Hello, Again
I haven't updated since before London! My sincerest apologies, it's been a busy and exciting time around here. London was fantastic. We went to a few museums (the Tate Modern and the Clink Prison), did some dancing, bought some vintage denim, had some delicious Italian food (and bagels, a delicacy not found in Berlin), and relaxed in a home for the weekend. It's surprising how much having a living room that isn't also your kitchen and bedroom changes how you spend a day! It was exactly what I needed, and with my good friends too! The days following London involved turning in massive piles of terribly written papers and stressing about German tests--the usual.
Since Halloween, it's been Christmas in Berlin. Lights hung up everywhere, candles and pines laid out at markets, and Gluwein being sold all over. I love it. It makes the cold weather more tolerable, and makes gray days a little cozier.
I Don't Like Clubs?
After a few weekends out at small Berlin clubs, I had determined that I am not a fan of clubbing. In Berlin particularly. Which is weird, because it's known as the clubbing capital of the world. The thing is, techno music doesn't exactly lend itself to dancing, just swaying aggressively. You wait until 12 or 1AM to get into an empty club filled with smoke and swaying Germans (wearing only black and making you feel odd for wearing dark blue). If you don't have cash to check your coat (which I happened to not have one night), you just hold your winter coat and continue to sway aggressively. I am excited to go back to Santa Cruz where people know how to dance.
We Got Paid Off
As I mentioned at the beginning of this journey, I had bedbugs in my apartment for two weeks in August. The program housed me in hotels, and switched my room eventually. However, it's come out that someone in the program has scabies (EW EW EW), which prompted a panicked reaction from the program director--200 Euro for each student in an apartment. So I am 200 Euro richer, and excited about it.
Impossible to Avoid
At this point, the end of the program is looming over everyone's heads almost all the time. My three months here have seemed like years, but also like three days. I'm becoming more confident in the city and the language everyday, and just as I'm finding my feet here it's time to go back. I've gained knowledge about what I want to do with my life after school (and during school), and what is important to me in my day-to-day. In Berlin, there's constant adjustment. We're always solving new problems, coming up with solutions to Germany issues with America minds. I feel myself making conscious decisions to challenge myself, especially in social situations, which I didn't expect from time abroad. At home, school has always come first. But after being out of commission last Spring quarter, I realized that my formal education will always be waiting for me. Here I've learned how to prioritize self-care, and how to include others in that process. I genuinely believe the people here have made me a better Maya, and I'll miss them a lot come December.
I'm endlessly grateful to have been here, even if for a short time, but still excited to come home. It's bittersweet, as a good ending should be.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Sunday, November 3, 2019
stuff is happening i am busy
Gettin' Busy
After the midterm break things have definitely picked up in schoolwork (and in fun). We have two research papers coming up, and outlines were due this week so everyone was either very freaked about it, or completely forgot. The program here is weird, in that our classes have basic content that isn't difficult to digest, but the professors don't understand how to teach it or engage students, and the FU-BEST program requires a 10 page research paper for every subject course, regardless of the teacher's desires. Anyways, I've finally focused my topics for both papers (Austrian Holocaust memory and music in female-led Weimar cinema) and am really excited to be writing them.
Random Bits and Bobs
On Sunday after getting home from Paris, I went to the symphony with a ticket from FU-BEST. I was so tired from my trip home I basically watched the whole thing asleep, unfortunately. School was relatively uneventful; on Thursday my German class took a field trip to interview strangers at 9:30AM about the history of their area. This went about as well as you would expect, we spoke to multiple Americans and no one knew any of the answers to our questions. Afterwards, we went to the Graffiti Museum. It was pretty small and nothing really stood out to me, but it was good checking it off the Berlin tourist list.
Sachsenhausen
The long awaited field trip to Sachsenhausen on Friday morning was meant to begin at 10:15, however I didn't double check the time when getting ready, and was pretty late. There were other students running late, and as we were on the longest S-bahn ride of all time I GOT FINED FOR NOT HAVING MY STUDENT ID ON ME. The one day of the entire program I didn't have my card on me is also the one day the BVG security are checking. So as I'm running late to my field trip at a CONCENTRATION CAMP, I get fined SIXTY EUROS. It was a rough start.
The field trip itself was really interesting, we had a walking tour of the grounds which are partially recreated and partially original remains. It was incredibly humbling, more so I would say than Treblinka. Being able to trace where a person would go in a day, what structures were enforced to keep them imprisoned, as well as how they were killed and buried, was moving. When you read history so often, it's easy to distance yourself from the reality of the past.
