Are You Ready For A German Breakthrough?
Celebrate History and Tradition - auf Deutsch!
Welcome to the Fluent German Retreat, to take place in Germany's Northern beauty, Hamburg, this June!
This is our Urban Culture Retreat, a special getaway where you can boost your German skills.
Our German retreats offer live German learning, immersion, outings, coaching, a luxurious home base, and a week to completely focus on your progress.
Retreat Activities
Hamburg is a city like no other, bursting with breathtaking architecture, fascinating museums, and famous landmarks. The city wraps up its genteel history into a down-to-earth flair that reminds you of Hamburg's identity as Germany's most important port city.
We'll kick our mornings into gear with a nourishing breakfast at the apartment before spending a few hours in a relaxed German class. Then it's time for a delicious lunch before stepping out to explore the city.
Hamburg is both cool and culture-savvy, a modern city calling you to explore every corner of its historic streets.
During our German Retreat, we'll make sure you see the biggest and best locations of the city and add our own in-the-know places where you can meet the locals every day.
Immerse Yourself in German
You'll spend every day with your language coach and reap the benefits of language immersion. It's a small and private group, so that we can adjust teaching to your level.
Your brain might be humming with so much input in German, but we'll make sure your body and mind are cared for during the retreat.
We have got some beautiful outings planned for you, so you'll discover the amazing culture and long history of Hamburg for yourself.
“Since the retreat, I’ve started using my German so much more. I took part in a Polterabend party in a small village speaking 90% German. I started having meetings at work in the German language. Now I feel fluent, and if I get stuck I can always find the words to express myself.
For people who live a busy life, a retreat is a great alternative to normal language lessons. For me it was a relaxing vacation and a useful and active way to spend a week.”
Your Outings
The Retreat includes four outings and we will customize our itinerary to suit your choices, and throw in a few surprises to boot. Here are a few of the amazing experiences you'll discover in Hamburg:
The Elbphilharmonie
This striking new building represents Hamburg in the 21st century. Architecture meets creativity in this remarkable concert hall, and you'll experience 360 degree views of the port and the city as you stand high above it all in the stunning viewing plaza.
The Harbour
Hop on a boat and experience Hamburg's love of the water. This harbour's history goes back hundreds of years, and you'll be diving right into the stories told by Hamburg's buildings as you join our German-language cruise.
Miniatur Wunderland
"Model train" doesn't begin to cover the fun and wonder of this place - it's over 1500 square metres! In this amazing exhibit, you'll travel through the whole of Europe in one afternoon and discover the true diversity and beauty of Germany along the way.
Rathausmarkt
Street food, lively stalls, and beautiful architecture. That's Hamburg's prime market, where you might just strike up a conversation with a stall holder. You won't miss out on the Rathaus itself, which took nearly 44 years to build.
Your Retreat Leaders: Kerstin and Thérèse
Retreat Leaders Kerstin and Thérèse
Hi, my name is Kerstin and I am your leader for the Fluent German Retreat in June 2019. I'm a native German speaker and fluent in five languages. I am passionate about effective language learning, and work on helping language learners excel.
I have been teaching the German language for 6 years, from relaxed 1-to-1 sessions in coffee shops to university lectures in world-class institutions.
In the Fluent German Retreat, I have found the perfect way to apply my teaching experience and help you learn in an ideal environment: a small group, a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, fun outings, and creative language classes.
I am hosting this retreat together with Thérèse Laflèche, owner of Lafleche Lingo. Thérèse is a free spirit with a love of travelling, who is in charge of creating your luxury retreat setting with flair and style.
She’s an expat and lifelong traveller, a foodie and an incredible cook, and a creative entrepreneur who has hosted dozens of retreats in the world’s most amazing locations. I am excited to be have Thérèse on board for this special Fluent German Retreat, as she’ll be making sure you leave feeling relaxed, refreshed, and treated like royalty!
Your Home For The Week
(description forthcoming)
these images are representative of previous accommodation arrangements - we’ll upload the Hamburg images soon
The Most Important Questions And Answers
When Is It?
