Why study German in Düsseldorf?
Friday, 12th June 2009
I actually went to Düsseldorf, in February 2009, to study German for the first time on a Cactus language holiday. But I must admit, learning a language in the classroom took second place to soaking up the sights and sounds around me.
About the city
If like me you get lost at the drop of a hat, the fact that Düsseldorf is a small, compact city will be a blessing in disguise. Located on the bank of the Rhine River, in the northwest of Germany, you can walk easily around the centre of Düsseldorf or use the tram which is inexpensive, frequent and reliable. As in most modern cities, it is better to purchase your ticket before boarding the tram at stands located next to the tram stops. And, if you travel in groups you can buy a group ticket and save yourself a considerable amount of Euros. There are maps of the tram routes at the stops, and on the actual trams, and stops are announced as you approach them - hassle free travel!
Things to see and do
For all you “fashionistas”, you need to check out the shopping Mecca of Königsallee. There are shopping centres to match all budgets from big designer names to high street fashion.
Just a short walk away is the Old Town, a square kilometre of arts and culture on the Rhine with historical buildings and 260 pubs – the longest bar in Germany.
The beers are delicious. My only grumble is that their measures are too small, 0.25l, when you order a Düsseldorf alt. But this is good if you want to sample lots of different beers.
The food at carnival time is mainly from street stalls, the usual variety of pizzas and curry, but also some traditional foods, in the form of pastries, cakes and sweet stuff.
Here you will also find the Neue Rheinpromenade which runs between the Old Town and the Rhine. There are wonderful views, interesting restaurants and night spots, and you can also take a river boat cruise from here.
The most cost effective way to visit the many museums and art galleries is to use your complementary “Welcome Card” issued by the language schools. It allows you free or discounted entry to most museums, art galleries and theatres, and free travel on the tram, buses and trains. Alternatively, purchase a “Welcome Card” for 19 Euros for a singe traveller for 72-hours or 38 Euros for a family, from one of the Tourist Information offices.
The language school
The school is located on “ Grafenberger Allee 78-80”. The tram stops right outside so it is very easy to find. The building is modern and spacious and the organisation is effectively run. The receptionists are friendly and patient and don’t mind if you practise your German with them.
I was lucky enough to be in a small group of only two other complete beginners. But they were “serious” students who made me look bad for not learning my numbers from 0-5000. When I was partying, they were studying and it showed!
Thankfully my teacher, Julie, was very good at insisting on German only and made us work hard during the lesson. I expected German to be difficult and it is, but I think if you work hard and stay longer than a week, you will rapidly make progress.
The accommodation
My self-catering apartment in “Graf Adolf Platz” was very central - only 5-minutes walk from Königsalle and 10-minutes on the tram to the school.
My host family, Ms Kalb, ‘invisible’ husband and dog, were lovely. Ms Kalb chatted away to me everyday, irrespective of the fact that I understood very little, and she was very patient as I tried to string together a sentence. She was very generous and used to leave fresh fruit and sweets in my apartment, and on leaving we exchanged gifts.
The one bedroom apartment was fully furnished with all the amenities you would need. I even had a lovely balcony overlooking the city with space to sit outside.
Best ways to get there
There are two main airports in Düsseldorf. Düsseldorf International airport located about 9km from the centre of Düsseldorf is the main airport for the Rhine-Ruhr region. Weeze airport is 80km away from Düsseldorf but most of the budget airlines, such as Easyjet, fly into this airport. I booked a return flight with Easyjet for £15 excluding taxes and then took a 90-minute bus ride to the centre of Düsseldorf for 14 Euros. You can also take the S-Bahn line 1 and line 7 to get to the city centre; this is much quicker but a little daunting if you don’t know any German at the start of your language holiday.
The carnival
Having been a diehard supporter of the Notting Hill Carnival in London, I thought I had seen everything. But in Düsseldorf, I had my eyes opened to a different kind of carnival. Karneval celebrations are traditionally centred around the Sunday and Monday before Ash Wednesday. But in reality, preparations start months before in the towns and cities around Düsseldorf. I expected to see carnival processions and parades, and attend lots of parties, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was impressed that people of all ages and backgrounds took part in the carnival by dressing up in fancy dress, and everyone looked as if they had made a lot of effort. At first, I thought I could get away with a simple poncho and sombrero – my mad, bad, Colombian look - but after a little persuasion from friends (and some tequila at 10.00am!), I went the full hog and donned a crazy moustache, slapped on the makeup and packed some fake pistols. I was officially ready to party…
The Karneval season kicks off with a bang on Thursday Weiberfastnacht (women’s fasting night), when on this day women rule the city! They have the right to cut off the tie of any man they see, and believe me, they do. You will need to pace yourself as the partying starts now, and doesn’t finish until Monday evening.
I have never drunk as much or partied as hard. And yes, I did do one of those 18-30 holidays in Ibiza – to celebrate my 30th! On a typical day, we had our first drink after breakfast, hit the street in full fancy dress and then joined the revellers singing carnival songs at the top of our voices – even though we didn’t know the words. Later we watched as the streets were cleaned, literally after the last float went pass, and then we hit the clubs. The Gay clubs are the best, don’t bother with the Latin American clubs they are full of brooding, unsmiling types, who don’t dance but just pose a lot!
The best way to get home during the Karneval is to jump in a cab they are frequent and inexpensive.
Everyone says, Monday is the best day of the Karneval and they are right. The processions were even more spectacular with lots of floats using political and social satire, fortunately most had an international theme to amuse outsiders, like myself. There is a tradition of throwing sweets and small gifts into the crowd, so copy the locals and take along an upturned umbrella.
Whether you want a family oriented carnival or an adults-only carnival, go to Dusseldorf - you won’t be disappointed.
Tags: dusseldorf, carnival, language, languages, cactus, germany, learning, culture, german
Posted by Shirley Finlayter 2009-06 under Experience Cultures,
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