Another week at T&C.Only this time its my second to last week!
I can't believe how fast time goes, seems like yesterday I was working witht VR Bank!!! Unglaublich! (unbelievable) :P
This week I've been pretty busy working on the busines plan and finishing up the insurace items. This week I also managed to pick up a few other odd jobs, translating and helping around the office. Things seem to be shaping up nicely. I can't believe next week is my last week. I have a few things to finish up and 2 follow up meetings next week for both projects but I think everything will flow smoothly. :)
The weather here has been rather dreary. There's snow and overcast skys but this weekend I will be getting away from all of that. :) I'm headed to Rome for a 4 day weekend.
I'm very excited but I'm kind've dreading the travel stress haha. I would abolutely reccomend to future study abroaders to do most of their traveling in the begining towards the middle of the experience because towards the end (or so I think) you're just ready to go home.
Well I'm off to pack!
Tschüß!!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Computer Update/ Travel plans
Thanks to the O So Wonderful Hartwig Prüßmann, I have a connection to the world again! He asked AIB to loan me a computer and I am so thankful! Unfortunatly, I am unable to use my external hard drive on this computer (or view whats on it) so I won't be able to put up pictures with my blogs until I get back to the US (December 20th). The computer works for basic funcitons but I'm having a hard time viewing some documents and sending long emails due to internet connections, but I'm getting by and its much better than not having a computer. :)
I can't believe I lost EVERYTHING and am still upset about all of my data being available to who ever took it. I wish I had a security lock on it! I wish I had been more careful! I wish I wish I wish haha. Its gone now and I just got to move on.
I bought a second memory card so hopefully I don't run out of space on my camera. If I do I think I know where I can find another one, so thats helpful. :)
This weekend I'm going to Rome. I can't believe it and I've done a terrible job of preparing but I think I'll be alright.
I finally made up my travel plans for my last week.. here it goes. :)
12/11-12/12: Köln to Dresden
12/12: in Dresden then to Prag
12/13:Prag to Neuschwanstein
12/14: N.S. then Munich till 12/16
12/16: Dublin til the 19th
12/19: Back to Bonn
12/20: Bonn to Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf to Chicago, Chicago to Detroit... Detroit to HOME!!!
I'm taking 2 night trains (which will suck!) and 5 train trips in total, 6~7 cities (counting Bonn and Home) :)
with just a backpack on my back. I can't wait! I've already started to pack and I still have a week left and a trip to Rome!! Unbelievable!
Well its back to work!
Tschüßii!!!
I can't believe I lost EVERYTHING and am still upset about all of my data being available to who ever took it. I wish I had a security lock on it! I wish I had been more careful! I wish I wish I wish haha. Its gone now and I just got to move on.
I bought a second memory card so hopefully I don't run out of space on my camera. If I do I think I know where I can find another one, so thats helpful. :)
This weekend I'm going to Rome. I can't believe it and I've done a terrible job of preparing but I think I'll be alright.
I finally made up my travel plans for my last week.. here it goes. :)
12/11-12/12: Köln to Dresden
12/12: in Dresden then to Prag
12/13:Prag to Neuschwanstein
12/14: N.S. then Munich till 12/16
12/16: Dublin til the 19th
12/19: Back to Bonn
12/20: Bonn to Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf to Chicago, Chicago to Detroit... Detroit to HOME!!!
I'm taking 2 night trains (which will suck!) and 5 train trips in total, 6~7 cities (counting Bonn and Home) :)
with just a backpack on my back. I can't wait! I've already started to pack and I still have a week left and a trip to Rome!! Unbelievable!
Well its back to work!
Tschüßii!!!
Days 85-86
Sunday Su and I drove with our art professor to Lüttich, a city in Belgium. We drove through 2 countries to get there. How crazy is that? One minute you're in Germany, the next the Netherlands and finally Belgium, all in an hour!! Not to mention 3 different languages. Su and I felt so out of place because we couldn't speak French, took us right out of our element.
We spent the evening looking through a church and the treasury and learning about relics and how they can be housed. We also talked about the history of the city and the bishop that lived there. (we also saw his relic)
Side Note:
Looking at all of the relics I became quite irrated. The church has so much wealth in gold, silver, jewels, you name it and they ask for money at every mass. There's staring children, countries in debt from helping one another, disease, everything and look at everything the church has lying around in the bellies of their cathedrals. Now I know that the church does charity work and helps others out but its their way of marketing, its not just a donation they do it at a price. If there was a way to set differences in beliefs aside and work with each other think of all the things we could accomplish! What's tricky is that most of this wealth is history and art. I'm not too kean on going and melting down some of these works of art but maybe sell a piece or two!! The price some of these things could be sold for would help feed an entire country, clothe it, or even be used for medical research!
