German language camp in Augsburg
Although it seemed that the heavens were against us, we arrived in Germany with unbroken enthusiasm despite the hour and a half delay and the cold, rainy weather. It was heart-warming to see last year’s host families welcoming the students who had stayed with them before with hugs and greetings. After a bit of organising, we managed to get everyone together and even old acquaintances were able to spend the week together.
The director and teachers of the ADK – Augsburger Deutschkurse language school – also welcomed our German students, old and new, with sincere joy. On Monday mornings from 9 am to 1 pm, classes were divided into groups according to language level. After the lessons, the team was happy and satisfied with the start, hoping that the rest of the lessons would be as good as the first.
We can only say good things about the host families: they were kind and helpful, no one complained, and we heard many positive comments from everyone. The weather once again tried its hand with some thunderstorms, but the bowling alley was in a great mood, and not only because of that. It was a huge derby, and not just in the hope of a tasty prize promised by the camp leader. The programme was a real team-builder. It was a joyful experience to see the team members encouraging each other and the other riders on the other track. At the end of the game, the winning team, and of course all the participants, received a small and last but not least delicious gift (thank you very much)
While the kids spent the forenoons in the school wrestling with the mysteries of the German language, the mentors and small mentors fine-tuned the week’s programmes, adapting them to the weather forecast and, of course, the opening hours.
In the afternoons we try to enrich the group with a variety of activities. We will go boating, followed by an exciting city quiz to discover the cultural and historical sights of the German city. At the BigJump entertainment centre, we’ll keep fit on the trampolines and take a plunge into the world of VR. Several of the group are looking forward to visiting the botanical gardens and zoo again. On Saturday, we will spend the whole day in Nuremberg, admiring the castle and visiting an old, secret underground cellar system, which we will explore together with torches. It’s going to be an exciting week, and we’ll tell you all about it. Our pictures are updated daily in the gallery on our website.
Trixler Zsófia, mentor assistant
Summary of Augsburg Experiences
We had an eventful week behind us, with many participants expressing that they didn’t want to leave at the end of the camp because they had such a good time. A truly impressive team participated in the camp, which was evident from the relaxed and enjoyable bowling session on Monday afternoon. It was great to see everyone starting the game enthusiastically and encouraging each other.
On Tuesday afternoon, we were a bit concerned that the weather might disrupt our planned activities, but fortunately, we managed to go boating on a lake, where the sun even came out, making the experience even more pleasant. Everyone tried rowing, and even when they accidentally ended up near the lake’s edge, almost in the bushes and under tree branches, they skillfully and humorously managed to “free” themselves. The program was filled with a great atmosphere, and everyone had a fantastic time, mentioning they would love to go back.
On Wednesday afternoon, we spent time at the BigJump adventure park, a favorite activity for many. We enjoyed various trampolining activities, including dunking basketballs, competing against each other in agility tasks, and navigating obstacle courses. We saw somersaults, high jumps into soft foam pits, and balance duels. Additionally, we immersed ourselves in the VR world, trying out different team games. It was quite funny to watch each other react to things visible only through VR goggles.
The next afternoon, we had a city knowledge competition:
“This year, I participated in the German language camp in Augsburg organized by the Csányi Foundation for the second time. Augsburg is a city with a rich history and numerous sights. It is impossible to see everything in just a few days, but we tried to show the students a small slice of it through organized programs. Together with the mentors (Angela V. Sárközi, Márta Őzéné Törőcsik) and mentor assistants (Sári Deák, Zsófia Trixler), we designed a city knowledge competition to help them get to know the city better through playful tasks. To make it even more exciting, we divided the students into four teams and organized a competition. During the competition, they had to visit three locations in different orders. One location was perhaps Augsburg’s most magnificent building, the Augsburg Cathedral, which they admired mainly from the outside and had to find answers to questions at an outdoor location. This task was perhaps the trickiest, causing teams to lose the most points. The next location was the Basilica of St. Ulrich and Afra, which has Hungarian significance. Bishop Ulrich organized the city’s defense against marauding Hungarians in 955, leading to the Hungarians’ defeat near the Lech River and the end of their westward campaigns. Later, Ulrich was canonized and buried in the church. The teams had tasks inside the church, which they all successfully completed. After medieval sites, we ventured into the 20th century, visiting Bertolt Brecht’s birthplace, now a museum showcasing his life and work. Everyone succeeded with the tasks here as well. Additionally, each team had to write 10 sentences in German about each location (Augsburg Cathedral, St. Ulrich and Afra Basilica, Brecht House, Augsburger Puppenkiste – puppet theater and museum) and present them verbally in German to the others. The first team arrived at the meeting point after just an hour, while the others took more time. Then we visited Augsburger Puppenkiste and walked together in the beautifully designed garden next to it. The competition results were as follows:
1st place: Eszter Kovács, Rebeka Völfinger, Anna Oláh, Dávid Rickert, Barnabás Radó
2nd place: Bianka Kovács, Vivien Bogdán, Kamilla Bihari, Levente Sipos, Lajos Nyári
3rd place: Enikő Sármány, Erika Nagy, Erika Benczenleitner, Ádám Molnár, Gyula Pege
4th place: Vanessza Kovács, Angelika Pege, Boróka Süle, Dominik Czuczor, Tibor Benedek
Each participant received a small gift, and the winning team received an additional (candy) package. We hope everyone found the competition exciting and enriched their knowledge about Augsburg.
