Greetings!

Thankfully today my Professor allowed me to borrow her camera, so I spent the ENTIRE day and night (up until now at 1am) taking pictures.  I rented a bike, rode the Uban EVERYWHERE! and tried to think of a topic for my class photoessay project.  It was fun to have a day alone and I think I was definitely needing some time to be on my own.

Yesterday, a few of us took a trip to Wannsee beach.  It is Europe's largest inland beach, and also about the size of my backyard.  It has been so incredibly hot the last few days, it felt incredible to get in the water and cool off.

Tomorrow our class is taking a trip all together to the same beach.  Wednesday we are touring Potsdam on bikes and then we have one more day to visit the Jewish memorial before we return home.  This trip has gone so incredibly fast that the ending seems bittersweet.  I have just begun to get to know the amazing people I have been fortunate enough to make the journey with and there are still so many things left to see.  I have had too many insane moments where I have realized how easy it would be to just stay. . . forever (this trip sure cost enough, you'd think the OIE had already rented out my future Berlin apartment).  At the same time, however, knowing that the end is near makes me miss the things I left behind even more.  I want to see my friends and family, and of course that cute little ball of fur I left behind.  I want mac and cheese and cable TV.  I want my own big bed with my own pillows and blankets. 

I will be very sad to leave, but also very glad to return home.  Berlin fits and I honestly think its a place I could call (at least a temporary) home, but the things that await me in Oshkosh for the first time feel very far away.

Blog #2 -- A day alone in Berlin.

The novel entitled, “Confessions of a Shopalic” by Sophie Kinsella beings with the main character standing outside of a New York Hermes window willing to dive even further into her never ending credit card debit for a Hermes bag.  My alone in Berlin story begins hundreds of thousands of miles away, but just steps from another Hermes bag.  My story also thankfully begins without such terrible credit card debt, however, with similar desperation.  After spending the last two weeks making trips to and from various memorial sites in Germany, shopping at the Galeries Lafayette seemed to be a good escape from the beautiful, but sad monuments that line the city, as well as a good excuse to experience the Berliner culture as it exists today.

            The beautiful department store reminds me of nothing else than the dome that rests on top of the Reichstag.  From any floor, customers can look down or up into the giant glass bubble that sits in the middle of the building and see his or her fellow shoppers enjoying a light meal downstairs, shopping for cosmetics on the first floor or anything else their hearts could possibly desire on any of remaining six levels.  Truly beautiful, the department store houses some of the most famous (as well as my most eagerly desired) designers.  And so there I was, handling purses worth more than a semester’s tuition with a seven hundred dollar coat wrapped around my shoulders.  I am more than willing to admit that my alone in Berlin did not require a deep moment of reflection on my life and what it has been thus far compared to the thousands who have suffered at the hands of ruthless dictators throughout German history.  No, my day seems slightly shallower than many others, but it was an experience that taught me nonetheless. 

            With the exception of a very few memorable moments during my trip to Berlin, I have not felt like an outsider exploring a new and far away place.  Traveling with a group who all attend my same school, are participating in the same classes and most importantly, are speaking the same language, more times than not has led me to feel very comfortable and not so far from home.  Berlin is extremely similar to many of the larger cities that I have visited in the states, however, what has made it unique has been the history that surrounds the city no matter where one walks.  But on my day alone in Berlin, I felt very little history and even less at home. 

            Because I do not speak the language, I was intimidated at first to try things on, test products or even handle items that I knew I could not afford.  At home, I would have felt uncomfortable as well, but in the Galaries Lafayette, I had neither the credit nor the language skills to interact with the salespeople.  They knew within an instant just how far from home I was, and without meaning to, also forced me to realize the distance I had traveled as well.

            Overall, the day was far from a shopping success, but definitely an adventure.  I appreciated the feeling of being far from home.  It made me miss what I knew, but also excited to explore and understand a culture very different from my own.  I am glad that I chose to shop rather than to reflect at a monument minutes away from our hostel like many of my fellow classmates.  Although they may have chosen destinations rich with history, I found myself stepping away from what I knew in hopes of experiencing what at home I would love.  The interaction between the employees and myself alone was enough to take me out of my comfortable English speaking bubble that I have managed to remain in during my trip.  For once I was not following a group, or struggling to read every exhibit quickly before time was up before class.  I could be alone and reflect on my trip while experiencing the upper class shopping that exists in Berlin and most importantly, for once realize just how far I have traveled and the culture that I have at times forgotten to place myself truly in the middle of.

