2013 Program in General: Evaluation of cultural activities and excursions, including the balance between scheduled activities and free time. Please include any suggestions you might have for future years. I didn t go to many scheduled activities but I am sure they were great. Folk dancing was good, so was Kreuzberg. There are many things offered, that is good. Berlin & Köln are cool. There was always something and that was good, I just am someone who prefers doing my own thing. I enjoyed the activities and excursions. The hostel in Berlin was the only thing I would change. I liked that activities on trips are optional. Good balance between free time and activities. There are many things to do (trips, meet friends, spend time with host family) and I don t think I would have got to do as many of these things if I had had more homework. At the 200 level, the workload was fair and I had time to experience German culture outside of class and books. However, I worry that the GER300 class is more work and less time for cultural experiences. The JHB are cheap, but I went out to eat every day because the food was so bad. The beds are small, and really brought down the experience for me. Other than that, the cities were great! Maybe a bar night though. The excursions were really great! I do feel like we could have gotten a little more free time in Berlin but otherwise it was really good! There was always enough free time. I do wish we had a weekend to spend in Berlin though. All activities were really easy to be involved with and very informative/entertaining. There was a good balance between free time and the activities planned. The excursions didn t all suit me entirely, while others were perfect. It was, if anything, balanced in that sense. For future years, I don t really know what to suggest as I don t know all the cool stuff in Germany (yet). All of the excursions were wonderful. The balance between scheduled activities and free time was good because we were never obligated to do the scheduled activities, and there were lots of activities if we chose to do those too. Suggestions - give us the plans more than one day in advance please? I found it hard to plan ahead for Berlin and Köhn because the plans were only given to us a day before. More time in Berlin. Five days was not enough time to see everything, but it was still an incredible trip.
I personally love everything to be planned because I am lazy. Once I learned that it was more up to me to plan stuff I had a way better time. It was the first time over I could do 100% what I wanted to do. So I think the balance is good because the choice was always there. I thought that they were all quite fun, particularly of course the excursions to Cologne and Berlin. More free time would be nice, as often times I felt as though my day were bound to what the program had planned. The excursions were great. They were planned really well. There was enough time to do stuff with the group and do your own thing too. All the trips were great. I would love to see some group-based speaking skills exercises more heavily emphasized. Every day during class and something most days on our trips. The time spent on buses could be used a bit too. A big list of suggested sights would be appreciated also for free time. I thought there was always a good balance between cultural activities and free time when we were on excursions. I would suggest possibly changing Cologne to Munich though, if the travel logistics were feasible so as to experience another part of Germany. The balance was good lots of work during school days/weeks but also plenty of free time. The excursions were really good, having so much free time in Berlin was amazing balanced with a couple group activities, this allows students to explore what they find interesting. Because this program is so condensed, it doesn t leave a lot of room for free time, but I felt like scheduling this year was pretty reasonable. I felt like I got to see and do a lot, both with the groups and individually. Fun! Felt as though we should have stayed longer in cities. Perhaps leave the night before and arrive at night so you have the morning as well, esp Berlin. Willing to accommodate when you missed class to go somewhere. Maybe an option to two cities. Have a day trip to Bonn from Köln. Possibly do something in Frankfurt before going to Hann-Münden. The balance that CSSG had this year was perfect for me. I could take part when I wanted to, but still had enough time to bond with my host family and explore on my own. I also liked how there was often possible activities but none were obligatory. Very nice. The activities and excursions were great and in good quantities. For someone who doesn t know what there is to see or have to get there, the activities provide a great way to do so and
