Language Courses and Cultural Exchanges Worldwide

Residential French or Dutch in Bruges

Dates 2010  

Belgium is one of the founding members of the European Union and is home to its most important institutions.  It also straddles the border between Germanic and Roman cultures.  The cultural exchange between the Dutch speaking Flanders region to the North and the Francophone Wallonia to the South creates a dynamic and stimulating environment.  Residents of Belgium are major contributors to our global cultural heritage, having produced such great artists as Bruegel and Renée Magritte.

Bruges is a beautifully-preserved medieval trading city built over a network of narrow canals and waterways.  Often referred to as “the Venice of the North“, this inspiring backdrop offers the perfect environment for youth to improve their language skills, while still leisurely enjoying their holidays.

Our School

Our partner school is situated close to the historic walls of the city.  We offer excellent modern facilities and organize language and excursion programs or language and sports programs lasting at least one week.  Our leisure center is particularly well-equipped and adapted to the needs of young participants, with many sports facilities nearby.  Our motivated, experienced staff give the students a perfect opportunity to improve their language skills in a location in heart of Europe, while discovering the Flanders region and its culture.  Each participant shares a large and comfortable room with other students (from 4 to 6 students).  Courses are held in the center of town.

Students benefit from a pleasant and stimulating atmosphere where real-life social situations will enable them to acquire automatic reflexes in communication.  They will thus learn to speak more easily and freely in the foreign language.  In addition, the cultural aspect of the program is enhanced through excursions and activities that are held in the target language.

Our programs are designed for youth who want to learn Dutch or French. Complete beginners are accepted and our mutlilingual staff will make everybody feel welcome.

Courses

We offer 3 programs in our catalog:

• Language and Culture
  This is the most intensive courseload proposed, with 5 lessons a day, targeted mainly towards conversation.  Courses are supplemented with visits to Bruges and its surrounding locations.  This program is designed both for students who wish to enrich their linguistic and cultural skills and for students who have encountered academic difficulties that they need to address.  Extra-curricular activities, such as sports and leisure are part of the program.
  
  
• Language and Sports: Tennis, Horse-riding or General Sports
  This course consists of 4 daily lessons followed by a 10 hour session focusing on the sport the student has selected.  These courses are taught by professional coaches from a well-known regional arena, « TC Brughia ». This is the perfect opportunity to improve both your language skills and your level in the selected sport. Tennis courts are covered in case of bad weather.
  
  Two indoor tracks and more than a hundred horses can be found at « De Blauwe Zaal », one of the greatest riding schools of Belgium.
  
  The General Sports Program is a mix between hockey, basketball, table tennis, squash, soccer, beach volleyball, kayaking, etc. A more precise schedule will be set up upon arrival according to the weather and the wishes of the participants.
  
  The Wind Sailing Program takes place in groups of 8-10 participants at Bruge’s center for water sports "Watersportclub VVW Brugge".
  All equipment is provided (board, sails, life vest).  Participation requirements: swimming certificate or the ability to swim 100 meters. 
  
• Dutch Exam Preparation : A Personalized Study Program
  
  Whether you are preparing for an exam, working on a report in Dutch, or experiencing reoccurring grammar difficulties, you will be given a helping hand to reach your goals.
  
  Based on your targeted academic goals (which must be communicated in advance), you will be given a personalized study schedule from one of our tutors every morning.  You will be tested on the subject you have selected every day before the evening meal.  In addition, you will still have the opportunity to enjoy the various range of activities (excursions, beach, general sports) with the other groups.
  
  
• Combined Courses
  Students who wish to spend more than one week working on their language skills, but who are also willing to vary their program a bit, can combine the above programs on a weekly basis (for example, you can opt for one week of French and excursions followed by one week of French or Dutch and sports).
  
