What's new?

More news on the Language Guesthouse's website

During the last weeks I spent every spare minute to learn the ropes of PHP scripting language. The results of this laborious work are some further innovations on the LG's website, which are supposed to help contacting the LG in order to send inquiries and make reservations. The new online contact and booking forms for B&B and language course inquiries and reservations are definitely easy to use, because all currently not needed text fields are deactivated. The LG gets all essential dates without tedious further inquiries. Regarding B&B bookings the form has already standed the test.

No e-mail inquiry is needed any more to get an answer to complex questions upon course and accommodation costs similar to: "How much is my language course, if I book three weeks of German language training, getting classes of 15 hours per week, 3 hours special language "German for medical practitioners" and 6 hours active+creative program per week, a single room and half board?" The new course cost calculator is ready to answer in a wink. You can find it in the menu "Courses + Prices"

You like the LG website? Or you have an idea to make it better? You have been visiting the LG and you want to tell future guests something special? - No problem: Just write an entry into my new guestbook! You'll find it under "Guests' reviews" (24.06. 2011)

 

From Moscow to Freiburg - and a visit to the Language Guesthouse

Actually it isn't a piece of news any more. The young Moscowian couple were my guests for a weekend already in May 2010. But only recently I discovered their rich illustrated travelogue in the online community "Live Journal". Russian speaking people are invited to read it, everybody else may at least enjoy all the pretty photographs - showing a guests' impression of the Language Guesthouse, and predominantly of Freiburg:
http://dos-caras.livejournal.com/507241.html (22/05/2011)

Changes on the website

You've noticed it already: The Language Guesthouse's webpage has got a new face. The main menu has become plain and simple, the links to the different languages are found on every page. The "welcome page" has been deleted and the first pages of the 3 language versions contain instead of the pure menu a few lines of text introducing the different topics of content pages. You will also find some changes on the menu structure and content pages: for example a better description of course options and a summarization of all information concerning the topic "Bed & Breakfast" (Short introduction of accommodation alternatives, room rates and availability calendar) on the "Bed&Breakfast" menu. The whole restructuring process (parts of the changes are technical and not visible to the website visitor) has two aims: to make the website more user friendly and to make it better detectable using search engines. And only recently the English and the Russian version have got their own domain and are accessible now at the addresses www.thelanguageguesthouse.de and www.jazykovojpansion.de too. (02/05/2011)

Virus attack overcome

Those who used a search engine in the recent days and maybe weeks and hoped to find the Language Guesthouse were presumably disappointed to find themselves on a by no means reputable website. This happened, because unfortunately the Language Guesthouse's website became a victim of a virus attack. The virus unnoticed caused a forwarding of the search result to the above mentioned page. In the meantime the pest has been removed and its activities undone, so, searching the Language Guesthouse, you won't be misled anymore by Google & Co. (02/05/2011)

 

Looking back

September 2011 It smells already like autumn outside...

...it isn't hot any more like in August, but still friendly with lot of sunshine and sometimes rain. The season of onion pie ("Zwiebelkuchen") and "Federweißer" (this is grape must, which has just started fermenting to become wine. I couldn't find an English word for it.) A long queue of tractors with barrels full of grapes on their trailers is waiting to deliver their sweet load at the winegrowers' cooperative. I too have already harvested the grapes in the patio of the Language Guesthouse and converted them into grape juice and jelly. Those who decide to become my guests, get a taste of it - as a sweet temptation on the breakfast table.

Vine grapes in the patio/ Reserve of grape jelly

Summer brought again many international guests. The Dutch and Danish on their way heading south were - like in the last years - the most numerous. Many of them stayed only for one night and were surprised to see, what a beautiful region they had got into. "Yes, it's perfect to stay for a whole vacation. This area is called the Tuscany of Germany", I tried to advertise the Kaiserstuhl region. And some of the families told me, they'd think about staying here maybe for a few days some day. By the way, we also noticed traffic the reverse direction: An Italian family from Florence on their way to the Netherlands!