see things. They re always optional too so if you d rather go off on your own that is not a problem. I really enjoyed all the cultural activities, the soccer game, folk dancing, trips to Köln and Berlin. Everything I participated in left me wanting more, and that s a good thing. Even though we had an extended time in Berlin, it wasn t enough time. I really enjoyed the balance of this year s program. I had enough free time to do what I wanted and get my homework done. I never thought that the excursions were too long or too short. I enjoyed all of them. I enjoyed that we always had the option of attending or not. I attended every planned and extra activity. I also went to a few evening outings organized by the students in the group. I think there was a good balance. I liked that the cultural activities were optional and therefore if you weren t interested in it, or we were in Berlin and you were more interested in doing something else on your own, you could. The cultural activities that I went to were great. I really liked the trips to Berlin and Köln. It was great to learn about the history here and the Germany perspective on events. There is plenty of free time to see things that you want to. Even when you have to do your homework, it s fun because you are with others. I realized that I should study less than I normally do for German and just go out and interact with people. I don t think I have any suggestions. The excursions were really fun. They were a very nice break from all the schoolwork. Classes were lots of work so the excursions and free time was always something to look forward to. With the program there is not a lot of time to spend experiencing Germany. During trips it was still expected to do homework and I found myself worrying about everything I have to do, instead of being in a new city. The one thing I did not like was the trip to the Canada Embassy. This year going to Köln was a lot of fun. Going to two larger cities was a lot more fun that Rothenburg last year. The hostel in Köln was quite nice as well. The extra day in Berlin was also nice and we got to see a lot more of Berlin and it s such a big city that we need that time. The extra day in Berlin was awesome but very tiring. It would have been nice if there was better theatre plays but that can t really be controlled. The green card system was much better organized and understood and encouraging. I enjoyed most the cultural activities and excursions. I feel that we also received quite a bit of free time to explore the city. Homework does take a fair bit of time but overall I think we had a good balance.
Berlin was a big trip so it might be better to have it earlier in the program. I felt there was a decent balance. Having Sansoucci & Sachsenhausen on different days was good. The balance between scheduled and free time was perfect. I felt like an adult I had free time and freedom to choose. If the fee for the program was less. A smaller fee that includes host family donation and bus tickets, etc. but for all museums and activities we simply pay on our own. I, for example, prefer to go on walks and be in nature and bike, etc., things that don t cost money. But I have to contribute money so that others can go to movies and museums, etc. and other thing that are expensive for other students. Excursions were well planned and always had a good variety of offered activities. Outing to the theatre, opera, folk dancing were a great way to connect with German culture. The balance between free time and scheduled activities is great. Plus we don t have to do anything. The excursions were well planned with lots of activities I liked that we had a choice of activities and free time. The excursions were good! I d say go to Munich!!! That s a great representation of German culture. Good balance. The hostel in Köln was awesome. I loved the planned activities. Make a list of night places. Thoroughly enjoyed all excursions. Great balance of activities and free time. No suggestions think you ve perfected it! It was well done and organized. One has the ability to attend whatever activities which interest him or her. The activities were good and the excursions to Berlin and Köln were the funnest part of the programme. Free time was spent with mostly other CSSG people and outings with students and tandem partners, a lot of fun. It was a very fun programme. One should not miss any group activities, as they are a lot of fun. The music was enjoyable, however, always classical. Köln felt too short, but was still fun. The Berlin trip was a little late in the course, but still good. My one complaint was that the profs had no office. The 400 s should be integrated to spend time with the lower levels. The planned excursions were very well done and I recommend them highly. Planning of free time in a group should really be done before you go to a city though.
