Students in Mainz
Students are welcome to take advantage of the excursion organized by the Director of the School in Germany. Train tickets, hotel rooms, admission fees, etc. are provided or reimbursed by the School. While breakfast might be included, meals are not necessarily part of this arrangement. Following these recommendations will ensure a safe, rewarding, and fun trip.
Two organizations at Mainz University, the "Geographie für alle" program and the International Office ("Akademisches Auslandsamt"), also offer special excursions throughout the year. Just recently, the History Department of the university has offered to take students along on their excursions as well.
Weimar has become the city of choice because it unites all aspects of German history and culture in one place. Other cities listed under Travel in Germany hopefully stir your interest and encourage you to explore them (and others) on your own.
Weimar (2-3 days)
This trip will confront you with integral and contradictory aspects of German culture and history. While you'll walk through the acclaimed European City of Culture (1999) to follow the traces of those bearing the "big names" of German literature, philosophy, and music, you'll also become aware that this is the 
city where the Weimarer Constitution was drafted before the Nazis were warmly welcomed for supposedly bringing back the "good old days". The local (and national) results of this political development will confront us when we visit the KZ Memorial Buchenwald, only 8 km from Weimar.
On our first day, we take a guided city tour of appr. 2 hours. Afterwards, you're free to explore this incredible place on your own--equipped with guidebook, city-map and bus-ticket, of course. Don't forget to bring your cameras! On our second day, we'll take the bus to Buchenwald. A one-hour movie puts the place into its historical context. Survivors tell about their experience of suffering and about the day of liberation. Afterwards, we'll spend another 90 min at selected places. Then again you may decide to explore the excellent exhibition on the camp's history in the 'Magazin' and, a little later, to take the bus back to the city of Weimar, where you can spend more time until we all meet at the train-station. If you're interested in Weimar's sights, explore the city's webpage but also check the page on the Weimar Excursion!
All images by courtesy of H.F. and J.B.
Excursions--More Details
If you travel with a group, you and every other group member are responsible for the welfare of the group as a whole. Therefore, excursions are fundamentally different from individual trips you undertake on your own. That is why you should keep the following points in mind when you think about signing up for an excursion (participation is not obligatory)
Once you've signed up,
you're expected to show up on time - that applies to the beginning of the trip as well as to group-activities related to the excursion. Not showng up or displaying notorious lateness cannot be tolerated. (If you should happen to be sick or otherwise unable to participate, please notify the Director prior to departure).
The reason is simple - most tickets have to be bought in advance, and hotel rooms have to be booked long before you actually get here. Tours have to be arranged, buses rented.