Back to the day :)
Herr Bayern took us to a high point of Lüttich and showed us an overview of the city. It was very pretty at night with the river and city lights. Since it was late we headed to the hostel and called it a night. The next day we walked around Luttich, but mostly drove since it was FREEZING! We went to the main train station, that was a really interesting piece. It looked like the design of a metal muscle, kind've like a heart, (or at least thats how I saw it haha).
After touring Liege (French for Lüttich), we headed to the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands. I have to say that I really like the Netherlands. Amsterdam was really gorgeous and then to see another city so far away just as beautiful, with its unique buildings, clean streets and friendly people, was just amazing. I could see myself visiting quite often once I move to the Rheinland. :)
We checked out a few churches in the city and the town hall. This city was part of the same bishops ruling area and inside the town hall we saw the dress of a countess and her son.
My favorite part of this excursion wasn't directly in either city but rather along our way back home. Herr Bayern took us to an American cemetary dedicated to soldiers who lost their lives in WWII in the Netherlands and surrounding areas who were not to return home. It was unbelievable to stand in a foreign country and see something so moving. I actually had a feeling of home. I can't say that I'm related to or know anyone who died in the war but all I could think of was how thankful I was for the sacrifice that was made for the freedom of others. I thought of the letter to Mrs. Bixby and Saving Private Ryan. It's hard to explain that sense of pride and humbleness that coincide when thinking about the war the United States fought and what it means to be an American. I felt bad that for the most part of being in Europe I've felt almost embarassed to say I'm American based on what I've heard that most of Europe doesn't like the United States. I've kept it quiet but it's nothing to be embarassed about but to be proud of. Being an American doesn't make me everything I am, just like my Irish or Hungarian roots, or how old I am, its a part of me and theres something to show for it. I dunno I'm kind of rambling haha. Either way it was a great experience to go to such a place and I'm glad I was able to see it. Not to mention we were there around 5 pm and imagine this.. Middle of nowhere in a foreign country, snow falling and snow on the ground, no one really around and landscape to see for miles (or kilos :P ) and your looking out to hundreds (maybe thousands) of tombstones for soldiers who left their country to fight for the people back home but never made it back, or were never found and you hear 3 (?) what sound like gun shots towards the back of the cemetary... silence.. and the start of a trumpet begining to play taps..
It was so eery and bone chilling, I got goosebumps. I wish I could describe that feeling but I'm sure most Americans know what I'm talking about. :)
Overall it was a great experience. Now on to the second to last week of work!
Tschüß!!!
We spent the evening looking through a church and the treasury and learning about relics and how they can be housed. We also talked about the history of the city and the bishop that lived there. (we also saw his relic)
Side Note:
Looking at all of the relics I became quite irrated. The church has so much wealth in gold, silver, jewels, you name it and they ask for money at every mass. There's staring children, countries in debt from helping one another, disease, everything and look at everything the church has lying around in the bellies of their cathedrals. Now I know that the church does charity work and helps others out but its their way of marketing, its not just a donation they do it at a price. If there was a way to set differences in beliefs aside and work with each other think of all the things we could accomplish! What's tricky is that most of this wealth is history and art. I'm not too kean on going and melting down some of these works of art but maybe sell a piece or two!! The price some of these things could be sold for would help feed an entire country, clothe it, or even be used for medical research!
Back to the day :)
Herr Bayern took us to a high point of Lüttich and showed us an overview of the city. It was very pretty at night with the river and city lights. Since it was late we headed to the hostel and called it a night. The next day we walked around Luttich, but mostly drove since it was FREEZING! We went to the main train station, that was a really interesting piece. It looked like the design of a metal muscle, kind've like a heart, (or at least thats how I saw it haha).
After touring Liege (French for Lüttich), we headed to the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands. I have to say that I really like the Netherlands. Amsterdam was really gorgeous and then to see another city so far away just as beautiful, with its unique buildings, clean streets and friendly people, was just amazing. I could see myself visiting quite often once I move to the Rheinland. :)
We checked out a few churches in the city and the town hall. This city was part of the same bishops ruling area and inside the town hall we saw the dress of a countess and her son.
