This past Thursday the Bundesland that I live in, Nord-Rhein Westphalia started the Carnival celebrations. Craziness ensued. The majority of my classes were cancelled Thursday and Friday and those that took place had only a few students in attendance. I am not a person for crowds and parades do nothing for me. Therefore, I became a refugee and fled the city. I spent Friday night, Saturday and so far half of Sunday in Germany's capital, Berlin.
My last time in Berlin was in 2005 when I spent a week here after my Beyond Borders exchange time in Dresden. I fell in love with the city then and it continues to captivate a type of charm that only a city like Berlin can deliver. The city is different from most German cities. Divided for the better part of 40 years, Berlin is an ecclectic mix of new and old, punk and preppy. The history alone in Belrin is enough to make a World War II / Cold War / European History buff like myself drool all over the place for days. Not to mention many fantastic scenes from fantastic movies take place in Berin. Yesterday I went the DDR Museum as well as the Stasi Museum. It was interesting to explore the place where many lives were crushed by the totalitarianistic government of East Germany.
I am with my friend Marcus now and we are going to explore Berlin a little bit more before hitch-hiking our way to Dresden. Okay, so its the modern day version of that, where you book online with someone who is going to the same city as you, help pay with petrol and thats that. Should be a good experience for the American.
I love East Germany.
I am thinking about applying for jobs that require me to write. Maybe one of my favorite magazines, Monocole are hiring. That would be fantastic.
1 comment:
East Germany is a lot of fun that time of year. Have you ever been to the Nordsee in spring? It is something else!
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