Greetings again!

Today Amy, Luke and I went to the wax museum that just opened on July 5.  That day, on of the first visitors beheaded the wax Hitler that was on display.  I was hoping he would be back for us to see, but no such luck.  Nevertheless, the figures were so lifelike it was almost scary.  I gave George Bush a punch in the stomach, Bismarck a kiss on the cheek and adjusted Justin Timberlake's tie.  

Just another day with the (wax) stars in Berlin!

Blog #3 -- Compare the power of the German Chancellor to that of the American President.

The German Chancellor and the American President are each elected in to completely different systems that allow them completely different amounts of strength and power within their state’s government.  A few key differences that set Angela Merkel’s job and ability to influence change within Germany that set her apart from George W. Bush’s influence over the United States include how they are elected, the ability to form coalitions and most importantly the accountability to the people that head’s of government are expected to uphold.

            In Germany, voters on Election Day cast two votes, one for a local representative and another for a political party.  This is a much more representative system than that of the United States.  Elections are based on a plurality vote instead of a majority vote.  In the United States, candidates only need 51% of the vote and only two major parties exist.  In Germany, the plurality system allows small parties to win seats within the Bundestag.  Local candidates can be much more accountable to their constituents, yet the major parties still have the opportunity to hold a large number of seats and thus a more powerful influence.

            The creation of coalition parties also allows for legislation to be both more efficient as well as more middle of the line.  The current coalition is a “grand coalition” consisting of the two largest parties.  This is an extremely rare situation and Angela Merkel has shocked many around the world with her ability to keep the two parties together in a somewhat consistently civil relationship. Regardless, Angela Merkel has a much more powerful position than that of the George W. Bush because, in working with her coalition party, Chancellor Merkel helps to write the legislation.  George W. Bush, however, does not.

            The accountability of Angel Merkel lies largely to the German people as well as her party.  George W. Bush is not concerned about a re-election for himself, therefore he can risk doing what is unpopular.  More importantly, however, George W. Bush has to please the interest groups who paid to put him into office.  Due to the way that the German versus American electoral system works, Chancellor Merkel has very few behind the scenes people to uphold election promises too than the U.S. president.

            These reasons, among others allow for the German Chancellor to be much more influential than the American President.  Neither system is perfect, however, the German system is much more representative and fairly distributes votes to its various political parties than the United States.  Germans are presented with more options than those in the states who much vote Democrat or Republican.  The system that has been established for the German people serves to prevent another extremist from taking over as well as to let the smaller voices be heard.  Candidates do not have to worry about the support of interest groups, but instead in the faith of their party and its nomination as well as the faith of the German people in their party (as well as their coalition partner).  Only time will tell exactly how the German system will pan out as well as what developing countries will replicate it for themselves.  In the meantime, it is worth noting that the American “democratic system” seems little like a true democracy compared to that of the German’s. 

Hello again!

Today was an interesting day to say the least.  First our group when to Sachenhousen (a concentration camp located just 4o minutes by train outside of Berlin) and toured what still remains.  It was both incredible, yet surreal.  Even with the old buildings and mass graves surrounding me, I could not truly appreciate what had happened there because it didn't feel real.  One moment I would be choking back tears and then the next almost oblivious to my surroundings.  It was awful when I felt sad, but it was even more awful when something would distract me and I knew I couldn't truly appreciate what had happened in that same exact place.  My camera is pretty much dead, but I would not have wanted pictures.  Remembering today feels right, scrapbooking it, however, does not.  What I saw is far from what I expected

After I saw . . . . OBAMA!  Ok, so I didn't see him, but it was absolutely incredible.  Over 200,000 people pushed their way into the crowd just to get a glimpse of him.  Although I agree that his speech may not have been appropriate pre-election, it was amazing to see so many American flags so far from home.  

