Comments about TREFF PUNKT

I studied at Treffpunkt for 7 weeks starting in January 2003. My primary aim there was to improve my spoken German in preparation for working on farms in Austria (where I had a fantastic time). My German study was both enjoyable and productive...

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: xxx
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 31. Dezember 2003 14:58
An: x@learn-german.com

Betreff: Meine Meinung ueber Treffpunkt.

My experience at TREFFPUNKT

I studied at Treffpunkt for 7 weeks starting in January 2003. My primary aim there was to improve my spoken German in preparation for working on farms in Austria (where I had a fantastic time). My German study was both enjoyable and productive, and later when I was travelling and particularly working, I was also very grateful for it, as having just a bit more German made my work experience so much less stressful, and so much more rewarding.

January was a great time to be at Treffpunkt, as the classes were small (between 2 and 5 students), allowing for lots of individual attention and lessons which were flexible and tailored to what we wanted to learn. The lessons were very well pitched to our level, and included lots of practice and opportunities to try to use what we’d learnt. My teachers (mostly Eva and Beate) did a great job at helping us to learn in a relaxed, fun way and at a speed which was very well suited to our needs. I was very satisfied with my classes at Treffpunkt.

That said, the thing that I appreciated most about Treffpunkt was not what occurred in class. Rather, it was the openness and responsiveness of everyone associated with the school. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome and a part of a little community, which is an invaluable thing when you’ve just landed on the other side of the world. Language is not just something to study but something to use, and for this reason all the little things people at Treffpunkt did for us really counted - things like our movie and coffee nights with Eva and Beate, and like the Treffpunkt outings to concerts, sledding, walks and visits, and of course the inimitable Stammtisch. All of these really made the difference for me between just studying a language and really starting to speak it. The atmosphere in the school is its greatest asset.

I enjoyed my stay in Bamberg, and can recommend Treffpunkt to anyone looking for somewhere nice and warm (I don’t mean the weather here) and friendly to learn German this winter (or spring, summer or autumn really, but winter is quite pretty in Bamberg, and very photogenic...).

If you are thinking of going, here are a couple of points to keep in mind while you’re there:

If you are from warmer climes (I’m from Australia) and are not used to cold winter weather, put in that extra warm jumper because you’ll need it. One of my strongest memories is of Jorge and me huddled in front of the heater every morning trying to defrost ourselves before class...

Don’t let anyone talk you into driving a sled if you are not wearing waterproof clothing and are not generally very coordinated at that sort of thing.

Good (waterproof) boots are great for walking in the snow - not so good with a hole in the toe.

Budget carefully (especially if you’re getting the raw end of a currency exchange) but don’t miss out on something you’ll wish you’d gone to later. Keep it in perspective.

Check out the bakeries, and don’t miss the Hot Chilli Chocolate (hot chocolate with chilli in it - its good).

Go with an open mind and with an aim to make friends, and you will. Studying abroad is not always a comfortable experience, but it can be a great learning opportunity and something you’ll appreciate later on if you approach it the right way.

The German they speak in the shops isn’t the same as at school, so don’t panic. If you’re the level I was, you’ll get it after 4 or so repeats.

Don’t get too hung up on your level, or how fast you’re progressing. The teachers are highly competent and will help you to progress as best they can...the rest takes time, and is sometimes frustrating. Just keep going. If you’re really concerned, talk to your teachers because they do listen and will try to help. Also remember that your classmates are great allies (as opposed to competition as some people mistakenly believe) so treat them as such and you’ll benefit from their support.

Enjoy hanging out with and speaking to people from the same culture or with the same mother tongue, but don’t let that stop you from talking to lots of other people, and using your German, which is what you’re there to do.

Stay positive and open and look for a good time, and you will surely find one.

Gabrielle