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Ef Tour 10 days in Bavaria then 15 in Köthen

Ef Tour 10 days in Bavaria then 15 in Köthen

Old Mar 29th, 2015, 07:00 PM
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Ef Tour 10 days in Bavaria then 15 in Köthen

I am signed up for a ef tour this summer with some classmates and my german teacher and I have a few questions. We depart from the US June 21st and depart from Frankfurt July 1st. Here is my itinerary http://www.eftours.com/tour-website/1511653XX
We have purchased all the additional excursions Mt Pilatus and The Salzburg mines. I am beyond excited for this tour mainly because I have never been outside of Washington, California, And Nevada but also because it's always been a dream to visit Germany and 4 years of german class has been getting me pumped. And also this year I met a foreign exchange student from Germany in my school, we became close and I am now staying behind the tour 15 days. So on July 1st I will be getting picked up at the Frankfurt airport by her and her family and then drive to their house in Köthen , Germany. I will depart from Berlin on July 15th. Total length 25 days.

So here are my questions. !!
SPENDING MONEY!? How much to not worry too much. I haven't planned the 15 days in Köthen yet but I'm sure we will doing things most of the time.

PACKING TIPS? Obviously clothes and hygiene stuff but what's Germany's summer like? Will it be insanely hot?? And anything I might forget to pack in general? Anything I'd wish I brought? 25 days in Germany

FREE TIME? With choosing all the additional excursions what will the free time be like with ef? And when do we usually get going in the morning/ end?

WILL I BE WITH OTHER STUDENTS?? I've read reviews of schools from across the US going on the same tour(by like random) and I'm wondering if this will happen to me? I think it would be really awesome meeting people on the tour.

CAN WE LEAVE OFF TOUR HOURS? Say after we visit the Olympic stadium and we are back at our hotel in Munich and it's 7pm, would we be able to go out and check out the city?

Thanks for reading, hope for some feedback and I'm sure I'll think of more questions.
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Old Mar 29th, 2015, 07:03 PM
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Also any recommendations on places to see in/by Köthen??
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 12:13 AM
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It's never really hot in Germany. Don't expect temperatures higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer is usually a mix of sunny days and rainy days with temperatures which can drop up to 65 degrees.
Köthen and the Rhine Valley are rather on the drier side whereas Salzburg and Lucerne get usually more rain.

Places to see around Köthen: have a look at a map and you will realize that there are tons of small and big historic towns at a distance of less than 100 kms/60 miles.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 12:47 AM
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Welcome to Germany!

I am German and I have been to beautiful California and Nevada, but never made it to Washington (at least I have been to lovely Vancouver).

The itinerary looks very promising, albeit a bit rushed. You will see both history and scenery and you will enjoy the trip.

Now, your questions:

SPENDING MONEY!? How much to not worry too much. I haven't planned the 15 days in Köthen yet but I'm sure we will doing things most of the time.

You will get breakfast and dinner. During the day, you would like a light lunch or snack and something to drink and maybe a souvenir. A snack bought in a bakery, in a grocery store, on a market or in a gas station would be 2 to 5 Euros, a large bottle of water or soda 1 to 3 Euros. A lunch at an informal restaurant would be 5 to 10 Euros. So, 15 Euros per day would be a budget for Germany. For Switzerland, double the amount.

PACKING TIPS? Obviously clothes and hygiene stuff but what's Germany's summer like? Will it be insanely hot?? And anything I might forget to pack in general? Anything I'd wish I brought? 25 days in Germany

It is unlikely that it gets really hot. It is more likely that you encounter cool days and rain. In any case, pack a rainproof jacket, an umbrella (one that folds into a very small and light thing that you can always carry with you), a sweater, but also shorts and t-shirts and good walking shoes - you will walk a lot. Do not forget sunscreen. And a camera.

FREE TIME? With choosing all the additional excursions what will the free time be like with ef? And when do we usually get going in the morning/ end?

