Hallo! And welcome to my term abroad blog!

Hallo! My name is Erica Fugger and I am a member of the Class of 2012 at Union College in Schenectady, NY. Since you are reading this blog, you may have interest in Union's study abroad programs or would like to learn some more about the experiences of college students spending a term in a foreign country. Fortunately, you have come to the right place!

This blog is a series of reflections and recounts of my term abroad living in Freiburg and Berlin, Germany in the Spring of 2010. At the time, I was a sophomore undergraduate, with an interest in German and a passion for history. Since then, my interdepartmental majors have been declared as History (with a concentration in Revolutions) and German, and I am minoring in American Studies. To give some more background, on campus, I am a member of the Union Swimming and Diving Team and an editor of the Concordiensis Newspaper. I greatly enjoy writing and traveling in my spare time, but also appreciate the simple joy of catching up with my family and friends.

Now, with the introductions out of the way, I will share a bit more information on the term abroad itself. As I have briefly mentioned, the spring was spent in two different cities in Germany. Union College's Germany Term Abroad Program is very unique for this reason. Unlike some of the other opportunities out there, this program allows students to experience a wide variety of cultures, while visiting vastly different regions and settings.

The first month abroad was spent in the medieval city of Freiburg im Breisgau in the southwestern region of Germany. Here, we dormed in the Goethe Institut's Gästehaus, living and taking classes with other international students of all ages. We spent time hiking through the Black Forest with people from around the world, while also embarking on Union-sponsored excursions to nearby cities, such as Colmar, France. In addition to taking a language-intensive course with German teachers at the Goethe Institut, the Union group participated in a German culture and history class with Union College's Professor Erika Nelson. This course spanned the length of the term, while two separate language courses were taken, one in each city.

Following our month-long stay in Freiburg, the Union group traveled together for a week through Germany and the Czech Republic before reaching our final destination of Berlin. During this time, we visited numerous cities including Munich, Prague, and Dresden. One of the special features of the week of travel was that as we continued to learn of Germany's chronological history, its past would play out in the sites we visited in our travels.

Following our arrival in Berlin, students were placed with host families throughout the city. This gave the opportunity to establish a connection with the German people and culture, while also giving us the chance to gain some independence to explore the historical city. Classes at the Goethe Institut were resumed and excursions to various museums (such as the Jewish Museum) and historic sites (including the Buchenwald Concentration Camp) were planned weekly.

As our language skills improved throughout the term, so too did our knowledge of the German history and culture. But the transition and personal growth can certainly be viewed from more than just an educational standpoint. As the term progressed, I found myself changing, becoming more confident, independent, and proficient. I think we all grew a bit in those two months we spent abroad. Not only did these experiences allow us the opportunity to witness history and reflect on its ramifications on the world today, but it also gave us the ability to approach our lives with this new found knowledge and understanding of the many complexities of living in a foreign country and culture. It has certainly given me a greater appreciation for the strength and perseverance of our nation's many immigrants, past and present.

In the term since I have been back at Union, I have looked to become closer to the international student community for this reason, hoping to help even a few people in the transition to living in the United States. I have also come to realize that the term showed me so much about history, but also a lot about myself. I complete my last two years here at Union with a greater understanding of my passions, strengths, and weaknesses, and the desire to capitalize on this insight. I believe that the term abroad was one of the most fulfilling and worthwhile opportunities I have experienced in my life, and I strongly agree that a Union College education, or any college experience for that matter, is incomplete without living abroad in some capacity.

That all being said, I welcome you to my term abroad blog! If you would like to start at the beginning, please feel refer to the "Blog Archive" on the right hand side of the page where you may view the entries in chronological order. In case you have the desire, some of our class assignments are also available for your viewing pleasure under the "Pages" tab.

To sum everything up, thanks for your interest and for tuning in to this blog! Danke! Viel Glück und viel Spaß mit alles! And, in accordance with my signature farewell: 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Final Entry: Post-Germany Reflections

Hallo everyone! Or should I say "hello!" I am back in the US of A and it is nice to be home! We didn't sleep at all before our flights, so we stayed up and worked on homework before catching a taxi to the airport at 3:30 am. We somehow made it to the airport (with our million suitcases) and figured out which terminals to go to. We also managed to switch our luggage around so that Anna and Paula could check 2 suitcases each (their airline allowed that), while I would only have to check one. It worked out well!

So, after waiting around for a bit, I got on the plane and slept the couple of hours to London. The seats were pretty comfortable and I was tired! I found my way around Heathrow (grabbed a sandwich with the extra pounds I had left over from our previous trip to London) and hung out for a bit. After another couple hours of waiting (and an hour delay on the runway), the plane took off. When the panel said that we had seven hours to go, I was a bit antsy and just wanting to see my mom and dad! But somehow, I managed to keep my mind occupied by switching between reading, sleeping, and watching romantic comedies. I think I watched just about five movies that happened to all do with love and marriage. It was quite humorous!

So, when we landed and they announced "Welcome to New York!" I burst into tears. I don't know if I was over-tired or just happy to be home. The line for baggage claim and customs wasn't too bad, so before long, we were all reunited! I found myself even then saying "Danke" instead of "Thank you!" Speaking English all of the time might take some getting used to! It was nice to see my parents and the drive back to Connecticut went by quickly. It was neat to have the chance to talk about the term and hear more about all that I had missed. We picked my brother up and then I was finally home! I was so happy to take a shower, do some real laundry, pet two very cute cats, and sleep in my own bed! I went to bed kind of late just so that I could get back onto CT time. And I actually woke up at a reasonable hour, too. Today (Sunday) was nice. I had the chance to sort of unpack (but not really). It was nice to just sit for a bit and I finally had the chance to drive a car again! We saw some family friends and had a nice evening! It was so wonderful to see all of the familiar sights and speak English without feeling guilty. Now it is Wednesady. Monday was Memorial Day and Tuesday I headed up to Union for a visit. It is great to be reunited with my friends and family. I am glad to be home! It is really interesting how the past two months seem almost surreal to me!

