Saturday was our last day in Berlin. Since we had to spend time moving to a hotel (Park Inn Alexanderplatz, sehr gut) in the morning the day's activities of going to the Berlin Underground tour and the Stasi prison were scrapped. I spent the remainder of the day shopping, visiting and revisiting sites for photos, and eating anything I wanted that I had not yet eaten on this trip. I got to spend the day with some amazing new friends and had a blast. The group we had this year was different from last year and I will have distinct and fond memories from each trip. Once again I left Berlin feeling like I had not seen enough and could stay for about three more months without getting homesick.
Traveling is one of my passions in life. I love to go to new places and experience different cultures. I think that the memories created far exceed the monetary cost of the voyage. If it wasn't for graduation in May I would repeat this course again next year. I encourage anyone that is interested in studying abroad to look into the different programs our university offers. It is the chance of a lifetime and something you will never forget.
Auf wiedersehen!
Margaret
PS - I forgot to have a Berliner this trip :(
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Leaving Berlin on Sunday was harder than I imagined. I expected to visit Germany, have a blast, and be ready to return home at the end of the journey. That was not the case. I wanted to call home and have them ship all of my stuff there so I would never have to leave. I will never forget this trip and this amazing experience. This was the very first trip I took that I wasn't homesick once. I could get used to eating a pastry everyday. You know everyone loved it because even after they were robbed of practically everything they own, they still didn't want to leave and come home. Although we were submersed into a culture that many of us were unfamiliar with, I feel as though we adapted well. In the end I was taught a lot from this trip, number one...never walk in the bike lane, they will run over you!!! and two...always try new things even if the unfamiliar scares you.
ReplyDeleteVisiting Berlin was truly an amazing experience. The city has something to offer for everyone. It has a rich culture, interesting history, stunning architecture and is just a fun place to visit. I felt the German lifestyle suited me very well. They seem to enjoy life more and are not always just go go go. An example of that would be taking longer at restaurants. It's nice to sit and enjoy the meal while having good conversation. I think sometimes that Americans would benefit from not always over working and actually taking a decent lunch. That was just one example, but there are many others. Berlin will give anybody the travel bug. I really want to go and see all of Germany now. I think Berlin can be counted as one of the great cities such as New York, Paris or Tokyo
ReplyDeleteOn Friday we headed out for loooooong walk up a MOUNTAIN to witness the Einstein Tower up close and personal (lol). Even though it was interesting to see, I felt like it was more for the architecture students, but the climb up gave me a nice workout.
ReplyDeleteThe next place we went to was my favorite (well, along with the Gate), the Sanssouci palace that was absolutely freakin gorgeous. Each room had its own color layout, with pictures, mantel pieces, and even the furniture to match. Rooms were all designed differently, each with their own unique wallpaper. The ceilings were painted or designed with various plants patterns and every single room was decked with a massive chandelier. We had to wear these massive slippers in order to protect the gorgeous wooden floors and other rooms that had marble in them. One room that really struck me was an entire room designed and covered in an array of seashells! The walls were covered in seashells and other things such as stone. There must have been a million shells in that room. It was the most bizarre, yet awesome thing I have ever seen.
We then headed out to visit a former prison where we got to see the actual cells in which many innocent prisoners were held. We then proceeded to hear Herr Ruemlers account of what it was like to live during the 1980’s and be imprisoned for no legitimate reason.
After the dozens of places, buildings, museums, and shops and restaurants we visited, Berlin was by far, an amazing opportunity to experience and witness firsthand the daily lives and history of Berliners, as well as za Germans. Having the privilege of being a part of an annual spring break trip to Berlin has remarkable and I am very thankful to have met everyone in my group.
Saturday was a nice stay at the Park Inn but going to the Soccer game at the Olympic Stadium was an experience like no other. The pride, excitement, craziness, is insane, even for a team such as Berlin who isn't doing so well. Can I say they don't like to lose? They threw full beers when the game ended and my hair was wet from this 9 euro beverage. Dinner that night was one of the best of the trip but was sad realizing this would be my last night in Berlin. I quickly realized how much I still wanted to see, learn, speak German, and experience. I felt like Berlin was my new home. I couldn't belive my two weeks (since I came early) had come to an end. Robbery and some creepers aside this was the best experience of my life to date. I would give anything to have extended it.
ReplyDeleteEven though Friday and onwards became very hectic, I still enjoyed every moment. Park inn is an amazing hotel and it had very nice views of everything...especially the Fernsehturm (my project). The relocation of the group caused our schedule for Saturday to be canceled. Instead, the group had a free day to do whatever. Erin introduced me to viva.tv, which plays german music videos. Of course, I immediately fell in love with it. I wrote down a list of various german artists and songs. I visited the Kauf hof with Erin and Chris. We rode the escalators and browsed the music section. I bought a couple of CDs and afterward we wondered around Alexanderplatz.
ReplyDeleteSunday came too soon for me. I thrived in Berlin and quickly became accustomed to the culture and city life. I definitely plan on venturing to Berlin again and stay longer (hopefully no thefts will happen!)!!
The last few days of the trip were very busy for me; what with haveing to move to a new hotel and all, but, that did not dampen my spirits. There was still so much to see in the city. With the free time that I had on Saturday I went to visit the German museum by myself. That was so much fun. I got to see so much and take my time. there were so many artifacts to see and so much history to take in; it was great. The huge painting of Napoleon was just such an amazeing sight. This trip was the fullfillment of a dream of mine to visit Germany. I have been so greatful for the opprotunity. Now it is my goal to return to Berlin one day and see more of that city.
ReplyDeleteWell the last day started off but certainly ended on a high note for me. After moving to the park inn, while everyone else was off in groups I decided to take some time and leisurely wander around Alexanderplatz and the surrounding area. I went back to my preferred lunch spot of the trip and spent most of the morning and early afternoon casually observing everything going on around me. I did make a stop to buy a souvenir for a friend. After finally checking in at 2:00pm I was off to the game. This was by far the most memorable part of my trip. Anyone who knows me understands the depth of my love for Football/Soccer, and it was even greater because one of the two teams in the bundesliga whom I support was playing that day and I got to watch them win by one point in the last minute much to the discontent of the home fans. On the way to the stadium I was harassed by a drunken 50 something year old who was a staunch supporter of Hertha. It was rather funny and I ended up making somewhat of an impromptu friend. I had to help him up the hill to the stadium, he couldn't walk all that well, I don’t know whether that was from the alcohol or just age, but I spent a good hour chatting with him before the game began and we went our separate ways. My seats were absolutely perfect, I had a wonderful clear view from one of the bottom rows of the second tier and was roughly centered with the field. The atmosphere was electrifying. I cannot wait until I get to experience it again. The trip as a whole was a great experience and I look forward to my next trip to Germany.
ReplyDeleteThe last day in Berlin, we stayed at the Park Inn, right in the middle of Alexander Platz. It was amazing to be staying in one of the cultural centers of Berlin. At one point, just outside the Inn, there was a protest which was attracting many people. Later, there were performers player some kind of music and people in another area doing a completely unrelated dance.
ReplyDeleteSadly, this was the final day in Berlin, but I am confident that it will not be my last trip to Germany.