I do not know the policy of EF, but usually such tours start in the morning at 9:00 and you will be back at the hotel by 17:30 to give you an hour to rest before dinner. You will spend considerable time in the bus (pack earphones that do not disturb other passengers!). In the cities, there will be guided walking tours, but usually the tour guides will give you some time to stroll around on your own. Especially in the evenings, you can go on your own (German cities are safe, even at night).

WILL I BE WITH OTHER STUDENTS?? I've read reviews of schools from across the US going on the same tour(by like random) and I'm wondering if this will happen to me? I think it would be really awesome meeting people on the tour.

You can expect that you will be in a travelling party with fellow students from all around the globe. It will be fun and you will make friends. And you will experience cultural differences.

CAN WE LEAVE OFF TOUR HOURS? Say after we visit the Olympic stadium and we are back at our hotel in Munich and it's 7pm, would we be able to go out and check out the city?

Yes, of course.

Now, a few comments on Köthen.

Well, frankly said, it is not a most exciting city. But you visit:

- Dessau. In Dessau you find the Bauhaus, an architectural school from the 1920ies which developed modern (functionalist) architecture and design. You can visit the Bauhaus building and several examples of Bauhaus architecture in town.

- The next city with student life is Halle and also Leipzig.

- For picturesque historical towns Wernigerode and Quedlinburg are first rank.

- Lutherstadt Wittenberg is the place where reformation started.

- From Köthen, it is a two-hour train ride into Berlin. You should visit Berlin in any case - it is fascinating.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask them.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 06:06 AM
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Thanks so much for the feedback guys! That makes me feel more prepared for the trip. I will definitely look into those places and run them by my friend who I will be staying with! I know we will visit Leipzig and Berlin, and now we can plan things for the rest of the days. I am so excited to experience the German culture and language that I've been learning about, and meeting new students on the tour would just top off the trip! Thanks a lot for the feedback!
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 07:17 AM
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#1, my first exposure to Europe was an EF tour 10 years ago. I loved it! You will be up at 6 am, have a breakfast of lunch meat and rolls, maybe yogurt and fruit. Make a sandwich to take with you for lunch. You will be very busy, so get sleep at night so you can stay awake on the long bus rides as you pass by castles,lakes and pretty scenery. Most of the time you will be spending the night far away from a town or city (it is cheaper for RF to book rooms)Bring a lightweight jacket and comfortable shoes. No flip-flops! have a great experience!! If something grabs you buy it, but don't get overwhelmed buying souvenirs for friends and family. Most people don't have an appreciation for a place they have not seen first hand and the souvenir ends up at Goodwill (I have found cool souvenirs at Goodwill)Take photos and video.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 07:46 AM
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I kindve expected early mornings and far hotels. Ok no flip flops, light jacket, and pack a sandwich��. And I plan on making a video/slideshow from the trip. I'm glad I have the 15 days in köthen since it sounds like the tour will be quite packed time wise, so I will just have late nights/mornings after the tour ahah. Yeah I hope to just have a mind opening experience and get a good taste of the culture. I want to teach English as a foriegn language in Germany since it is the only career that really drives me and I feel passionate for. So I think this tour will really be an awesome experience.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 08:55 AM
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On KÖTHEN:

I am pretty sure that your friend will have some ideas where to take you, but the region does have its good share of day trip options.

You will be pretty close to the Harz mountains. So the picture-perfect fairy-tale towns of Quedlinburg or Wernigerode are just a short drive away.
http://www.quedlinburg.de/en/
http://www.wernigerode-tourismus.com/

If you want to see a bit more of the mountains you can take regularly scheduled steam trains that still criss-cross the Harz from Wernigerode and Quedlinburg. The line from Wernigerode also connects to the top of Brocken mountain. But only do the latter on a nice, sunny day as that mountain is infamous for having the densest clouds and rain while it's still just cloudy elsewhere.
http://www.hsb-wr.de/en/start/

Also just a 30 minute drive away is Dessau with the Bauhaus.
http://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/english/home.html
By the way, don't be puzzled if you see many Bauhaus on your trip through Germany - it's also a chain of DIY superstores like Home Depot

Only a few kms further East is the Wörlitz "garden kingdom".
http://www.gartenreich.com/en/index.html

All of the above are UNESCO world heritage sites, so I think you could have picked a worse location ;-)

And your friend will probably show you the sights of Köthen proper, especially those related to Johann Sebastian Bach, I guess.

