Day 52: Bus 200

Hallo! Day 52! Wow! Well, since it is again after midnight as I am writing this post, the countdown has reached the single digits: 9 days to go! I woke up feeling like I might be on the verge of getting sick, so I have to make sure that I get a lot of sleep tonight. The weather here has just been getting everyone down! So, I just sort of hung out this morning and then headed to class. I decided to leave class a little early and took the U-Bahn to another section of the city to pick up the 200 line bus (Professor Nelson had recommended it). It is a public bus, but the places it goes are supposed to be interesting and scenic. The only thing I really enjoyed seeing was a church that had been bombed during the WWII and left unrepaired in order to remind everyone about the history they had gone through. I enjoyed seeing that, but the bus ride itself wasn't all that it seemed like it would be. It didn't really bring me anywhere that I hadn't already seen and when I got off at the end, I was in the middle of nowhere! Luckily, there was another bus headed in the other direction, so I hopped back on and went back the way that I had come.

I had decided to go back to the Sony Center (where we met yesterday before dinner) because they have a famous movie theater there that shows films in the movie's native language (meaning, not dubbed over). I got there perfectly in time to see "Robin Hood." The movie itself was pretty good, but I was getting a bit fed up with the German movie-going experience. I liked the theater; it was set up so that red curtains opened onto a hug screen. The seats were also very comfy. But I was forced to sit through 45 minutes of previews...after about 35, they close the curtains and come out selling the food that they had just been advertising. The previews just dragged on forever...And unfortunately, I was also sitting with some obnoxious pre-teens. I guess they kept getting on some British peoples' nerves in front of me, so all I was hearing was, "Can you please shut up and keep your feet to yourselves?!" in a British accent. But other than that, I had a fun time. It was nice to get out and explore the city a bit on my own. Sometimes I just need that, too.

So, it was a pretty relaxing night. I am glad that I made my own fun and did my own thing. I think living in a city is really quite unique. And this place is so different than anything I've seen before. I guess each city does have its own identity. There definitely is something different about being anonymous and just going about my own business. It's kind of cool that no one knows me; that I see all different types of people everyday. But I could definitely see a sort of loneliness here. And being around so many people all of the time can be a bit wearing too. But I am glad to have the experience and the opportunity to see Berlin and learn more about its amazing history.

So, only one more day of classes here before our trip to Weimar! I am very excited to have the chance to go there this weekend and to only have class four days next week. It ends up that another university group from the US at Goethe is also going to Weimar this weekend. I talked to one of the girls from the Utah school today and it was interesting to hear some of her insight on her college and learn some of the difficulties of being a minority in a school whose population is strongly of another religion. Interesting stuff. So, I'd better get to bed! 5 more days of school and 9 days total to go! I think a part of me is really going to miss Germany! Well, hope all is well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!