My favorite part of this excursion wasn't directly in either city but rather along our way back home. Herr Bayern took us to an American cemetary dedicated to soldiers who lost their lives in WWII in the Netherlands and surrounding areas who were not to return home. It was unbelievable to stand in a foreign country and see something so moving. I actually had a feeling of home. I can't say that I'm related to or know anyone who died in the war but all I could think of was how thankful I was for the sacrifice that was made for the freedom of others. I thought of the letter to Mrs. Bixby and Saving Private Ryan. It's hard to explain that sense of pride and humbleness that coincide when thinking about the war the United States fought and what it means to be an American. I felt bad that for the most part of being in Europe I've felt almost embarassed to say I'm American based on what I've heard that most of Europe doesn't like the United States. I've kept it quiet but it's nothing to be embarassed about but to be proud of. Being an American doesn't make me everything I am, just like my Irish or Hungarian roots, or how old I am, its a part of me and theres something to show for it. I dunno I'm kind of rambling haha. Either way it was a great experience to go to such a place and I'm glad I was able to see it. Not to mention we were there around 5 pm and imagine this.. Middle of nowhere in a foreign country, snow falling and snow on the ground, no one really around and landscape to see for miles (or kilos :P ) and your looking out to hundreds (maybe thousands) of tombstones for soldiers who left their country to fight for the people back home but never made it back, or were never found and you hear 3 (?) what sound like gun shots towards the back of the cemetary... silence.. and the start of a trumpet begining to play taps..
It was so eery and bone chilling, I got goosebumps. I wish I could describe that feeling but I'm sure most Americans know what I'm talking about. :)
Overall it was a great experience. Now on to the second to last week of work!
Tschüß!!!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Days 79-84
More work work work. This week has been a busy work week since my supervisor and I are trying to plan out what I will do the last few weeks he's gone. I am going to keep working on the business plan but I have to meet with two other people in the office to try and finish my first project. I can't continue without their help but getting time tables alligned is posing as a bit of an issue. To fill time inbetween jobs Herr Leßmann keeps me busy with odds and ends activities. I had to create some spreadsheets for our storage rooms and more (of course :P) copying.
I'm really getting into the business plan. I have so many ideas I don't know where to start. Its almost hard to stay organized. The collegue, who gave me the assignment, actually grew up a little bit in Michigan and went to MSU. Sometimes we get of track talking about home but nothing to interfeer with work, besides its nice to have met someone who knows what I75 is, that Michigan State is the best school around, and has an idea of where I'm from. Makes me proud to be a Michigander :)
Thursday night Su, Tara, Bri, Ruslan and I went to the Christmas market to try some Gluhwein (warm wine). I hated the stuff!! I'm glad I tried it but I don't think I'll be diving into that aspect of the culture haha.
Friday, Hartwig and I drove into the Eifel, a sort of natural park in Germany. We went to see Vogelsang, an old Nazis camp for Nazis supporters. http://www.vogelsang-ip.de/nextshopcms/show.asp?lang=en
It was such a beautiful place. The Nazis' specifically scouted for the most scenic spot to build this huge building/camp. Once again we add to the symatic theme that Everything has a meaning and wants to express something. With this building the Nazis wanted to express their love of Germany and keeping it pure along with the strenghth of the party. The woman who led our tour was very knowledgable and gave a great speach on the place. It was soo cold to walk around. Last night was our first snow and it was still giving little showers throughout the day. We didn't walk down to the old pool and gym but seeing Nazis art all over the place it was crazy to try and put yourself in the shoes of the people who were a part of this place.
Saturday I spent some time with Fine and had her, her boyfriend and Uli (MSU Guy) over for a little get together and we went out to a dance club for some fun. It was a pretty good Saturday in Bonn. Meine Liebe Bonn :)
Tschüß!!
I'm really getting into the business plan. I have so many ideas I don't know where to start. Its almost hard to stay organized. The collegue, who gave me the assignment, actually grew up a little bit in Michigan and went to MSU. Sometimes we get of track talking about home but nothing to interfeer with work, besides its nice to have met someone who knows what I75 is, that Michigan State is the best school around, and has an idea of where I'm from. Makes me proud to be a Michigander :)
Thursday night Su, Tara, Bri, Ruslan and I went to the Christmas market to try some Gluhwein (warm wine). I hated the stuff!! I'm glad I tried it but I don't think I'll be diving into that aspect of the culture haha.