The dates for our German Retreat are planned to be 15 to 20 June 2018. You can arrive anytime late morning/early afternoon of the 15th and then leave the morning of the 20th.
What Is Included In The Retreat?
5 nights' accommodation in a private room in our retreat apartment with exclusive use for the week
Immersive, custom 6-day German course and coaching sessions from native German speaker and experienced tutor Kerstin (that's me!) in our small group of enthusiastic students in a relaxed immersion environment
4 immersion outings experiencing the amazing city of Hamburg
Breakfast and lunches during the days
Dinners at a range of great restaurants in Hamburg
Both structured and spontaneous conversation practice
If you have dietary restrictions, that's not a problem. Let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you.
How Big Is The Group?
Our group will include you and 3 to 5 other German learners and your retreat leader Kerstin. It is a small and exclusive retreat group, ensuring that you will be able to get individual attention and support when you need it.
Could I Bring My Partner With Me?
We have space for you and your partner, and in fact there is an attractive rate we can offer to a couple. We'd love to get to know both of you, so don't hesitate to send an email to kerstin@fluentlanguage.co.uk and let us book a short call so we can learn about your language goals.
What's The Required German Language Level?
In this deliberately small group, we can adjust teaching to your level. The group is hand-selected to ensure that each participant will be able to achieve their language goals.
As a guideline, you should be able to conduct and follow a conversation beyond the absolute basics - but we’ve had learners at all kinds of levels in the past and everyone benefited. In formal terms, we're looking for participants between A2 and B2. If you a little nervous about whether your level is right for this retreat, don't hesitate to email me kerstin@fluentlanguage.co.uk and I will be able to guide you personally.
What Will I Need To Do?
At our German retreat, you'll be able to enjoy the German immersion experience that we have prepared for you. You will need to arrange your own travel to Hamburg (see below for detailed instructions). You should also ensure that you have valid travel insurance and documents for your trip to Germany.
How Do I Get To Trier?
Hamburg is a leading international port, but that doesn’t mean you have to come by boat!
✈️ Fly to Hamburg airport, which has plenty of flight connections to cities in Europe. The airport has both bus and S-Bahn connections to the city centre.
🚆The train station Hamburg HBF is served by Deutsche Bahn whose website and planner will show you national and international connections. Trains by Deutsche Bahn are fast, affordable, and convenient. If you want to spend more time in Europe after the retreat, Hamburg will be a perfect starting point for trips to Denmark, the Netherlands, and the Northern part of Germany.
If you'd like expert assistance with your travel arrangements, let us know as we've got a professional travel agent on call for you.
How Do I Register?
Send an email to kerstin@fluentlanguage.co.uk, including a bit of background about how long you've been learning German, how you've studied, and a description of what level you're at. You will receive an email from me with your decision and a payment link to confirm your booking within 24-48 hours.
I Have More Questions! What Should I do?
No problem! Email me at kerstin@fluentlanguage.co.uk. I'll be excited to hear from you!
Can't make these dates? Register here for news about future immersion retreats.
“I truly enjoyed the retreat experience. It was the first time I did anything of this kind and I am really convinced this method of learning/ practicing is very effective.
I really loved the exercises and language challenges that had been prepared for us. The was a great balance between fun and learning!
The relaxed atmosphere and how easy it was to interact and how motivated and confident we felt was really amazing!
I was a bit frightened before arriving that this would be too difficult/stressful or that my knowledge wouldn’t be enough, but this week proved me wrong and I’m going home feeling I made progress and that what lies ahead is not that hard!
To top this off, the accommodation was really nice, the food was fantastic, the tours were outstanding and the activities were diverse and interesting. The group ambiance was very special and I will part with a feeling of accomplishment and gratitude!
Thanks again and I will see you in a future retreat!!”
“Being in Germany and immersed in the language was extremely helpful for vocab.
With regards to speaking and understanding, it was beneficial to hear so many different people speaking in different situations. I had a great time traveling in Germany and I cannot wait to return.”