Balance is key. I found I did too much work and did not leave time myself for fun activities. I ended up doing better & feeling more comfortable when I skipped a HAG assignment every so often. I went to hang out with my Gastmuther or CSSG friends or my tandem partner. The activities planned were (almost!) always worthwhile. The balance between scheduled activities and free time was perfect. I think it was a good balance between scheduled activities and free time, but there was a tiny bit too much homework. I always spend my time with my host family when I have free time, so it s hard to decide between family time and homework. I almost think it s better to spend time with your host family because then you get to practice your speaking, which is the reason why I participated in CSSG. I wish we spent more time in Köln and less time in Berlin. Hann-Münden was amazing, I really want to go back there, but I also feel like there isn t too many opportunities to meet the public there. Maybe on an excursion to Marburg could be added? In Berlin possibly staying in a hostel, in what was East Berlin would have been very interesting. The excursions were great, I really liked how you were not told where to do. You could do what you wanted when you wanted. If you had already been to that city before you could do the things you did not get to before. Also nice you could get up to 10 back. The best thing about making a decision on where you wanted to go. Helpful! All the excursions with the program have been amazing. I think the split between planned activities, class and free time is perfect. Activities like folk dancing were entertaining, interesting and informative. For the Berlin trip there is a day where we went to two castles, they were both beautiful but it felt like we wasted a day visiting. Maybe a shorter time at each location or only doing one castle, preferably Potsdam because of the historical significance. I really enjoyed the trips to Köln and Berlin. I found them to be very fun and educational. I also liked that we had the option to do what we wanted rather than go with the group all the time. I also enjoyed the folk dancing. I thought the activities were good at the beginning to get to know people, but some that were all in German were a little overwhelming. I liked having free time too so that I could go see other things as well. Many of the activities and excursions were excellent and having the option to choose ones which interested us was great. The cultural activities were great and I think a good balance between scheduled and free because if you want more free time you can just not do the scheduled things. So I would not
schedule less. It was great to have five days in Berlin and go to Postdam. Köln was also great. It would be nice if we had more time in Leverkusen and could have gone early to see the town and then went to soccer. As far as cultural activities go, I went on only a few of them. My interests were not met and I often found myself having a better time than those who went on planned activities. I believe the structure though is fine and that changes are not needed. Those who want to stay in a large group will enjoy staying together and being guided around the city by someone who knows their way around. I thought there was a diverse array of activities planned for us to participate in. I felt a tour guide for the concentration camp would have been beneficial or a brief overview of understanding the history of what happened. I didn t feel like I had enough free time, always doing homework after class and then had to commute back to Baunatal. Enjoyed the dancing, opera, comedy, palaces, concentration camp, government building tours, museums, soccer game. Bike tour! That would be fun. Thinking back - I think it would have been nice to do little reviews now and again throughout the program just to keep it all fresh with so much going on. I really liked how open the program was to what you wanted to do, but also gave a good taste/backdrop of the cities and German culture for those who weren t quite sure what to expect or do. I think the program is set up very well, I think any problems with time were more of a fault of my own bad time management. Maybe there was a little too much Hausaufgabe assigned. Although it was very helpful, I think many people at one point fell behind. Has the program been worthwhile for you? Why? Why not? Specifically, what could you single out as having been very good, and what was not so very good? Would you recommend the program to others? I did not do very well mark wise and that is not good but I had fun and enjoyed Germany and maybe my German is a bit better. I am shy so I tried to speak more than usual so I could practice German. I learned a lot so it was very worthwhile and I would recommend the program to others. The Berlin trip was very good and the atmosphere created by the instructors was great. The copious amounts of Brut weren t the best. I am glad I signed up for the program. It has stimulated my interest in Germany and I would recommend it to others. The host family experience for me was very good and the food. I have
