weil einfach einfach einfach ist!

So on Wednesday, a bunch of us really wanted to go to the beach. So after class, that’s what we did! And we did, weil einfach einfach einfach ist! It was the perfect day—85 degrees and breezy. The Wannsee was perfect swimming temperature. There was also a big slide in the middle of the lake, but unfortunately it was closed. Schade! 

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #9

It is not uncommon for one to see naked children at the beach. I just don’t think that’d be comfortable…haha

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #10

It hurts when drunk people run into you. There was this drunk guy on the tram, and he ran into me. Twice. Really hard. He smelled really bad. I was surprised he made it off the tram alive!

I had to do a presentation on the Altes Museum on Thursday.

I just realized that I failed to take a picture of what the museum looks like, but here it is in the background (ignore me and Colter):

Inside, there is a rotunda skylight that looks remarkably similar to the one in the Pantheon in Rome. It’s pretty neat.

Kristen and I had the idea of posing in front of this statue. Jozi also had the same idea and joined us:

Here’s the Berliner Dom up close:

Cindy’s two youngest sons (Logan and Nick) were posing in this eye-looking spotlight in a church:

And Keaton, too:

We saw a lot of buildings designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel (or Shingle, as Jordan refers to him as). They’re gorgeous buildings:

A bunch of us got together and watched the Newsies. And then imitated the Brooklyn accent.

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #11

Keyholes aren’t the same as in the US. One must turn the key “upside down” (according to American standards) in order for it to fit into the keyhole.

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #12

Germans are more formal than Americans, which I did already know, but even in smaller things. For example, the name tags that cashiers wear at the grocery store have “Frau” oder “Herr” and then the person’s last name as opposed to in America where the tag just has the person’s first name.

This weekend is the Karneval der Kultur in Berlin, so we went on Saturday. There were lots of shops, food from all over the world, music, etc. We purchased a coconut and drank the contents. I’d never tried that before. Spoiler: it tastes just like water. It was for the experience. :)

We all got Henna tattoos. They’re pretty neat! We talked (in German) with the lady that did the Henna, and even though she knew we came from America, she still talked to us in German. Finally! Usually people will just speak English to you, which is really frustrating. But we just keep speaking in German back, regardless.

Today was a wonderful day at church. I got asked to say one of the prayers in Relief Society, and I said, “Ich kann versuchen!” (I can try). And the woman responded, “Versuch macht klug!” (trying makes you smart). It’s true! How else will I improve if I never step out of my comfort zone and just try?

I sat next to this sweet girl named Inga. We talked in German for a while, which was really fun! I need to keep talking with natives.

The lessons were really good, and I understand more and more each week. I also learn great words all the time! I just need to keep reviewing them so I can remember them. I think I’m at the point right now where my German has improved, but my English has declined (it was extremely difficult to write this post at some moments because I wanted to write in German or do the German sentence structure). So now, both my German and my English are at the level of a Kindergartener, and I mix the two languages a lot. It’s become a very specific language that only other Study Abroad students can understand! Haha

I’ve decided that little kids are my best friends here. For one, they’re super cute. Two, I can speak with them and understand everything. Cindy’s (my professor) daughter Amina speaks a really cute Denglisch. She’ll come up to you and say, “Try some Lippenstift (lipstick)” or “That’s your Blume (flower).” It’s pretty much one of the cutest things ever.

Oh! Yesterday for dinner, Cindy’s oldest son Kenneth made us dinner. It was a Russian specialty. (very special, might I add). You put a bunch of cold vegetables in a bowl, pour this carbonated drink (fermented bread crusts) over your vegetables, add sour cream, salt, and pepper, and mix it around to end up with this cold, carbonated soup. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t my favorite. Especially since it’s basically vegetables in alcoholic free beer. With sour cream. Haha. It was an experience.

Today marks one month of being in Berlin. I can’t believe an entire month has gone by! How is that even possible? My trip is one-third of the way finished. That makes me so sad to think about! I don’t want to go back to Provo! How about everyone just move to Germany? Join me here!!

Vacation while on Vacation

So this week has been incredibly busy and exciting. We went to a gallery and saw lots of Renaissance and Baroque paintings. For our Art and Architecture class, we have to draw a lot of artifacts (paintings, buildings, monuments, statues, etc), and I think it's really silly to re-draw a Rembrandt or other paintings, but maybe it'll turn out better than the original...? :)

Here's me and Keaton:

This is the building right across the street from the gallery. It was such a beautiful day!!

We had a holiday on Thursday, so we skipped our class at the Goethe Institute on Friday and took a long weekend trip down to Coburg, Bayern, and Rothenburg o.d.T.

This is Coburg:

It was SO beautiful, we couldn't contain our excitement and just had to freak out. Also, we were on vacation...ON vacation:

We went to a fortress in Coburg, and this was the view:

Aw, we're so cute!

Enjoyable moment: running through this field and lying in the grass and soaking up the sun :)

Bamberg: one of my favorite cities! Colter enjoying his roasted macadamia nuts, which are incredibly delicious!

On the bridge in Bamberg:

The Bamberger Dom--one of my favorite buildings thus far in Germany:

Becca and Colter in one of the many churches that we stumbled upon. We're really good now at distinguishing between different styles of architecture :)

A typical street in Germany:

Germany's so picturesque!

Me and Becca in picturesque Bayern:

We walked past an area set up for a wedding reception! So beauitful:

Becca: "Take an artsy picture of me!"

