In May 2019, I spent a month at the Institut de Français participating in a French language immersion program. This is a highly regarded school, and it exceeded all of my lofty expectations. Almost nine hours a day of instruction from awesome teachers in total immersion, including two extraordinary meals a day prepared by the incomparable chef Natalie and her team. The Institut de Français is in Villefranche-sur-Mer, adjacent to Nice on the French Riviera (la Côte d’Azur in French). If you’ve ever considered studying French in France, check out the Institut. institutdefrancais.com
Institut de Français
The Mediterranean, the Alps . . . la Côte d’Azur is extraordinary. It doesn’t take much exploration to understand what makes this region of France so special (and popular).
Near Antibes
Nice, Photo by Lynne Crespy
View from Saint-Jean-Cap Ferrat
In October 2018 and again in September 2019, I studied German at GLS German Language School in Berlin. I love Berlin. It’s an incredibly dynamic and multicultural city. GLS has a campus in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood of Berlin. The GLS campus includes the landmark Hotel Oderberger which was built in 1902 as a public bathhouse. The indoor swimming pool is beautiful. The first photo shows the view over campus from my apartment in Hotel Oderberger. de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadtbad_Oderberger_Straße hotel-oderberger.berlin
GLS & Hotel Oderberger
Not far from GLS, I was delighted to find Nashville Hot Chicken (a favorite from my hometown in Tennessee) at the Kulturbrauerei Street Food Market in Prenzlauer Berg! humblepie.de
Kulturbrauerei
Nikolaiviertel (Nicholas Quarter) is one of the original neighborhoods of Berlin. Nikolai-Kirche (St. Nicholas Church), built between 1220 and 1230, is the oldest church in Berlin (although it is now a museum). The neighborhood was heavily damaged during WWII. For Berlin’s 750 anniversary in 1987, the former East Germany restored the neighborhood with a distinctive mix of reconstructed historic buildings and modern concrete slab housing blocks. Nearby is the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) which is home to Berlin’s mayor and the government of the federal state of Berlin. In one of the photos you can see the omnipresent (and ominous looking) Fernsehturm (television tower) built in the 60’s by the DDR juxtaposed with the other landmarks. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernsehturm_Berlin
Nikolaiviertel
Nikolai-Kirche
Rotes Rathaus
All photos by Jay Yokley except as noted
Source: @jayspassport | Published: September 20, 2019