Friday, Hartwig and I drove into the Eifel, a sort of natural park in Germany. We went to see Vogelsang, an old Nazis camp for Nazis supporters. http://www.vogelsang-ip.de/nextshopcms/show.asp?lang=en
It was such a beautiful place. The Nazis' specifically scouted for the most scenic spot to build this huge building/camp. Once again we add to the symatic theme that Everything has a meaning and wants to express something. With this building the Nazis wanted to express their love of Germany and keeping it pure along with the strenghth of the party. The woman who led our tour was very knowledgable and gave a great speach on the place. It was soo cold to walk around. Last night was our first snow and it was still giving little showers throughout the day. We didn't walk down to the old pool and gym but seeing Nazis art all over the place it was crazy to try and put yourself in the shoes of the people who were a part of this place.
Saturday I spent some time with Fine and had her, her boyfriend and Uli (MSU Guy) over for a little get together and we went out to a dance club for some fun. It was a pretty good Saturday in Bonn. Meine Liebe Bonn :)
Tschüß!!
Days 77-78
Sunday was the big ending to our long trip in Berlin. We visited the olypmic stadium and The Charlottenburg palace. http://www.olympiastadion-berlin.de/en.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlottenburg_Palace
I didn't realize just how much history took place at the 1936 olympics. I forgot that Jesse Owens participated and Su informed me that a Japanese god medalist wasn't actually Japanese but Korean, and not to mention that this was during NS time. I tried really hard to push out the empty feelings of losing my laptop and enjoy what it was I was experience. To be honest after what happened I felt completely done with Berlin.
Still, I really liked going to the stadium. We got to see the stadium that was about to be built before WWI and went into some locker rooms and sat where the leaders of Germany sit to watch soccer games.
Afterwards we went to the palace. It was on a richer side of town that reminded me a lot of Bloomfield Hills. The palace is mostly rebuilt due to WWII bombings. al the same it was neat to walk through, though it did feel like another palace. :P
After the little excursion Su and I bought Maria some flowers as a little thank you for all she had done for us. We then went off to class to take our last test and give our presentations. I gave mine on the differences in being a tourist to Berlin and being a student in Berlin trying to live in Germany and how learning more about the government is a must when thinking about living in a foreign country. I really did feel like I gained a new perspective on things and was able to look at Berlin deeper than just "ohhhhhh Beeerrrrrlllinnnn!!". I was actually able to understand how the government works and able to look at the Berlin of today rather than of the past.
Monday Su and I took a train back to Bonn and were SO Happy to be back!! Ahhh Home Sweet Home! When we got back to our rooms we realized we didn't have any food, so instead of relaxing for the night we had to head back out into the city. To our surpirse the christmas market was up and running. We were the kids on christmas morning, walking around with HUGE smiles on our faces and just taking everything in. It was awesome! We couldn't stay long since we had work the next day but I was still so glad to be home in good ol' Bonn. :)
I didn't realize just how much history took place at the 1936 olympics. I forgot that Jesse Owens participated and Su informed me that a Japanese god medalist wasn't actually Japanese but Korean, and not to mention that this was during NS time. I tried really hard to push out the empty feelings of losing my laptop and enjoy what it was I was experience. To be honest after what happened I felt completely done with Berlin.
Still, I really liked going to the stadium. We got to see the stadium that was about to be built before WWI and went into some locker rooms and sat where the leaders of Germany sit to watch soccer games.
Afterwards we went to the palace. It was on a richer side of town that reminded me a lot of Bloomfield Hills. The palace is mostly rebuilt due to WWII bombings. al the same it was neat to walk through, though it did feel like another palace. :P
After the little excursion Su and I bought Maria some flowers as a little thank you for all she had done for us. We then went off to class to take our last test and give our presentations. I gave mine on the differences in being a tourist to Berlin and being a student in Berlin trying to live in Germany and how learning more about the government is a must when thinking about living in a foreign country. I really did feel like I gained a new perspective on things and was able to look at Berlin deeper than just "ohhhhhh Beeerrrrrlllinnnn!!". I was actually able to understand how the government works and able to look at the Berlin of today rather than of the past.