Other Things Also Happened
I had a little adventure afterwards to pick up my package from America (THANKS MOM). I was really nervous about navigating customs in German, but there was actually very little speaking. That night I went to see the new Joker movie which was very good and very disturbing. On Saturday morning my friends and I tried to make bagels from scratch, and I would say it worked like 70% but we ate them anyways.
Backdate This Post
It took me two weeks to put this up somehow! That might give ya'll an actual idea of how busy I am. I finished one ten page research paper, and will be working like crazy this week to get the other done before my trip to London on Thursday. Hopefully my next update will be coming soon!
Random Bits and Bobs
On Sunday after getting home from Paris, I went to the symphony with a ticket from FU-BEST. I was so tired from my trip home I basically watched the whole thing asleep, unfortunately. School was relatively uneventful; on Thursday my German class took a field trip to interview strangers at 9:30AM about the history of their area. This went about as well as you would expect, we spoke to multiple Americans and no one knew any of the answers to our questions. Afterwards, we went to the Graffiti Museum. It was pretty small and nothing really stood out to me, but it was good checking it off the Berlin tourist list.
Sachsenhausen
The long awaited field trip to Sachsenhausen on Friday morning was meant to begin at 10:15, however I didn't double check the time when getting ready, and was pretty late. There were other students running late, and as we were on the longest S-bahn ride of all time I GOT FINED FOR NOT HAVING MY STUDENT ID ON ME. The one day of the entire program I didn't have my card on me is also the one day the BVG security are checking. So as I'm running late to my field trip at a CONCENTRATION CAMP, I get fined SIXTY EUROS. It was a rough start.
The field trip itself was really interesting, we had a walking tour of the grounds which are partially recreated and partially original remains. It was incredibly humbling, more so I would say than Treblinka. Being able to trace where a person would go in a day, what structures were enforced to keep them imprisoned, as well as how they were killed and buried, was moving. When you read history so often, it's easy to distance yourself from the reality of the past.
Other Things Also Happened
I had a little adventure afterwards to pick up my package from America (THANKS MOM). I was really nervous about navigating customs in German, but there was actually very little speaking. That night I went to see the new Joker movie which was very good and very disturbing. On Saturday morning my friends and I tried to make bagels from scratch, and I would say it worked like 70% but we ate them anyways.
Backdate This Post
It took me two weeks to put this up somehow! That might give ya'll an actual idea of how busy I am. I finished one ten page research paper, and will be working like crazy this week to get the other done before my trip to London on Thursday. Hopefully my next update will be coming soon!
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Little Me in Paris
A Week in Paris
On Friday evening last week I embarked on my solo journey to France with far too much luggage and not enough snacks. After a chaotic sprint through the Berlin bus terminal, I hopped on a 17 hour overnight bus and got comfortable. I listened to the Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack for the first time (and then a second and third) and slept a solid 8 hours through the night. Thankfully no one sat next to me until the very last 2 hours of the ride, but those 2 hours I spent dying to get up and run in circles.
When I arrived in Paris, it was time to take the Metro to my hostel. The bus station is in the middle of a park, and France is TERRIBLE at signage, so I spent a good while walking around trying to find the Metro station. When I did, I couldn't figure out how to use the ticket machine (a weird roller ball controls the menu) and then had a fight with the train doors to get my whole body inside. I was crushed for a moment between the Metro doors, but once I squeezed my way in a very angry French man was grumbling at me. I also speak no French, so who knows what the grumbling meant. I eventually found my way through the labyrinth that is the Underground, to my hostel.
My hostel was very nice and clean, and the girls in my room were from all over the world! I had a brief moment to change my nasty bus clothes before running off to meet a friend from Berlin, so I didn't actually meet my roommates until later. I changed, got back on the train, and spent the afternoon at a flea market that was a mix of typical aggressive tourist stands selling knockoff brandnames, and really interesting vintage furniture and clothes. After the market, we found our way to a long street leading up to the Sacre Coeur, the highest point in Paris. The street was lined with fabulous patisserie and bread shops, produce stands, cheese and meat stores, flower shops--it was unbelievable. We bought a baguette, fig chutney, and fresh goat cheese, which was enjoyed overlooking the city. I also enjoyed a meringue tart with pear and chocolate, and some gelato. The food was the most important part of this whole trip--I won't be ignoring a single meal when retelling it.
