Courses in Heidelberg

Before exploring more about daily life in Heidelberg
I think it's better to introduce more about the summer courses

As the reference for you to compare
If you later want to study summer courses in Germany

The courses divide into three main parts -

Course I: “pure” language courses including elementary, intermediate and advanced

Course II: an advanced training course for foreign German teachers, professors and students who study German literature

Course III: A special course for German as a language of business

I believe many of Taiwanese students would choose summer course to improve their German language, so I would focus more on the pure language courses

(Ok, well let’s be frank, actually it’s because I only take the language class, so it’s better for me to talk about it more :P )

If you learn German for about three years like me, you probably may go to higher level of elementary language classes or first half of intermediate language classes

There’s one thing you have to realize first
Due to the reason that Taiwanese education on languages put more effort on grammar, usually Taiwanese students can do a great job on grammar, but we are not so good at speaking and listening.
Therefore, when you attend a summer course, you may likely find out that the grammar you learn in the summer course is pretty easy.

However, remember what you can really improve in abroad summer course is your listening and speaking ability!
So don’t be frustrated when you find out you are just in the elementary level J

The next day after you’ve done the register, you have to take an oral test with a German teacher first and later they would arrange a paper test of grammar and reading comprehension for you.

Then on the next day, all the test results come out and you just have to go to the class they classify for you and all the courses start.

The fixed languages courses are from nine o’clock in the morning till one o’clock in the afternoon.
Besides, Heidelberg University also offer you some optional courses in the afternoon, such as correct German spelling, role plays and oral language games, preparatory course for Zertifikat Deutsch (German Certification), pronunciation course enhancing listening and speaking ability, discussion about German culture and civilization and translation course…… and so on.

Various complementary afternoon courses for you to improve your German!!

The key is would you like to challenge yourself or not :D

Administration building of Heidelberg University

also a register place

River Neckar next to the Heidelberg University

quaint Heidelberg University library

small Heidelberg University auditorium

Start the Journey

No doubt that the journey to Germany is quite a long way

It took me about thirteen hours to Frankfurt airport

Here offer you some tips for staying so long on plane

1. Some people like to take a window seat for taking a close look to the “paradise view”, but if you travel alone and it is such a long journey like this, you’d better change your seat that near the sidewalk for you go to toilet more easily

2. Besides, if you want to take a look of the great view, there are also some small windows behind the seats for you to look out



3. Consider about the hygiene, I think it’s better for you to take a small pillow

4. Since it’s quite arid on the plane, my suggestion is bring some drinking water with you. Therefore, you don’t need to call fight steward/ stewardess whenever you feel thirsty, because they are also tired and busy. Also, bring a small lip moisturizer would also help to release your uncomfottable feeling while taking a long trip

The view outside the window
(The view was pretty, but it was so difficult to take a good one, bad photographer, I know :P)

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After taking the plane to Frankfurt, I took the train to Heidelberg and did some register things. I think the service of Heidelbeg University is quite good! There were some CA leading you to take bus to the school and they also helped you to carry your baggages. Pretty nice of them! :)

After seeing some of your confirmed document of summer courses, they would arrange some CA bringing you to your one-month living place. Totally, there are three styles for students to live- WG, host family and student dormitory
PS, WG: two or three students share the rent for a floor of the apparment

And I am quite a lucky girl who lived in WG which is pretty near the school. For example, I only had to take 5-minute bus to school or took a 30-minute walk to school. For most people, thirty-minute walk seems quite a long way, but because of the beautiful view along the road, if I had enough time I usually took walk to school ^^

Moreover, the school also sold students a monthly ticket. It was quite cheap and convenient for students because you spend 40 Euro and you can take bus as many times as you want. Taking a trip with bus costs 1 euro, so if you take more than forty times in a month, it’s worth the price!

Taking busess in Germany is really convenient. They have the timetable at each bus stop just like the train in Taiwan. Also, For taiwanese, taking German busess are quite a luxury enjoyment, because their busess are ALL Mercedes!!! LOL

Take a small train from airport to train station (for free!!)

Take a look of my room ^^


I especial love this corner in my room

What a luxury bus trip! :))

Sweet timetable!

Bis nächste Woche (see you next week ^^)

Adventure or just a trip?

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of theme I should write for this blog
From food, new life in Taichung, music to movie (all my favorite!!! :D )

Finally, the memory of traveling around Germany appeared in my mind

For training myself having courage to talk to foreigners and successfully passing Zertifikat Deutsch, I took one month summer course in Germany two years ago.

To you, two years might be quite a long time, but for me, it’s always the fresh memory which is happened last month!

Maybe because it’s my first time taking trip in a real “foreign” land which only English and German can be the languages

I could still remember, traveling around the whole world by myself had always been my dream

The content will not all be my memoir about German trip, but also include some tips that you may use when you want to take a trip in Germany or around the world :) Besides, I didn’t just stay at the city where I studied but also took some visit to other cities, such as Freiburg, Bamberg, Cologne (Köln), Stuttgart and so on. And the trivia in these places may also be included in the blog.

As this is my first post in the blog
Of course, it shouldn’t be so plain!
So let’s have a brief introduction about the summer course ^^

I took my summer course in Heidelberg University which is located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg (southwest Germany).

I love it pretty much not because the fantastic activities the school offered, but also the scope of the school. There’s no certain compass of the school. There’s no big wall to tell you this is a university and only if you have a pass can you enter to this campus.

Also, it’s close to all the Heidelberg inhabitants. For example, there is Main Street next to our university and Main Street is full of shopping stores! I think it gives students less pressure while learning a professional and abstruse subject.

Main Street

Talk more about the journey and the travel tips next week!
C U soon:) Chao!