So, now time for some final reflections. I started this post the day after I got home and am now just finishing it on Wednesday, back at Union. And I will keep this quick because I don't even know if everything has completely sunk in yet. This term has just been amazing. It's had it's ups and downs. Its times that I was missing home and fed up with things. Time that were awkward and embarrassing. And times where the cultural barrier just made things so much more difficult. But this spring also shown me some amazing experiences. Those hiking trips in the Black Forest. The conversations with people from all over the world. Finally finding some good friends. I am very fortunate to have this opportunity. And I am glad that I took advantage of it. Looking back on the past couple of months, my adventures have almost a dreamlike feeling to them. But I know that they all really happened and that the memories will last forever. I am glad to be home now. But I think it takes going away and being out of your "comfort zone" to really understand how much the familiar means to you. I am glad to be reunited with my family, friends, language, country, and culture, but I am very appreciative that I was able to experience what it means to live abroad. I hope to some day return to Germany, to see again the cities I've visited and explore those places I did not have the chance to see. But for now, I will reflect back on all that I have done and the ways that I have changed. I look forward to using my experiences to guide me in decisions and life choices in the future.

Well, I guess that's it. It is strange for me to think that this is my last blog entry. Perhaps, I will make appearance on another blog some time in the future. But for now, my loyal readers, thank you for tuning in to my term abroad blog. I have posted all of my projects from the term on the right in case you are interested. So, thank you very much for your love and support over the past two months. I look exchanging stories about the spring. Alright, I will sign this the same way I always do because there always is a next time. Signing off from Schenectady, New York, this is Erica Fugger of Union College. 'Til next time...Tschuess!!!!

Day 61: Final Day in Deutschland!

Hallo Hallo Hallo! Wie geht's? I hope that all is well! So, today is my final full day here in Berlin! And what a day it was...I cannot wait to be home tomorrow and have the chance to see everyone and be around familiar things. It will be very nice! Well, on this last day, I got up very early. I made my way to the Zoological Garten area, which Professor Nelson referred me to yesterday. Here, there is a cheap luggage shop that looked perfect for my travel needs. Well, finding this place was the easy part. I then realized that since I had gotten up so early, the stores weren't even open yet. Wonderful. So, I walked around the area a bit, took some pictures, etc., and waited for it to be 10 am. Well, at about 9:50, I headed back to the shop. That is when I realized that this was like the type of store I had visited in Munich, I could only pay with cash. So, I walked to the S-Bahn station and found a Geldautomat (ATM). As I pulled out my wallet, I remembered that I had put my debit card in my purse, while I had only my credit card in my wallet. This seemed like a logical thing to do at the time because I wanted to separate the cards in case either my purse or wallet got separately stolen. But this morning, I did not bring my purse with me and I had only ten Euros left on me. So, I was pretty much out of luck since I could not use my credit card.

Well, I made the trek back to my apartment and back to the store. Round trip: an hour. Of course, I felt like an idiot, but I really didn't see any alternative (a cash advance on a credit card seemed too risky and I had no idea how to go about doing that). Well, I bought a found a suitable suitcase and brought it back home. There, I somehow managed to pack up all of my belongs into the suitcase and 1.5 carry-ons. But the thing was huge. And when I say "huge," I mean HUGE! But I thought that I could just figure that out later when Paula and Anna could help me get my luggage to their apartment after class.

I headed off to class with the expectation of only staying until the first break. We were all supposed to meet with Professor Nelson beforehand to say goodbye, etc., but Anna and I were the only ones who showed up. I talked to her for a while and we actually ended up missing half of the first part of class. I didn't mind. When I walked into the classroom, everyone was busy with grammar exercises. On the last day most classes were supposed to have a party, but not us! Oh well...I went to the Mediothek during the break in order to wait for Anna. There, I printed out my flight itinerary for tomorrow, which made me feel good to have. Paula, Anna, and I headed to my apartment in order to pick up my things and say goodbye. It was a very awkward goodbye: I tried to be warm and appreciative, but all I got was a handshake. I hope my host mom liked her gifts!

So, here the true saga begins. Well, after some wonderful back-breaking work, we made it down the stairs with all of my luggage. Here is where we realized the gravity of the situation: I had way too much stuff. Well, I wouldn't even say that it was too much exactly. It was more of the fact that my new bag was horribly bulky and incredibly difficult to tow along. And then...the wheels started breaking off! I was running down the U-Bahn stairs with this heavy thing (hoping not to trip or kill someone along the way...) and all of the little wheels were now missing from the left side. No more easy towing of this thing. Well, we made it to Anna and Paula's stop somehow, but I then understood that I would not be able to carry "the beast" all the way to their apartment. I was already pretty warn out and even if I was in amazing swimming shape, I would not have been capable of doing so. So, I had my smaller rolling duffel bag in the big suitcase and I took that we could fill that to make the big one less heavy. That worked well and it ended up that while one person rolled the duffel, the other two helped carry the huge suitcase. Somehow, after many rests, we made it to the apartment. We stored everything downstairs and trekked all the way up to the top floor. Anna and Paula made the suggestion that I could just try to pack everything in the smaller bags I had (it was possible, as long as I got rid of some hot commodities like my bulky Goethe binder), so we went downstairs and hauled everything up to their apartment.

While Anna and Paula went off shopping, somehow I managed to do the impossible. I fit everything into my original bags! I dislike the fact that I paid money for a cheap piece of luggage that fell apart so soon after its purchase, but really, I am glad that I had something that could just get me to their apartment! And I don't think that I could have gone through all of my belongs in the short time that I had in order to condense my luggage. And it looks now like Anna is going to have to use the suitcase anyway because they need some extra storage and their airline allows for two checked bags each. So, I guess it will be useful after all!

Well, that was pretty much my day. It was such a tiring period of time that I thought that I felt obliged to chronicle it step by step. Now, the sisters are back from their shopping trip and they are trying to get all of their packing done. I am standing by in case they need any help. I took a shower and lay down, so I feel a bit better. I think that we are going to try to stay up to 4 am and then sleep at the airport so that we get used to east coast time again. I guess we'll see how that goes! The three of us are taking a taxi to the airport, so it will be nice to be in a group and not have to worry about using the subway. Wow, I cannot believe that this day has actually come! I am sure that tomorrow during my layover, I will have more to say and more reflections on my travels. But for now, I think this will due. So, looking forward to being States-side soon! I cannot wait! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 60: Goodbye Dinner

Halloooo!!! It is the last full night here in Berlin! I cannot believe it!! I am very excited. But I don't really know what to expect of the next couple of days. I really am looking forward to going home, but I feel like I will have mixed emotions when I am actually on the plane. I guess we will have to see what it all brings!