Highlights on the breakfast balcony: Bougainvillea und Cactus blossom

Moreover a potpourri from all over the world: 4 Chinese ladies started in April, a family from Slovenia came already the second time, several families from the States including some original Texans, a couple from Bulgaria, currently living in Luxembourg, three Indian gentlemen on a business trip and two Inidan families living in Delhi and Los Angeles, who had been traveling together to Italy for vacation, besides some Canadians and Australians, among the last a motorcyclist (no, he didn't come on his motorbike straight from Australia!) and two ladies on a 3 months tour through Europe. Further a family from Czechia and two from Israel, a very sportive couple in their sixties who had needed only 10 days riding a bike from Denmark to Vogtsburg im Kaiserstuhl (!), and a family from Finland, who were cosmopolitans rather than Finnish: the wife hailed from South Africa and her husband was Argentinean, but they had met each other first time in Dubai.

Guests for breakfast from Taiwan and Finland

Cosmopolitan families like this were several times my guests, for example a German-Brazilian couple with 2 children or a family, who came for a weekend last year: She was Spanish and he was Austrian, they had lived for many years in the States and moved to Germany a year before. The 3 kids were trilingual - I could get envious. Or the couple from Nancy (France): She was French but he was American with his family roots in Norway. Of course I had German visitors too: Hikers and people enjoying their holidays-on bike, families with children and pensioners - and wedding guests. At the winery "Freiherr von Gleichenstein" opposite to my guesthouse they have a big wedding at least twice a year. On these weekends I have free music and full house. After a long evening and tired from dancing those who reside in the Language Guesthouse just have to cross the street until they can plump into their bed.

Of course I had language students too last summer, for example a Spanish lady from Barcelona who told me lots of interesting details about Catalan culture and its differences from the Spanish one. Together with her I visited once more the guided cellar tour and extensive wine tasting at the Oberrotweil winegrowers' cooperative. But we also participated in the funny tractor safari offered by the winery Landerer, where we made acquaintance with the 4 noses of professional wine tasting. Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera with me, so the jamboree of the tractor trip and the noses in the wine glasses failed to be captured on pictures.

Dinner with language students from Spain and Switzerland

A young Swiss (Ticino) guy was my first language student, who suffered from dylexia. Since I'm quite familiar with the effects of this learning disability - my youngest daughter is dyslexic - I felt up to take the 16 year old as a student and to prepare an individual program with practical and playful sections and extended recreational breaks between classes - and sometimes a spontaneous change of topic in case a sudden mental block made continuation of work impossible. The next day usually it was no problem to continue. We can evalute the experiment as successful. The young man himself had the good feeling of having made progress during the two weeks of his course: in some sections of grammar, in listening comprehension and in his speaking skills. And he enjoyed what we've been doing, especially the board game "Lingua" (which is similar to "Scrabble"). Armed with a dictionary he was in a good position and I could hardly win against him. - The one-to-one tuition provides optimal possibilities to deal with the needs of students with learning disabilities. I'm looking forward welcoming other language students with a learning handicap, who decide to use this as a chance.

Language students playing Lingua and visiting the Black Forest nature trail near Waldkirch

Another premiere was my first mother-child-program with Jill and Sofia (8 y). They are Americans who have been living in Basel already for a year. Sofia attends an international school where she learns German and her Mum has been attending an adult German language course. Both of them were looking a bit timidly, wondering what would occur to them on this place when we were about to start their first lesson. But talking about animals we found a good introduction and scepticism disappeared. Indeed, Mummy was a bit frustated recognizing that Sofia could apply any new structure at once without considering and Sofia frowned at bit bored, when her Mum asked so many questions and needed so many explanations. But singing "Drei Chinesen mit nem Kontrabass", baking original Baden "Flammkuchen" and heavenly delicious raspberry cream tartlets and playing "Hang man" both of them were enjoying their lesson. On Sunday we went for a trip to the Waldkirch nature trail together with Max, the young Swiss student. Some canopy walkways on tree top level and a 190 metres tube slide were the special attractions of that place.