  

Accommodation

The « Aan de Plas » Centre welcomes students in one of its 16 comfortable rooms (4 to 6 students per room) and includes full-board (3 meals a day).  Residents will enjoy an outstanding view of a 16 hectare lake from the balcony.  Each room is equipped with a private shower and toilets. Parking facilities are available as well.  Free wifi available to all residents.

http://www.aandeplas.be/home.php

Families who are on vacation near Bruges can opt to do a program without accommodation, profiting from the courses, excursions and cultural activities or sports (from 9 AM till 5 PM).  You can choose any option proposed in our program (culture, tennis…).  Discounts are indicated in the table price.

Leisure and Supervision

Youth are constantly supervised during their stay.  In the evening, activities organized in the target language are proposed to the participants (film screenings, bowling, board games, snooker kicker (baby-foot), table tennis, soccer, etc).  The youngest are supervised by bilingual teachers who are able to listen and speak to them in their own language if necessary.

During their stay each participant is required to keep a journal.  This report, presented as either a short film or articles written in Dutch or in French, with photos of the various activities, will enable them to bring back home a souvenir of their stay.

English-speaking youth benefit from close contact with Dutch and French-speaking participants and other young people learning one of the three languages. 

Transportation to Bruges

We can organize airport pickup from the two Brussels airports: Zaventem (Brussels airport, BRU) and Charleroi (Brussels South, Ryanair).

Prices

Prices are detailed in the attached table.
Prices include:

• Full-board (3 meals a day) and accommodation in shared rooms
• Placement test upon arrival and certificate of participation at the end
  
• All sports activities and the use of sport facilities (according to the selected option)
• Academic materials
• Supervision
• Excursion program, including transportation and entrance fees
• Entertainment and evening activities (films, songs, BBQ, etc.)
• Accident insurance
• The CD-ROM with photos of the stay and with the collection of films and articles created by the students
• A detailed information guide (including map, packing list, arrival and departure times…) will be sent with the confirmation letter.
• Discounts for 2 weeks stays, deducted from the total amount
• Family discount (as long as two members of the same family book a stay with us), deducted from the total amount (these two discounts can be combined).

Optional supplement

• Airport pickup to and from Bruges (airports Brussels Zaventem and Charleroi)

Dates 2010

Courses are available on the following dates:

• Easter

  Date	Language*	Culture	Omnisp.	Tennis	Horse-riding	Windsurfing
  04/04 - 10/04	D & F	X	X	X	-	-
  11/04 - 17/04	D & F	X	X	X	-	-

• Summer

  Date	Language*	Culture	Omnisp.	Tennis	Horse-riding	Exam preparation (Dutch only)	Windsurfing
  27/06-03/07	D & F	X	X	X	X	-	X
  04/07-10/07†	D & F	X	X	X	X	-	X
  11/07-17/07†	D & F	X	X	X	-	-	X
  18/07-24/07†	D & F	X	X	X	X	-	X
  25/07-31/07	D & F	X	X	X	-	-	X
  01/08-07/08	D & F	X	X	X	X	-	X
  08/08-14/08††	D & F	X	X	X	-	-	X
  15/08-21/08††	D & F	X	X	X	X	X	X
  22/08-28/08	D & F	X	X	X	X	-	X

•  * : D = Dutch, F = French
•  † : These dates are available for students as young as 8 or 9.
• †† : These dates are also available for youths aged 17 to 19.
• If the dates you are interested in are not available or you prefer a homestay, please see our Dutch in Haarlem program (Dutch only).

Practical information

• Participant groupings: age grouped by age 10 to 12, 13 to 15 and 16/17 years.
• The programs are from Sunday to Saturday (7 days and 6 nights).
• Arrival is on Sunday between 3:30 and 4:00 pm, departure on Saturday between 10:00 and 11:00 am.
• Students will receive a placement test on arrival on Sunday to allow them to begin classes immediately Monday morning.
• The programs are available during summer and Easter holidays.
• Accommodation and board on weekends are included for stays of more than one week

 

 

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28 Rue de la Loi - 1040 Bruxelles   |   Tel +32 (0) 2 230 01 90   |   Fax +32 (0) 2 280 07 87