European Music

What would you say if you were given the opportunity to watch a performance of a pipe organ in Berlin’s most profound architectural building? I was given this chance on a recent Sunday. I wandered in, out of the chilly gray morning cold that hovered around 5 degrees Celsius (or rather, just over 40 degrees Fahrenheit). On the inside of the concert hall, which was plastered on the outside with a gold-plated aluminum, the temperature returned the sensation to the hands. The hall was modeled after a nouveau version of an amphitheatre including separate decks orienting the gaze towards the central area of performance. I was reminded of walking into an enormous egg that was lying on its side. A number of wooden-panel sails hung from the ceiling in order to improve the acoustic effect.

The actual performance was quite impressive, not only because of the massive size of the pipes in the organ, but also due to the unconventional tune played by the aficionado. He continued to exercise the different pipes as though they were muscles, running them through a mixture of classical genres that reminded me of the night on bald mountain, to surprisingly atonal junctures that might have been played in Space Odyssey: 2001. He played for just over 90 minutes, and although I was surprised to be intrigued for so long, I gave myself a pat on the back and walked out afterwards.

The very next Sunday, I made my way with a few classmates over to the Berliner Dom, built of stone, in the downtown (Mitte) portion of Berlin. The building itself had outlasted a fire which had given the facade a new appearance, and although one might have thought it to be appalling, the construction which is consistently refurbishing blocks around Berlin had recently restored the gilded dome on top. The sun had set long before we entered, but we quietly made our way up the stairs as the songs were sung for advent.

Throughout the semester, I also did my research on which bands would be appearing in the city. As mentioned in a previous post, I happened to catch Animal Collective playing at a deactivated power plant in East Berlin, early in the semester. Soon afterwards I saw TV on the Radio play at a small venue in Kreuzberg. In December I saw Ratatat playing at a bar on the banks of the Spree River. This, I eventually came to realize, was a bit of an insular tactic. I was hiding myself from truly drinking in the music, the lifeblood of the Europeans. Now this is not to say that people in Europe cannot live without music - I am sure there are plenty that do. Nor do I claim that music can be judged objectively. But music is also one of those conversation-starting topics, like food or weather. The point I am trying to make is that you need to show interest in the boring oxygen that floats around, because if you were to just take it for granted then our world might be a very different place. Where the hell would you be if it wasn't for Beethoven? Lennon? Sting? Bono? (Insert favorite musician here).

On that 'note', I also caught up with a bit of the Russian opera. The name of the Musical escapes me, but I will be certain to look it up if you see me and ask me again. In Paris, there was a Techno Club really that really introduced me to an interesting electronic variety. In one of our classes, as we placed emphasis on the underground rock scene of Berlin in recent decades and the contemporary era, we spun a record as would a regular Disc Jockey. It was very fun. Out of the whole experience, I came away with a deeper understanding that the United States may hold dominion over my musical choices for the time being, but with the vast diversity of peoples around the world it is only natural that they would have their own tale to tell, and their own song to write.

"I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see." ~ Jimi Hendrix

Fall Break

Before we headed out of Berlin for a couple of weeks, I received a visit from another good friend from back home in New Hampshire. This friend stayed at a hostel near Alexanderplatz during the few days spanning through 4 November, when many US students as well as a majority of Europeans celebrated a change in American political regime. Let us all hope that Obama and his administration can manage the enormous weight that will soon be placed upon their shoulders.

On Sunday 9 November, the rest of the IES students and I flew off to Paris.

In our course of studies, we found that Parisians have a great sense of pride, not only refusing to speak English (although the majority of them are taught in school), but viewing in themselves a version of the world which they hope to expand outwards. In other terms, they are setting a model for what they want to offer the rest of the world. I speak a little bit of French from middle-school and high school, so I found it somewhat easy to make my way around. I do not wish to say that this was a horribly high-brow society, that is not my intent. I believe, on the other hand, that this society does not preach the proper methods of justice through education. France established a great number of colonies in Africa, and some time ago officially invited all members from these nations to move back to the original country. While nations like Britain harvested natural resources and left the culture as it was originally, the French imposed their customs and culture, including language, in addition. Colonization into the 20th century, starved out many native cultures from their natural practices and forced them to rely on the French. This is exactly what I speak of when I refer to globalization. I suppose the people were friendly enough, but expected unusually high standards of propriety in public.

On a lighter note, we went for a boat tour, which was very enjoyable, however quite chilly.

The following day was the armistice holiday, and we took our free opportunity to visit Versailles. It was another sunny, chilly day, and our legs were beginning to grow tired. I realized how much better the experience might have been if we had been able to travel in the spring. Oh well. In the evening, we made our way over to the Eiffel Tower, which sparkled in bright lights for five minutes, every hour on the hour. The tower itself was in blue light, with golden stars, to represent the European Union. Our organized tour made a trip up to the very top, where I captured a photo. It was quite exhilarating, walking around a calm corner to be confronted by a wash of icy cold rain, as though we had just walked into a cloud -- which in fact, was very possible.