Day Deux
I walked from my hostel across the St. Martin Canal for breakfast, which was the best croissant I have ever had. The good coffee was quite a shock to my system after having only German coffee for so long, I knew this would be a good week. I watched a boat going through the lock system on my walk back, which was really cool up close. After a short Metro ride, I had what was meant to be "France's Best Falafel," but was really just okay. What was really interesting, though, was the Jewish quarter we walked through to get to the falafel. There was a synagogue with kids running around, and people were selling "Etrogim," citrus fruits with religious properties, and woven palm leaves. We saw the history section of the Jewish Museum of Art and History, which had some really beautiful artifacts and little English explanation. Afterwards, we met up with another Berliner and had (pear, dark chocolate, caramelized almond, and vanilla ice cream) crepes. Back at my hostel, I watched some sort of coffee pouring competition happening on the rooftop, then headed towards the canal for an unknown adventure. I ended up in a Portuguese bakery, where I had a panini and a strange moment of hypersensitivity (empathy??) towards the meat I was eating, and decided I would no longer be eating meat for the trip. I walked the canal for a while before going to the Seine for drinks and dancing.
Day Three (Felt Like Five)
For breakfast we ventured to an Australian pancake place, which got me way too sugared up (fresh figs, hazelnuts, whipped cream) and eventually led into a tired afternoon at a park. Before getting there, we did stop at a giant food hall (five stories) and search for gifts to bring home. I was stunned by the sheer volume of chocolate and preserves, and had trouble picking anything at all (don't worry parents, I got ya'll a little something). That evening, I went back to the Sacre Coeur street of produce and patisserie and enjoyed a vegan burger and some window shopping.
Day Four, How Many More?
I got up bright and early to go see the Eiffel Tower before the crowds arrived, which was monumental (but it's no Florence Duomo--my point of reference for Western architectural beauty). I had a delicious pistachio swirl pastry in the Champ de Mars park, and set off for the Museum of Modern Art. I had only chosen it because it was closeby, and it ended up having an amazing exhibit on a German (the irony) artist, Hans Hartung. He moved to France in his early life and did most of his art there throughout the 20th century, dying a few days after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He used only pure colors (no mixing) with deep black streaks and splatters over them, I really really enjoyed every single painting. Some took up entire walls, forcing me to sit and stare for minutes. I was lucky to find something I liked so much by accident! After that I wandered around searching for a cafe, and spent the afternoon in the Wine Museum. It was an underground cavey place (for storage purposes wine cellar places are always cavernous like that), filled with tools and technology spanning hundreds of years. I enjoyed a glass of sweet white wine from Toulouse, which was more like apple juice for some reason. I headed back to the hostel area for dinner, where I decided upon a juice bar because HOW MUCH BREAD AND CHEESE CAN A PERSON REALLY HANDLE? I was happy to have a change.
Day Five
Again, I got up bright and early to be the first in line for the Louvre--a very good idea considering I only waited in line for 30 minutes and got in for free as an EU student. The museum was huge, every room leading to three others, impossible to stay on a path. I wandered around for 5 or 6 hours, eventually confused as to how to escape the maze of never-ending art. The highlight was the Islamic section, which had beautiful tiles and rugs (kind of hidden away). After the Louvre I went back to the Lafayette shopping area, and then joined a friend from Berlin for crepes!
Day Six (AGH)
Being my last full day, I had to do everything else on my list on Thursday. However, my list was basically empty at this point, and the one museum I wanted to see was closed. So I walked aimlessly until I found the Pablo Picasso Museum, which was very interesting (but simple). After that, I walked to the Jewish quarter and quickly did the Shoah Museum before heading to my scheduled puff pastry class! This was the thing I had been most excited for during the trip, and it totally lived up to my expectations. We made mille fuilles, palmiers, cheese twists, and savory pinwheels. Everything was delicious. I fell asleep way early that night, and in the morning woke up also way too early, so I headed to a coworking space to do some homework until my bus home.
The Never-ending Bus
The bus left at 4PM and arrived in Berlin at 10AM the next day, with stops more often than I would have liked. There were always people sitting next to me, and I slept from like 4:30-9AM. Luckily, I took a short S-bahn home after the bus and slept until 1PM. It was overall a really fulfilling trip, and left me tired and ready for a day of rest before school on Monday. And Monday went as well as one would expect after being gone for a week--I left all my workbooks at home and took the wrong bus to campus. But I also got good scores back on my midterms (and won first place in German Kahoot, very important). Focus is shifting towards our research papers, and I'm very excited about both of mine. It's going to be a good week!
On Friday evening last week I embarked on my solo journey to France with far too much luggage and not enough snacks. After a chaotic sprint through the Berlin bus terminal, I hopped on a 17 hour overnight bus and got comfortable. I listened to the Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack for the first time (and then a second and third) and slept a solid 8 hours through the night. Thankfully no one sat next to me until the very last 2 hours of the ride, but those 2 hours I spent dying to get up and run in circles.
