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!