Later in the week, a smaller group of us headed over to the Louvre. No, I have not yet grown tired of museum visits. I found especially intriguing the Venus de Milo. I also made my way over to have a look at the inverted pyramid of I.M. Pei, as I know he worked on a couple of other interesting pieces in Berlin as well.

One of the last places we visited was the bar near the Moulin Rouge where the film 'Amelie' was shot. I have yet to see the movie, but I have heard mixed reviews on the quality.

On 14 November, our date of return, we heard news of an Air France strike, which held us up at the Charles de Gaulle airport for a few hours. I believe the pilots had been protesting against restrictions, forcing those at 60 to retire. I feared that my travel plans around central Europe, which had been organized since the end of September, may not even see a chance to begin. I was fully prepared to leave on the Deutsche Bahn railway towards Prague the next morning, but if we were not back in time all anticipation and preparation would have been a waste.

However, as we students were traveling in a group, we were given priority over others. We made our way back to Berlin via Munich, arriving later in the evening than expected, but everything else went according to plan.

Prague (Praha) was a city where my younger sister worked on an internship for just over a month earlier this summer. I knew that I had spent a few too many late hours out on the town in Paris, because I found myself congested on the warm train headed down through Brandenburg. I acknowledged that it would have been a great idea to rest up. All of a suddent I found welcoming me some of the more beautiful sights of the Czech coutryside, following the rails down past Dresden and into the east. In the city, I was careful to navigate my way around, wary that not everyone was very open to English-speaking tourists. I eventually found my hostel, the Czech Inn, which turned out very nice (as the first hostel in which I have ever stayed). It was here that I met a few other Americans from California. Later in the evening, I headed out with a couple of Australians to the Charles Bridge, near a club with 5 stories open -- playing different styles of music on each level. It was called Karlovy Lazne, and the entrance fee was about 200 Kc, unless I am mistaken.

The next day I slept in a little bit, then sprang awake to gave myself a guided tour around the old city. I led myself from the Powder Gate towards the Old-New Synagogue in the area of the Astrological Clock, across the same Charles Bridge and up the royal hill towards the Castle. I have to say that it was quite exciting, but I cannot profess myself to be any kind of master of Czech history, as I merely gave it a brief overview. I also had a look at an art exhibition with Alfons Mucha and Salvador Dali, which was quite impressive.

Vienna (Wien) was a beautiful destination where a friend from the staff had recommended a hostel to stay. I quickly met a couple of Austrians, who came from the Western part of the country and were spending a short week in the city. I must admit, if I had not met them, I probably would have been able to see more of the city. At least I caught up on a little bit of rest. But I was disappointed not to see the Belvedere, or many other popular attractions in the city. On the other hand, you might say that this was my destination to mingle with other young travelers, rather than exhaust myself sightseeing. We did see the Ringstrasse, and very near there, we stopped by an old celler out of which excellent food and wine was served. This location was called Zwolf Apostelkeller (Celler of the Twelve Apostles). You could easily walk past it, so it was a lucky find.

I also made a visit to a Van Gogh exhibition, showing his progress through life and sanity. Although I knew the Austrians also spoke German, it was such a different dialect that each time I went out and encountered a clerk for a transaction or a separate question, I found myself asking a second time, and having to hold back from calling attention to my English crutch.

Upon thinking about it now, I realize that the French only did what they had to do in order to preserve their way of life. This pride, I think, takes the form of a national morale boost so that the greater amount of shame is done away with.

Munich (München) was a very nice city to make as my last stop. I met a family friend named Eric Hanfstaengl, who spoke English very well. I drew a number of interesting connections between him and my immediate family back home, one example of which is Eric's love for American baseball. He sat me down and we would talk for a few hours about it, until I felt ready to head outside and throw a few tosses. It was too bad I didn't have my mitt. Unfortunately, I took a tumble and headed into the hospital, with a few stitches needed for my left eyebrow. It was a shame because I couldn't get out and enjoy as much of the city as I had initially hoped to, spending an evening in the krankenhaus. On the other hand, I was glad to be with a friend when the accident occurred, and in Munich, with a very advanced medical system.

I ended up feeling good enough to head out the next evening, with two of Eric's children, named Emil and Else. It was a very enjoyable occasion, and I hope to return back again some time in the near future. I feel like I created a strong bond with Eric, also serving as a bridge of communication between my family back in the states and the Hanfstaengl clan here in Deutschland. I felt like this was my time for me, and me alone. I took a walk through the falling snow along the Isar River, the first of the winter, and admired the emerald-green color of the water. I took my time to enjoy the food, provided by Eric and his partner Astrid, specimens from German culture and history. It wasn't so tough to depart on Sunday 23, but I want to think I left a small part of myself there.

