Berlusalzvienich

So this is definitely my last entry, as I plan to head over to the airport in about 12 hours! A lot has happened in the last week or so, but internet access is not so easy in the little Bavarian towns of Schwand and Mantel!

I started my stay in Bavaria in Munich, though I can hardly say I've experienced the city. As it was Sunday, absolutely everything was closed. My experience was limited to a really fantastic dinner with two friends I made at my hostel.

Familie Witt picked me up from Weiden the next day, and I spent only one night with them; I think we all wished it could have been more! It was so nice to spend time with some really wonderful people. And of course, I didn't complain about having my own room and some privacy in the shower! We spent my first afternoon swimming and eating and watching a movie. The next day, Steffi and I were about to leave to do some shopping in Weiden, when óne of the cows went into labor! I got to watch the birth of a little calf. It was really amazing. The best part is that because it happened while I was visiting, the Witts have named her Clair and promised not to sell her! Now I just have to come back and visit.

The next two days I spent with the Bocks in Mantel, where I received only the finest in German cooking. I know my whole family will be jealous to hear that on my first night, I had Sauerbraten! We spent the one full day we had in Eger (in Czech, Cheb), which has a really beautiful market square. Herr Bock explained that ten or twenty years ago, all the buildings were grey and drab. Now it is all bright colors. The Bocks also took me to see two churches, which were really beautiful as well.

Nothing surpasses Bavaria in beauty and charm, but the dialect is almost as difficult as Schweizer Deutsch! Though I couldn't understand a lot of what was said in 'Bayerisch,' I'm afraid I might have developed a bit of their accent.

Now I am back in Berlin, and so happy to be here. I only wish I had my apartment back, instead of my bed in this hostel! Today I am going to try to have some last minute experiences that I will miss in the States. There is no place like Berlin...

Yesterday we toured the Ministry of Finance with my political architecture class. It was actually commissioned by the Third Reich as an Aviation Ministry, so it has a really interesting history. It is one of very few Nazi sites which has been preserved and even more impressive, is still in use. The best part though, was the elevator system! It is actually an old technology, but the elevators in the building are constantly moving and are just open platforms which you step on and off of. They are really fun, but a little scary too. I will try to put up a picture.

I haven't done much since I got back from London other than schoolwork. My friend had a birthday, so we had some cake and a celebration. She turned 21, so you can imagine how disappointed she was to celebrate in a country where drinking alcohol is allowed at 16.

I have a little more than a week left in Berlin, and I have to say, that my upcoming travel is a bit daunting now. The program has been fantastic, but exhausting. On a positive note though, I have a lot of contacts all over now. Depending on where I am, I can call for help in London, Berlin, Stuttgart, Bavaria, or Vienna!

We're approaching the end of the program quickly, but that also means I have two final papers to write, so don't worry if you don't hear much from me lately! Love to everyone. Tschüß!

I am finally home in my cozy, smoky little internet cafe after a really wonderful visit to London. Amtek and Ammek were so amazingly generous and hospitable as always. It is so nice to have a personal tourist guide and live-in chef!

On Thursday Aunt Jeannette and I walked over the Millenium bridge to the Tate Modern. The bridge was really beautiful and considering its rollicking history, I am sure the engineering is now very sound. At the Tate we saw not only some amazing works of art from Claude Monet and Jackson Pollack, but also received an education about minimalism and conceptualism. I am sure we have a greater appreciation for piles of bricks and urinals than ever before. That night, I finally saw the third Pirates of the Carribbean, which was just as good as I have been told!

On Friday we spent the afternoon at a tour of the Globe Theater on the Thames and then actually saw their performance of Othello. The acting was really fantastic, but neither of us could imagine being a part of the standing public. Even some young schoolchildren stood for the three hour performance, sitting only during intermission. And of course, since it was not too far out of the way, we just had to slip in a visit to Harrod's, enduring rushhour Tube traffic and its malodorous members. We were completely drained from our afternoon of culture and shopping, so we were happy to come home to some beautiful couscous, and the highlight for me, harissa.

And finally, on Saturday, I was considerately invited to a boat cruise down the Thames hosted by Uncle Andre's company. It was an opportunity to glimpse the historical barge races, meet some of Amtek and Ammek's close friends, and discover the joys of Pimm's Cups!

