DUSSELDORF, GERMANY

Dusseldorf is located on the banks of the Rhine River, in Northwestern Germany. Dating back to 1159, the capital of Rhine is a flourishing commercial center and the fashion capital of Germany. It is also famous for producing Automobiles, glass, textiles and boasts Germany's first skyscraper, the Wilhelm-Marx-Haus, built in 1924.The city is home to several museums and the library holds a collection of works by the poet Heinrich Heine. Other points of interest include, the palace of Fredrick I, 1763 (where the towns historical collection is housed), the 13th century church, St. Lambertuskirche, Konigsalle and the old town hall which was completed in 1588.

How do I get to your school and get around in Dusseldorf?
Frankfurt is the largest airport in the country and handles most international flights. It has excellent connections to Dusseldorf, however internal domestic flights can be expensive. Dusseldorf is approx. the 5th largest airport in Germany and handles the largest number of charter flights. German Federal Railways equal or surpass almost any other system in Europe today. Trains are punctual, clean, and comfortable; diners are efficient and inexpensive. Dusseldorf has excellent connections to most of the major German cities.

Our School
Our school is housed in a traditional 19th century brick building, encompassing the charm and splendor of its European heritage. Located in the center of Dusseldorf but contrary to most of the inner-city buildings, the school is quaint and very quiet, because the school is enclosed in a charming courtyard with mature tree's. The classrooms are very modern and comfortable. Only a ten-minute walk to the famous old town, the school is an ideal meeting place for international students. Please note that this is only a summer program and is available from May to September.

School Accommodation
Self- Catering Apartments: choice of single or double rooms, fully equipped kitchens and living areas. The accommodations are located between 5 minutes on foot to a maximum of 20 minutes by metro from the school. Apartments are not air-conditioned but have fans. No telephones. Linens will be provided for you, please bring you own towels. Apartments are cleaned once every 2 weeks.

Host Family: single rooms available, with a choice of meal options (Breakfast or Halfboard) located within 20 minutes walk of the school. Linens are provided by your family and will be changed once a week. Bring towels, they will be washed regularly.

Typical Cultural Activities to Expect
City tour, German film evenings, trips to local museums, markets, opera, galleries, so many things to see!

Places of interest include:
*Altstadt: The 'oldtown' (250 bars, restaurants and pubs).
*Konigsallee: The famous shopping district.
*Deutsche Oper am Rhein: Classical and modern repertoire and notable ballet performances.

Weekend Day Trips (optional and at additional price)
To interesting places and sites out side of Dusseldorf. Those interested in investigating further can visit nearby cities such as Bonn, Cologne and neighboring countries such as Holland, Belgium and Luxenburg. For the true Historian and Anthropologist, one can visit the now famous Feldhofer cave, where the remains of the first Neanderthal was found. Palace at Benrath, ruins of Barbaross's ancient imperial palace, ancient sites of Xaten and Kalkar of the lower Rhine.

Prices
Programs in Dusseldorf start from $700.00 US for 2 weeks including accommodation and tuition. We have many program options and all year round start dates. If you want more detailed pricing or start date information, we suggest you request a brochure or call us Toll Free within North America at: Tel: 1 888 526 4758 (LANGPLUS) or outside of North America at 416 925 7117.

COUNTRY TIPS
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What is the local currency?
The unit of currency is the Deutschmark (DM), which is divided into 100 pfennig. Notes are available in denominations of DM10, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of DM1, 2, and 5 and 1, 2, 5, 10, and 50 pfennig.

Are a passport, visa, or vaccinations necessary?
Citizens of the United States and Canada in possession of a valid US or Canadian passport, are not required to obtain a visa for Germany for a period of up to three months if traveling as a tourist. In case that a stay of more than three but less than six months is intended, a visa is required. If you are a resident of the U.S. but do not hold U.S. citizenship, a visa may be required.

Visitors from the U.S./Canada do not need inoculations.

Time Difference
Germany is on Central European Time, which is 6 hours a head of American Eastern Time.

Tipping
Tipping is not common in Germany. Although restaurants include a service charge in the bill, many people round up the bill when the service provided was good. Taxi drivers usually receive tips (10 percent is customary).

