Week 6: The Week of Farewells

This week was our last week of the program :- ( We had our last classes in Bonn on Monday. We learned about Rudolf Virchow and his invention of the cell theory “omnis cellula e cellula”, among other things. He also investigated different disease outbreaks in different parts of Europe and the surrounding areas. After lecture, we had a farewell dinner for Henning, our AIB coordinator, and had a Hogwarts style final exam. We ate Ethiopian food that was very delicious and was a new experience for me. On Tuesday we had the day to pack and some of my friends and I went to a winery that was in the town where my host family lived. It was absolutely beautiful and very nice to just enjoy a glass of wine with some of my friends before we left Bonn. 

Weinhaus Gut Sülz in Königswinter

On Wednesday we left for Berlin! Arianna and I had 4 suitcases in total so we decided that we would taxi to Bonn Hbf instead of trying to brave the trams. My luggage was definitely a little bit of a hindrance during our trek to Berlin but it all worked out! When we arrived in Berlin we hopped onto a bus tour that took us around Berlin. We saw the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Checkpoint Charlie, the East Side Gallery, and some other iconic Berlin sites. Afterward, we had burgers and shakes for dinner to celebrate the 4^thof July. 

some art at the East Side Gallery

On Thursday we split up into groups for “My Berlin Day”. There were 4 different groups and all of us followed around 4 different people for the day to experience what a day in their life looks like. I had the awesome opportunity of following a man named Mohamad who is a Syrian refugee. He took us to some significant sites in Berlin and drew parallels between German history and Syrian history. It was very interesting to learn about Syria and the struggles that Mohamad went through to get to Germany. He told us about his journey to Germany and said that he wouldn’t have wished it on his worst enemy. The journey was full of trials and tribulations but his resolve and determination were very clear. I learned a lot from My Berlin Day and I loved that it was a full cultural and lifestyle experience.  Afterward, we went to a Syrian restaurant; the food was absolutely delicious and I had the best baba ghanoush. We tried many different things, all of which were delectable. 

The Syrian food we ate

We had a brief time to put together a presentation over our day. Each group presented and it was great to learn about everyone else’s experiences. The other groups followed around a beekeeper, an architect, and a sound guide. I learned a lot from these presentations and this experience was definitely one of my favorite parts of the program. It was educational but also unique and something I would never have been able to do on my own, just as a tourist in Berlin. Afterward, we had some free time and ventured to the Brandenburg Gate and ate some dinner. 

Brandenburg Gate

Friday was our last in Berlin so we had our last German meal for lunch and then went to Sachsenhausen the work camp. We learned a lot about the Nazi period and the persecution of many different groups. Even after visiting Auschwitz the week before, visiting Sachsenhausen was just as sobering and not any less shocking or saddening. 

Afterward, we had our group farewell dinner. It was at a Lebanese restaurant next to our hotel and was very delicious! They also had a belly dancer perform which was very entertaining and fun! We all had such a great last night together and it made the goodbyes even harder. 

This trip has taught me so much about myself, working with others, being independent and being travel savvy. I would not trade this experience for the world and know I will cherish these memories for years to come. I made so many great friends and memories and had many great conversations with everyone in the program. I have a deeper understanding of the world and the vastness of it and how many different beliefs, lifestyles, cultures, and cuisines among other things, exist in the world. I hope to continue traveling to new places and experiencing new things. I’m feeling very thankful for this study abroad program! As for now, I am very happy to be back in the great state of Texas!