Response for Blog Question #1 - Due 7/21/08

Since my arrival in Berlin, I have learned that the way in which Germans have chosen to memorialize their unique history is in fact very different from how Americans remember the struggles of their own people.  Where, how and who is included in such memorials most clearly mark the differences between “us” and “them”.  Although there will always be those who choose to turn a blind eye to the history of their ancestors or those who’s understanding goes back much further than their average neighbor’s and for that reason they stand out, for the most part it is clear that Berliners in particular have a much better understanding of their history than most Americans today.

            In Berlin, the harsh past of the Nazi regime as well as the dark Cold War years and the splitting of East and West seem unavoidable.  Reconstruction efforts today are still racing to make up for lost time and chunks of the wall still stand.  Passing a memorial or monument is almost unavoidable in a Berliner’s day-to-day life.  Daily reminders that rest just outside of many German citizen’s own front doors force them to constantly remain aware of their past.  This is a very different than what most American citizens experience.  To understand their history, US citizens are more likely to have to walk into a museum or open up a book.  They do not live as a part of their past like many Germans do.

            How Germans have come to understand their past is also very different than how most Americans have been taught to understand their own.   The average high school student in the U.S. has a very basic understanding of their country’s history.  Major battles and American wars are briefly studied and then forgotten for many.  Germans seem to have a much better understanding not only of their own history, but also of current events unfolding outside of Germany and around the globe.  Not unlike the fact that Germans live their daily lives amongst monuments and museums that memorialize their past, current events flash on the tram, within cafes and other popular public spots.  The public spots at UWO, where my fellow students spend much of their time, however, are more likely to have MTV blaring.

              A final difference that I have noticed between memorials in the US verses memorials in Berlin has not been whom they are dedicated to, but where blame is placed.  Americans today do not feel a strong personal connection or sense of responsibility for acts of violence that have occurred in the past or present.  Germans today, however, still live with an unavoidable weight on their shoulders caused by their government’s decisions made in WWI, WWII and the Cold War.  Americans will blame the settlers for violence against Native Americans or plantation owners for the way that they treated their slaves, many write off responsibility on the generations of the past and belief that they themselves are in no way a part of it.  For Americans today, it is much easier to pass the responsibility of past and present violence onto others.  Their memorial sites tend to overlook the violence of its own people and government, however, are quick to blame other nations for causing any worldly suffering.  Directly or indirectly, Berliners are much more connected to the past of their ancestors.  For this reason, the vast number of memorials, their size and the amount of thought and effort that goes into them vary from those of the US. 

            Since the end of the Cold War and the falling of the Berlin Wall, Germans have incorporated a new sense of respect for others into their community that cannot be overlooked.  While they are constantly striving to rebuild what decades of pain and suffering have neglected them, they are also extremely aware of what their generation as well as the generations before them have endured.  The commitment many Berliners have made to keep those memories fresh in the minds of those who will someday take their place and the effort to place memorials in places that cannot escape the daily thoughts of young and old Germans alike sets them apart from the US.

So far Prague is just not for me.  The train ride was not pleasant, the people were not very nice, some members of the group are not particularly savvy (and just plain rude) travelers and the locals have definitely learned how to take advantage of those passing through.  Our hostel seemed really nice at first, but once we had settled in our room we realized that the sheets they gave us were dirty.  There is NO soap, and to top it off bugs EVERYWHERE!!!!

Tomorrow is a new day, but until then . . . Ick and no thanks to Prague!

We have JUST arrived in Prague!!!!!

There were a lot of close calls and we almost did not make our train, but we are finally here.  Although it has been a long day, most or us are trying to get excited for another great weekend.  

Yesterday our class visited the Reichstag.  We were lucky enough to get a pretty intense tour of the majority of the building.  It was really cool to see all of the old things that they have preserved from before the capital was moved back to Berlin in 1990 with all of the new pretty additions.  The very top has a glass dome that you can walk up which represents a more "transparent" government for the people of Germany.  

Amy, Luke and I then took a bike tour around Berlin.  We hit many of the same sites that we had before, but were given a very different perspective on the history as well as a number of fun facts that we had not read or heard before.  The most eerie but really cool part was when we found ourselves standing directly on top of the bunker that Hitler lived, married his wife and committed suicide in.  The bunker has been filled with dirt and gravel (only after the Soviets realized that it was too well built to bomb) and the present government has no intentions of ever opening it to the public in fear that it may attract the wrong crowd.  Some have seen it as a memorial to Hitler's death and on the anniversary of it bring roses to the site.  SCARY!

