Hmm.

[feuervogel]

The Goethe Institut in Berlin will cost E1465 ($2100) for the 4-week intensive course, including a homestay.

I was looking at the Vienna tourism info page, and they list a bunch of learn German institutes, some of which are cheaper. (For example. Also housing.)

I *really* want to go back to Berlin, because it's my favorite place in the world, but since I haven't had work since October 2, money's kind of an issue. The Goethe Institut is highly regarded, of course, but a cost differential of E400 ($570) or more? Yeah. Cultura Wien offers the Austrian Language Diplom; I'm not sure how that rates compared to DaF or the Goethe Zertifikat. (Though there are only certain dates available, and I won't be there for any of them. Well, May 7, but that's at the beginning and I'd totally bomb.)

There are also other places to learn German in Berlin; the first I found was more expensive. ... It looks like the other Berlin-based courses cost as much as or more than the Goethe Institut.

Damnation. I'd really love to spend a month in Berlin, and go see the stuff I missed before (and make a day trip to Dresden). But if I can save close to six hundred bucks... argh.

sabeth, do you have any opinions? (Hey, I could learn some Austrian terms. And, ooh, be surrounded with Austrian accents all day. *puts another mark in the Vienna column*)

Comments

[sabeth]

Opinions, I have them! They are basically this: Vienna is awesome and clearly our accents > German accents. Also we have lots of very useful terms and phrases that Germans usually miss out on.

... you did say you could guess my preference! :P

Seriously though, I'm not sure what to advise. I don't know if any one of the courses is superior to the others. I'm surprised housing is cheaper in Vienna, because the cost of living in general is a bit lower in Berlin.
It seems strange that they should be offering an Austrian Language Diplom -- surely they'd be teaching standard German, which is the same everywhere. Maybe you could do some research into how the certificates compare. Also, I think there's a Goethe Institut in Vienna as well. (Though I'm guessing that would be as expensive as the one in Berlin.)

I think it really depends on why you're coming over in the first place. Do you mostly want to improve your German (then pick the cheaper option/the Austrian accents :D) or do you mostly want to spend time in Berlin (then pick Berlin, because elsewhere would probably be a disappointment)?

When are you looking at coming again? May, right? Would you reschedule in order to be able to get a certificate? (If there are only certain dates available, I mean.)

(I deleted your comment on FB just because I don't want to tip people off about my online whereabouts. Not that I think "DW" really means anything to anyone, but some of my RL people are exceedingly nosy. Just FYI in case you're wondering where it went!)

[feuervogel]

I think the difference is primarily in the base tuition rate. GI's is E990, and Cultura's was E650 for a similar course. Both have housing fees around E500. (Cultura: Der Preis für Privatzimmer hängt von der Lage und von der Größe und Ausstattung des Zimmers ab und beträgt € 400.- bis € 500.- pro Monat ohne Verpflegung.) (and hee is even cheaper.)

I just checked the GI's site, and they don't list a site in Vienna, sadly. I can, however, take the C1 test at a site here in NC or down in Atlanta, or the TestDaF up in DC.

Mostly I want to get my German back to the level it was when I finished college, or close to it (or better?) Since I've heard of the GI, and a friend of mine took a summer class at one, I looked at their sites, and was like, whee, Berlin! Though I considered Dresden for a bit, because I'd never been there. I've also never been to Vienna, but we're going there for a week afterward anyway (yay, 10-year anniversary.)

I think the re-immersion combined with didactics would be a big help, and, really, spending a month where I really darned well ought to be speaking German would help.

I'm mainly looking at May right now, though it's still kinda flexible. It'll be warmer and less dark in May than in April, so that's a bonus.

Berlin gets a big "yay, I love the city" in its column and a smaller "ack, expensive" beneath it. Vienna gets a medium "yay, cheaper," a medium "yay accents," and a medium "never heard of these schools." So they're fairly balanced. -_-

(I guessed that's what happened! Silly nosy people.)

[amakarie.livejournal.com]

This has been a hard travel year for a lot of people; originally I was planning on seeing my sister in England this summer. Subsequently, I lost my job so I don't know when I'll see her.

I tend to lean on the side of caution when it comes to spending money, so if you have the ability to go study in Germany, I'd vote for going to one of the cheaper schools. That being said, I don't know if you'll really regret not going to the school you want to. So in that instance, I'd vote for either going for it or holding off till you can go to the school you really want to.

[feuervogel]

See, when I eventually get a real job, I won't be able to fuck off to Europe for a 4-week language course, because I won't have the vacation time. Now, since I'm per diem and generally free to set my own schedule, I *have* 4 weeks to spend fucking off around Europe.

[amakarie.livejournal.com]

Haha, that's what I told my sister almost. "Well, I would feel guilty taking you away from your job search by letting you come over." "When do you THINK I will be able to have this amount of time to visit you? If I get a new job It'll be a while till I build up vacation time!" *sigh*

If it's really a once-in-a-lifetime experience I would almost say do it. It just depends if you will regret not going to Goeth, or not going to any school if you miss the opportunity, and weighing it against if you will regret making the decision financially. If there's any way you can raise the money in between or find another solution, it may change your options tho.

Either way, I hope there's someway you can go to Germany. It sounds really fun. On a personal note I would love to fuck off to Vienna and go see every Klimt exhibition I could set my eyes on. Nice option indeed!

[feuervogel]

I have a $1000 CD that matures in March, which I can cash out then, and another few thousand in savings accounts. But keeping Ben from spending money frivolously (and convincing him that it's worthwhile to save money on groceries) is trickier.