Máté Varga, Development Teacher, Volunteer
After Friday’s lesson, the children thanked the teachers for the week and the new knowledge, and said their goodbyes. We then rewarded the campers for their diligent and active participation throughout the week and their excellent performance in the city knowledge competition with a board game each. Afterward, we had the option to visit either the zoo or the botanical garden. I visited the botanical garden, finding it a truly relaxing and refreshing experience to walk around and admire the beautiful nature.
On Saturday, we visited Nuremberg, where we not only admired the city’s buildings during a walk but also climbed the castle tower for an amazing view of the city. We also discussed the Nuremberg Trials. Before that, we had an interesting experience exploring an underground tunnel system that used to be a brewery, learning about its history and operations. During World War II, Nuremberg residents used this cellar system as a bunker.
In addition to the usual camp survey, our camp leader asked us to “weigh in” at the end of the camp by completing the sentences “what I gave…” and “what I received…”. The responses were very telling, with some mentioning tangible experiences and others summarizing more abstract yet significant feelings and thoughts. I am grateful and proud to have experienced this as a junior mentor and to have become a proud “Augsburger”!
Sára Deák, Junior Mentor, Kaposvár
“For the first time traveling after eighth grade, I had incredible experiences with a great group. We spent the week in a collaborative, family-like atmosphere. I returned home with new knowledge and friends. I received trust and help to navigate a foreign country. I felt good and received happiness. What did I give? Cooperation, good mood, help to my peers when they struggled with German sentences. I provided emotional support and joy.”
“On the ‘received’ side: unforgettable experiences, much new knowledge, and good people. On the ‘gave’ side: dedicated work, I tried to be open to everyone, and I hope I contributed to the good atmosphere.”
Kamilla Bihari and Dávid Rickert, Szentes
“I received expanded language skills, a kind surrogate mother for a week – with accommodation, very delicious food, and countless memorable experiences. In return, I gave patience, attention, feedback, kind words, and smiles to my peers and small gifts to the host family.”
“I tried to participate in the programs with the greatest openness and interest. In the afternoons, we had various enriching programs, allowing time for relaxation and leisure.”
Bianka Kovács, Nagybajom and Erika Benczenleitner, Mohács
“Friends, experiences, usable knowledge, many funny and touching moments. I loved being with everyone because I feel a great team came together. I always tried to maintain the good atmosphere with a timely joke or a kind word. I always aimed to be punctual, and I think I succeeded. We were able to cooperate excellently in everything, which characterized our team the most.”
“This is my third time in Augsburg, and I was surprised by the many new things I experienced, thanks to the excellent and attentive organization. I tried to add color to the team with my presence, offering my helpfulness and kindness. I made new friends and had a very sweet, welcoming host for the week, providing a real home rather than just accommodation.”
Levente Sipos and Enikő Sármány, Kaposvár
“This camp was really good; I had many eventful experiences. We visited many beautiful and interesting places, even more than last year. Over the past week, I became close friends with members from other community houses, forming a super cohesive team.”
Angelika Pege, Jászberény
“I feel I contributed a lot to the camp’s smooth operation with my good behavior, kind words, smiles, and small help. In return, I received much more than I expected. Alongside new friendships, I had the chance to deepen existing relationships. I visited visually stunning new places again, and the best part was that I could do all this with people I really love. For this and everything, I am very grateful and thankful.”
Lajos Nyári, Pécs