DEUTSCHLAND HEUTE – Facets of Contemporary Germany May 21 - June 10, 2017 This study abroad program is coordinated by the Northern Illinois University Study Abroad Office (SAO), in cooperation with the NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. The International Academy Internationales Haus Sonnenberg, St. Andreasberg, Germany, will be a cooperating institution overseas. PROGRAM DATES: The program will officially begin on Sunday, May 21, 2017 in St. Andreasberg, Germany, and will end on Saturday, June 10, 2017. Students will be responsible for making their own air travel arrangements in order to arrive in St. Andreasberg/Internationales Haus Sonnenberg (IHS) on Sunday, May 21, 2017. PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Friedemann Stuebing, Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures, NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. After his studies in Vienna (Austria) and Marburg (Germany), Friedemann Stuebing worked as a teacher in a college-preparatory high school. Since 1998, he is Instructor of German at NIU. He is an active member of AATG, participates in workshops and was involved in writing the book “Prüfungstraining Deutsch – AP German Language and Culture”, and a collection of STEM teaching units. In cooperation with Volker Langeheine (University of Braunschweig, Germany), he created a workbook for teachers of German as a Second Language with the title “Deutschland erleben – Die deutsche Märchenstraβe”. Co-director and lecturer will be Volker Langeheine, who holds degrees in German, History and Pedagogy from Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany. He is a certified high school teacher in Germany and the US and held teaching positions at various schools and universities in both countries for the last 30 years. Currently he is teaching German language and culture to American IT and Business exchange students at TU Braunschweig and conducts professional development seminars for teachers and courses for students of German as a foreign language in cooperation with the International House Sonnenberg in Germany. Most recently he published preparatory materials for the new AP German Language and Culture exam (Deutsch als Fremdsprache - Prüfungstraining AP German Language and Culture, Berlin: Cornelsen 2013) with a team of experienced American educators as well as workbooks for the German Youth Hostel Association (2012) and the German Fairy Tale Road ( 2014,with Friedemann Stuebing). He also developed web-based teaching units for the Goethe Institute’s Wirtschaftsdeutsch online project, published articles on business German, creative writing, linguistic pragmatics, fairy tales, language pedagogy and edited a book on Deutsch in der beruflichen Kommunikation. He Duetschland Heute – Facets of Contemporary Germany - 2017 Page 2 served as President of AATG Nebraska as well as the Nebraska International Languages Association and as a member of the AATG Executive Council. He has been a frequent presenter at AATG/ACTFL national conventions and other conferences as well as a member of the AATG/Goethe Institute Multiplikatorennetzwerk PROGRAM OVERVIEW/OBJECTIVES: Students will be introduced to an international culture through this immersion into Germany’s language and culture. Participation in this program will greatly benefit the language competence of the students and is therefore an integral part of the German Language Curriculum at NIU. The language objectives for students of the program are as follows: to use conversational German vocabulary relating to various themes, to experience diverse aspects of the German culture - ranging from social and political conditions to cuisine, sports, art, music and literature, to access various media sources for personal enrichment, and to seek out opportunities to learn more about German language and culture. The participants will be introduced to a variety of topics on contemporary Germany. Instruction and local excursions will provide first-hand experience, in-depth understanding, and language immersion. Based on the preparations of the first half of the program, the participants will be able to deepen their knowledge and add further impressions during a trip to various places, spanning the northern half of Germany from Bremerhaven to Frankfurt. PROGRAM SITE(S): The first two weeks of the program will take place at “Internationales Haus Sonnenberg ” in St. Andreasberg/Harz Mountains, Germany, as the headquarter and various locations in Germany connected to the course content. Location and surroundings The International House Sonnenberg campus is located in the middle of the Harz National Park at a height of approximately 730 meters on a forest meadow. Many places of cultural interest in the western and eastern Harz can be easily reached by bus. The bus stop is right by the entrance. The town of St. Andreasberg can be reached on foot or by a few minutes bus ride. There is a summer sledging track, a high ropes course and a mining museum. The Sonnenberg academy is an independent provider of international, non-school based education in Europe, its work is solely and exclusively not for profit. The International House Sonnenberg near St Andreasberg/Oberharz is its conference centre. The International House Sonnenberg is a residential college and Europe House. Duetschland Heute – Facets of Contemporary Germany - 2017 Page 3 The aim of all activity is the enhancement of international understanding and co-existence on the basis of mutual respect. The essential values upheld include respect for human rights, a sustainable manner of living in the ecological, social and economic areas and the recognition of variety as enrichment. Activities are directed towards various target groups: adults, young people from all educational backgrounds, trainees, families with children, teachers, multipliers, people with disabilities and many other groups. To this end, a variety of methods with a high proportion of group and individual work are particular characteristics of our educational work. Learning and experiencing together helps to overcome prejudice and to develop ways for communal and responsible action. Work and leisure time are integrated during the conferences. Depending on the individual project, the Sonnenberg-Kreis e.V. receives financial support from different funding bodies. The international dimension in our day to day activities is guaranteed through our international network of Sonnenberg associations in 23 countries in Europe as well as Israel and the United States, which make up the International Sonnenberg Association (ISA). As a residential adult education college and Europe House, the International House Sonnenberg (IHS) has been offering educational conferences and meetings for young people, adults and families from Europe and the whole world for more than 50 years. The not for profit organisation Sonnenberg-Kreis e.V., founded in1958, has been responsible for the institution since 2003. Through the “International Sonnenberg Association” (ISA) the House possesses a broad network of membership organisations in numerous countries, with which the IHS co-operates within the framework of international meetings. The International House Sonnenberg is a residential college and Europe House, its work and organisation are assessed and certified according to the LQW criteria (Learning-oriented Quality Assurance in Further Education, www.artset.lqw.de). HIGHLIGHTS: First two weeks: International House Sonnenberg and the Harz region The program is taking place in Germany. In general, there will be classroom instruction with local and regional excursions during the first two weeks. The program intends to combine a lively, interesting learning experience about contemporary topics on Germany in classes, workshops, with guest speakers, through movies and popular culture, as well as short excursions in the Harz region surrounding the International House Sonnenberg, with Braunschweig, Wolfsburg, and Goslar as examples for culturally, economically, and historically relevant locations. Duetschland Heute – Facets of Contemporary Germany - 2017 Page 4 Braunschweig has a lot to offer, not least of all its unique charm: that of a large and modern city with a rich past, where you can find refreshing green oases of leisure alongside the bustle of inner city life. First mentioned in records in 1031, Braunschweig continued to evolve, from the 12th century on strongly influenced by the House of Guelf and the Hanseatic tradition. Magnificent historical buildings such as Dankwarderode Castle and St. Blasii Cathedral in the heart of the city, as well as streets lined with historic houses, still bear witness to Braunschweig’s eventful past. History and modern-day culture are closely intertwined in Braunschweig. The city boasts notable museums and major collections of a longstanding tradition. In addition to exceptional theatre performances and concerts, modern art exhibitions and large-scale sporting events, they are an integral part of Braunschweig’s cultural life. Wolfsburg, founded on 1 July 1938 and one of Germany's few new cities established in the 20th century, has had a short but eventful history. Many a trend in the revival of West Germany can be traced back to the city. It is a typical and successful example of a planned urban development, and its history is closely bound with Volkswagen AG. Goslar, the former Free Imperial Town, has an over-1000-year history. Probably the discovery of silver and copper ore deposits induced the Saxon and Salic emperors to establish their largest