"Knowledge is not simply another commodity. On the contrary. It increases by diffusion and grows by dispersion."

Daniel J. Boorstin

Halloween Weekend

This weekend was tremendous.

On Friday, I headed over to Kleistpark and met with a friend who declared that we should go to the IES party together as a 'zombie mob.' He and his girlfriend had actually put together a pumpkin pie from scratch -- and yes, it was delicious. In retrospect, I think I may really have scared a staff member (see image 1). But at last, we finally met a few of the American students from the ground floor who had been kept apart from us up until this point.

Prior to the meeting, I think I actually saw some trick-or-treaters. They don't call out the traditional "Trick-or-treat" as we are accustomed to, in the states, but rather, 'susses oder saures' (sweet or sour). And it's true, the halloween was really more of an American thing; just kids get into the holiday over here, for the purpose of candy.

Unlike our upstairs group, the students from downstairs have been able to attend courses inside Humboldt University. I asked about the restrictions, but apparently there are no clearly set boundaries aside from asking permission. I came to be confused, believing the blockade for the upstairs Metropolitan Berlin students to perhaps be organized by the program. And that didn't seem to make sense. Why not try to integrate us, while we're in Germany? We're already taking classes in English, making the German teachers go out of their way. I figured, why don't I break out of my little corner, and find my own way over to Humboldt?

Following the celebration, we headed out to Oranienburger Strasse. I met an individual in a tavern who came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who spoke with me very openly about the history in the region. After stuttering in broken German for some time, often using my hands to illustrate points or ask questions, I found myself more educated about the Balkans region.

On Saturday evening I headed over to Mexikoplatz to meet with a German friend for supper. She lives on Goethestrasse, which is located in a very pleasant neighbourhood. At this dinner were a few more German students, around my age, who studied in other countries. It was a very enlightening evening, and the food was excellent. However I must admit that I am somewhat disappointed with my conversational participation. Of course many of the questions were directed towards another student, who came from the UK (and was fluent in Russian, German, and I believe French as well). But I cannot use as my excuse the fact that my hunger reigned supreme, and so my mouth was preoccupied. My listening was very much in tune, and I picked up the unique dialects of interaction during supper.

After the meal ended, we slowly moved to the living room where we heard another great piano player set to work. I must be sure to keep in touch with these acquaintances from Germany, as old friends can introduce you to new ones.

This morning, I woke up early to a sunny, 8 degree celsius day (~45 fahrenheit). My wish was to make a journey over to East Berlin, and board a ship which would bring us around Berlin on the Spree, noting sights along the way. It turned out to be a chilly but sunny day, and it was a marvelous experience.

Soon after leaving the boat, I made my way down to Southwest Berlin where I had agreed with a fellow student earlier in the week to meet and play indoor soccer. After joining together, we found the Zehlendorf School where games are played on a weekly basis, and I was prepared to play. During the game, we called to each other in German -- truly enjoying the culture! I think that this was also the first real exercise I have gotten since I have been in Berlin, aside from long walks and short sprints between trains. It was terrific!

"Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string."

Pele

Mother Russia

Well now, where to begin? A great deal of events have taken place since my last entry. First of all, I should begin by saying a happy halloween to everyone out there. I would also like to make a note that the Zentralflugzeug Tempelhof (The architectural masterpiece built in the early Nazi era near downtown Berlin) officially closed yesterday. Tempelhof, as I mentioned in an earlier entry, was best known as the location where the 1948 Berlin Airlift occurred, representing the geographical border between ideoligies. I read an entry on BBC World about this, so if you feel inclined, use the link I have included at the top of this page and search for 'Tempelhof.'

The Day before our journey Eastward, I headed down to Potsdam to the Filmpark Babelsberg. This was the same studio where many notable films were shot such as Nosferatu, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. It was very enjoyable, but I was restless, looking forward to my flight eastward the next day.

After we arrived in St. Petersburg on Sunday, our first embrace with culture shock was attempting to deal with the cyrillic alphabet. I had a great deal of trouble working my way around the streets, and most likely would not have found my way had it not been for the helpful assistance of our fluent guides. The shock in St. Petersburg was greater than I had felt in Berlin, because I had only been given a few phrases to review; I had not been studying the language for a number of semesters so that I would be able to carry on a steady conversation. In other words, I felt greatly weakened.

The city itself was founded upon a marsh, near the mouth of the Neva river opening into the Gulf of Finland. I found myself wondering for some time why a nation so large as Russia would create so large a city so far north -- without any stone or timber within miles! Apparently, it was a necessity for defense against the Swedes during their war, early in the 18th century. Surprisingly enough, the city itself is only about as old as New York, perhaps even newer.