More Coburg:

And Coburg at night:

I really loved Coburg. We went to church there, and the branch was fantastic! I really felt loved by all the members, even though they didn't know me! I've decided that I could live there. I've also decided that I love talking with German children because I'm at the same level of German as they are. Well, mostly ;) We played Taboo at a branch activity, and that was so hard to do in German, but really helpful with vocabulary. I learned words for hibernation, pit stop, and a few others. After church on Sunday, there was a ward potluck--the most delicious potluck I've ever had. It was all traditional German food. Goulaschsuppe, Knoedel, Frikadellen, and lots of German desserts. I ate the most delicious Strawberry Torte der ganzen Welt! It was saddening to leave Bayern, but it was also exciting to come back home. Especially when your home is in BERLIN!

Today, we did a lot of sightseeing for our class. In St. Hedwig's Church:

It was 85 degrees today, so I broke out the sunglasses. (The only reason I haven't broken them out before is because I always forget to bring them with me. But not today)!

Me and Colterchen outside of the Konzerthalle:

Französischer Dom, looking up:

Anna, hanging on for dear life at the top of the Französischer Dom:

And we're back to the Brandenburger Tor--the central magnet of Berlin :)

 

Reassurance

Yes, I'm still alive :) I just got back from a long weekend trip down to Bavaria. We visited the cities of Coburg, Bamberg, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber!

As soon as I catch up on the school work I missed (yes, I'm still technically in school--hard to believe, I know), then I shall post a new entry and some (and by "some," I mean a lot) of pictures.

But here's a preview! This is in Rothenburg o.d.T:

Waiting for one of our many trains:

Bavaria gave us a nice break from the city life of Berlin (though it is good to be back):

2-week anniversary!

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Jeder Tag ist ein schöner Tag! I’ve done so much in these 2 weeks (and taken a lot of pictures).

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #4:

You can’t take too many pictures.
 

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #5:

The Brandenburg Gate is like a black hole—we’re always drawn toward it. Seriously! We’ve been there/ended up there at least 4 times now, yet it never ceases to be beautiful and majestic.

We went to the Pergamon Museum last week. I think it’s my favorite museum thus far. It has the Pergamon Altar, the Gate of Miletus, and the Babylonian Ishtar Gate—all built into the museum.

The museum also had an Islamic Art section, which was really neat.

Our big group went out to dinner to celebrate a classmate’s birthday!

A bunch of people tried alcohol-free beer (we don’t need alcohol to be crazy…so I guess we don’t even have an excuse for our craziness, right?). It smells like yeast. Lots and lots of yeast.

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #6:

It’s not possible to get bad food in Berlin.

We went to this Medieval Town—it would have been a little more exciting if they had had actors or something, but we still managed to have fun--no worries!

 Thursday was the Anniversary of when the Nazi’s burned books, so every year, the students at Humboldt University sell inexpensive books, so I went and got some children’s books/novels because that’s the equivalent of my German. Plus, who doesn’t like Mickey Mouse?!

So, Avengers! Ridiculously over-priced, but definitely worth it. I didn’t expect it to be so funny! One of my favorite lines: “But he’s my Brother!” “He killed 80 people in 2 days.” “He’s adopted.” We decided that Captain America is how Americans think they (patriotic, passionate, honest) and that Iron Man is how other people perceive us (arrogant, but funny). I really enjoyed the movie! Though it is a bit violent…I have my Human Development professor, Dr. Walker, to thank—she made me realize about all the violence in media and how it’s perceived and expected to be funny. We laugh at violence all the time! So interesting.

On Saturday we visited Marienkirche and Nikolaikirche, right by the Fernseher Turm—a symbol associated with Berlin. It was such a beautiful part of Berlin!

If you’ve never tried RitterSport chocolate, you haven’t lived. Also: you haven’t lived. We went to a RitterSport “factory” (the real one is in Stuttgart). It may or may not have been incredibly exciting.

And I may or may not have purchased 4 chocolate bars (for under 4 Euro)!

And Colter may or may not have an addiction to chocolate which may only get worse as we traverse through Europe during these 3 months.

(And this picture may or may not be taken out of context)... :)

We went to church in Lankwitz. It’s a really small ward, but I absolutely love it! The members were really friendly, and we’re getting to know the other Young Single Adults our age. The talks were fantastic and uplifting, and I understood just about everything that was said! The Primary kids sang a song and handed out roses for Mother’s Day. The bishop’s daughter is absolutely adorable!

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #7:

When Germans speak slower, German is so much easier to understand.

Things I’ve learned about Berlin #8:

Trying out different accents in German is pretty darn entertaining. “Mmmm, Frau. Du bist verrückt!”

Upcoming Abenteuers this week: Renaissance Art Gallery, a holiday on Thursday, and a trip to southern Germany from Thursday through Sunday!

Also: Becca and I are so good at navigating. (Well, mainly Becca. But I’m improving)! I always carry my huge map of Berlin, courtesy of my dad, around with me, and thank goodness for that! We’ve used it a few times already, due to the unexpected closing of the U-9 line—the U-Bahn line to our house—or the buses not running, due to a sporting event, etc.

I feel like I’m always apologizing for the length of my posts, but I’m not going to do that anymore. I want to write about everything I can! And when I don’t have internet for a few days, then I have to catch up on my posts. Thank goodness I keep a journal so I have something to refer back to because days blend into one another, and I definitely lose my sense of time.

Alright! I’m finished. There’s only one word left to be said: