Kreuzberg, Treptower Park, Spree, und Schöneberg

Kreuzberg Graffiti

Astronaut 

1st Stammtisch Bar-- Hannibal 

Treptower Park

Sowjetisches Ehrenmal Treptower Park

Our head of the program took us on a guided tour of this monument.  The picture is just of the guide/info map because it did not seem appropriate to take pictures while there. Dirk (head of our department) gave us the background info but you can read the history at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_War_Memorial_(Treptower_Park)  I tried youtube-ing some videos but they do not do it justice.

After the tour of the monument we went on a guided tour (by Dirk) by boat on the Spree river.

Spree River Tour

After the tour I went out on my own for the first time without our major group (so far we have all had to be at the same place at the same time so we travel in an embarrassingly huge American group)!  I needed to go to a bank that accepted the citibank card-- hopefully it worked without a huge fee.  Walking about this different part of the city was so much fun-- love city wandering!  Here are some pictures of Schöneberg.

Post office

Information Post thing-- Such a good idea! They have them all over advertising events around the city and etc.  The poster on the right is for "Lange Nacht der Museem," which I am going to tonight (Saturday).  It is a tour of a bunch of museums and gallaries until 2am. 

Random church I thought was interesting.

Today (Saturday) Dirk took us on a tour of Brandenburg Tor (gate) and the surrounding streets.

Brandenburg Tor Tour Pictures

This is a memorial to the Jewish book burning.  It is in a glass plate on the ground, and when you look down you see all four walls of a room have empty bookshelves.

How the Germans do malls-- kindof looks like Oxford Valley Mall, ja?

Rebuilt area after the wall was taken down by Postdamer Platz.  Berlin has building regulations that a building can only be 5-6 stories high, however they broke the rules with these.  In my opinion it has created a different kind of wall.

Sony Center-- a Platz in its own.  Definitely unlike anything I had ever seen.

Tschüs <3

Orientation Day 1

Yesterday (Wednesday) we got a tour of the campus and then wandered about in Kreuzberg and I tried my first Gemüsekabob.  Sehr lecker!  That night there was a thunderstorm (sehr schörn!) so we just hung out in an apartment and balcony.

Kabob Stand

 Random Kreuzberg

Today (Thursday) we had hours of orientation and filled out so many forms.  Tonight a german student is giving us a tour of Kreuzberg (ja same place we just were).  It should be fun because he is showing us some fun places to go while in the neighborhood.


Bis Spater <3

First Day

Hallo von Deutschland! 


Yesterday, Monday, I left for Berlin with only a suitcase (52pds justa tad over), a bookbag (~25pds), and an oversized purse.  I got through security fine except they took my peanut butter.  I would have been more upset if the worker who had taken it hadnt said under his breath "yeah cause this is gunna blow up a plane.."  it sucks the stupid stuff you have to do at work.

On the plane I sat in the isle seat with no one in the middle seat and another FU-BESTer (my program) in the window seat.  There were ~10other people on the plane heading to the program.  So myself and a bunch of others got on the bus to start the 3 transfer hike to the program building.  Just a heads up- the Ubahn stations are really cool because you have to go down stairs, then up, then down to get to the platform-- good thing I have been doing (trying) to do pull ups all summer haha.


We had a meeting and then I shared a taxi van with four other students to our apartment.  An hour later we met up with some other BESTers and explored Alexanderplatz.  We had some schnitzel and Himbeere Weisse Bier-- a really fruity, (in my case Himbeere- raspberry) light beer.  Next in Media Markt we bought our internet and phone.  I did a lot of talking in German but was usually first replied with a laugh and then the answer in English.  At least they can figure out the question right?  

View right after getting off the Sbahn into Mitte

Two of the BESTers

On the Sbahn

Alexanderplatz

Tv-Tower

Alexanderplatz

Candid and der Platz

After we went to a cheap market by our apartment.  They dont give you bags by the way- wish I had remembered that from German class.  So all of us got the essentials-- I bought 2 yogurts, mushrooms, olive oil, merlot, and split a pack of toilet papers (4 each haha) with another girl.

Then we took a little break back at the apartment (set up the internet) and then went to look for a restaurant.  Finally we settled at Zero- a German pizza place for ja pizza and beer.  Jess- I borrowed a glass but it broke in my purse >:(  We explored after (super fun) and then tried to set up our phone, which for some reason is really hard.  Any hoo, that was my first day.  Everyone is really nice and I am already having a blast.  Also, this website is now in German so if things are a little funky- es tut mir leid.


Right now its around 11am on Wednesday--Im watching some German home makeover show and just hanging out before our 3pm tour of the campus.


Miss everyone and hope all is well!
Auf Wiedersehen! <3

The Day Before Tomorrow

Me! -->

First Blog Post! Woohoo Mom-- yes I finally made the blog :)  I hope this helps everyone keep track of me as I travel about! Ill miss you all and wish me luck <3