Survival German for the Chinese Visitor
Course no.: 03-01-EXC-13051-A
The course is designed to give students a chance to immerse themselves in a German environment through bits and pieces of aspects of life in Germany. Learning elementary German is interwoven into each learning section. The range of topics is a broad mix of everyday topics, academic research, and the particulars of student life in Germany.
Teaching Mode: Face-to-face
Medium of Instruction: English and German
Quota: 25 per class
- Develop curiosity and confidence about German culture.
- Get a feeling for relevant and fun aspects of German language.
- Get to know German concepts about life and cooperation.
- Be familiar with a range of typical German behaviour patterns, and ways to respond to new cultural standards.
- Develop the ability to make sensible choices about studying German.
- Develop coping strategies when studying abroad.
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Session |
Contents |
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1 |
Who are the Germans? A brief tour through German history, its landscapes and the different personalities of people by regions – learning about different ways of greeting, characteristics of small talk |
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2 |
Food - Bread, potatoes, sausages and beer, “Kaffee und Kuchen” – How to enjoy German food and verbally name what you’d like to try out, finding the correct gender of words |
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3 |
Video: A typical day in the life of foreign student Nico – Finding help when arriving in Germany, adopting to differences in lifestyle, accompanying an ordinary day with new experiences and words |
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4 |
Video: Nico’s Way
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5 |
Sports – “Auf die Plätze, fertig, los!” –
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6 |
Famous German holiday destinations- Overview of information which are available from German Tourist Board and Goethe-Institut. Fairy-tale Road, Romantic Road etc., hiking and travelling advice |
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7 |
Introduction to clubs and associations – there seems to be a club for everything in the country: charities, environmental or human rights organizations, sports clubs, groups for hobbies of all kinds, artistic associations, garden allotments, citizens' initiatives, self-help groups, remembrance committees, carnival clubs, parent-organized kindergartens and schools — the list goes on. |
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8 |
Friendships and dating – expectations, options and unwritten rules – communicating in an environment that takes the spoken word literally and showing the basic values underlying personal interactions in Germany |
Schedule:
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Session |
Date |
Time |
Venue |
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1 |
9 Feb 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
Z510 |
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2 |
23 Feb 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
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3 |
2 Mar 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
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4 |
9 Mar 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
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5 |
16 Mar 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
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6 |
23 Mar 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
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7 |
30 Mar 2026 (Mon) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
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8 |
9 Apr 2026 (Thu) |
17.30 – 20.00 |
Z405 |
Mr Frank Ulrich Gast
Visiting Lecturer at the Department of English and Communication of PolyU, Writer, Traveler and Translator, former Chairperson of various associations