When I arrived in Paris, it was time to take the Metro to my hostel. The bus station is in the middle of a park, and France is TERRIBLE at signage, so I spent a good while walking around trying to find the Metro station. When I did, I couldn't figure out how to use the ticket machine (a weird roller ball controls the menu) and then had a fight with the train doors to get my whole body inside. I was crushed for a moment between the Metro doors, but once I squeezed my way in a very angry French man was grumbling at me. I also speak no French, so who knows what the grumbling meant. I eventually found my way through the labyrinth that is the Underground, to my hostel.
My hostel was very nice and clean, and the girls in my room were from all over the world! I had a brief moment to change my nasty bus clothes before running off to meet a friend from Berlin, so I didn't actually meet my roommates until later. I changed, got back on the train, and spent the afternoon at a flea market that was a mix of typical aggressive tourist stands selling knockoff brandnames, and really interesting vintage furniture and clothes. After the market, we found our way to a long street leading up to the Sacre Coeur, the highest point in Paris. The street was lined with fabulous patisserie and bread shops, produce stands, cheese and meat stores, flower shops--it was unbelievable. We bought a baguette, fig chutney, and fresh goat cheese, which was enjoyed overlooking the city. I also enjoyed a meringue tart with pear and chocolate, and some gelato. The food was the most important part of this whole trip--I won't be ignoring a single meal when retelling it.
Day Deux
I walked from my hostel across the St. Martin Canal for breakfast, which was the best croissant I have ever had. The good coffee was quite a shock to my system after having only German coffee for so long, I knew this would be a good week. I watched a boat going through the lock system on my walk back, which was really cool up close. After a short Metro ride, I had what was meant to be "France's Best Falafel," but was really just okay. What was really interesting, though, was the Jewish quarter we walked through to get to the falafel. There was a synagogue with kids running around, and people were selling "Etrogim," citrus fruits with religious properties, and woven palm leaves. We saw the history section of the Jewish Museum of Art and History, which had some really beautiful artifacts and little English explanation. Afterwards, we met up with another Berliner and had (pear, dark chocolate, caramelized almond, and vanilla ice cream) crepes. Back at my hostel, I watched some sort of coffee pouring competition happening on the rooftop, then headed towards the canal for an unknown adventure. I ended up in a Portuguese bakery, where I had a panini and a strange moment of hypersensitivity (empathy??) towards the meat I was eating, and decided I would no longer be eating meat for the trip. I walked the canal for a while before going to the Seine for drinks and dancing.
Day Three (Felt Like Five)
For breakfast we ventured to an Australian pancake place, which got me way too sugared up (fresh figs, hazelnuts, whipped cream) and eventually led into a tired afternoon at a park. Before getting there, we did stop at a giant food hall (five stories) and search for gifts to bring home. I was stunned by the sheer volume of chocolate and preserves, and had trouble picking anything at all (don't worry parents, I got ya'll a little something). That evening, I went back to the Sacre Coeur street of produce and patisserie and enjoyed a vegan burger and some window shopping.
Day Four, How Many More?
I got up bright and early to go see the Eiffel Tower before the crowds arrived, which was monumental (but it's no Florence Duomo--my point of reference for Western architectural beauty). I had a delicious pistachio swirl pastry in the Champ de Mars park, and set off for the Museum of Modern Art. I had only chosen it because it was closeby, and it ended up having an amazing exhibit on a German (the irony) artist, Hans Hartung. He moved to France in his early life and did most of his art there throughout the 20th century, dying a few days after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He used only pure colors (no mixing) with deep black streaks and splatters over them, I really really enjoyed every single painting. Some took up entire walls, forcing me to sit and stare for minutes. I was lucky to find something I liked so much by accident! After that I wandered around searching for a cafe, and spent the afternoon in the Wine Museum. It was an underground cavey place (for storage purposes wine cellar places are always cavernous like that), filled with tools and technology spanning hundreds of years. I enjoyed a glass of sweet white wine from Toulouse, which was more like apple juice for some reason. I headed back to the hostel area for dinner, where I decided upon a juice bar because HOW MUCH BREAD AND CHEESE CAN A PERSON REALLY HANDLE? I was happy to have a change.
Day Five
Again, I got up bright and early to be the first in line for the Louvre--a very good idea considering I only waited in line for 30 minutes and got in for free as an EU student. The museum was huge, every room leading to three others, impossible to stay on a path. I wandered around for 5 or 6 hours, eventually confused as to how to escape the maze of never-ending art. The highlight was the Islamic section, which had beautiful tiles and rugs (kind of hidden away). After the Louvre I went back to the Lafayette shopping area, and then joined a friend from Berlin for crepes!
