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.