WEATHER:
Köthen sits in the East Central plains of Germany. Summers can be quite hot and dry. Temps around 30C/85-90F are nothing spectacular. But there is also no guarantee that it will be always warm, of course. As the Harz mountains rise up to more than 3,000 ft the top elevations can be much cooler, esp. the windy top of Brocken mountain.
In the other parts of Germany, the weather can be different. The region around Cologne is infamous for hot soggy weather in summer. Munich is also much wetter than Köthen, but not that humid as Cologne can get.
And you still have the "chance" to get a really lousy summer and have to wear a sweater - but one should not assume the worst, I guess.

LANGUAGE
Well, you learned German for four years. I "learned" German for 47 years. But the area around Köthen is home to a pretty thick dialect. Not as tame as the Southern US states compared to New York City or L.A.. Seriously thick. So if you ever meet someone who you cannot understand at all, no worries, this also happens to native speakers of (high) German. But they will understand you.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 09:27 AM
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Thanks for the reply! Yes wernigerode and quedlinburg look awesome I will definitely have to check those places out!! I will pack for hot and rainy weather. Yeah I have been speaking german with my friend, her father speaks no English so it will definitely be a learning experience ahha
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 09:56 AM
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As a group leader (teacher) for my 4th EF group this June, I have a few comments:
1.Your teacher/group leader should be answering your questions. I have answered exactly the same sort of questions already for my group. Your teacher/group leader will be responsible for you, so what you do on "free" time is up to him/her, not EF folks.
2.Also your teacher/group leader will get a lot more specifics (probably very soon now--usually 4-6 weeks out) about what each day holds so what you might be able to do with you "free" time. Ask him/her.
3.Spending money--well, again, your teacher should have shared EF's suggestions--but basically somewhere between $10 and $50 per day for meals and extra stuff (which ought to be predicted somewhat by your group leader) plus whatever you decide for souvenirs. I tell my students to have $50 available per day but they probably won't spend that much. (you do know to bring an ATM card and just get euros in Germany?).
4.Pack LIGHT--but bring layers. You only need to bring 2-3 "outfits" for your EF time and then you can wash at your friend's. But LAYERS. I have been in Germany in the summer twice and experienced between freezing (in the Alps--literally--it was snowing) and in the 80's. I tell my kids to bring a long sleeve something to layer and a rainjacket for top layer of warmth (and avoid needing an umbrella).
Pack LIGHT!! try to fit it all in a carry-on; ROLL your clothes.
5.Yes, you will most likely not be in city-center, but depending on your EFTour Director, you might be staying in the city until late, after dinner. That pretty much totally depends on your EFTour Director.

Don't forget adaptor plugs (NOT converters--cords/etc. have converters built in now)--your plugs won't fit in continental plugs.

Enjoy! The EF part will be introduction/taste--fast-paced and covering lots of area but not much in depth. But then you get to LIVE there--how cool. So many places to see in Germany I can't begin to suggest. I don't know the area close to where you are going, but I'm sure you will have a great time.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 10:12 AM
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Thanks for the reply! This is the first time my teacher is doing a tour, she usually does the GAP exchange program so she is sort of new to it. Yeah she gave me a ballpark answer about spending money just wanted some other opinions! I will have a debit card and make sure my bank knows I'm traveling. I will pack for all sorts of weather then!! Haha. I will order adapter plugs as well. Yes I am beyond excited. I will be close to Leipzig. I am definitely visiting the zoo in Berlin!
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 11:16 AM
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Debit card that is also ATM--right? For withdrawal from your CHECKING account (not savings)--cash is king in Europe and your debit card won't work at a lot of places as a debit card.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 11:22 AM
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Thanks! I will be sure it works with ATM. I've been doing a lot of research about Germany and where I'm going. I am so stoked. I feel 100% prepared now. June 21st needs to come faster!! Ahah. Even though I'm sure I will forget something.
But thank you all for your feedback, really!
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