Day Six (AGH)
Being my last full day, I had to do everything else on my list on Thursday. However, my list was basically empty at this point, and the one museum I wanted to see was closed. So I walked aimlessly until I found the Pablo Picasso Museum, which was very interesting (but simple). After that, I walked to the Jewish quarter and quickly did the Shoah Museum before heading to my scheduled puff pastry class! This was the thing I had been most excited for during the trip, and it totally lived up to my expectations. We made mille fuilles, palmiers, cheese twists, and savory pinwheels. Everything was delicious. I fell asleep way early that night, and in the morning woke up also way too early, so I headed to a coworking space to do some homework until my bus home.
The Never-ending Bus
The bus left at 4PM and arrived in Berlin at 10AM the next day, with stops more often than I would have liked. There were always people sitting next to me, and I slept from like 4:30-9AM. Luckily, I took a short S-bahn home after the bus and slept until 1PM. It was overall a really fulfilling trip, and left me tired and ready for a day of rest before school on Monday. And Monday went as well as one would expect after being gone for a week--I left all my workbooks at home and took the wrong bus to campus. But I also got good scores back on my midterms (and won first place in German Kahoot, very important). Focus is shifting towards our research papers, and I'm very excited about both of mine. It's going to be a good week!
Friday, October 11, 2019
I'M BUSY
Midterms!
This week we had our midterm exams. I just had to prep a few essays and review some film vocabulary, so studying for my subject courses went smoothly (as did my tests). I dropped the ball on my German exam by studying only grammar, and then not knowing articles or plurals for super simple words. I've been doing relatively well in German (49/50 three tests in a rowđ), so I'm not too concerned about my overall grade. Anyways, now that tests are over here's a little look back on the week and forward towards what's to come!
Last Weekend
I finally found BAGELS. After months of bagel-less breakfasts, I accidentally stumbled upon a cafe with every kind of bagel you could imagine. I had a sesame bagel with cream cheese and oh my goodness it was so good. I spend most of Saturday morning wandering around Bergmannkiez, where I found a food hall (with Italian fig jam! And peanut butter!!) and a vintage clothes market. That night my friends and I ventured back to the rooftop bar from Week 1, where we FINALLY bought our plane tickets for London! In November we'll be staying for a weekend--right before final research papers are due but it's fine.
Nothing Exciting Happened This Week...
I was guilting myself into writing this update but there's a reason the update didn't feel necessary: nothing really interesting happened this week! I took some tests, hung out with my people, had some good cheesy bread, and watched Big Mouth. I'm leaving for Paris in a few hours, so I've been thinking about that basically 24/7. I reserved a spot in a puff pastry class for Thursday, and mapped out most of my trip. I have not yet given up on seeing King Gizzard, so I'll let ya'll know if that works out in the end. (Once I'm back in Berlin I'll be seeing Steve Lacy!)
In Other News (News Is A Strong Word)
I've been pushing myself to speak German more than ever, and I think I'm getting better when my anxiety doesn't get in the way. I shouldn't expect myself to have a perfect food order in German, when I can barely do it in English. I would really love to come back here after I graduate (or sooner) to work on the language. I have really grown fond of this city and will miss it very much when I come home.
This week we had our midterm exams. I just had to prep a few essays and review some film vocabulary, so studying for my subject courses went smoothly (as did my tests). I dropped the ball on my German exam by studying only grammar, and then not knowing articles or plurals for super simple words. I've been doing relatively well in German (49/50 three tests in a rowđ), so I'm not too concerned about my overall grade. Anyways, now that tests are over here's a little look back on the week and forward towards what's to come!
Last Weekend
I finally found BAGELS. After months of bagel-less breakfasts, I accidentally stumbled upon a cafe with every kind of bagel you could imagine. I had a sesame bagel with cream cheese and oh my goodness it was so good. I spend most of Saturday morning wandering around Bergmannkiez, where I found a food hall (with Italian fig jam! And peanut butter!!) and a vintage clothes market. That night my friends and I ventured back to the rooftop bar from Week 1, where we FINALLY bought our plane tickets for London! In November we'll be staying for a weekend--right before final research papers are due but it's fine.
Nothing Exciting Happened This Week...
I was guilting myself into writing this update but there's a reason the update didn't feel necessary: nothing really interesting happened this week! I took some tests, hung out with my people, had some good cheesy bread, and watched Big Mouth. I'm leaving for Paris in a few hours, so I've been thinking about that basically 24/7. I reserved a spot in a puff pastry class for Thursday, and mapped out most of my trip. I have not yet given up on seeing King Gizzard, so I'll let ya'll know if that works out in the end. (Once I'm back in Berlin I'll be seeing Steve Lacy!)