Miss you all!  Cool pictures of Prague to come.  The hostel that we are staying in is WAY cooler than our one in Berlin.  It has pretty spiral stair cases, huge rooms with high ceilings and what looks like a pretty cool bar to hang out in at night.  

Hello again all!

 

It has been another incredible two days in Berlin (minus a rough morning today).  Yesterday we toured the Wilhelm Memorial Church.  The church was badly damaged during WWII.  When it came time to decide whether or not to restore the old building, it was decided that a new church would be built in its place.  During the demolition, however, citizens protested the decision to tear it all down.  Today the incredible entrance hall still remains (sarcastically referred to as the “broken” or “hollow” tooth by many Berliners).  The new church that has been built beside it almost looks like a giant Lego block plopped down next door.  The inside, however, unlike the old church designed to display the strength of Germans, represents a peaceful and friendly Germany.  After, many, including myself, made plans to travel to Prague this weekend.  If it is as amazing as I have heard, it should be a great weekend.

 

Today we toured the Jewish museum in Berlin.  The architecture of the building alone makes a powerful statement of the struggle many German Jews were forced to endure.

 

Tonight I returned to the Berlin Dome for a night reading with some of my class members.  After that we looked around the Art Museum and had a nice dinner together outside. 

 

Hope all is well with everyone at home.  Its fashion week here and I am DYING to get out.  I doubt I will again tonight, but at the very least I will have to check it out online!!!

 

Infinite X’s and O’s

We have been here for three nights and two full days now. On our first full day our profs put us into groups of 3-4 and set us loose to find a list of worthwhile sites around Berlin. Not only were we able to take pictures and finally see for ourselves some of the sites that we have been learning about since we were 6, but once we began to familiarize ourselves with the city we realized that in a short time we would no longer be "touring" as much as settling into this new place.

Although Amy and I have settled into our tiny room, there seem to only be two major downfalls to our hostel in compared to the one we had planned to stay in. Unfortunately, we have come to realize that the wireless availability is less than ideal. But what seems to keep the hostel from feeling like home is that it does not have a kitchen. Eating out all of the time, or trying our hardest to find breads and crackers that we can keep in our rooms feels too temporary, while grocery shopping would make if seem like we are here to stay. Some of the markets here are beautiful and the food is all fresh and very different from ours. Most of us would love to be able to bring home soups, salads, deli meats, etc., but we do not have a fridge or microwave.

The women here are beautiful. I am tempted several times a day to take pictures of the shoes that they wear. Even women with the most plain clothing seem to wear the most detailed, colorful and trendy footwear. People here are much more private than Americans. Although they are very friendly if you make some small attempt to speak the language and some even have gone out of their way to approach us when they have seen our maps and guide books, most will not return a strangers smile on the street. They are also much quieter. Our group has to be constantly aware of this when riding the tram or sitting in a restaurant.

Our hostel has BBC World News as our only english channel. We often hear about Senator Obama and . . . . maybe you guessed it, Brett Farve. Not only does the upcoming presidential election seem to be a huge deal to Europeans and Americans alike, but the future of Brett Farve's career also remains a top ten for the morning report.

There is so much to do here that many of the members of the group seem to be having a hard time deciding where else to go. I am hoping to go to either Munich or Prague one weekend, but possibly stay in Berlin to do what is not a part of our class schedule on my own. I would love to see the Music Museum as well as do some of the bike tours in Potsdam, along the Berlin wall and through the city.

Tomorrow we will have a full day of class and tours. More stories and pictures to come!

Miss you all! Gute nacht!

Today we toured the Berliner Dom (pictured below).  It was absolutely breathtaking.  Literally breathtaking because we climbed the circular stair cases all the way to the very very top, but also breathtakingly gorgeous!  

Hello all!

Today has been my first full day attempting to navigate Berlin.  The hostel is less than satisfactory, however, the people are incredibly nice and the city is beautiful.  I have set up this blog for family and friends as well as for school assignments.  Feel free to explore!  Hopefully I will have new and exciting pictures and stories to add each day.