So, today was interesting. I got up and went on the hunt for cheap luggage. It looks like I have bought too many souvenirs for the contents of my suitcase! I should have anticipated that I would come home with more than I brought over. But it really was my fault for packing in such a small bag. So, I tried the Galleria Kaufhaus where I had shopped last week. On the way there, I was stopped by someone and asked if I spoke English. I don't know what gave me away! My red hair? There really aren't very many red heads in Germany. So, I thought this person might be asking for directions, but instead she gave me a card to read, asking for money. I always feel badly about this type of thing, but I just said "sorry" and walked away. It was an interesting experience. Anyway, at the Galleria they had some nice luggage there, but it was way out my budget. I had seen some discount luggage stores in Munich and other cities, but I was not able to find that on my search this morning. Luckily, Professor Nelson was able to refer me to a great place which has luggage for under twenty Euro. I am planning on getting up early and heading there tomorrow so that I can finish my packing in time to bring my luggage with me to class so that I can head over to spend the night at Anna and Paula's. We have similar flights time-wise, so it makes the most sense for us to leave around the same time in the morning. I guess we will see how that all goes!

So, I went to class and was again a bit bored. We did literally the same exercises as yesterday, so it was the fourth time that I learned this material. Wonderful. After class, Andrea and I worked on our video project. We were supposed to have dinner with the group at 7:30, but somehow that got switched to 7 pm and we hadn't really anticipated that. So, Matt, Andrea, and I all ended up getting to the restaurant at 7:30 anyway. But it wasn't really a big deal. The place was on a different street than I had originally thought, so it took us some more time to get there. But it all worked out. We had a nice time at dinner. I decided to go with some traditional German food for my last real meal and had some Wienerschnitzel. It was good, but I am looking forward to getting back into some more regular, healthy eating habits while I was home.

Dinner was nice, we discussed the trip: what we liked, what we thought could be improved. Andrea and I finished our video project and Anna helped check over the grammar to some of our more complicated sentences. We all premiered our videos, also. I was very happy to hand over all of my work to Professor Nelson. It is nice to be done, but I cannot believe that the term is actually over!

After dinner, we went to Anna and Paula's for just a little bit before heading home. I am glad that I am spending the last night here. Hopefully, I will have the chance to say goodbye to my host mother before I leave. I haven't really seen her to tell her that I will be leaving tomorrow afternoon. I am planning on going to class until the first break. Most classes are shortened tomorrow, but I don't know my teacher's exact plans. Well, that's about it for now. I hope that everyone is doing well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 59: Change in Flight

Hallo everyone! 2 more days of classes!! So, I actually got a decent amount of sleep last night and woke up feeling ready! It was nice to spend some time with Anna and Paula, and it made doing homework a little less lonely. They took me out to breakfast this morning to thank me for letting them use my computer and for helping with a little bit of editing of their video project. After a nice breakfast, we headed to class. A bit of a boring day, but only two more left to go!

So, after class, I headed right home to finish my last test! And I did! I finally done and all I have to do is look over my picture and video project before being done for the summer! Paula and Anna switched computers with me for the night so that they could finish their project. So, I will be done with my projects at this time tomorrow!! I'm very excited!

Hmm...What else? Well, my flight was canceled due to the British Airways strike. I tried to get on the same flight as Andrea, but that didn't work out. So, instead I am on an earlier flight that gets me into New York at 2:45 pm! Pretty cool! And that's much better than 10:00 pm! So, tomorrow morning, I am going to getting most of my packing done. I will finish all of my work tomorrow night before/a little after the going away dinner. And then Friday, I will be able to enjoy my last day and just have some fun! I am excited!! Well, that's about it for now...nothing really exciting to report. Since I don't have my own computer, I am going to have to wait again on uploading the pictures from this weekend. But they will come soon! 2 more days!! Hope all is well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 58: Hausaufgabe

Hallo! Wie geht's? Three days to go! Wow... Well it is very late here. I guess that you could say that we are attempting to get back onto US time. I am currently at Paula and Anna's and we have been doing work all night long...and all morning long too. So, let me first recount the day. I woke up and worked on some projects, but I was a bit worried about not having an adapter. I headed to school and got some advice on where I could find one. I didn't really want to buy another one with only a few days left, but I definitely needed to plug my computer in to work on all of our projects and I also was able to find one for very cheap. Class was driving me a bit crazy. We had presentations for the first section, which was okay. We then did some grammar (German 101 and Freiburg all over again...lovely). But we also had some interesting discussions about the Holocaust and life in modern Berlin. I like my teacher, which is really interesting for me because she is pretty gruff. My Freiburg teacher was so nice, but this one is just entertaining with the way she critiques us. It was interesting to gain the "stereotypical" German perspective in relation to immigrants. Much of what our teacher said confirmed what was said during our tour last Friday, but it kind of made me sad that there are so different viewpoints. I could definitely see how some of these differences could lead to prejudice. After class, Andrea and I headed to Alexanderplatz in search of my adapter and some gifts. Then, I started doing some more work, and was messaged by Paula and Anna. They were having trouble with their computer and so I went over to their house to let them use mine for their video project. And I have been here ever since! I am glad that I am staying here tonight, it is nice to have a break from my apartment. I am very happy with how much I have gotten done. I have not procrastinated and I am pretty much very close to being done with the final three projects we have. Awesome! And then it's summer! I'm not sure what I am up to tomorrow, but hopefully we won't be too exhausted. I don't think I'm going to have too much trouble with jet lag. Well, I better get back to work. Hope all is well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 54-57: Bad Sulza

Hallo all! Wow, what a weekend. I hope everything is going well with you all back home! Countdown: 5/4 days! Wahoo! Well, I have been without internet for the past four days. It wasn't like that fact was ending my life or anything, but I really didn't realize how much I have come to depend on its services. But I survived and everything is fine now. Haha!

Anyway, I will first begin by recounting Friday. Well, we awoke early in order to meet for a tour of Kreuzburg. I live in this section of Berlin, but there actually are two sections within this area, so the tour was of the other half. While my Kreuzburg is supposedly pretty well of, Anna and Paula live in the other section which has more of an interesting and eclectic character. On the tour of "SO 36" (their area), I learned so much about interesting post-WWII history. Back in the early days of East and West Berlin, Turkish women were asked to work as guest workers in the "island" between East--West Berlin. These women were really quite unique because it was more often foreign men who were asked to work in industrial countries. They came to Germany alone and sent back money to their families in hopes of either returning to Turkey or bringing their families to Germany. It was interesting to hear how some women stayed and how they were able to keep their original homes, which are now very high commodity spots in SO 36. We also visited the opening day of a huge mosque and ate some delicious home-cooked Turkish food. I really enjoyed learning more about the culture of Kruezburg!