In Other News (News Is A Strong Word)
I've been pushing myself to speak German more than ever, and I think I'm getting better when my anxiety doesn't get in the way. I shouldn't expect myself to have a perfect food order in German, when I can barely do it in English. I would really love to come back here after I graduate (or sooner) to work on the language. I have really grown fond of this city and will miss it very much when I come home.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
I Just Love Berlin
Unity Day!
This city is perfect. This week we celebrated German Unity Day with a 4 day weekend, and I've been making the most of it. The fun began on Tuesday, when I went to see La Traviata at the Deutsch Opera. It was a long and beautiful show (with German and English captioning). The female lead was one of the most talented singers I've ever seen live. At the end, the cast came out for like a dozen bows, and everyone just kept clapping. I hope to go again before I leave Berlin.
On Wednesday evening, I went to a reading by Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer. She was an adorable 97 year old woman, who spent an entire hour reading her biography to us. She told her story of her family's arrest in 1943, shortly before she went into hiding for a year and three months. She was hidden by the Berlin Underground (if you've seen The Pianist, picture that sort of hiding). Her family was killed in Auschwitz immediately upon arrival, and she tells her story with clear remainders of survivors guilt. She didn't write her book until after her husband's death in the early 2000's, and moved back to Berlin in 2010. She talked about this controversial decision with us, explaining how she's here not to face her perpetrators, but to connect with 3rd and 4th generations about the issue. She preached empathy; "All blood is human blood, regardless of race or religion or age." It was a really special experience.
On Thursday, I took off on my own to the Babylon (which is my new favorite place ever). I saw "The Threepenny Opera," a 1933 satire musical about class conflict and crime and gender and it was SO GOOD. I've decided it will be the subject of my film class research paper. I also had a kouign-amann for the first time ever--I just love patisserie. I am so excited for France, and French dessert.
Yesterday, a friend and I ventured to the Neues Museum, which features Roman and Greek statues, sculptures, and art. I have so little knowledge on ancient history that places like that always leave me feeling inspired to read more. It was a pretty cold day, so we went for some Vietnamese food and then to Alexanderplatz for shopping. I bought new sneakers, and am one small step closer to being a true Berliner.
This city is perfect. This week we celebrated German Unity Day with a 4 day weekend, and I've been making the most of it. The fun began on Tuesday, when I went to see La Traviata at the Deutsch Opera. It was a long and beautiful show (with German and English captioning). The female lead was one of the most talented singers I've ever seen live. At the end, the cast came out for like a dozen bows, and everyone just kept clapping. I hope to go again before I leave Berlin.
On Wednesday evening, I went to a reading by Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer. She was an adorable 97 year old woman, who spent an entire hour reading her biography to us. She told her story of her family's arrest in 1943, shortly before she went into hiding for a year and three months. She was hidden by the Berlin Underground (if you've seen The Pianist, picture that sort of hiding). Her family was killed in Auschwitz immediately upon arrival, and she tells her story with clear remainders of survivors guilt. She didn't write her book until after her husband's death in the early 2000's, and moved back to Berlin in 2010. She talked about this controversial decision with us, explaining how she's here not to face her perpetrators, but to connect with 3rd and 4th generations about the issue. She preached empathy; "All blood is human blood, regardless of race or religion or age." It was a really special experience.
On Thursday, I took off on my own to the Babylon (which is my new favorite place ever). I saw "The Threepenny Opera," a 1933 satire musical about class conflict and crime and gender and it was SO GOOD. I've decided it will be the subject of my film class research paper. I also had a kouign-amann for the first time ever--I just love patisserie. I am so excited for France, and French dessert.
Yesterday, a friend and I ventured to the Neues Museum, which features Roman and Greek statues, sculptures, and art. I have so little knowledge on ancient history that places like that always leave me feeling inspired to read more. It was a pretty cold day, so we went for some Vietnamese food and then to Alexanderplatz for shopping. I bought new sneakers, and am one small step closer to being a true Berliner.
Monday, September 30, 2019
Falling Face First into Fall
We went to school this week?
This week has been a blur. After getting home from Poland I had quite a few assignments due, so I've basically been working anytime I'm not in class or sleeping. We are enjoying the first days of rain here in Berlin, and every time I've been caught ill-equipped. I had to buy a child's umbrella at a 1 Euro store to keep from drowning in the rain yesterday. But! No more! I am now ready for Fall and the cold and the rain and whatever it may bring!
Other notable moments from the school week:
- A few friends and I made teriyaki tofu bowls in a real kitchen!
- I watched Brokeback Mountain, Annihilation, and American Psycho, all very good and very disorienting.
- I wrote my first essay in German about my family and am presenting in German about my hometown next week.