First creative getaway at the Language Guesthouse

In July I welcomed my first guest who came for her creative holidays. She came from the Eastern part of Germany (where my scroll saw motives come from) and had obviously crafting (but no scroll saw) experience and subtile fingers. - It took only a short while and little guidance until she felt in her bones how to use the saw an cut out pieces accurately. - She too started to cut out leaves' shapes: a gingko leaf, a maple leaf, a vine leaf. Then she felt in good condition to start a window hanging with a Christmas motive - and had the patience and perseverence to get it finished.

 

 

April 2011: Spring has come!

In March I had a language student from Moscow, who took spring pictures on our trips and excursions. Have a look at the photograph I like best:

Spring time in Kaiserstuhl / March 2011

We went on a cycle trip together: Heading for Burkheim first and then along the river Rhine to Breisach.

Cycle trip to Breisach - this showing the Burkheim Lake/ First trials at the mechanical fretsaw.

This student was the first one who gave the mechanical fretsaw a trial on a rainy Sunday afternoon. She cut several shapes of leaves. But the next day we had sunshine again and there was no staying at home any more in the free time.

End of February/ Beginning of March the the fifth language student from Czechia came for a corporate language training to the Language Guesthouse. Apart from finding intriguing exercices about relative clauses and other highlights of German grammar I faced the challenge to establish an interesting acitivity programme in midwinter. Before season of the tourists' season options are not as numerous as from April to October, but even in February it's easy to care for variety and experience. So we went to listen to a lecture about the reallocation of vineyards and nature protection in Kaiserstuhl. This was a good training in listening comprehension for my guest and provided lots of interesting information for me too. Destinations of further excursions were Geldermann sparkling wine cellars in Breisach (including plant tour ) and the Elztal museum in Waldkirch.

Museum of organbuilding Waldkirch with language student as a crank drive worker.

In Waldkirch the tradition of organbuilding goes back more than 200 years. The local Elztalmuseum has a memorable collection of mechanical musical instruments: smaller musical boxes and big concert and annual market organs and orchestrions, the latter imposing because of their rich decoration and powerful sound. We used the occasion to participate in a guided tour and could listen to a range of exhibition instruments. And because my student was the only young man in the visitors' group and seemed to be fit and able-bodied, it became his task to set one of the bigger organs into action.

We also tried to enoy a taster of Alemannic "Fasnet"and visited the evening session of the Oberrotweil carnival convention. But Carnival speeches in Alemannic dialect were a bit too much for my guest's language comprehensing skills - and I must admit I too didn't understand all of what we've heard.

 

 

December 2010: In December I had a Russian language student, who arrived curious to experience the Christmas season in Germany. On several days he went to th Freiburg Christmas market trying to take some exceptionally good photographs. But the crowds of people, who were all the time swarming around the market stands, didn't make it easy for him to achieve his aim.

During the lessons we had - going with the season - an advent calendar: Every day open a window? - No, a little box folded of coloured paper. Inside of it instead of sweets and candies a more or less tricky language task.
You would like to get an example? Here it is:

Leise rieselt der ________ Leise rieselt der ___________ Still und starr ruht der See Weihnachtlich glänzet der ______ Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald In den Herzen ist's ______ Still schweigt Kummer und Harm Sorge des Lebens verhallt Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald Bald ist die heilige _______ Chor der Engel erwacht Hört nur wie lieblich es _______ Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald Ergänze im Text dieses Weihnachtsliedes die Reimwörter!

We had a really familiar and likewise international Christmas at the Language Guesthouse: Being six of us - with three of my children and two language students from Russia and Indonesia we enjoyed for Christmas dinner Swiss cheese fondue and meat fondue /(fondue bourguignonne with Kaiserstuhl wine. To nibble on we had East Prussian gingerbread (baked of my granny's family recipe) and of course we had a German Christmas tree with real candles!

Christmas Dinner at the Language Guesthouse

Christmas made us a weather present: Snow at Christmas eve and picture-perfect sunshine and frost the 25th/26th of December!
The following photos originated from a walk to the Mondhalde together with my Russian guest. Mondhalde is a lookout point on top of a hill near Oberrotweil. On clear days you can see the Black Forest and the Vosges - and with some luck - the Swiss Alpes. The latter we couldn't, but from the big metallic slab showing a compass rose and directions of all big European cities we wiped off the snow and looked for the direction of Moscow.

