Questions to former
TREFF PUNKT students

After his return to California, Albert wrote a letter about his experience in Germany in early 1999. Here is his original letter to Tracy, another American interested in TREFF PUNKT.

Many thanks to Albert, for his correspondence with Tracy.

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January 1999

Dear Tracy,

I am happy to respond to your inquiry about my recent experience at TREFF PUNKT Language Institute. I returned only last Sunday from the school in Bamberg. I am a physician living in Newport Beach, California. I take two weeks off per year for vacation.

I have always wanted to visit Europe. I arbitrarily chose Germany. I studied German for the past four months in the Berlitz School in Costa Mesa. Two weeks ago I flew from LA to Munich, rented a car, drove in the night, rain and fog to Bamberg, and somehow found my hotel. Initially, I felt isolated because of my fatigue, jet lag, and inability to understand or speak a word of German or the local Franken dialect.

I chose an intensive, four day, "one-on-one" German language instruction program at TREFF PUNKT. My fellow students in the school were from the US, England, and Belgium. One is a German language instructor from Indiana University. This provides you with a standard for the school's quality. Katja was my personal instructor. We met six hours per day. Katja has fluency in English, Spanish, and naturally, German. I believe she has degrees in Teaching and Educational Psychology. My curriculum focused on my individualized needs in grammar and conversation. The curriculum was partially based on a preprinted, programed instruction developed by the young Director of the school, Alexandra von Rohr. This program was efficient and focused.

The entire four days cost 1300 Marks. The results were dramatic. I Call it "Instant Deutsch." After two days, I began to communicate with shopkeepers in simple German. After four days, I could understand much of a German conversation, and I could even instigate a conversation. The curriculum of TREFF PUNKT extends beyond language instruction.

The Director conveyed the history of Bamberg and German culture by personally conducting us on daily visits to cultural sites and lunch and evening dinners in popular restaurants, during which she focused the conversation on German culture and society.

After leaving the school, I spent two days with a family in a small village on the Danube. That family spoke as much English as I spoke German. Thanks to TREFF PUNKT, we all survived.

Tracy, I live in Southern California. Life is fairly good here by American standards. Because I am complacent, I could never have anticipated what I found in Germany. I found Germany to be one of the most civilized and beautiful country in the world. Every city has a 1,500 year-old history. The country works. The health system protects all. The streets of Bamberg are clean and safe at any time of the day or night. People are courteous, friendly, and helpful. The food and beer are outstanding. Each church is more beautiful than the former. I found the roots of American civilization. I feel culturally shocked and depressed because I cannot properly express the grandeur of my experience to my friends. I cannot wait to return in June or July, again starting my trip at TREFF PUNKT for a touch up of my German language skills.

I had four problems in Bamberg that you should know about:

1. 1st, people in Germany smoke like crazy. Everything smells of cigarette smoke. The forests must be dying because of the cigarette smoke pollution.
2. 2nd, I stayed in a small pension, a single room with a bathroom. Although the charge was only 70 marks per night, the room was too small for me to get properly rested because of my extreme fatigue and jet lag. In addition, the night clerk left at 7:30 P.M. and no one could contact me by phone. Next time, I will stay in a larger hotel.
3. 3rd, don't count on credit cards. Only the larger stores accept credit cards for purchase of good. I paid in cash at the hotel and restaurants.
4. 4th I left with a 50 Mark parking ticket because I did not understand how the parking system operated. In retrospect, a car is useless in Bamberg. Taxis and busses are inexpensive.

In summary, Tracy, this was the greatest experience of my life. I met people I hope to see again, either in Germany or when they visit California. I long to return to Germany. TREFF PUNKT was critical to my enjoyment because four months of Berlitz did not properly prepare me.

Please E-mail or call me if you have further questions. Thank you providing me an opportunity to discuss my experiences.

Sincerely yours,

Albert Garib

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