- I attended another Stammtisch, which is a weekly event organized by the program where students basically just meet at a bar and hang out on a Thursday.
Friday Oktoberfest
We decided to check out Berlin Oktoberfest Friday afternoon, after the rain cleared up for the day. It was an eerily empty fairground with rides, games, and food--but no people. As we walked around the grounds, we realized where all the people were: in the beer tent. 15 Euro later, we were inside the large beer tent with beers the size of my head. The tent was about half full of very drunk older Germans, dressed in their lederhosen and dirndls, singing loudly and standing on their table benches. We stayed for a beer and pretzel each, and then went off for evening activities (which consisted of drinks and karaoke).
Tevye the Milkman
Our local cinema, Babylon Berlin, hosts free movie festivals--this week was the Jiddische Glikn. I still do not speak German (nor do I speak Yiddish) but assuming it was Jewish films, a friend and I decided to check it out. We saw a German version of Tevye the Milkman from 1929, which was funny and emotional and very Yiddish. I'm really happy to have this theater here, because they only show free movies that you wouldn't normally watch at home! I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone (a little--I did already know the story of Tevye and Shalom Aleichem and this specific shtetl BUT STILL).
Future Plans
We have a short week because of Unity Day, but our research paper preparation is starting for each class. I'll be writing two 15 pagers--one on the Jewish Film League during the Third Reich, and one on memorialization of mass graves in WWII Soviet zones. I also have a German test, and midterms are next week! So, most likely there will not be much fun this weekend. On Tuesday however, I'm going to see La Traviata.
Our deadline for extension is coming up, so staying for the whole year is on everyone's minds. I know staying for the year would help my German so much, but I'm not actually getting subject education like I do in Santa Cruz.
I also cemented my week break plans--I'm spending 8 days in Paris, France! I'll be staying a short train ride away from the city center, so I can do all the tourist stuff. I'm also going to try to take a patisserie class, and I bought a ticket to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard on Monday night.
This week has been a blur. After getting home from Poland I had quite a few assignments due, so I've basically been working anytime I'm not in class or sleeping. We are enjoying the first days of rain here in Berlin, and every time I've been caught ill-equipped. I had to buy a child's umbrella at a 1 Euro store to keep from drowning in the rain yesterday. But! No more! I am now ready for Fall and the cold and the rain and whatever it may bring!
Other notable moments from the school week:
- A few friends and I made teriyaki tofu bowls in a real kitchen!
- I watched Brokeback Mountain, Annihilation, and American Psycho, all very good and very disorienting.
- I wrote my first essay in German about my family and am presenting in German about my hometown next week.
- I attended another Stammtisch, which is a weekly event organized by the program where students basically just meet at a bar and hang out on a Thursday.
Friday Oktoberfest
We decided to check out Berlin Oktoberfest Friday afternoon, after the rain cleared up for the day. It was an eerily empty fairground with rides, games, and food--but no people. As we walked around the grounds, we realized where all the people were: in the beer tent. 15 Euro later, we were inside the large beer tent with beers the size of my head. The tent was about half full of very drunk older Germans, dressed in their lederhosen and dirndls, singing loudly and standing on their table benches. We stayed for a beer and pretzel each, and then went off for evening activities (which consisted of drinks and karaoke).
Tevye the Milkman
Our local cinema, Babylon Berlin, hosts free movie festivals--this week was the Jiddische Glikn. I still do not speak German (nor do I speak Yiddish) but assuming it was Jewish films, a friend and I decided to check it out. We saw a German version of Tevye the Milkman from 1929, which was funny and emotional and very Yiddish. I'm really happy to have this theater here, because they only show free movies that you wouldn't normally watch at home! I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone (a little--I did already know the story of Tevye and Shalom Aleichem and this specific shtetl BUT STILL).
Future Plans
We have a short week because of Unity Day, but our research paper preparation is starting for each class. I'll be writing two 15 pagers--one on the Jewish Film League during the Third Reich, and one on memorialization of mass graves in WWII Soviet zones. I also have a German test, and midterms are next week! So, most likely there will not be much fun this weekend. On Tuesday however, I'm going to see La Traviata.
Our deadline for extension is coming up, so staying for the whole year is on everyone's minds. I know staying for the year would help my German so much, but I'm not actually getting subject education like I do in Santa Cruz.
I also cemented my week break plans--I'm spending 8 days in Paris, France! I'll be staying a short train ride away from the city center, so I can do all the tourist stuff. I'm also going to try to take a patisserie class, and I bought a ticket to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard on Monday night.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Quick Rundown of Gdansk
I Am Overwhelmed!
