German school in Bamberg: Treffpunkt

Florence Galley

Treffpunkt, Bamberg
Duration: 16 weeks

Their names are Dani and Alexandra. They are nice and friendly. When we have a question or a problem, they are always there for us. They organise many activities for us. It is always very funny. In the mornings, we have two teachers (one from 9 to 10.30am and another one from 11am to 12.30pm) and in the afternoons we have only one teacher. The teachers are very competent, helpful, etc. The lessons are always interesting and we never do the same thing twice. When we have questions, the teachers give us examples until we understand. There are classes in the mornings and in the afternoons. In the mornings, we study in groups while in the afternoons, we have private courses. During private courses, you can learn more effectively because you’re alone with the teacher and you can choose what you want to study. In the mornings, it is also interesting to study in groups because you can exchange ideas with the others and learn vocabulary, grammar, etc.

On the first day, we are given an exercise & grammar book and a folder. In class, the teachers also give us sheets of paper with exercises or grammar points which are not included in the book. The book is very good: there is a course section, an exercise book and a grammar section. Treffpunkt organises activities every week. We receive the activities programme for the whole week on Mondays. On Mondays, for instance, we eat, go hiking or visit a place together, etc. At the weekend, there is always something to do. You are never alone. It’s good because it is a bit difficult at first when you don’t know anyone. It gives you an opportunity to make new friends quickly. And on Thursdays, there’s the Stammtisch : it is my favourite activity. The students, a few teachers, the host families and friends from the school gather in a bar to drink beer, eat or simply chat. It is very nice. You can also improve your German that way. You laugh a lot, take pictures, etc. Every Friday, a departure party is organised for students who are going back home. They receive a certificate and a pen. Dani and Alexandra take lots of pictures. It’s really cool. I think the Treffpunkt school is great and I am very satisfied with my course.

María Cobo Higuera

Treffpunkt, Bamberg
Duration: 6 weeks

My stay in Bamberg was 6 weeks long, during which I had an amazing time. I took a B2 level intensive German course at the Sprachinstitut Treffpunkt in Bamberg. In my class, there were 4 students of different nationalities and in the afternoons, I booked a private lesson with a teacher. The school atmosphere was wonderful, the classes were very participative and the teachers were fantastic. The school’s leisure programme was very complete and I was able to visit authentic places, little known by tourists. I had the opportunity to see the different monuments of Bamberg, a World Heritage Site, and enjoy its cuisine in its many famous beer gardens. I also visited incredible cities like Würzburg and the dramatic landscapes of German-speaking Switzerland. I learned so much and met people from all over the world. I keep in touch both with my classmates and with my teachers.

This time I stayed in a guesthouse, which is a home with common areas (kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry room and a marvellous garden), where I had my own room with a desk and a TV, as well as my own bathroom. All of the areas were completely adapted for wheelchair users, as was my case. The house was found about 20 minutes from school on foot and 5 minutes by bus.

With respect to the planning by ESL, especially by Inés, who was always following up to make sure that my stay was absolutely perfect, I can only say thank you. They took care of everything, like always, and I’m already waiting for summer 2018 to arrive so I can go back to Bamberg.