Submitted by Andrew Schoen on the 2017 winter session program in Leipzig, Germany sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
So I just got back from Berlin and it has been a while since I’ve written a journal. Berlin was a drastically different experience than anything in Leipzig. Both cities are youthful and modern, but Berlin just has so much more to do. It is a bigger city obviously, but I am surprised at how much there was to see! The “History of Germany” museum was staggeringly large. Of course, a country this old would have a wealthy history, but I could never have imagined the extent that is preserved within this museum. We probably spent four hours (of our own time) in the museum and we didn’t see nearly enough of it. It was probably the best history museum I have ever been to. On the same topic, the two museums we saw on museum Insel (Island), Alte Pinokothek and the gallery, were likewise fantastic. Like I mentioned in my last journal, there is a soft spot in my heart for art so the gallery was very cool. Berlin in general was just a blast and has taught me a lot. My last night, I visited a friend from Berlin, but had to get home alone the same night. I was across the city and it was after midnight, but I had no other choice. A number of things went wrong (including a train accident of the train I was supposed to get on.) However, I handled the whole situation very well and never even felt any sense of panic. It’s experiences like these that I live for, and I am very glad for the Berlin excursion. Once again, the food was fantastic to the point where I don’t know what I am going to do when I arrive back in the United State in two or so weeks.