DEUTSCHE SOMMERSCHULE HOLZKIRCHEN

Grüß Gott! Herzlich Willkommen in Holzkirchen! Upon our arrival on the Marktplatz in Holzkirchen on the evening of June 19, each student will meet his or her host family for the first time. The Holzkirchner the people of Holzkirchen have certainly been one of the most important parts of our program for over forty-five years. Many of the families have participated in hosting our students for a number of years; for others this year will be the first experience with an American guest. Typically, the family hopes that the student will interact with family members on a daily basis and participate in family activities and outings. Ask lots of questions and keep a record of interesting vocabulary and idioms. Do not spend all of your free time alone in your room! Many of our extracurricular activities have been arranged by a group of present and former host families who form the association known as Freunde der Universität Kansas headed by Frau Gisela Braun.

We arrange with each family to provide you with a room for sleeping and studying, breakfast every morning, access to bathroom facilities as well as laundry facilities unless the family prefers to wash your clothes themselves. Evening and weekend meals will normally also be included if the student is at home when the family eats. Each student will, however, receive a Taschengeld or weekly cash allowance to cover those meals not provided by the family or not eaten as a group. Students should feel free to come and go as they choose, subject to the dictates of consideration for the family's schedule and common sense. The family should be kept informed of your comings and goings. Please be considerate of your host family!

The family will be interested in you both as an individual and as someone who can be viewed as a representative of the United States. They may be interested in your views on a variety of topics, from politics to everyday life in America . They especially hope to get a postcard or letter from you after you have returned home. Often these friendships last many years; many students return for visits to their host families and host family members may visit the student's home in America . There has been one marriage to date between a KU student and a Holzkirchner!

Guten Appetit! Mahlzeiten in Holzkirchen: Breakfast--das Frühstück--will typically consist of bread or hard rolls--Semmeln--with butter or margarine and jam, marmalade or honey. Often cold cuts or cheese, perhaps a soft-boiled egg will be served. Beverages include coffee, tea, cocoa, milk and fruit juices. Cold cereal, müesli, yoghurt, and toast are also possible. Germans do not eat fried or scrambled eggs, pancakes, or waffles for breakfast. Let the host family know what you prefer.

Our noon meal--das Mittagessen--on class days will be taken as a group in a local restaurant Café Franz—on Fridays we will eat in the Italian restaurant Da Tosto. This is normally the main meal of the day and will include soup/salad or dessert and a main dish (usually meat or fish) with potatoes/rice/noodles/dumplings. Cold water will also be provided. Other beverages must be purchased individually and paid for before leaving the restaurant. We will provide students with two options at Café Franz and at Da Tosto students may order from the menu. On bus trips we may take Lunchpakete for a "picnic"-style meal or eat together in a restaurant. Students with special dietary needs or who would prefer a vegetarian-type meal can be accommodated by the restaurant. Let us know in advance of dietary requirements.

Supper--das Abendbrot--tends to be a light meal in Germany . Often cold cuts and bread are served. In families where no one is home for lunch, however, a warm meal may be prepared. As mentioned above, most students will be invited to eat supper with their families if you are at home when they eat.

Most Germans, especially on Sunday afternoon, take a coffee-break--Kaffeetrinken-- usually accompanied by rich pastries Torten und Kuchen with an even richer topping of Schlagsahne whipped cream. This occasion is a good time to practice conversation with family members.

Bavarians in particular are quite fond of their Bier and Biergärten. On sunny days and warm summer evenings, many Bavarians enjoy sitting with family and friends in a beer garden under large shade trees to escape the heat. Munich is noted for its many beer gardens. Holzkirchen boasts a modern brewing complex with several distinct varieties of beer: Helles light, amber-colored and similar to our beers; Dunkles dark and somewhat sweet; Pils lots of hops, somewhat bitter; Weißbier wheat-based and effervescent—which comes in both a pale and a dark variety; Radler or Russ’n half-and-half combination of Helles or Weißbier and Limonade (lemon soda) very refreshing on a hot day! Normally, one orders eine Halbe (0.5 liter); in the beer gardens and in the large beer halls of Munich such as the Hofbräuhaus, however, beer is served in quart-sized glass mugs eine Maß (1 liter). The beer gardens of monasteries and convents such as Kloster Reutberg or the famous Bräustüberl in Tegernsee are local favorites. Prost!