Germany

A bridge between Eastern and Western Europe, Germany has made lasting contributions to the fields of science, literature, music, architecture, and the visual arts.

Orientation in Berlin

A gateway between East and West, Berlin boasts a fascinating history and vibrant cultural scene. Spend three days exploring famous sites and practicing your German language skills in cafés and colorful street markets. Visit the Brandenburg Gate, tour the Bundestag, and visit art and history museums.

Homestay in the West

Travel through rural villages and rolling hills on the way to a historic community in western Germany. You quickly become accustomed to the relaxed pace of daily life as a member of a German family.

Sample activities:
Spend the day exploring historic Munich; go to school with your German host siblings; sample traditional Bavarian weisswurst and other delicacies.

Sample host communities:
Lubbecke, Niederalteich

Community Service in the East

Journey east to the densely forested region of Thuringia and learn more about the rich culture of former East Germany while working on a service project that celebrates the history of the region. Throughout the project, you meet up with local students for soccer games, hikes through the hilly countryside, and traditional meals of dumplings. Sample projects: Repair community buildings; restore a World War II memorial and gardens.

Travel and Exploration in the Czech Republic

Voyage into the Czech Republic for an unforgettable stay in Prague and Moravia. An important European capital for centuries, Prague is an eclectic combination of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau architecture. Around every corner, you find artists, poets, musicians, and street performers.

Sample activities:
Walk through the narrow, winding, cobblestone streets of Prague’s Staré Mesto—the old town; stroll across the world-famous Charles Bridge; spend the afternoon with young Czechs in the shadow of Prague’s fairy-tale castle; raft down rivers, hike mountain trails through picturesque Moravian villages.

"I learned that a language ‘barrier’ is not really a barrier at all, and that it can actually make a discussion more interesting, slightly more confusing, and sometimes utterly hilarious."

-- Amanda Pettengill
Brattleboro, Vermont