First Impressions of Berlin

After an exausting 27 hour trip, we finally arrived in Berlin, and I got to see Basti and meet his wonderful family.  They have treated me as if I am part of their family, and I feel truly welcome in their home.  From giving me adorable little snack pouches every day to cooking me homemade meals every night, they have made sure my time spent with them has been a true German experience.
 
In these first 4 days we have seen so much that it is almost overwhelming.  One of the most shocking experiences was visiting the Sachsenhausen concentration camp because it was completely different from what I expected.  Seeing this concentration camp revealed a lot of unknown information about the Holocaust, and even though it was an educational experience, it was also very powerful and interesting.  For example, I never realized that the Allied powers (specifically the Soviets) used concentration camps as prisons after WW2.  On a lighter note, we also explored many of Berlin's famous symbols on our first day here through a bike tour.  This tour has been my favorite part of the trip by far even half of it was through pouring rain that had us drenched by the end. Another interesting experience I wanted to mention was going to the siegessäule.  After spending 3 euros and climbing about 400 stairs, I got a breathtaking view of Berlin, and I could see the entire skyline of Berlin including the TV tower, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag.

After having a few days to experience German culture and customs, I have realized that the way things are done here are completely different from back home.  Every day, I have sat down and had a meal with Basti's family, and it is a wondeful and refreshing expierence.  Another interesting thing I have noticed is how much more prevalent nature is througnout all of Berlin.  I have yet to see a street that is not completely filled with trees and flowers, and it makes the city much more beautiful than any major U.S. I have seen.

So far this trip has been an amazing experience, and I have loved getting to know Basti's amazing family!