Berlin - Residence/Homestay Program for 16-20 year olds

2009 Teen Summer in Berlin, Germany

   

Location

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.

The following program features are included in the price:

• 4 lessons per day – classes take place in the afternoon

• Study materials

• 2 planned activities daily (morning & evening)

• 1 full day excursion every week

• Language level test on the arrival day (Sunday)

• Certificate of attendance and linguistic competence upon completion

• 24-hour emergency support

• Your choice of either residence or homestay accommodation
• 2 meals daily (breakfast and dinner)
• Laundry service
• On-campus staff

• Return transfer for Berlin airport / train station (Sundays only)

• Comprehensive Medical & Travel Insurance.