The Kaiserstuhl in winter / Christmas 2010

 

November 2010: In the first part of November we enjoyed a few beautiful coloured autumn days. I captured them on my camera walking in company with another language student from Czechia:

Kaiserstuhl in November (with a palm tree!)

This student too was interested to visit the Haut-Koenigsburg in near Alsace and so we got the following pictures:

Haut-Koenigsburg/Great Hall and Armoury (with a language student)

 

 

October 2010

October has come, the grapes at the Kaiserstuhl vineyards have been harvested.
Some 60 flower pots and planters have moved from balconies and patio into the house. Days have become short and chilly. The sun is rarely seen and tourist guests also appear less frequent. Tourist season 2010 is almost over. Time fror a short backsight.

After an arduus starting year 2009 during economic crisis 2010 gives reason to a more optimistic foresight. Numerous guests, considerably more than last year, stayed at the Language Guesthouse overnight on their way southbound or for a refreshing short brake of a few days or even for a week or fortnight holidays. Time and again all of the guest bedrooms were occupied and the new holiday apartment also met an encourageing starting season.

The number of language courses has increased too. A first corporate language training has been carried out already in autumn 2008 (then with an executive employee from the Ukrainean subsidiary of a German tool manufacturer). In 2010 another international active company (a component supplier for production and operation of textile producing machines) was ready to try an offer of the Language Guesthouse). It must have been convincing: Already 3 technical executives from a subsidiary in Czechia have successfully completed their training at the Language Guesthouse. Another (4th) employee, also a member of the technical management, will arrive to take his course in November.

A Red Wine Night Festival in the cellar of the local winegrower cooperative

Satisfied customers are the best advertisement. That's why I'm quoting with pleasure from a letter of this company: "....big compliment, I'm pleased to hear that our technical executives have been so successful at the Language Guesthouse. Both of them have made good progress and obviously felt in good hands at your place. ... As usual, successful work creates follow-on demand. Our Czech subsidiary wants to send another two members of their technical management staff to the Language Guesthouse for a German language training...."

Marvellously, the Language Guesthouse could welcome guests from all over the world for a stay as tourists or language students.
They came from the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, England, Poland, Russia, Czechia, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, India, Israel and of course also from Hamburg, Saxony, Thuringia, from the Lower Rhine and the Lake of Constance, from the Black Forest and Stuttgart, the Ruhr district, Berlin and East Frisia - Certainly I forgot one or the other.

Visit to the Haut-Koenigsburg in Alsace (with a language student)

Together with my language students I had all meals of the day. But there were also some sociable breakfast circles with tourists staying for bed&breakfast. Some of them ordered half board. So I prepared home-style meals and all of us enjoyed atmospheric summer evening dinners on the balcony. - An American couple took me to the wine festival to Freiburg. Together with language students I visited Haut Koenigsburg in Alsace, the automobile museum (Schlumpf Collection) in Mulhouse, a guided tour and wine tasting in the cellar of the local winegrowers' cooperative and a Red Wine Festival Night with 4 course dinner, music and candle light in the cooperative's cellar. I discussed cooking recipes with guests from Belgium, watched the soccer world championship final match on TV with a Dutch couple. Some of my guests were philosophizing with me about everything under the sun, others shared their knowledge about plant and flower care with me. Some tourist guests were interested in a German language trial lesson and got it of course. Others were keen to hear about peculiarities of the Kaiserstuhl region and were happy to get some trip suggestions.

Visit to the automobile museum (Collection Schlumpf) in Mulhouse (with a language student)

People from all social classes and ranks, white and blue collar workers, clerks and self employed business people, retirees and just graduates were my guests. Young couples on their honeymoon trip came to the Language Guesthouse and couples married for decades. I got families travelling with young children and others with teenagers, even a mother on holidays with five kids. - Some people had rare and outstanding professions, others were engaged in fascinating hobbies. People on business trips came along and participants of family events like big wedding or birthday parties somewhere in the near surroundings.
Certainly there came holiday makers and vacationers: connoisseurs of wine, nature lovers, an amateur photographer and his wife on safari for insects, a group of mineral collectors, Americans on research for their family roots, painters, musicians and motor cyclists. - Many of them were surprised of the beauties of the Kaiserstuhl area and all of them appreciated the rich breakfast at the Language Guesthouse, the Mediterranean charm of the house and the personal, family-like and hospitable atmosphere.