After the tour, we took taxis to the train station in order to make our way to Bad Salza (I think I might be spelling it wrong). So, we had a little over two hours on the train before we arrived at this little town in the middle of nowhere. Dre and I worked on our movie project, so time passed pretty quickly. I was just glad not to be in class that day! We came to Bad Sulza and walked for about ten minutes down a winding road to get to the hotel. We stayed at a pretty neat spa. The place itself was interesting architecture-wise because it had been a former-East hotel. Our room had a scenic view out onto the hills and yellow flowers of the area. The room was a divide double, which was also pretty neat. So, Friday night, some of us went to the spa. The place is a pretty sweet resort with pools that have underwater speakers (called "Liquid Sound"), saunas, and some water therapy centers. The way these pools work is that you float on your back and listen to the music underwater. I'm actually not a good floater, which was evident pretty much right away. I wasn't able to get a spot on the wall where I could stick my feet and float better, so I opted for the middle. They have these sort of therapists who come around and move you through the water. It supposedly feels like flying to some. So, it really was no surprise to me that my sinking self was the first one to be chosen to be floated around. It was an interesting feeling, but I still wasn't really able to relax like some other people. After the Bach concert we listened to underwater, we explored some of the other pools and saunas. I liked all of the changing lights and the outdoor areas. The saunas were different, but not really my thing. It is interesting how the culture over here is a bit different, especially regarding the clothing-not-allowed part.

So, that was that for the night. We woke up the next morning and had an amazing breakfast at the hotel. Food can be so good over here! After breakfast, we headed to Weimar for a tour. We saw most of the historic sites around the small city. It was really neat to see both Goethe and Schiller's homes! After spending the morning there, we went to a concentration camp in the vicinity. This was probably one of the most horrific camps in Germany (the extermination camps were most often located in the territories Germany took over, such as Poland). I was definitely not ready for some of the sights I saw. But I spent a lot of time in the exhibit areas and learned all about the history: the liberation, post-WWII times, etc. I really had an interesting time. Although it is difficult and always emotional to visit these places, I think it is important that they are preserved as a memory of a horrific past. It ended up that most people spent a lot less time in the camp than me and one other Union student did. So, they went back to Weimar and waited for us there. We came back and split up again to go different places. I ended up going with Andrea and Paula to a local Volksfest. It was actually like a carnival. And no one was there...But we had fun walking around, talking, and hanging out. We met up again and headed back to the spa for another night of relaxing.

Sunday morning, we woke up early and went to to a private class on "water wellness." Professor Nelson actually knows a lot of people who work at this center, so we had some opportunities through her connections. In this class, we had to relax and be moved/move each other through the water for an hour each. I don't think that I was able to relax as much as some other people did, but I enjoyed the experience overall. We hung out and got some work done for the remainder of the day. After dinner together, we headed again to the spas. Here, we got yelled at a bit for wearing clothes, etc., but it all worked out fine. We didn't realize that we were supposed to meet Professor Nelson at another hotel restaurant to just discuss the next days plans, but luckily, we were able to catch up with her later on. In the meantime, Andrea and I hung out with Paula and Anna. It has really been nice to get closer to different people on this trip.

We had breakfast together this morning and figured out what we wanted to do today. It ended up that Professor Nelson's friend was driving through Leipzig, so Matt and I went there to explore the city, while the rest of the group stayed at the hotel. I am definitely glad that we went to Leipzig, but I am a bit tired from all of the traveling. I liked seeing another city and exploring some of the historic sites. We thought at first that the people of Leipzig were very into dressing in the Gothic style, but it ended up that there was a convention going on at the time. We wandered around a bit and then it started hailing out of nowhere while we were in a restaurant. We headed back to the train station in order to meet the rest of the group on the incoming train. Luckily, we made it on time and got back to Berlin fine.

It wasn't until I was back to my room that I realized that my adapter (which allows me to charge my computer in a European plug) was probably left in the hotel. I guess that what happened was that when I went to unplug it, I didn't realize that the adapter didn't come out of the wall. It stressed me out a bit because I still have a bit to do homework-wise before I leave Berlin. But Andrea let me charge my computer (I went over to her apartment for a couple of hours), so I think it will work out that I can charge it during class and have the battery at full for when I get home at night. Boy, do I feel stupid! But I am confident that I can get all of my work done! So, right now, it is pretty late. I am hoping to finish my final test tonight and get it handed in tomorrow. Hopefully, I can do that! I am pretty tired right now, but I will enjoy these last few days, as I hope you will all do, too! Well, I better get some more work done. 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 53: Museum Night

Hallo everyone! Day 53! Countdown: 8 days (again, I am writing this pretty late)! I cannot believe that we only have about a week left in Germany. I know this next week will be a fun one! So, today: class again. No school tomorrow because we are headed to Weimar! Then, we have Monday off too because it is a holiday. Very cool, indeed.

After class, and I headed to "Museum Island" for free admission night. We first hit up the Neues Museum, which was a very neat place. It had some of the same things we had seen in London: an Egyptian section (where I got in a bit of trouble for trying to take a picture...there weren't any signs saying we couldn't take them there...I wasn't the only one to get my camera shielded either!). But what I liked most was the history of the museum itself. This place was around in the pre-WWII era and it faced damage when Berlin was air raided at the end of the war. The museum was exposed to the elements for 40 years after the war before a roof was reconstructed and the contents resurveyed. That bit of history was more interesting to me and any of the relics contained within the building!

After the Neues Museum, we decided to go to the Altes Museum (maybe we should have done that in a different order). But we weren't really that interested at that moment in going inside, so we decided to go to another museum whose name escapes me at the moment (it sounded a bit like Parthenon, though). I guess that this is the "museum to see" while you are in Berlin, or so Matt told us when we happened to meet up with him in one of the rooms (again, what are the chances of seeing another Union student in a city this size?!)! This museum also had a long history before WWII and was again damaged by air raids. It really amazed me how someone was able to move huge building from Rome (or somewhere around there) and bring them to Germany in order to reconstruct them in a museum. Purely mind-boggling. There were literally ancient ruins in this museum. Quiet interesting stuff.

