Berlin and Goodbyes

So, this is the week I’ve been dreading. I cannot believe this trip of a lifetime is actually coming to an end but I’ve tried my best to push that out of my head and enjoy the last few days in Berlin. Monday was the final day in Bonn, and needless to say, it was hard to say goodbye to the beautiful town and my wonderful host mom, Marita. It was also hard to close my luggage because it is absolutely packed to the top with souvenirs and clothes.

            Tuesday morning we met bright and early and headed to Berlin, which took most of the day by train. When we arrived we had a few minutes to put things down in the hotel, get something to eat, and then head to our first activity—a bike tour of the city. We were lucky that the weather was nice for the bike tour because every day afterwards was very rainy. Our tour guide was a very funny Welsh man who was incredibly knowledgeable about the city. It was amazing to see the remains of the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. I also couldn’t believe we got to stand right above Hitler’s bunker, where he spent his last days. It was a great intro to the city and, somehow, there were no bike accidents. We finished the night at a biergarten and then went back to the hotel to write our neurophysiology of music papers.

            On Wednesday morning we ate breakfast and headed to Sachsenhausen to visit the memorial and museum of the concentration camp. Although a lot of the buildings were no longer there, it was such an eerie feeling to be standing in an actual concentration camp where people were killed and basically enslaved. I can’t even describe the feeling of standing in the mortuary area where they would drag the dead bodies to be burned. I felt a very heavy sadness to be witnessing this work camp area first hand, and I can only imagine how much more amplified that feeling would’ve been at a death camp, like Auschwitz.

After the tour, we headed to the Kartuffelkellar (Potato Cellar) Restaurant, where everything on the menu included potatos! I ordered a Roma schnitzel with mozzarella and tomato on top, plus some amazing roasted potatoes. I also got to taste the Cologne casserole, which was potatoes, cheese, and bacon… Sooo good. The rest of the day we finished up our essays.

            That night Henning took us out. We went to a couple pubs and experienced the city nightlife. What I didn’t expect was how targeted we were. Karen got her purse stolen while it was basically on her lap with all of us around but, thankfully, Miguel jumped up and chased down the thief. We also went to a club called Suicide Circus. This was definitely a sketchy area, and we were lucky to be with Henning because four men almost jumped Joseph. Luckily we all ended up safe and got inside the club with no issues. There was smoke everywhere and techno playing—not quite my scene but still a lot of fun.

            Thursday it rained all day, so we started at the Alchemy Exhibition at Kulturforum. I had very limited knowledge of alchemy prior to this trip, so it was very interesting to see what this practice involved. The art was beautiful, especially the big scroll on the lower floor. There was also a thirty minute long Rube Goldberg-esque video playing that was absolutely insane. Next we had the chance to grab lunch, so we had one last big German meal… plus some gelato. Next we went to the Otto Bock Science center, where we learned about the prosthetics they create and how the joints work with your remaining limb. It was interesting to hear how your nerves can still be used to move the prosthetics, and learning more about the mechanics of the arms and legs.

            Following the museum we returned to the hotel for a nap and then got ready for the Blink 182 concert! Henning came with us and we all had a blast sitting together screaming Blink songs and head banging. Plus, at the end of the concert there was a fan wearing a Karbholz hat that fan-girled hard over Henning. They even took a picture together. It’s so interesting to see him as a little rock star, and we’ve all loved getting close to him on this trip.

            Friday was hard because we all knew it was the last day together. We started off with a final lecture by Dr. Wasser in the hotel lobby over Robert Virchow and then had some free time to get things together and eat some lunch. Next we went to Charite Berlin for a guided tour by one of the last year medical students that work there. He was really interesting to talk to and spent a good portion of the time telling us what medical school in Europe is like. Here, you can enter med school right after high school and it lasts six years. It’s crazy to think that they get the majority of schooling for free, because it leaves so many more options for doing what you really want to do instead of deciding on a job that maybe pays more so you can pay off debt quicker. After his informal lecture, he took us around the building and showed us a bunch of different simulation models that can be used by the medical students that are being tutored by the older ones. It’s a great system to use the more advanced med students to teach the younger ones because it’s cheaper and it helps both sides get a better grasp on the topics.

            Next, we took a short break to grab some souvenirs, and then met back up for our final group dinner at a Moroccan restaurant called Kasbah. I had no clue what Moroccan food was like before this meal, but they ended up bringing out huge bowls of lamb and chicken with a massive plate of couscous in the middle. The food was pretty good, and the dinner got sentimental when we handed Dr. Wasser, Henning, and Professor Waltz their cards and gifts. Surprisingly, Henning got up and gave us all signed copies of his Karbholz CD, which we all loved. We said our final goodbyes to the professors and went back to the hotel to hang out one last time. It was fun but a little somber to be there knowing it was our last night. I know we all go to A&M, but it’ll never be the same hanging out there as it’s been here where we all basically live together.

            Today, I sit here in the hotel lobby alone. This is the longest I’ve been alone (maybe two hours) since before this program started, and it’s a very strange feeling. I already miss everyone and am absolutely amazed and grateful that I had the opportunity to partake in this program. I knew this would be a great experience but I never expected to form such close relationships with these people and truly enjoyed every single moment. Next stop: Iceland!