Monday Su and I took a train back to Bonn and were SO Happy to be back!! Ahhh Home Sweet Home! When we got back to our rooms we realized we didn't have any food, so instead of relaxing for the night we had to head back out into the city. To our surpirse the christmas market was up and running. We were the kids on christmas morning, walking around with HUGE smiles on our faces and just taking everything in. It was awesome! We couldn't stay long since we had work the next day but I was still so glad to be home in good ol' Bonn. :)
Day 75.5-76
So.. I left off with Su and I playing pool. Well we headed back home relatively late at night and made it back to our room. I went to get my computer to upload some pictures only to find it missing...
Bet you were wondering why I haven't updated my blog and why there aren't any pictures... well the answer? My computer was stolen. Needless to say I am not very happy about the situation but I am trying to make the most of it. I spent the entire night turning our room inside out looking for my computer and slept in the living room area with Su to ask the other people on the floor when they woke up if they had seen anything. NO LUCK! Saturday we spent the entire day talking to the police, the people who work in the building and our program director. Still no computer. We thought up some theories as to how someone could take it when it was locked in the room, windows, doors everything and you need a specific chip to get onto the floor where we were staying. It was almost like it had disappeared. Sitting right next to my computer was my passport and credit card not to mention that Su's computer was out in the open along with her camera but only MY computer was missing!!! first my credit card now my computer...
Seems like I'm learning every possible lesson there is to learn on this trip!! I was lucky to have so many people spring into action to help me, though I was extremely frustrated with the people who worked where we were staying. I just hope I can get this situation fixed.
Su and I missed out on going to a museum and back to the German History Museum due to all the commotion. It was such a stressful day..
The best part about this situation was that later that day I got a call from my mom. :)
It was the first time I had litterally spoken to her, besides texts and on the computer and it was amazing to hear her voice and get a taste of home. Needless to say I bawled like a baby haha. I even got to talk to my grandparents and my little brother. Once again we see the very worst of things and it makes us appreciate the very best of things. :)
So in summary. Lock EVERYTHING A BILLION TIMES! and invest in an external hard drive. I lost a lot of data with my computer (like pics from the Jewish museum!) but since I had a hard drive I managed to save a lot more and still have most of my pictures. :)
I've got two more days to go about Berlin so I'm off to write the next one!
Tschüß
Bet you were wondering why I haven't updated my blog and why there aren't any pictures... well the answer? My computer was stolen. Needless to say I am not very happy about the situation but I am trying to make the most of it. I spent the entire night turning our room inside out looking for my computer and slept in the living room area with Su to ask the other people on the floor when they woke up if they had seen anything. NO LUCK! Saturday we spent the entire day talking to the police, the people who work in the building and our program director. Still no computer. We thought up some theories as to how someone could take it when it was locked in the room, windows, doors everything and you need a specific chip to get onto the floor where we were staying. It was almost like it had disappeared. Sitting right next to my computer was my passport and credit card not to mention that Su's computer was out in the open along with her camera but only MY computer was missing!!! first my credit card now my computer...
Seems like I'm learning every possible lesson there is to learn on this trip!! I was lucky to have so many people spring into action to help me, though I was extremely frustrated with the people who worked where we were staying. I just hope I can get this situation fixed.
Su and I missed out on going to a museum and back to the German History Museum due to all the commotion. It was such a stressful day..
The best part about this situation was that later that day I got a call from my mom. :)
It was the first time I had litterally spoken to her, besides texts and on the computer and it was amazing to hear her voice and get a taste of home. Needless to say I bawled like a baby haha. I even got to talk to my grandparents and my little brother. Once again we see the very worst of things and it makes us appreciate the very best of things. :)
So in summary. Lock EVERYTHING A BILLION TIMES! and invest in an external hard drive. I lost a lot of data with my computer (like pics from the Jewish museum!) but since I had a hard drive I managed to save a lot more and still have most of my pictures. :)
I've got two more days to go about Berlin so I'm off to write the next one!
