From June 1st until July 2nd, my group of nearly twenty students lived in the city of Leipzig. We traveled to several important locations known for the role they played in the culture and history of Germany. One such place is the city of Weimar, where Goethe, considered to be the most important German poet and novelist, wrote some of his most significant pieces. Other trips took us to Eisenach and the medieval Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther lived in exile after he posted his 95 theses that lead to the Protestant Reformation. The trip would have been incomplete without a visit to Wittenberg, also known as the Luther City, where we witnessed an annual parade and festival celebrating Martin Luther's wedding. Actors wear authentic costumes and the food is great.

We also visited Dresden, also known as the “Venice of Germany,” where the famous Green Diamond Vault and the most beautiful Baroque buildings are found. Last but not least, students can opt to extend into a long weekend a trip to Germany's capital, Berlin. Here students can witness German history first hand: the German parliament buildings; the Brandenburg Gate, symbol of reunification; Check Point Charlie, symbol of division; and many other significant historical and cultural sites.

While in Leipzig we enjoyed the annual Bach Festival, with famous bands and orchestras performing J.S. Bach's music. We visited museums and important monuments that helped illustrate the German history and culture that books only begin to reveal. The Leipzig University is the second oldest university in Germany (600 years) and has the oldest student club in Germany. This venue is housed in a bunker, serves excellent food at less expensive prices, and offers different activities for students.

This summer, some of our students were interviewed by Deutsche Welle TV, an international broadcast network. The interview was broadcast worldwide in July and can be viewed in the DW-TV internet archives. [View the four-minute sequence at http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4487736,00.html by clicking on "The report as video on demand" toward the bottom of the page.]

The Study Abroad in Leipzig program is very intense because, in addition to the travel and other activities, students must complete the same curriculum that is taught in the regular semesters to earn six credits of German.