So, after our visit, Andrea and I saw a neat little restaurant and decided to stop there for dinner. We each got different types of wurst and potato salad. Delicious! I hadn't enjoyed traditional German cuisine in a while, so it was treat. I was invited over to Paula and Anna's for a sleepover, but decided to head home instead because I think that I really need a good night's rest. We are headed on a tour of my area of Berlin tomorrow and then we are leaving for Weimar. I am excited to eat and learn some more about Turkish history during the tour and I cannot wait to see Weimar! Should be a good weekend! I am not sure if I will have internet access until Monday, but if I don't, then I will be sure to catch up on our travels then. Have a nice weekend! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

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!

Day 51: Die Reichstag

Hallo all! It is Day 51...And only 11 days to go...Actually, it will change to 10 days as I am writing this blog! So, today was quite a long day. We woke up this morning and actually did the tour of the Reichstag. It was a pretty neat place! There was so much visible history there! I liked the graffiti that was uncovered on its walls from the end of the Second World War. I also liked the dome from which you could look down on parliamentary happenings. The tour itself was a little long-winded and no one was really having a good time. But it was definitely a good opportunity to have a personal tour organized through the Goethe Institut because typically, people wait hours in line to go inside. The security was very tight, they thoroughly checked our bags. And when I say thoroughly, I mean THOROUGHLY. The guy even commented on my soggy sandwich!

After the tour, we didn't have much time before class. No one was really excited about going to the Goethe Institut either. But we all managed to make it through the day. We met up at the Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz at 7 pm. In between the end of classes and the meeting time, I picked up some little gifts for Andrea's birthday. She's 21 today, so we went out as a group to dinner. It was neat to meet in Potsdamer Platz because I hadn't really seen the area previously. This was the former "No Man's Land" between the two walls dividing the city. The rebuilt this place into a business and shopping area. It was pretty interesting because as I was walking to the Sony Center, I encountered some remnants of the wall, in addition to an extensive police blockade around the Ritz Hotel. I think that I might have been on the wrong side of the fence, but no one stopped me from walking there. The place was pretty deserted anyway.

So, we met up and headed to another area of town. Andrea decided to eat at a cool Indian restaurant. It was a pretty miserable day again, but the outside eating area was huge, under a tent, and heated. We ended up sat there. So, we had a nice dinner...I was pretty full by the end of it. We parted ways in hopes of making it home pretty soon, but the U-Bahn wasn't really functioning properly. I guess they were trying to make some nighttime renovations. Anyway, we finally made it back and all is good in the world. I think that Andrea's unhappiness with being stuck in class on her birthday were really turned around by the celebration we had for her. I am glad that we were able to make her 21 birthday special! Well, I am a bit exhausted. I really need to get some sleep so that I don't get sick like the others. Hope all is well! We were talking today and we realized that we have definitely been out of the loop on somethings back in the US. It will be interesting to be back and hear about all that has gone on! 11 days...or 10 now! Gute Nacht! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 50: Burning of Books

Halloooo! Day 50! 12 days to go...wow!! Well, today was interesting...I woke up pretty early (and went to bed pretty late) in order to go on the tour of the Reichstag (Parliament). But it ended up that the tour got moved to tomorrow without anyone knowing about it! Oh well...Since I was up, Andrea and I headed to the local university, which we had seen during the tour. It's actually a really neat story because during WWII, the university was the site where 20,000 "controversial/un-German" books were burned by the Nazis, students, and educators. The school vowed that it would never let something like that happen again, so every day, it holds a book sale outside its library. The other neat thing is that in the center of the square in front of the university platz, there is a glass window you can look through into the ground. Below are bookselves...enough to hold 20,000 books. I just thought that it was really neat that they would commemorate the event like this and that they say that it was a very dark chapter in the university's history.

After our visit to the book sale, Andrea and I parted ways. I headed back to the Goethe Institut to work on some homework, while she made the trek to the Olympic Stadium today. I got some work done (finally, almost finished with my test!) and then headed to class. I was pretty tired and a bit hungry in class. But it went by and my day was done. I stayed and worked some more before heading home. I really wasn't in any rush; I just didn't feel like going back right away. I did some grocery shopping and then walked across the street to my apartment. As I walked into my room, my host mother came out. She finally introduced me to her friend who lives here! Ja! He seems like a really nice guy; he complimented me on my German (ha!) and just was very friendly overall. My host mom really is a nice person, but I think that she may have just had bad tenants in the past and she is just a bit strict about things. It's nice not to take things so personally. So, I had some dinner and here I am blogging again. It turns out that I might actually write a blog next year for the Times Union Newspaper on college life. I guess we will see if that works out, but it definitely would be an interesting thing to do! Well, I must get back to work. 12 days to go! Wow! Enjoy the afternoon! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 49: Olympia Park

Hallo! Wow, what a day! I woke up this morning (yes it was the morning) and decided that I wanted to go on an adventure all by myself. I agreed to meet Andrea at 3 pm and spent the late morning/early afternoon on my own. At first, I was planning to re-explore some of the historic landmarks we had seen during our city tour. But as I was on the U-Bahn (subway), I realized that it is very difficult to reach the Brandenburger Tor without changing trains a million times. So, I set my eyes on Potsdamer Platz, the new city center after the fall of the Wall. But I realized that I didn't really want to go there either after another stop caught my eye: Olympia Park! Yes, I have been yearning to visit the site of the 1936 Olympics and I was able to do so today! So, I took the U-Bahn all the way to the outskirts of Berlin and immediately was able to see the Olympic Stadium. The neat thing was that I finished Michael Phelp's biography just as I rolled into the station! Unfortunately, the stadium itself was not open, but I don't think that it is open to the public save for special occasions. So, I saw a sign that mentioned an observation tower in the vicinity and thought that I could see what was in the area.

Well, I walked for a long time and never made it to the tower! But I saw some really neat things along the way. There was an exhibit of Olympic history, I believe (I'm not really sure what it was...I didn't actually go inside because it looked like it would have cost a lot of money), I saw some horse competition areas, and I finally made my way to the Olympic Park. Before I talk more about the last bit of my tour, I will mention a bit of history. First, just to refresh my own memory, I cannot forget to mention the historic significance of the 1936 Olympics. It was the Summer Games that Jesse Owens' wins was "snubbed" by Hitler and also by FDR (Hitler refused to congratulate Owens...as did FDR. Hopefully, for different reasons...). And the historic significance of the stadium continued even through WWII. This home of the Olympics was damaged by bombing during the final days of war, as Berlin was being taken by the Soviets, street by street. So, it was very interesting to have the opportunity to visit this site for at least those two reasons. But what I found interesting in another way was my tour of Olympia Park. In some ways, I wish that I had seen this section of the competition areas first because it definitely was the most interesting and scenic. So, I walked through the soccer fields and past the bright blue Berlin track. I then made my way to my favorite area: the Olympic Pool. It was our first gorgeous day here in Berlin and I could really have gone for a good swim (especially after the hot aerobics class I took later on...). There were a good deal of people in the outside pool, enjoying the sun. I am excited because Andrea and I (both of us being swimmers) might end up going back and swimming a few laps. It would be neat to say that we swam in an Olympic Pool!