Tschüß
Day 74-75.5
Things are crazy in Berlin! I guess there is a terror warning in Berlin for the time being due to new information stating that terrorists are planing on attacking the Bundestag (heart of the German government) in Berlin. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,729635,00.html
Su and I were at the Bundestag on Thursday (day 74) for a tour of the building. http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/index.html
We had a tough time getting through security because we were registered under Maria's name not our own but it wasn't that big of a problem. The Bundestag was such a cool building!! The top had this huge dom that has so many uses. One, you get to walk up it and hear all about its history and wou get a great view. Two, it allows light into the room where the representatives meet and has rotating plates that move with the sun to avoid glares. Three, it collects rain water, and filters it and serves as a way to circulate air throughout the building. And finally, four it looks cool! haha. Su and I climbed all the way up and around the dom before our tour. Our tour was like a group lecture in the central room of the Bundestag. We learned about the buildings history and the conspiricies behind the burning of the building in the 1930s. It was really interesting and goes with the DC tourist theme. I was actually really glad I went, on paper it seemed boring but when you tie it to our class it really adds to the experience. It makes the government feel like a living breathing enity in Germany.
After this we had class again for a few hours and then were once again on our way to see some museums. Theres a whole chunk in Berlin called the Museum Island, where you can hop from one museum to the next. We saw a museum filed with statues, one with German artists, and one dedicated to Egyptians. There I saw the bust of Neffertitti, the so called prettiest woman in Berlin! haha. Afterwards Su and I grabbed some Dunners and headed back to go to bed we were so tired from all of the walking.
Friday we had the day to ourselves besides class later in the evening. I spent most of the day studying but took some time off to head to the Jewish museum. http://www.jmberlin.de/main/EN/homepage-EN.php
I was so impressed. The museum is designed as a network of crosses so that there are spaces where nothing exists to represent the loss of Jews in the German civilization. It showed how the persecution escaladed, the camps, examples of what was taken from people and even a vast history of the Jewish people, their culture and lives along with how Jews and Germans got along before the war. What really interested me was the buildings structure and the current exhibt talking about forced labor (what my thesis is about!!). I learned a lot in the museum and there is so much to tell I'll try to write a summary of all of the Holocaust related sites I saw and go into more detail after I get home.
This museum was really interesting to me and my topic but I want to suggest that if you go to Germany don't just check out Holocaust related sites, see all of German history. Germany was a huge center for European history and there is so much to experience. Yes visiting a camp is a must, but there is more to learn about Germany than just the Holocaust.
Afterwards we had class and took our mid-term, discussed our presentations and got more information on our final. Then Su and I decided we needed to treat ourselves to a night out in Berlin.. after all this is Berlin!!!
We made dinner, had a little wine and headed out on the town...
We tried to go to some clubs but we were told people didn't show up until 2 or 3 in the morning and we didn't want to wait that long to have some real fun. We almost went home till we meet a group of guys who took us to play pool at a a bar. It was a pretty good night, nothing wild and crazy like we kind've hoped but still fun and probably better that way. :)
It'll take another post to describe what happened next..
Tschüß!!
Su and I were at the Bundestag on Thursday (day 74) for a tour of the building. http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/index.html
We had a tough time getting through security because we were registered under Maria's name not our own but it wasn't that big of a problem. The Bundestag was such a cool building!! The top had this huge dom that has so many uses. One, you get to walk up it and hear all about its history and wou get a great view. Two, it allows light into the room where the representatives meet and has rotating plates that move with the sun to avoid glares. Three, it collects rain water, and filters it and serves as a way to circulate air throughout the building. And finally, four it looks cool! haha. Su and I climbed all the way up and around the dom before our tour. Our tour was like a group lecture in the central room of the Bundestag. We learned about the buildings history and the conspiricies behind the burning of the building in the 1930s. It was really interesting and goes with the DC tourist theme. I was actually really glad I went, on paper it seemed boring but when you tie it to our class it really adds to the experience. It makes the government feel like a living breathing enity in Germany.
After this we had class again for a few hours and then were once again on our way to see some museums. Theres a whole chunk in Berlin called the Museum Island, where you can hop from one museum to the next. We saw a museum filed with statues, one with German artists, and one dedicated to Egyptians. There I saw the bust of Neffertitti, the so called prettiest woman in Berlin! haha. Afterwards Su and I grabbed some Dunners and headed back to go to bed we were so tired from all of the walking.