Business Hours
Shops and businesses are generally open from 9:00am to 6:00 PM. Monday-Friday. Thursday is late night shopping and the shops remain open to 8:30pm. Shops are open from 9:00 am- 1:00 PM on Saturday, except for the first Saturday of each month, when they remain open till 4:00 PM. Banks are generally open from 8:30am - 12:00/2:30pm-4:00pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Should I bring local currency, traveler's checks or use credit cards?
Germany is still a very traditional country, so everyone is very happy to accept local currency; after all, who doesn't like cash? But for safety and convenience sake, you might not want to have large amounts of either dollars or local currency on hand and so we would suggest you bring along travelers checks, which are accepted almost everywhere, or major credit cards to obtain cash along the way as needed. Be aware that you will charged a 'service charge' each time you cash travelers checks, so convert enough each time to cover your expenses for several days. In addition, if your traveler's checks are in a foreign currency such as U.S. Dollars, you need to be aware that you will receive a much better exchange rate if they are converted at a bank.

Cash and travelers checks can be exchanged at the official exchange rate of the day at any bank or exchange counter (airports, railway stations, tourist offices--a small commission applies); travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and stores may accept foreign currency but give you a lower rate to cover their handling.

Credit cards are accepted 50% of the time. In general, most larger hotels, car rental agencies, and upscale stores in the tourist areas will accept the major credit cards. Be aware, however, that many restaurants, cafes and stores will only accept cash so be sure to ask in advance.

How much will I spend a day?
This is very difficult to answer and depends on the person, however the prices below should give you a approx. idea.

Three-course meal without drink: 25-40DM, Budget meal -- DM 10-15DM
Laundromat: self service wash -- 6DM
Cafe meal: Sandwich, dessert and coffee -- 6DM

What is the weather like?
Germany has a temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters. The warmest time of the year is from May to September. The average temperature in July, for instance, varies from 16° to 20° C (61° to 68° F) according to location. In January, the variation is from -1° to 6° C (21° to 34° F). There is no specific rainy season.

Will my electrical gadgets work?
Electric current in Germany is 220 volts AC at 50 Cycles per second. To operate small appliances, laptop computers or other electronic gadgets, you will need a multi-adapter. Check with a large electronics store in your area. Electric clocks, record players and tape recorders will not work properly even on converters because they use the 60 Cycle American/Canadian standard.

What is the best way to phone home?
There are numerous public phones around the city, which use phone cards and/or coins. All these phones can be used for both local and long distance phone calls. Phone cards can be purchased in shops and kiosks.

It is also smart to obtain an overseas phone card (they are usually free-of-charge) from your long distance carrier, such as MCI, AT&T or Sprint. MCI's Worldphone Program, for example, lets you phone the US/Canada from Germany or any other European countries at greatly reduced rates from what you would pay from the regular charge. The long distance carrier will give you a special number to call when placing your call.

What major holidays are there in Germany?
Business and public holidays include New Year's Day (1 January), Epiphany (6 January), Good Friday through Easter Monday (4 days in March or April; dates vary), Ascension Day (April or May; date varies), Whit Monday (May or June; date varies), Corpus Christi Day (June; date varies), and Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25-26 December).

THINGS TO SEE IN DUSSELDORF
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*Altstadt: The 'oldtown' (250 bars, restaurants and pubs).
*Basilica of St. Lambertus: In the Maxkirche.
*Konigsallee: The famous shopping district.
*Deutsche Oper am Rhein: Classical and modern repertoire and notable ballet performances.
*Schauspielhaus: Theater to which Gustaf Grundgens and Karl-Heinz Stroux brought international repute.
* Tonhalle: Concert hall is famous for its architecture, the artistic design and decoration in its foyer.
*Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen: Lovers of painting will be more than rewarded at this collection.
*Numerous Theaters: (Dumont-Lindemann-Theater-Archiv).
*Concert Halls
*National parks
*Libraries
*Garden shows and Japanese garden
*Museums: (Art, various ancient collections, handicraft, natural history, film, ethnology, Jewish, sculpture.... to name a few).
*Aquazoo: a paradise for enthusiasts of exotic fish and other marine flora and fauna.

Those interested in investigating further can visit nearby cities such as Bonn, Cologne and neighboring countries such as Holland, Belgium and Luxenburg. For the true Historian and Anthropologist, one can visit the now famous Feldhofer cave, where the remains of the first Neanderthal was found. Palace at Benrath, ruins of Barbaross's ancient imperial palace, ancient sites of Xaten and Kalkar of the lower Rhine.