So, after taking some pictures, I needed to get back to the train station so that I could meet Andrea in time for our homework session. But, the only problem was that I had walked so far that I was somewhere near the other side of the park. I was happy with myself because I used the old noggin of mine and figured out that if I walked a certain way that I might just make it to the train station. And it worked! I made it back into town right on time, and Andrea and I proceeded to her neck of the woods. We are working to finish our video project on Eis Cafes (due by the end of the term). So, we stopped at the ice cream shop by her apartment and finally ordered one of their fancy creations, so as to show the art behind German ice cream (or the Italian influence present in Germany). I ordered a delicious frozen yogurt with fresh fruit. It was delicious! We weren't really able to get any of the homework done outside, so we went back to Andrea's place and got some work done. I am really excited to see how the video comes out; Macs have some pretty neat video editing technology and I am glad that I have a bit of experience with how to use that type of thing.

Well, after that short conquest, we headed to do some hot yoga. It really is interesting...I still think that it is not my favorite mood of relaxation and I'm not one to enjoy sitting in a sauna and working out, but it definitely is an experience. And I liked the instructor better this time. If she had something to say to us English speakers (there were multiple ones in the class), she would just say it in our native language and we would figure out if she was talking to us and correct our position as needed. Much better for me in that way. After class, I headed home. You see some real characters on the trains here: guitar and clarinet duos, lots of people "Damen and Herren"-ing in order to get money, and actually a lot of Americans today. So, I've just been home for the night, trying to get some work done. Hopefully, some more adventures in the days to come! Well, I'd better get going...I need some sleep! Hope all is well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 48: Galleria Kaufhaus

Hallo everyone! Well, today was quite interesting. I stayed up pretty late last night doing homework and such, so I slept kind of late this morning. But that was okay with me! I got up and started just checking over my take-home test, when my host mother knocked on my door. At that point, I was also eating breakfast in my room (I hope that was okay). She basically commented that she hasn't seen me very often, somewhat saying what she had said in the note. I just was trying to convey that I wasn't trying to be rude; our lack of interaction is just based on our separate schedules! Before I left, I wrote my host mom a note kind of explaining things a bit more and saying that I would love to have the opportunity to introduce myself to her husband/friend who also seems to live here...I hope my words were not taken the wrong way! It's so hard to judge how things are perceived here and there are so many taboos that I don't know if I am overstepping any boundaries. But anyway, after spending the morning in the house, I met Andrea in the early afternoon. We planned to go to a used bookstore and just hang out before meeting Anna and Paula a little later. But the weather was not very welcoming to our wandering, so we headed into the nearest store (the Galleria Kaufhaus) and wandered there a bit. I was first sort of disappointed that I would be spending my day again looking at clothes that I was not planning to buy. But we came to a consensus that it would be interesting to look at what else the six floor department store had to offer. What we soon realized was that this place was awesome! I had seen the Galleria Kaufhaus in various other German cities we had visited, but we had never actually been inside of one. I think the one in Berlin is probably the biggest we'd seen and it was definitely worth exploring. We ended up doing some shopping for other people and I realized that is what what I really enjoy. I had so much fun picking out things and actually found some very nice gifts.

After seeing part of the store, we headed outside and somehow found Paula and Anna. We then did some more exploring and shopping before parting ways in the early evening. I was really looking forward to exploring the city and not shopping, but I think it was actually a very enjoyable day after all. Maybe tomorrow I will visit some museums (hopefully they will be open) or travel again to Berlin's historic landmarks. I really want to make sure that I see some more the the capital's history before I leave. I think it is important for me to do some exploring on my own and just sort of figure things out for myself over the next few days. I think that I really have learned a lot about myself this trip, like I had mentioned before. I am glad that I had the opportunity to be here in Germany, to be out of my comfort zone, to see another culture, and to mature a bit as an individual. I really look forward to giving some tips and advice to the Union students considering coming here next year because I definitely know of some things I could have done differently and the things I did right. Two weeks to go...it's unbelievable. I know that this last two weeks in Europe are going to be memorable. Well, I must go to bed at a reasonable time so that I can get a start on my adventures tomorrow morning. Hope all is well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 47: Jewish Museum

Hallo all! Es ist Freitag! Yay, Friday!! Today was (as always) an interesting day. We began our daily travels in the Jewish Meuseum heute. This museum is actually very close to my apartment and I didn't even realize that I could have walked there! So, we had a guided tour that ended up being in German. I was glad to understand a lot of what the guide was explaining, but I had to ask a few points of clarification at the end to make sure that I was taking away from the experience all that I could. I wish I had a little more time to spend there because there definitely is a lot more to see. The interesting thing is that this museum was not a Holocaust memorial or a place to learn more about the atrocities resulting from the Nazi Era. It was more of a chronicle of Jewish life and an insight into the history of the Jewish people. Some of what I saw actually brought me to tears.

The architecture of the museum is in it of itself very interesting. It was built in order to have the museum-goer grow accustomed to feeling off-balance as the museum walls were built at varying angles. This method was used in order to symbolize the way the Jewish people have often felt uneasy in society. The exhibits which truly stuck a nerve were one associated with the Second World War. They first depicted protests to boycotting of Jewish stores. A handbill argued how Hitler had himself said that it was illegal to speak with rudeness to a World War I veteran. It went on to say 12,000 Jewish men had died amongst the ranks of the German army in WWI and how the very police who were enforcing the boycott could themselves be arrested for their vehement words for the Jewish store-owner-veterans. I had heard that resistance of this kind had occurred at the beginning of Hitler's rule, but it was very interesting to see the actual evidence of this fact. The most striking aspect of the museum (in my opinion) was the random street interviews with the German populace in the 1960s. A reporter approached people on the streets and asked them questions about their knowledge of the happenings of WWII and their opinions on how future generations should treat Germany's past. I was touched by the responses that were given by a large amount of those interviewed. But I also was sadly unsurprised by some of the things that were said in regards to how the Holocaust should be later taught. Overall, I found the short time that we were in the museum to be a very interesting and insightful experience. I hope that I have the opportunity to learn more about this history in the future, also.

