Berlin!!!!!

It has been one month since i began this journey. Some moments i wonder, "where has the time gone" but many times it seems more like a year than a month. My days consist of emotional rollercoasters; this is without a doubt the hardest thing i have ever done. Yet, for every forgetable moment i have two unforgetable moments. this is one of those times.

This last weekend i had the opportunity to travel to Berlin. I left on Friday afternoon and arrived in Berlin around 7 o'clock with 25 other exchange students and two rotary leaders. We then traveled to the Berlin Youth Hostel, which was so nice. Then we had dinner there at the youth hostel and after that we went into the city. And so began my falling in love with the city of berlin. It has such an amazing feel to it. Perhaps something that can only be accomplished by the rich history and the historical events that took place in the city. We walked around the Brandenburg gate, and the parliment buildings. After that we went to a local brewery/resteraunt. It felt so good to talk in English and actually have a personality again. I has some great conversations with some of the other exchange students.

We woke up early on saturday and began our touring of berlin. First we went to the Bundestag (the parliment building) and got a personal tour. We actually got to go inside the room where the parliment meets and debates. It was so cool. After that we walked through Potsdamer platz, which was basically no-mans land when the wall was up becasue the wall ran right through it.

We then took a bus to another part of the city where we went to a museum that is called "the story of berlin" They did a complete walk-through of all the major events in Berlins history, from its founding in the 13th century to today. I absolutly loved it. We then had some free time to shop and get something to eat if we wanted to. We then travled back to the hostel, ate, and then left to see Blue Man Group. We had front row seats. The show was really good.

Sunday brought another early morning and more sightseeing before we left. We travled to a train station where an underground civilian bunker is still in tact. We walked through it and learned all about the history behind the bunker and what it was actually like to be there during a bomb raid.

Overall, it was such an amazing weekend, which is exactly what i needed.

Well, one month down and 8 to go. I know thats not the mindset i should have but it feels good to actually be farther into my exchange. I have 3 weeks of school and then a two week break.

http://hs.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2000123&id=1076310090&l=a0bee

Those are some of the pictures from the weekend. I hope enjoy them and that everyone is doing well. Talk to you soon

Tyler