Readjusting to Berlin is more than I expected. I caught something coming home (or the overnight in the train station just made me sick) but I was feeling pretty gross yesterday. Feeling better today, but suddenly there's piles of work to be done! I had an essay due yesterday that I ended up writing at 6AM because I was so tired on Sunday. I got enough sleep last night, so that's most likely why today is a better day. Anyways, here's a little overview of the rest of the Poland trip, which really deserves a whole lot more than it's getting from me.
Absinthe...?
After our city tour of Gdansk and some afternoon touristy shopping, we attempted to enjoy an absinthe bar. However (unfortunately or fortunately depending on who's reading this) it wasn't real absinthe, and overall a waste of 15 Zloty. Zloty are Poland's currency, and 1 is equal to like 25 cents. Poland is very cheap (so I bought way too much stuff).
The next day we went to the WWII Museum which was amazing and overwhelming. Poland is right between Germany and Russia, so they were double occupied during the war. This gave the museum a good balance of histories, focusing on not just Nazi war happenings (like in Germany) but on many perspectives. They had so much to talk about I might make another post about it another day. That night we had Thai food for dinner, and went to an old Nazi bunker for drinks.
The morning of our last day in Gdansk we spent very tired, walking around the castle of the Teutonic Knights. It was huge, and majorly reconstructed like most things in Poland. I was very tired and could not tell you anything about the castle except that they used cabbage to wipe after using the bathroom. After the castle, I went back to Warsaw on the train for my Treblinka trip.
Back to Real Life
While the Poland trip was fun and I made great friends, I'm happy to be home in Berlin. This city is comfortable to me now, and since I finally have an apartment I can settle in like everyone else. More fun to come this weekend, when Oktoberfest comes to Berlin. (I refuse to go to Oktoberfest because EW beer and vomit and camping for three days? 0/10) I also have plans in the works for Prague, Paris, and Madrid trips soon, but first, midterms.
I Almost Forgot!!
Yesterday I went to the old Berlin Jewish cemetery with my class and I saw Moses Mendelssohn's gravestone. Completely unexpected and exciting. This is a city where things HAPPEN. We also visited an old building where a blind German saved a bunch of blind Jews by giving them work throughout the early years of the war. Most of them died after being given up or taken to camps, but it is the last known hiding space of Jews during WWII in all of Germany. An honor to have been inside.
Readjusting to Berlin is more than I expected. I caught something coming home (or the overnight in the train station just made me sick) but I was feeling pretty gross yesterday. Feeling better today, but suddenly there's piles of work to be done! I had an essay due yesterday that I ended up writing at 6AM because I was so tired on Sunday. I got enough sleep last night, so that's most likely why today is a better day. Anyways, here's a little overview of the rest of the Poland trip, which really deserves a whole lot more than it's getting from me.
Absinthe...?
After our city tour of Gdansk and some afternoon touristy shopping, we attempted to enjoy an absinthe bar. However (unfortunately or fortunately depending on who's reading this) it wasn't real absinthe, and overall a waste of 15 Zloty. Zloty are Poland's currency, and 1 is equal to like 25 cents. Poland is very cheap (so I bought way too much stuff).
The next day we went to the WWII Museum which was amazing and overwhelming. Poland is right between Germany and Russia, so they were double occupied during the war. This gave the museum a good balance of histories, focusing on not just Nazi war happenings (like in Germany) but on many perspectives. They had so much to talk about I might make another post about it another day. That night we had Thai food for dinner, and went to an old Nazi bunker for drinks.
The morning of our last day in Gdansk we spent very tired, walking around the castle of the Teutonic Knights. It was huge, and majorly reconstructed like most things in Poland. I was very tired and could not tell you anything about the castle except that they used cabbage to wipe after using the bathroom. After the castle, I went back to Warsaw on the train for my Treblinka trip.
Back to Real Life
While the Poland trip was fun and I made great friends, I'm happy to be home in Berlin. This city is comfortable to me now, and since I finally have an apartment I can settle in like everyone else. More fun to come this weekend, when Oktoberfest comes to Berlin. (I refuse to go to Oktoberfest because EW beer and vomit and camping for three days? 0/10) I also have plans in the works for Prague, Paris, and Madrid trips soon, but first, midterms.
I Almost Forgot!!
Yesterday I went to the old Berlin Jewish cemetery with my class and I saw Moses Mendelssohn's gravestone. Completely unexpected and exciting. This is a city where things HAPPEN. We also visited an old building where a blind German saved a bunch of blind Jews by giving them work throughout the early years of the war. Most of them died after being given up or taken to camps, but it is the last known hiding space of Jews during WWII in all of Germany. An honor to have been inside.
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