This paper describes techniques used by a German instructor with American students during a summer abroad program. Learning activities, both in and outside of class, concentrate on writing. The students keep logs and diaries, which force them to be aware of their surroundings and to participate more actively in the life around them. With the diaries as a basis, class discussion progresses through the events of an ordinary day, beginning with the alarm going off in the morning, and expands into less routine events and activities. The logs or diaries are submitted and corrected daily, with mistakes counted only if they are repeated after initial correction. Another writing exercise requires that students paraphrase or report on information found in newspapers, magazines, and advertising, and make cultural comparisons. A third assignment involves critiques of films seen at local theaters. A fourth approach uses a game in which students draw three pieces of paper from each of five piles containing nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbial phrases, and miscellaneous forms (pronouns, verbs, exclamations, proper names, etc.) in German. The students use what they drew to write a half-page story that is mysterious, dramatic, or funny. The exercises develop language and writing skills as well as cultural awareness, all of which are an essential part of complete language learning. (MSE)