made some great friends through the program that I will definitely keep in touch with. I wish the program was longer so that I could improve my German even more. The program was ok but the living in Germany is the best part, which I could have done myself. We learn culture intrinsically by being here. Teach me the language, not fluff. It definitely has been! I learned so much and got to travel! Best of both worlds. I found that the classes had too much material, but that s normal since the program is so short. We put into practice outside of class anyway. I would definitely recommend this program. It has taught me a lot and I would do it again. After eight months of university I had trouble speaking a sentence in German. In six weeks I can converse with Germans. It is unreal and I will do it again. This is a very interesting topic if this is your first time in Germany, then I recommend this program highly. However, if I had family here already, I doubt I would have gone on this program. The classes teach you grammar, but I feel I still learned more in the guest house (vocab, to speak, etc). We were taken to many great places. But if you have already been there, it probably wouldn t be as good. The program has been absolutely worthwhile! I have learned so much German and have learnt so much about Germany and Canada all while having fun. I would say that everything in the program was very good, especially the excursions and other group activities. I would absolutely recommend this program to any university student who wants to improve his or her German! I love travelling in all forms so it was great to come back to Germany. Plus the places we travelled to I didn t see the last time I was here. It was great as I said to really decide for myself what I wanted to do. So yes the travelling portion of the CSSG program was totally worth it. I found it was a bit long as it was the longest I had been away from home. I would recommend this program to others. I believe it has been very worthwhile for me. There was tons to see of course, many new experiences, and lots of new friends. I feel as though I ve grown a lot these past few weeks, especially during the times when we were left free to explore and experience the different cities and sights. I even feel that the smaller experiences were more worthwhile than the big ones. For example, having drinks in a Biergarten a few floors below ground in Cologne was more special to me than seeing a concert or going to a famous museum. Yes! The program was worthwhile because my German has improved dramatically. I can understand what people are saying for the most part and I am still working on speaking better but that will come with time. Being around people who speak German was probably the most
beneficial part because them you are hearing it all the time. Yes! I recommend the program for others. Program was worth every penny. I learned so much. However, I was expecting a larger focus on speaking and listening. I learned a bunch of grammar rules that I can t use and didn t apply to the book was hard to read because the vocabulary is so difficult. I can barely even ask for help in German. I can tell you in English where verbs are supposed to go in certain circumstances but I can t tell you what time the bus leaves if you ask me in German. Or I can but it takes a minute to build the sentence in my head. More speaking exercises. I would say it has been very worthwhile. My German fluency has greatly increased when speaking and I can understand much better. Very good was the focus on spoken language. I would though have preferred if GER200 has such a vastness in skill level, breaking it up a bit more so those who need extra help had more focus, and those who were slightly more advanced could program faster. I will say though that all profs were amazing and Feisal was exceptional! Yes, it has been worthwhile because the classroom is an okay way of learning a language but nothing compares to being immersed a truly learning how German s interact with each other and their culture. I would recommend. This program has definitely been worthwhile, especially with the immersion aspect. Speaking German all the time, reading a real German novel for the first time, were probably the two most important influences on the improvement of my German. I found the way class time was spent was hit or miss discussions were often interesting and helpful, but some grammar exercises were unnecessary and mundane. I wish we d gotten to write more Tagebuch was my favorite. All in all though I had a very positive experience here, both in terms of learning German and getting to know all the wonderful CSSG people! Yes, easy credits, learned new things. My spoken German is better. Lots of free time to explore, not always in class. Experienced teachers. I felt the class went smoother when all 30 students were together. I would recommend it to others. I have learned A LOT! I would say that my host family was the best part, and also one of the most helpful tools in my learning. I would definitely recommend the programme despite the cost. I would recommend the program. Best part was spending time with my host family. They really made me feel at home and I learned so much language wise. The program was most worthwhile for how it helped my speaking and listening skills. I picked up so much vocabulary and I understand a lot better.
