windsurfing) - allow for USD 30 to USD 90 per activity
- Pocket money - it is recommended that you allow for USD 250 per week (this will allow for lunches, snacks, the purchase of a transportation card and entrance fees for visits to museums, etc.)
- Airport transfers (arrival & departure) on Sunday between 7:00 and 23:00 is already included in the program fees; transfers on other days or outside of these hours are USD 120 US each way
- Entry visa if required

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Germany Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of Max. 12 students per class

Application Process Involves:

• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

The Learning Traveller's Mission Statement: The Learning Traveller offers the finest full-immersion language study programs in the best and safest locations worldwide. Our priority languages are French, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), German, Italian, Japanese, and Russian. Our programs focus on summer programs and academic year courses. Depending on language level, start dates are every Sunday. Accommodation options are homestay or student residence. All schools offer rich and diverse cultural activities and excursions. We aim to provide an unparalleled counseling service before, during, and after an individual or group's language study experience.

Year Founded: 2003