The Last Hoorah

Well, I don't exactly know how to spell hoorah, but I think you get the point. Anyways, we went to Berlin this past week for our last week in Germany. We took a bus tour when we first arrived, but we were all so sleepy that most of us conked out! The next day I went to Checkpoint Charlie and toured the museum there. It was so cool learning about how people escaped and in so many different ways!! We also timed it just right because it started pouring while we were in the museum, but it stopped as soon as we got out. We also did some shopping that day and went to H&M...the best store ever!!! The next day we went on a bike tour that was a lot of fun, and we took some fun group pictures on a Karl Marx statue and on a huge E=MC2!! The tour guide was really funny and did a good job explaining everything, but I think he should be more careful about the jokes he makes--he could easily offend someone. We did more shopping after the tour and I bought some Birkenstocks because I've never owned a pair, so I thought I might as well buy some while they are cheaper!

The coolest thing by far on this whole trip was the Dünkel restaurant! (I'm sure many people have posted about this already, but here's another one). The restaurant is run by blind people--they are the waiters--and you eat your dinner in complete darknes in order to feel how it is to be blind!!! It is such a weird feeling not being able to see anything! We were led inside in a line and Sandy (our waitress) took us each individually and showed us our chair and place setting. For a while after we all sat down we were just trying to get a visual of who was sitting where. When I talked to the others, I kept my eyes open even though technically it would be the same if I had them closed, but I felt I couldn't concentrate as much if my eyes were closed. Eating the surprise food we ordered was an adventure! I used my fork and knife pretty much all the time, but it was weird because you never knew what you were stabbing if anything at all! It was really hard to tell if you had finished everything on the plate unless you feel around with your hands, which is what I did sometimes! It was such a wonderful experience, and it really made me appreciate all the problems blind people have to face. Most people take their sight for granted, but after that dinner I don't think I do anymore!

The last night we were in Berlin we had a banquet at this really nice restaurant and everyone dressed up so we all looked so nice!! It was a lot of fun and the food was good! I'm also glad I got to see and talk with Gerd and Christa one last time before we left. It was such an enjoyable evening--a great way to end the program! But that wasn't the end of the night. We went out to this cool bar Miriam took us to and I bought a drink just to celebrate the ending of our program. It is so sad to think that we won't see most of these people as much as we have these past five weeks, but I think we all bonded really well, and I'm looking forward to hanging out with everyone at College Station! Party at Dr. Wasser's house!!! right?? It was such a weird feeling because when I went to sleep that night after the banquet and I got up in the morning, over half the group was already gone...just like that!! I'm going to miss being with everyone in Germany, but I am anxious to get home and see my family, boyfriend and dog!! I'll never forget the awesome people I've met on this trip or the wonderful experiences we all shared together!!! Tschüss everyone!!! See you soon!!