After our trip to the museum, I headed to the Goethe Institut and worked on some homework in the little amount of time we had before classes. Since yesterday was our day off and no one really wants to go to class on Fridays anyway, we were definitely missing some of the group today. But I was glad that I went to class because we actually went over some German grammar that I have been wondering about for a while. It had been bothering me that I could not remember exactly how to use an important aspect of sentence structure! I had learned this grammar rule some time last year, but I have definitely become more comfortable in using it after today's lesson. The funny thing is that the way the teacher explained it wasn't exactly how I came to better understand the rule. I had to sort of think about it in my own terms and figure out the best way think about it so that I would understand exactly how to use it. I think that is the way that some people are in the way that they learn, they have to think about the subject in their own terms so as to best relate it to their mode of thinking. That's why teaching is such a hard profession, but being a student is equally difficult in different ways: we all learn differently!

So, class went by smoothly for the most part, but I was glad when the day was over. After class, I decided to join Andrea, Paula, and Anna for hot yoga. I'm not sure if that's exactly what it is called, but that's what I'm calling it! Basically, it's an hour and a half of yoga in a hot room. Interesting stuff. I don't really know if I'll ever be into that type of thing, but I like that it improves flexibility and all of that. I am just not the type of person who can relax enough to meditate with a group! For me, it was more of a interesting thing to try out and something to pass the time. To each his own, I suppose...So, after a sweaty subway ride back to my apartment, I have just been relaxing for the most part. I am hoping to get some homework done (what an exciting Friday night, I know). It was definitely nice to have spend time with Anna and Paula this week while they were happy just hanging out for a while! I don't know, maybe I am missing out on some experiences. But maybe I am just gaining my own, unique ones. I think that life is just what you make of it and that you never waste time as long as you are doing something you are happy with. If I am happy reading a book and relaxing because it makes me feel well-rested and able to enjoy my days here, I should enjoy it and not care about what other people think! Glad that's settled!

Oh gosh, well it is getting late. Around this time is when I start thinking too much! I know that I am going to miss this whole experience, but I definitely think that I have gotten the most out of it. And what is "the most" anyway? I'm not really sure. I just mean that I have seen so much and my life has definitely been changed, which I guess is the purpose of studying abroad. And I can't forget that there's still two more weeks to go! I can't wait to continue to explore Berlin and to just enjoy the rest of the term. Well, before I go, I can't forget to mention I very sweet note I received by my bedroom door tonight. It was letter from my host mother basically saying that she hopes that everything is going well, that I shouldn't feel like I am disturbing them by living here, that I can use the washing machine and cook if I'd like to (yes!), and that I can feel free to ask any questions if I have them. I wonder if she just got the feeling that I was hesitant to approach her or if she might have overheard me saying something along those lines (although I do not remember mentioning the thought to anyone while in the confines of the apartment). I was glad that she was very nice in the letter, though, and I might just take her up on some of these offers. Anyway, I must get going. Two weeks from tomorrow I embark across the Atlantic! Wow...Gute nacht! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 46: No class!

Hallo! Day 46! Wow! Hope everyone had a nice day! It was pretty overcast here, but it was a fine day overall. We had the day off from class, which was nice. I slept over Paula and Anna's and we didn't get up until the afternoon! I am convinced that this busy life is just very tiring overall because I am definitely not used to sleep this late. We basically just hung out for the afternoon. I finished the history book we have to read this term, which is good. Anna and I ended up going for a run over on my side of town. We first went through Victoria Park (the park with the waterfall), but it was not really conducive to running so we headed along our way to the Volks Park. Once we arrived at the next park, my ankle was a bit sore so we walked a bit just to take a break. We ran down to two more U-Bahn stops and then took the train back to I was glad that I wasn't really tired after it all. I guess I'm not too much out of shape! I headed back to their apartment and we were planning to go out to dinner, but I decided to head back home since I hadn't really been there since yesterday morning! And that's where I've been for a little bit. I think I am going to stay in for the remainder of the night and hopefully get some work done. I really hope that the next two weeks will be fun! What a term it has been! Well, I must do some more writing. 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 45: More Tours!

Hallo everyone! Wie geht's? I am currently hanging out with Paula and Anna in their apartment! And we are going to be having a sleepover! Yay! It actually has been quite an interesting day. This morning, we woke up pretty early to have a tour of the Jewish Quarters in Berlin. But waking up early was definitely worth it because it was a fantastic tour. We saw everything from the foundation of the first synagogue to remaining evidence from World War II bombings. Pretty neat (although sometimes difficult to see) stuff. After the tour, we had a nice lunch at a cafe near the Goethe Institut. Paula and I had some delicious omlettes (although they can not compare to the ones made in Union's West Colleget!) and we just sat and talked for a while. Class went by fairly quickly and I headed to Paula and Anna's after talking to Professor Nelson for a bit. We've just been hanging out here ever since. It has been really nice to get to know them better and just relax out a bit. We talked, ate some pudding, made some puzzles, etc. It was a nice and relaxing night, just what I needed! So, tomorrow is a holiday! I don't know yet exactly what I will be doing, but definitely something interesting! I am looking forward to having the day off from classes. Hope everything is going well with everyone back home! Only 17 days 'til I hop the plane back to the US...wow. Well, have a good night! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 44: Sleep

Hallo! It is Day 44 with only 18 to go! Wow, I cannot believe it! So, I hope everyone had a nice day back home! I hear that's it's pretty cold in the northeast at the moment; it's the same here, too! I wish it would warm up a bit so that everyone would be in higher spirits! I am enjoying my time here in Berlin, but it is definitely a lot different than Freiburg. I like the independence, but the city-setting is not like anything I am used to. There is so much to do here and so much to see! I am definitely enjoying the opportunities we have with our Union group to take tours and see the museums and everything. But I hope that I will be able to do some more exploring on my own and I definitely plan to do so over the next two plus weeks.

I kind of had hoped that I would be able to go off and adventure out a bit this morning, but that did not happen. I did not set an alarm clock! I knew that I was operating on very little sleep last night, but I really hadn't felt incredibly tired. So, I reasoned that I would not set an alarm and that my body would wake me up when it was ready to be awoken. I also figured that time was bound to be a great deal before I had to leave for my class (12:45). Well, at exactly 1:15 pm, I opened my eyes I stared at my alarm clock. And I could not believe what I was seeing! I climbed down the ladder from my bed to the ground floor and found my wrist watch. The face read exactly the same time. I could not believe it, I had slept the morning away and woke up exactly as class was starting! I didn't mind it too much, really. I haven't missed a minute of class up until now, so I got ready and headed to the Goethe Institut without too many worries. Although I was a bit late, I made it in before even the first break, so I was happy. "Better late than never," right? So, I really do have no recollection of this morning, save a couple of wisps of a passing dream!

