"Ich bin ein Berliner."

Berlin has been great! I was unsure about it since it is so much bigger than Bonn, but it turned out I really like it. There are so many interesting things. They mix modern and history everywhere. Sometimes it is not so pleasing to the eye, but that is what makes Berlin so diverse and cultural, in my opinion.

I really enjoyed the bike tour. I really did not think it was going to go as smoothly as it did. I thought the architecture of the buildings was amazing! I loved getting to see the actual place of the May 10th book burning. I thought it was interesting that they turned the area above the Hitler's bunker into a parking lot. The only thing showing anything happened there is one smallish sign.  I really enjoyed getting to see so many places we learn about in class in person. Seeing the actual place or thing, makes learning about history that much better! The Jewish Memorial in the center of Berlin was really amazing! I liked that each block was different in some way.

Sauchsenhausen Concentration Camp was very interesting. Entering the camp gave me chills and this feeling of unease that is hard to explain. The silence and immensity of the camp was astonishing. I had no idea that Neo-Nazis were still prominent enough to set fire to one of the Jewish Barracks. I thought it was interesting that the burnt building was kept that way to remind people that Nazism did not die out with the end of the war.

The Charite Museum was really interesting. I really liked our guide. He definitely added to the experience! His way of explaining things and story-telling was very interesting. He really made the museum more interesting!

I enjoyed going to the Ottobock Institute. I had no idea what all went into making the prosthetics. It was really interesting watching all of their simulators of the different motions humans perform and how their prosthetics are able to mimic a lot of those motions. It was really cool to see!

In our free time in Berlin, I went to the festival in Alexander Platz and Flea Market in Mauerpark. They were both really cool. They both had a lot of interesting things. We also went to the Tiergarten and Volkspark. The parks were absolutely beautiful. I love that you are not attacked by mosquitoes here at dusk.

It is already time to pack our bags again, but this time we are going back to Texas. I cannot believe our study abroad program is almost over. I am excited to go home, but at the same time I do not want to leave Germany. I definitely plan on coming back one day!