Friday we had the day to ourselves besides class later in the evening. I spent most of the day studying but took some time off to head to the Jewish museum. http://www.jmberlin.de/main/EN/homepage-EN.php
I was so impressed. The museum is designed as a network of crosses so that there are spaces where nothing exists to represent the loss of Jews in the German civilization. It showed how the persecution escaladed, the camps, examples of what was taken from people and even a vast history of the Jewish people, their culture and lives along with how Jews and Germans got along before the war. What really interested me was the buildings structure and the current exhibt talking about forced labor (what my thesis is about!!). I learned a lot in the museum and there is so much to tell I'll try to write a summary of all of the Holocaust related sites I saw and go into more detail after I get home.
This museum was really interesting to me and my topic but I want to suggest that if you go to Germany don't just check out Holocaust related sites, see all of German history. Germany was a huge center for European history and there is so much to experience. Yes visiting a camp is a must, but there is more to learn about Germany than just the Holocaust.
Afterwards we had class and took our mid-term, discussed our presentations and got more information on our final. Then Su and I decided we needed to treat ourselves to a night out in Berlin.. after all this is Berlin!!!
We made dinner, had a little wine and headed out on the town...
We tried to go to some clubs but we were told people didn't show up until 2 or 3 in the morning and we didn't want to wait that long to have some real fun. We almost went home till we meet a group of guys who took us to play pool at a a bar. It was a pretty good night, nothing wild and crazy like we kind've hoped but still fun and probably better that way. :)
It'll take another post to describe what happened next..
Tschüß!!
Day 71-73
Museums, class, museums, class.. museums, museums, museums!!! So much to take in! I'm surprised I didn't have a constant headache!!
Monday we went to the DDR museum. http://www.ddr-museum.de/en/
This museum confused the heck out of me. It was all about life in the DDR but everything seemed to be portrayed in a positive light. What was really creepy was that I could see similarities from the US. Socialism doesn't sound that bad when we're talking about new apartment buildings and living space along with cheap/free rent for newly weds and even cheeper when you have kids. It even looks promising when you see all of the smiling faces, production and positive home life. The museum was set up in a hands on fashion and you could touch and interact with just about all of the museum. Not all of it was sunshine and daisies however, they also portrayed the military behind a smoking entryway. There was an interrogation room where you could hear a converstation between the interrigator and the accused. The feeling in this side of the museum was very tense and uncomfortable, like you were walking on broken glass.
This is def. a museum to check out if you visit Berlin. It's fun and interactive and gives a different perspective on East Germany.
On Tuesday we went to the German History Museum http://www.dhm.de/ENGLISH/index.html and the Bundesrat http://www.bundesrat.de/EN/Home/homepage__node.html?__nnn=true.
I loved the German History Museum. I wish we had more time to go through it. You need at least a day to see almost everything. There was so much to see and learn from. This museum continued to link my theme for this trip that there is more history to Germany, and Europe, than WWII. I kind've walked around in awe, we only had an hour or so to go through the museum, which really was a shame. If you experience a rainy day in Berlin and don't want to walk the streets this is really a great place to go. We saw everything from the Romans, to knights, to artists to you name it! It was almost overwhelming. No it was overwhelming. haha
After the museum we went to the Bundesrat. This is another part of the German government that behaves like the legislative branch. The Bundesrat has representatives from each German state. Inside we got to see where decisions are made and had a small discussion with some German citizens and our tour guide. Looking back I realize how unique this was to visit a part of the German government. It was like a visit to Washington DC to see how the Senate or the House of Representatives works. This really opened my eyes to the reality of living here in the future.
Wednesday we visited the German Cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutscher_Dom and the French Cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz%C3%B6sischer_Dom, along with the International office and Checkpoint Charlie (and the museum).
The German Cathedral and French Cathedral are no longer churches but rather museums. The German Cathedral houses a complete history of German politics and the French Cathedral houses a museum on the persecution of religion in France. The German Cathedral was amazing. I wish I could make everyone go through this museum to show the German perspective of National Socialism. The information (conviently in English and German) was well organized and easy to follow. I wish we had more time to go through it.
Checkpoint Charlie was a sight for sore eyes. It's neat to see a positive American symbol in a foreign country. I was really excited to go into the museum since I didn't get a chance to the first time I was in Berlin. I wasn't let down by what was inside. I can't believe the methods people used to flee the GDR, hiding in luggage, digging tunnels, fake passports, swimming... everything imaginable. What I really liked about the museum was that it was once used as a checkpoint for those trying to escape, and as a meeting place for those planning escapes for people on the other side.
There were also sad stories about people who failed to escape and those who died trying. One boy was shot and left to bleed to death between the walls. One man dug a tunnel and was shot to death at the opening. Some escaped and had to leave their families behind.
