U-krah-ee-nay!
....was the cheer of the crowd gathered in the Fan Mile last night for the Ukraine vs. Swiss game. Xenan (100% ukrainian) and myself (25%), joined by katherine,went over to the Fan Mile. As it wasn't the most popular match, we got a spot right up near the huge TV screen. The screen is set up right in front of the famous Brandenburg Gate! So fun!
So, germany is amazingly environmentally friendly--even Berlin! Some things I love:
-4 different recycling containers in the U-bahn stations (red, yellow, orange, green)
-take your plastic water bottle back to your grocery market and you get about a complete refund
-shop for groceries using an inexpensive, cloth bag that you buy at your store.... so none of the multiple plastic bag bagging that is all over at home
-only buy what you need--at or local grocery store, you have to pay a Euro if you want to use the shopping cart!
- the amount of walking and biking! bikes are EVERYWHERE... at any given moment, you might just get run over by a herd of them
there isn't much air conditioning.. not even at the upscale theater we went to last week. however, most of the days have been sunny and just the perfect temperature.. and no rain yet!
My favorite meal yesterday: Katherine and I both enjoyed Mozerella and Tomato sandwiches on large, superfresh, sesame rolls at a hype turkish cafe down the block.
Had a tour of Kreuzberg last evening. Though this area is very turkish, immigrants from many countries live here, and came for various reasons. Found out there is a small zoo right down our block. It has just a few horses, geese, and goats.. but the point is so that local kids see some animals, as they live in such an urban setting.
The Berlin Wall- there is a specific line of red bricks that run the entire path where the Berlin Wall stood around West Berlin. I've walked over it numerous times. Fascinating.
Thank you so much to everyone reading! It's a pleasure to share some of my experience with you!
Wannsee and WM
Yesterday began with a boat tour of the Wannsee! The Wannsee is a lake/canal region outside of southern Berlin. (We got there via the U-bahn, or subway). We took a 1.5 hr cruise of it. We cruised slowly and mostly feasted our eyes upon very very large homes propped up on hillside lake or canal-front property. some homes were what you might picture as traditional german architecture, and others very modern. we also saw a few (small) castles, though i was a little surprised that we didn't slow down more near the few we passed. however, still a gorgeous day out and pleasant ride! after the tour, we dined at a Biergarten, or beer garten. The day before we had lunch at a Biergarten in the Tiergarten (hee!). Biergartens are very relaxed, outdoor dining areas usually in a nice shaded area, and they offer the traditional variety of beers and wurst. I had wurst (sausage) at both places. Had my first german beer at the Wannsee Biergarten- a Pilsner, which is a pretty traditional, filtered beer. pretty tasty, especially with wurst :)
Our tummies full, we took the u-bahn back toward the center of berlin, hopped off, and walked by foot toward the "Fan Mile", which is actually a three-mile stretch of road within the Tiergarten (not sure if i explained what it is- means "animal garden" .. one of the royal family kings founded it as a personal hunting ground. now it is a very large public park, filled with trees and biking/walking paths). Though we arrived an hour early before the Germany vs. "schwaydon" game, the Fan Mile was closed off--over 800,000 fans were already inside! to our fortune, there were great seats on the steps of the Victory Monument, which is right outside the fan mile.. and from our seats we could look over the heads of fan mile fans and see a large projector screen. As Germany was winning, Katherine and I decided to head back a few minutes early to be able to catch the bus....... we get a few stops into the busride, and our bus is stopped in Potsdamer Platz (a large, popular platz in central berlin). Exstatic fans are banging on all walls of the bus, and jumping on the 2nd, upper, level. the whole platz had become overrun with fans. katherine and i decide to view the crayiness from the outside, so we get out of the bus (which doesn't move for another 15 minutes, until policeman start to get the crowd under control), we wait around just watching the incredible scene, then decide to walk back (a few miles walk past checkpoint charlie, the berliner dom, other great sites in the city!) Meanwhile, the street traffic is nuts. Cars flying by, flags all over cars, people hanging out of windows waving the flags, car horns honking. the honking continued for our entire 2 hr walk!
Dinner (pad thai! decided to take a break from the wurst...) at a thai restaurant outdoors around 10 pm.. lovely!
Slept in today to finally catch up on the jet lag. sadly, did not attend church because of the exhaustion. though katherine and i are planning to check out the church that is around the corner next weekend. I walked down the the Baecherie to buy a bag of coffee to brew in the apartment. asked the man working for his suggestion and purchased that one. it was very good! especially with the Erdbeeren (strawberries) katherine and i had bought in the U-bahn station.
Orientation today at the school where we'll be having classes- the Canisius Kolleg- it's a well-known private high school in Berlin, with a small little campus. Was followed by a BBQ with more beer and wurst :) School will be about a 25 minute walking/bus commute. Classes will be monday-thurs. One class monday and thursday, two on tuesday and wednesday. It's starting to sink in that I'm here for 5 more weeks... will have to take a break from the Wurst! Tschüss!
second time's a charm
no better way to start what was already destined to be a memorable experience that is study abroad, than with the memories of the airport. checking in my bags tuesday evening, i open my passport only to believe i might be having a nightmare-- a large EXPIRED stamp above my face. indeed, i hadn't checked to see WHICH passport i packed. as the airport is 1 hr + from home, there was no way to retrieve the correct passport in time.
so, my journey began 24 hrs late, but at least with a (at least in retrospect) funny, if not too emabarassing, anecdote.
Plane ride- sat next to horror film-documenting young german woman, and to begin brushing up on my german skills, read her german Vogue nearly front to back. after hailing a cab to my apartment in Kreuzberg (a young, largely turkish populated area of Berlin), it is 10 minutes before we are scheduled to start the FAT BIKE TOUR of Berlin. drop my bags with someone, I run into another duke student who hadn't yet left, and we get a short taxi ride to the aproximate location. we find the place about 15 minutes late, but the group was waiting! 5 hour tour via bike through all of berlin! highlights: 20 kids peddling bikes through the busy streets, seeing the great sites, eating my first WURSTE (sausage) in the tiergarten (a large public gardens, included an area of a nude beach though on grass... germany is quite liberal!), stopping at numerous monuments. after the tour, my professor takes a couple of us out for Kaffee (coffee) and i sipped a Milchkaffee which thez serve in bowl-like cups. incredible. dinner last night in Kreuzberg with some of the girls .. incredible macaroni like dish. early to bed after a looong day :)
the WorldCup is very popular! it's on tv's everywhere, including nice restaurants, bars, and outdoor locations in the city! Today was the Ukraine game- they won!!! (Ann and Dan- were you watching that over there with the relatives???) people are walking around everywhere with their country of choice's uniform or flag. reallz positive atmosphere.
Today we went up to the top of the Fernsehturm (tall TV tower) in central berlin.. could see all of the city! then visited the Duetches historishes museum, had a delicious Donar Kebab (turkish gyro of sorts... VERY popular here!). Tonight a few of us went with our professor to see 'Nathan the Wise' by Lessing. At a very old theter in central berlin and by a very prestigous ensemble. Amazing, even though i understood only a little. more coffee with professor donahue though to discuss it. and at a cafe along the Spree river at night....
Tomorrow is more orientation group BBQ trip to the Wannsee.
I'm so thrilled to experience this city with this mix of kids from Duke, Rutgers, and other universities!
Getting Ready!
Hello friends :)
This is my blog where I'll be journaling about my next 6 weeks. It will serve two purposes- as a journal for me, but also for you as a little glimpse of my life in Berlin. Check in whenever you want... I'll try to write as often as I can!
