Course Detail: LNG115 - German for Travelers
Thinking of traveling to a German speaking country in the near future?
Here are some reasons to consider taking a trip to this fascinating European country:
- Germany has more cultural activities and places to visit than any other country - with some 6,200 museums, 820 theaters, 130 professional orchestras & 8,800 libraries. In fact, there are more museums, exhibition halls and art galleries than any other country (and not only in the big cities), with more people going to exhibitions than to soccer matches. Source: Expatica - The capital of Berlin has more bridges than Venice! - Berlin boasts 960 bridges and 59.8 square kilometres of water consisting of lakes and around 180 kilometres of navigable waterways. Combined with its surrounding state, Brandenburg, it houses Europe's largest inland water network. Source: Expatica
- Germany is sometimes known as 'the land of poets and thinkers' - or 'das land de dichter und denker.' Bach, Beethoven and Goethe were all German, alongside composers Händel, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Wagner and R. Strauss. Some of the world's greatest German philosophers include Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Heidegger. Source: Expatica
- Munich's Oktoberfest is the world's biggest folk festival - and there's rather a lot of beer there, too. Despite its name, the Oktoberfest festival actually starts in the last week of September and officially dates back to 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig threw a party to celebrate his wedding to Princess Terese on October 12. Source: Expatica
- Germany has over 150 castles. Walt Disney modeled the castles in the film Sleeping Beauty and later in Disneyland and Disneyworld on Bavaria's "Mad" King Ludwig II's Neuschwanstein Castle, which may be Germany's most famous. Source:Germany (Fodor's Travel). New York, NY: Random House, 2012.
- The first Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market) in Germany was recorded in 1384 in Bautzen and mainly sold meat rather than handicrafts. Martin Luther gave the Christmas Market a boost when he suggested it was better to exchange gifts at Christmas than on saints' days. Today, German Christmas markets attract a staggering 160 million visitors a year and bring in around 5 billion Euros in market-related revenues. Source: Germany (The Rough Guide). London, UK: Rough Guides, Inc., 2012.
Our course will concentrate on the essential vocabulary and skills needed for travel in German-speaking countries and is taught using a variety of methods to enhance learning and understanding. Register now to learn the language spoken most widely throughout Europe & you'll be one step closer to taking the trip of a lifetime!
Instructor Aaron Stanley is a German teacher and avid traveler. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne and an Indiana educator's license. He has spent two months abroad (in Germany) and a total of one month between England, France, and Spain. He has worked with international and domestic students for a number of years, and enjoys sharing the German language and culture with others.