Of course I can hardly include everything we saw and did, and more importantly, the wondeful times we had talking and eating and picking on each other. It is really nice to feel absolutely welcome in their home. Thanks again!

Saying goodbye was certainly not fun, but the travel home was even less fun! We all woke up early so I could leave by 5:15 am. The ride to the airport was fine, but once there, I was afraid the check-in line would be too long, and the people pushing up behind me didn't help my agitation. I finally made it to the counter, only to discover we had a five hour delay and received 9€ for 'refreshments' as compensation. I took a few good walks around the airport though and finally took off at 12:30 or so. I had wanted to sleep on the ride, but was occupied by conversation with a Brazilian IT specialist sitting next to me, so I was not in the best of moods when I landed. I finally got to the S-Bahn, ready for a drowsy ride home, only to have to transfer one stop later. One more stop later, I was instructed to go outside for a bus (which I am lucky I understood). This bus took me only one more stop, where I finally got on the regular S-Bahn. I am so disappointed that German transportation is not living up to the reputation I have so carefully crafted for it.

Well, this entry is looking too long...I hope everyone gets through it okay! I'll have to include other updates about the Reichstag and other interesting visits in my next. I realized I am probably also having such a fantastic time here, because I don't have the regular stresses and worries that go hand-in-hand with the engineering cirriculum and work and renting. On that note, I hope everyone else is having a good summer too, whatever you are doing. If you need a break, feel free to visit me in Berlin! =) Tschau!

We are already halfway through the Rutgers program here, and everyone is already sad to think that we will be leaving soon. We all love the city and each other. It's been a really good opportunity to make friends from a lot of places. In fact, I now have two friends from Berlin as well. My friend Anja is 18 and still attends the 'Gymnasium.' And my friend Jacek studies architecture here; he speaks Polish too! It's really nice to know people here that I can visit or invite to visit me.

Today I had an interesting experience. I went to a Dunkin' Donuts for the first time...I really needed a coffee, and it was the most convenient place!!! Anyway, I noticed two things. First of all, the drink sizes are significantly smaller. A medium here is roughly the size of a small in the States. And also, the donuts here are beautiful! They frost them with colors that match the flavors and top them with things like little marzipan bananas or whipped cream and a cherry. I feel cheated!

On Thursday we went to see yet another play. It was very long, so when the lead actress hushed the audience at the end to say something, I was ready to sneak out the side exit. But it was the theater director's 70th birthday, and in compliance with cultural tradition, he invited actors, employees, and that night's audience to a party in the courtyard. I went with my friend Irina and we drank free champagne, ate cake, and had most of the actors sign our books.

This weekend has been a lot of fun in general, but now I am stuck with a full day's worth of work in preparation for the last minute rush before our 'mid-term break.' After exams though, we'll be treated to a picnic, so I am looking forward to getting through the next couple of days.

Bis später!

On Sunday I went back to Potsdam with another professor to get a better feel for the city. He was born and raised there while it was a part of the GDR. He had so many interesting stories about the risks he took to see the many girls whom 'he was in love to.' It was amazing to see how much history one little city can hold. We saw the house in which Truman signed the order to drop the atomic bombs, the site of the Wannsee conference, and the area in which Marlene Dietrich filmed The Blue Angel. We must have walked at least 10 miles though, so I slept very well that night!

Since then I have visited the Soviet memorial (surrounded by quotes from Stalin) and the Jüdisches Museum. I am most excited to see the Reichstag though, especially because we learned a lot about it in my class today. Not only does it have a very interesting architectural past and present, but it is an engineering feat on many fronts. Improvements by Sir Norman Foster include solar power, reflected natural light, a heat shield, and an ingenious ventilation system. Nothing quite like...British engineering???

Last night I had my first bout of food poisoning while abroad...maybe not the best topic for my blog? It was just interesting, because I had to take care of myself, and found that it is even more disorienting without having parents or friends in the rooms down the hall...even if they are asleep.

The academic load here is starting to be a bit overwhelming, but I promise to be a learned scholar by the time I get home! I know I will have plenty of time to really enjoy my travels after this too, so I am trying my hardest to stay focused. On that note, I should probably get some research done while I'm at a computer.

Alles Gute!