Sitting amidst Mediterranean plants (with a Dutch family)

The Language Guesthouse has started only two years ago, we don't have visitors for many years. But some have already returned. A Russian couple, currently living in Switzerland came for another weekend only a few weeks later and brought along family-friends from Russia. Two passionate cyclists from Belgium were lucky to enjoy the short this year's high summer in June. All day long they were on the road upon their "fietsen". After their day work they enjoyed the home cooked meals of the Language Guesthouse. Obviously they did, for end of September they were back again - together with another couple.

Guests for breakfast from India

A family from India, currently living in San Francisco were among the first guests, who spent some days in the new holiday apartment. The young woman confessed to me that she had fallen in love with our beautiful area. She hopes to return some day and enrol for a German language course. - That' what I hope too and I dream of preparing a mother and child programme for her and her little son: 2 or 3 hours a day intensive lessons for mummy and one hour with German children's songs and games for mother and child...
(I'm lucky to have kept some toys and picture books from my children). For the time mummy has her lesson, we could engage a nice baby sitter. Or maybe better I could ask at the local kindergarten, if they're ready to take a little Indian boy for a couple of weeks.

My Chinese guests were a woman, who had been in Europe already for several business trips, her sister and her parents, who had never been in Germany before. The family arrived by train and used intensively the opportunities of the Konus guest card. They stayed for a week in the apartment at the old winegrower's house, were on the way by local buses and trains all day and visited many places of interest.

Candle arch "Church of Our Lady Dresden"

The Creative Programme has not been booked yet by tourist guests, but my presentation objects and the fretsaw usually attract interest of visitors. One guest from Holland would have bought at once the candle ark "Church of Our Lady Dresden" as a decoration item for his flower shop at home.
But one of the last weekends a visitor was fascinated by the idea of creative holidays on the fretsaw technique. He told me he comes from a family of joiners; he loves working with wood and plans a creative weekend at the Language Guesthouse in a few months. Wonderful! I'm looking forward to it.

 

 

Looking ahead

Numerous positive feed-back messages from my guests (and pleasant reviews on "Tripadvisor" and "Bed&Breaktfast.com") make grow my confidence that the project "The Language Guesthouse" is on the right track. But of course I should finish my retrospect with a look ahead. An important goal for the Language Guesthouse in the upcoming season will be to enhance the number of language students, increase both private and corporate courses. Having achieved this aim, it will be possible to hire a second language teacher and run parallel courses with joint meals and joint active+creative programme.

Occupancy and amenities of guest rooms and apartment also may undergo a further increase, improvement or embellishment. And I have also a fund of ideas for the further development of the teaching and hosting concept, which are waiting for their realization.
But everything at the proper time and never too hasty!

Last but not least I hope to start the online offer of the Language Guesthouse in the next few months. It's not for the purpose to compete myself. I'm not only convinced but sure that no online training on earth can replace the experience of a course at the Language Guesthouse. - Anyway, the planned online training has two important advantages: Future customers of a "real" language training will get the opportunity to test the training concept and teaching method of the Language Guesthouse in advance, without having to decide first on an expense of 1000 Euro or more. Scepticism against a small unknown provider of language training in the likewise unknown and foreign country of Germany is understandably deep. Offering high-quality online training the Language Guesthouse will gain the confidence of sceptical customers. Besides, online training is a proper opportunity for language students to continue their studies with the Language Guesthouse after having returned home.

Overall I'm quite confident to turn the Language Guesthouse successfully into a real insider tip among German language students, who seek an extraordinary language training experience and likewise among tourists, who besides an attractive accommodation appreciate a personal hospitality that can't be counted in Euro and Cent.

 

 

 

Языковой пансион, новости из языкового пансиона, взгяд назад, жить и учить в языковом пансионе, гости в языковом пансионе, взгяд вперёд, будущие планы и проекты, события в Фогтсбурге и в районе Кайзерщтуль