Yes it has! It offered a lot of grammar, but more importantly the immersion made it so that we could understand how it is properly used simply by hearing it around us all the time, from native speakers, teachers, and peers alike. I understand and appreciate the demerit system, but since I wasn t allowed to speak any English with my peers when there were instructors around. I made zero effort to speak German with my peers off campus and out of ear-shot from the instructors. I think the system would benefit from more flexibility. In enjoyed reading German literature, but as a student of literature, I found the pacing of the class time inhibiting. The program has been very worthwhile for me. I did it to finish my minor but I feel now that I still want to take classes when I get back to Canada. I also want to revisit Germany and explore other cities that I do not know yet. I really like how Kassel was a place where it is easy to understand the spoken language. In Munich it might be harder since some people have a thick accent. I was annoyed at the location of the shopping district. I found myself always on the main shopping street and tempted to spend money I don t have. This program is very good. Even though I was the only person from my University here this year I met a lot of good people and had a lot of fun. I never felt intimidated whether it be by people, homework or professors. The program has been worthwhile in that my German has improved. I would have preferred to spend more time speaking and free-writing and less time reviewing grammar I d already learnt. I think I would have benefitted from spending more time speaking with my host family or tandem partners. I did find it very intense, which is exhausting coming right after a full year of university but in terms of practicality I think it s good timing. Yes, this program is worthwhile. I mean I spoke more German in the first weekend in Hann Munden than I ever had in my life. Before the trip I could barely speak and wasn t confident, but now I feel confident enough to hold a conversation even if I am slower than others at speaking. Also, my teacher was great at explaining all the grammar I learned in Canada in a much simpler way here. So I think my German advanced in strides, but that s just my opinion. The only downside to the program is that it is quite expensive and adding the flight cost, program fees, and UofA fees together, it really racks up quickly. I would recommend it for sure to other students. The program has been lots of fun and an awesome experience. The literature aspect of the course was very good and grammar practice was awesome. You learn so much so quickly. I would recommend this program to anybody who would like to improve their German. The program is an amazing way to learn the language. You learn about yourself when you are in a new country with a language barrier. This is my second time doing the program and I enjoyed it a lot. The soccer game was a lot of fun as we didn t get to go last year so I was excited for it. I would recommend this program to
others. It is only 6.5 weeks, so it s a good way to experience Germany without doing an exchange. I would definitely recommend this program. For me the program was worthwhile as a way to improve my German. Mostly I am here for the experience and the language. Well language is my major and I find German in any way shape or form fun! I feel like the program has been very worthwhile for me. Speaking the language and the whole immersion process is very important to the learning experience. It was a great way to earn senior credits and meet people from all over Canada. Taking it the second time around I was a lot more prepared to speak and hear German and it was easier to get into the swing of things. Yes, it has been worthwhile. I have learned so many things about culture, and speaking that I could only have learned here. It was good for me to be immersed every day because I found that in Canada, learning German was harder because it was every second day for a little bit. Yes, I would recommend this program to others. Yes!! I love to learn here. Very good range of educational activities. Very Good excursions. Family amazing. All around satisfied. I think the cost was way too much. I would rather pay less program costs (still obviously include bus and accommodations for excursions), and pay individually for other things we do. I would recommend the program to others in lower levels of German 100, 200, 300. But not for students who were in the German bilingual program, or students who have travelled to Germany often. I think the program cost was a bit high for what you get. The host families got way more than I would have allotted. I feel like I could have stayed in a WG with a friend cheaper. I like that we got money back for German experiences. Hosts are great for people new to Germany. I definitely recommend the program though!! It was a little expensive but if you went out and experienced a lot and brought back receipts it was worth it. I would recommend it to others. It was definitely worthwhile! The cultural experience was very good, I loved being immersed in it (even when I was almost drowning). I feel like my being a not main teacher (ie Kim, Feisal, Lars) class that I did not learn as efficiently. I think my experience suffered a little. Still had an amazing time.