Well, the class went by fairly quickly, but unfortunately, I am still a bit unhappy with the pace of the course. And the teacher is, too, it seems--she wants to teach the material differently than the way the administration has instructed. After class, it looked like no one was really going to be doing anything too interesting, so Andrea and I headed down the street to a big shopping area. She originally had wanted to go to another area with stores that I already seen a few times, so I was glad when we agreed on seeing something else! But still, I don't want to spend all of my Berlin time in chain stores! Hopefully, some real adventures this week! So, tonight, just some more relaxing and catching up on things. I ate a vegetable "kebap:" delicious. Anyway, I probably should head to bed pretty soon because we have to wake up early tomorrow! Hope that all is well! 'Til next time...Tschuess!

Day 42 & 43: Back in Berlin

Hallo everyone! It is late here in Berlin, but I thought it best to write all of this down before I head to bed. Wow, it's been a real whirlwind few days. Last time I write, we were in the hostel in the suburbs of London and I was on my quest for Fish and Chips. Well, I found it all right. The authentic stuff and everything. What I also found was a couple of interested stares at my accent and a stomach ache after eating that fried fish! Well, I guess it was worth it though. I mean, one is obligated to try the British delicacy once in a lifetime! So, after our trip out to find some food, Andrea and I decided to retire back to our quarters. It wasn't a very restful sleep (these hostels seemed to be generally loud places), but at least I wasn't dreaming about cockroaches like I was the night before!

So, we woke up the next more and had a pretty good breakfast. Free food is key at these places! We then headed back to Buckingham Palace to see the "Changing of the Guards." This basically is a very elaborate military ceremony held every day in order to bring in tourists while the Queen's Guards change shifts. It was a really neat thing and we had prime viewing places. Unfortunately, there was a point in which people realized we had a nice view and they started crowding around us and pushing. I didn't like that too much, but it was pretty short-lived so we managed. In this ceremony, two bands march in playing pretty patriotic music while the guards to some neat footwork and marching. Then the band pulled out their stands and played some more contemporary favorites. But these we're just your typical British royalty marches. Nope, instead we heard songs ranging from "The Theme from Austin Powers" to "Copacabana" to "Harry Potter." Pretty neat stuff and very surprising too!

Since Andrea and I were pretty much in to seeing the free, yet interesting points in the city, we headed to the British Museum next. And we are very glad that we went because we got to the Rosetta Stone, mummies, and lots more! Then, we went to a mediotheque where we got to view free British shows and movies for a while. Pretty cool stuff! We ventured into a cheap restaurant and then made our way to the Piccadilly Circus Tube stop. By the way, their subway system (the "Undergound" or "Tube") dates back to 1911 and is incredibly far underground! But anyway, we walked into the lobby of the "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" exhibits and ended up talking to one of the people who worked there for a long time. He was a young guy and very outgoing. The cool thing is that we got to talk to him about anything--he wasn't there to try to force us into the museum thing (by the way, it would have cost the equivalent of over $30 each to go inside!), he just was supposed to talk to interesting people and tell them a little bit about the exhibit along the way. It was a pretty neat experience to chat a bit with a random British guy...and I even asked him about our accents, whether they were noticeable or strong or whatever. He said that they weren't really strange or anything because we are from the east coast and because he'd grown up watching the show "Friends." It was just a cool experience overall and made me interested in just talking to more people in a laid back setting in general. The interesting thing is that whenever I am in this sort of random situation in a foreign country, talking to a stranger, they always comment on how much I laugh. I think that I must laugh as a means of dispelling my nervousness or something. I guess he complimented me though because he mentioned the fact that children laugh over 200 times daily, while adults rarely crack a smile over 20 times. I'll have to check those statistics. Just thought that it was interesting that so many people notice that about me and mention it, while I am not aware of it myself!

But anyway, we headed back to catch the airport bus at around 10:20. I knew that we were not in the right space and it was driving me a bit crazy. Luckily, the bus was spotted in time and we didn't have to wait another hour on the streets of London for the next one. So, we headed to the airport and basically spent the night there. I can't say that I really have gotten much sleep over the past few days...I really shouldn't be up now. But for some reason I am doing okay. We camped out with groups of other teenagers in the waiting areas of the small airport until it was time to check in at 5:30 a.m. Surprising, although I didn't really sleep, time went by pretty quickly. And I had some good books to pass the time, too.

So, the days have really sort of melded into each other. I dozed a bit on the plane ride back to the land of the Euro and the Danke. But I haven't slept a wink since! So, I came back to the apartment and got ready for classes. What a day of fun: My host mother was a bit worried because she thought that I was supposed to come back on Sunday night. But everything was okay. So, as I was getting ready for class, I kept hearing what sounded like a baby crying. It turned out to be a little kitty cat! This cat came jumped off of a neighboring fence as I left the apartment enclosure and came up to rub himself on my arm. He was the cutest little thing and even almost tried to follow me as I left. He just kept on crying! I hope that he has a home.

Somehow, I made it through class. I really think that we are all in lower levels than we should be and class is really not very engaging. But at least I am not seen as a quiet and shy person anymore! So, after class, I went with Paula and Anna to a cafe for dinner. We talked for the most part in German with the waiter, but at the end when I was paying he sort of tried to trick me into giving him a very high tip. It bothered me a bit, he just sort of took my money and said that he didn't have any change and made it seem that it was okay with me to give him so much extra. I guess we figured it out, but it just unfortunately seemed like he was trying to take advantage of us. I don't know, it just got me a bit unnerved because sometimes it's hard to communicate through the language barrier in situations like that. But it really doesn't matter; I just thought it was an interesting experience. So, tonight I had the opportunity to relax and catch up a bit, but I would like to get some more work done tomorrow morning so that I can get ahead and enjoy the last three weeks here. No plans really until Wednesday, but I guess we'll see what life brings. I better head to bed and catch up on sleep. Hope that everyone is doing well and that you all had a nice weekend! Looking forward to being back on American soil soon, but still enjoying the last bits of Europe. 'Til next time...Tschuess!