One thing I found really interesting was that one German soldier on the east side said to think about the lives that were saved by the soldiers who purposely missed those trying to escape. Some soldiers risked their lives by failing to do their jobs. It's unbelievable to think about what terrors we see in war time and to see what risks and sacrifices are made for others. Like one man who helped over 300 people escape through different borders in his car.
Monday and Tuesday we also had class and got to know more and more about the German government and how it works. The classes lasted around 3 hours each time, but we always went over due to all of the questions Su and I had. Our discussions were really interesting and we had to prepare for our "mid-term" on Friday.
Tschüß!!
Monday we went to the DDR museum. http://www.ddr-museum.de/en/
This museum confused the heck out of me. It was all about life in the DDR but everything seemed to be portrayed in a positive light. What was really creepy was that I could see similarities from the US. Socialism doesn't sound that bad when we're talking about new apartment buildings and living space along with cheap/free rent for newly weds and even cheeper when you have kids. It even looks promising when you see all of the smiling faces, production and positive home life. The museum was set up in a hands on fashion and you could touch and interact with just about all of the museum. Not all of it was sunshine and daisies however, they also portrayed the military behind a smoking entryway. There was an interrogation room where you could hear a converstation between the interrigator and the accused. The feeling in this side of the museum was very tense and uncomfortable, like you were walking on broken glass.
This is def. a museum to check out if you visit Berlin. It's fun and interactive and gives a different perspective on East Germany.
On Tuesday we went to the German History Museum http://www.dhm.de/ENGLISH/index.html and the Bundesrat http://www.bundesrat.de/EN/Home/homepage__node.html?__nnn=true.
I loved the German History Museum. I wish we had more time to go through it. You need at least a day to see almost everything. There was so much to see and learn from. This museum continued to link my theme for this trip that there is more history to Germany, and Europe, than WWII. I kind've walked around in awe, we only had an hour or so to go through the museum, which really was a shame. If you experience a rainy day in Berlin and don't want to walk the streets this is really a great place to go. We saw everything from the Romans, to knights, to artists to you name it! It was almost overwhelming. No it was overwhelming. haha
After the museum we went to the Bundesrat. This is another part of the German government that behaves like the legislative branch. The Bundesrat has representatives from each German state. Inside we got to see where decisions are made and had a small discussion with some German citizens and our tour guide. Looking back I realize how unique this was to visit a part of the German government. It was like a visit to Washington DC to see how the Senate or the House of Representatives works. This really opened my eyes to the reality of living here in the future.
Wednesday we visited the German Cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutscher_Dom and the French Cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz%C3%B6sischer_Dom, along with the International office and Checkpoint Charlie (and the museum).
The German Cathedral and French Cathedral are no longer churches but rather museums. The German Cathedral houses a complete history of German politics and the French Cathedral houses a museum on the persecution of religion in France. The German Cathedral was amazing. I wish I could make everyone go through this museum to show the German perspective of National Socialism. The information (conviently in English and German) was well organized and easy to follow. I wish we had more time to go through it.
Checkpoint Charlie was a sight for sore eyes. It's neat to see a positive American symbol in a foreign country. I was really excited to go into the museum since I didn't get a chance to the first time I was in Berlin. I wasn't let down by what was inside. I can't believe the methods people used to flee the GDR, hiding in luggage, digging tunnels, fake passports, swimming... everything imaginable. What I really liked about the museum was that it was once used as a checkpoint for those trying to escape, and as a meeting place for those planning escapes for people on the other side.
There were also sad stories about people who failed to escape and those who died trying. One boy was shot and left to bleed to death between the walls. One man dug a tunnel and was shot to death at the opening. Some escaped and had to leave their families behind.
One thing I found really interesting was that one German soldier on the east side said to think about the lives that were saved by the soldiers who purposely missed those trying to escape. Some soldiers risked their lives by failing to do their jobs. It's unbelievable to think about what terrors we see in war time and to see what risks and sacrifices are made for others. Like one man who helped over 300 people escape through different borders in his car.
Monday and Tuesday we also had class and got to know more and more about the German government and how it works. The classes lasted around 3 hours each time, but we always went over due to all of the questions Su and I had. Our discussions were really interesting and we had to prepare for our "mid-term" on Friday.
Tschüß!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)