Very worth while. Outside and inside of class one experiences a bit of a culture shock, which can only advance one s maturity level. I expected the course itself to be much more intensive, in terms of the in-class portion. I did not enjoy all of the singing activities however. It was worthwhile. It was so fun speaking German and meeting new people and making new friends. The class was disorganized occasionally but in all, it was good. My German improved vastly. I would indeed recommend the programme. It has been fantastic and I am glad I came. I cannot think of any one thing I strongly disliked. I got a good amount of practice from the course so I would say it was worthwhile. Staying as a group definitely helped. The sense of community was very good, but I was probably holding myself back from experiencing all that I could. Would definitely recommend to others. It was worthwhile for me. I found it very difficult at the beginning because I was so used to being independent and living by myself. This is a large group of students with the opportunity to do a lot of socializing. Take a break if you need it, push yourself more if you tend to be shy. It ll be worth it. Your German will get better and it will get easier. Yes, the program was worthwhile! My cultural understanding of Germany has increased multifold. My written German has improved, and my spoken German as well. The excursions were very good and Kim was very good. I would recommend the program to others! I would totally recommend the program to others, it was really worth the money. My speaking has improved drastically, it s unbelievable. And I believe that s because I get to live with a German family and talk in German 24/7. There was really nothing bad about this program. If there could be more scholarship/financial support that students can receive, that would be even better. Thank you for the wonderful program. I am so glad I came! I feel like the program was worthwhile. I found the singing annoying and waste of precious teaching time. I found the excursions very nice particularly the Köln excursion. If we didn t go there, I think that I would not have gone, which would have been a shame because I loved it there. Yes. Learned more German than I could have ever in class. The classes are great! Size wise is perfect. Very interactive and helpful with the learning. I loved Feisal s class. Very thankful that I was in his as he has experience in teaching. As I am a very structured person when it comes to learning and do not think I could have someone just starting out. Great program enjoyed it very much and am looking forward on coming back next year! Yes, I would recommend the program to others. The program has been worthwhile. My German speaking and writing has improved and I have learned so much. My host family was
amazing and welcoming. I thought the trips to Köln and Berlin were an amazing learning experience, especially Berlin because of its political importance. There were some topics that I wish we had more time to grasp such as adjective endings and relative pronouns. None the less the teachers were both helpful and useful resources. I feel my experience in Germany has been worthwhile. It was a very fun program, and would definitely recommend it to others. I feel however, my German grammar skills would have been much better if I took classes in Canada. I feel my speaking skills are a lot better because I was here. I thought the program was very good! I had so much fun and met great people! I felt that my German didn t improve as much as I had expected. I learned most of my vocab with my host family and not in class. I know everything is supposed to be in German, but some English in the textbooks would have helped me to better grasp the concepts. The program has been great overall. For me, the lack of English in the lessons have made it hard to pick up the new grammatical rules, but at the same time improve my understanding and speaking greatly. I would absolutely recommend the program to others, and actually already have. I am glad I came to the program although there has been some negatives. The cost $$ for the program, some of the students are annoying and honestly I can learn German grammar better in Canada when we have more time. But my German speaking has improved. It is very helpful to hear German always and speak it even badly. The program is difficult. Although there is enough time to do the work for school and to still experience some of Germany - for me it always felt difficult to balance both so I think both suffered. I didn t learn as well as I hoped and didn t experience as much as I would have liked. I would definitely recommend the program though. Great Program! Had an awesome time. My favorite thing is the nightlife. Everywhere I ve gone has been energetic. The thing I wish I could change would be the walking. There is so much walking so I would suggest you warn students of this so that they should bring with them comfortable walking shoes. I think a city tour pointing out main landmarks and where things are would be a good idea. I felt lost not knowing where to go/how to get around. Program was too short. At least 3-4 days longer since I feel I can only now speak a bit better in German and now have to go back. Getting our money back, after paying first encouraged us to go out and see as much as possible, not worrying about how much museums cost. Added planned events make note on FB group for reference. Never knew where to go some classes knew more about what was going on than others. Food & Coffee at hostels was not great. Berlin & no wifi??
I feel like the program has already helped me a lot. Although it takes a while for everything to sink in. I feel less afraid to speak and write even when it is not always right. It feels a little more natural and I don t think I could have ever achieved that just learning German in Canada. There were also plenty opportunities to learn about Germany and German through the program, on your own or with your family. There were many things I thought I knew about Germany that became more real to me which was eye opening.