German
January Term Abroad (on occasion)
German 101 in Mainz on the Rhine (4 credits)
In January 2001, Prof. Hommel taught a beginning German course, MLG 101, in her hometown of Mainz, Germany. Fifteen Linfield students spent nearly four weeks in this lovely town, introducing themselves not only to the German language, but also to a lot of "Western Culture".The students went on daily outings where they had the opportunity to use and practice the language they had learned in class. They were "learning by doing" in Mainz, with the expectation that they continue German 102 at Linfield, to qualifiy to spend the following semester studying in beautiful Vienna, Austria. (For more information on our semester abroad in Vienna, please visit the International Programs site about Semester Abroad Programs.)
The Western Culture aspect of the course came into play during many excursions, some mandatory, some voluntary. Among them were a guided tour of parts of the Gutenberg Museum; hands-on printing in the Gutenberg Print Shop; attedance at a classical concert; a guided tour of the Mainzer Dom (cathedral), not long after students had had the chance to attend a Catholic mass in the cathedral; a guided tour of the Kupferberg Sektkellerei, a local sparkling wine producer; a walking-tour, lead by Prof. Hommel's father, Ortwin Hommel, of Roman sites in Mainz; a guided tour of Old Town Mainz; a trip along the Rhine to the Marksburg, a well-preserved medieval castle; an overnight in the youth hostel in Burg Stahleck, a castle that overlooks the Rhine; trips, by some students, to Berlin, München, and Heidelberg.
Mulitcultures in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland
In January of 2003, this course was team-taught by Prof. Michelle Nelson, Business Department, and Prof. Gudrun Hommel, Modern Languages Department.
Prof. Nelson and Prof. Hommel spent three weeks with some of Linfield's German as well as International Business students exploring business practices as well as customs and culture in Germany, and Austria. This included visits to the Ditsch Prekel Factory in Mainz, the world famous Bögendorfer piano manufacturer in Austria, a trip to Germany's oldest university in Heidelberg as well as to Munich's famous sites.