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

[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.