Each morning we woke up and walked almost an hour to the Herzen University, located in the downtown portion of the city. My Urban Development professor was correct in saying that St Petersburg shows a jump in scale when compared with Berlin; everything seems so much larger. In addition to that, construction was everywhere. But I noticed that the equipment used to improve the infrastructure were not at all modern. They rather appeared quite broken down and dirty. The air quality of the city was also a bit poor in comparison with Berlin. I apologize for focusing on the negative aspects of the city, because other points were very intriguing, such as the Mariinsky Theatre, in which our group was able to see a performance of the Russian Ballet. Also, inside the Church of the Spilled Blood, I saw an incredibly intricate mosaic design that had taken local artists about 12 years to piece together.

Another interesting aspect of their contemporary culture is the shift from soviet lifestyle to more of a western society. We learned in classes that as McDonald's was introduced -- the epitome of Western restaurants -- waiting lines stretched around the block. Culture was in a drastic state of upheaval at the end of the soviet era, and eastern Russia hitched onto some partially successful corporations from nations to their West, hoping to improve their economy. The Russian Ruble did not treat the American Dollar in a very friendly manner, I can tell you that much.

When we flew back from St Petersburg to Berlin, I was very happy to feel a sense of familiarity come back to me. I am sure that if I had spent a longer time studying in St Petersburg, it would have more pleasant. I managed to decipher some of the cyrillic alphabet towards the end of our stay, finding certain cognates that fit in with the latin base. But Berlin has a much better developed public transportation system, a currency that is more friendly with my own, a language that I know better, and last but not least a more updated approach to technology and urban development.


"Money, like vodka, turns a person into an eccentric."
Anton Chekhov

Packing for Petrograd

I'm really not sure if I have warm enough clothing for St. Petersburg. Since I have been in Berlin, I have purchased a pair of gloves, and a belt. That's all. Maybe I should keep a look-out for warmer necessities... Sunday morning awaits, and I'll be flying to Russia. I can hardly believe myself when I say that, it's so fantastic.

The rest of my exams went by without too many hitches. I have yet to miss any classes whatsoever, so I hope that does something for me. But I need to put in a little more effort on my homework.

The beautiful trees with their falling leaves are losing them quite fast. It's autumn for certain, and the temperature clings around a steady average of 15 celsius. Over the past few days, it has been somewhat wet. The tap water here in Berlin, unlike many other places in Europe, is very pure, so I suppose that a rainy season can be expectable.

On Wednesday evening, I was invited to attend a musical presentation by Cornelie. There I was able to see the production of Romanian artists in their prime on a small stage in front of me. Among them was a kind acquaintance I had met at the dinner near Krumme Lanke, named Karina Sabac. She played the piano as part of a string quartet also including a violin, a viola, and a cello. They played along to music written by Gabriel Faure. I was amazed and felt so lucky to be present.

After the presentation, I made my way towards a nearby U-Bahn stop and met up with a group of friends who were set to watch the final presidential debate. Because Berlin is (I believe) six hours ahead of Eastern standard time, we had to stay up late to watch it on television. I know I could always watch the debate recorded onto Youtube or another internet broadcaster the next day, but I enjoy engaging with the logic as it is expressed, live. I forget exactly how the topic of conversation began, but we all started talking about what we collectively missed the most about our homes back in the States. It is an odd sensation, living here in Berlin. I don't mean the fact that it is the first city I have ever lived in, but rather, the fact that I am so far from the US. I find it quite strange, on the other hand, that if I were to run into another American wearing a Yankees cap on the street, he and I might strike up a lively conversation about American culture, reviewing pros and cons.

I'm not certain if I have felt much culture shock here in Germany. On that note, I did receive my absentee ballot in the mail yesterday. I filled it out and sent it off, hoping it might be able to get back to New Hampshire before 4 November.

Last night, after all of my exams were completed, I felt like part of a large weight had been removed from my shoulders. I'm sure the sensation is mutual with many who read this blog entry, in terms of a pressure release. In the evening, I met up with many of the same friends from the night before and helped to put together a potluck supper. It always does you well to eat with friends, for certain. And it does me well to practice my skills in the kitchen. Last night I prepared some steamed broccoli with an addition of roasted almonds, but I think I may have put too much balsamic vinaigrette on top. It was only a side dish, so no big deal.

In accordance with documents that have been given to me by the IES staff, St. Petersburg is willing to offer a number of different features, or tourist attractions. There is a chance we could be headed to see the Russian Ballet. This would be very interesting, but I wish we could spend more time around the island, near the salt water of the Neva River. I know I have probably said this before, but I really miss the ocean. That is one thing that going to school in New Hampshire really gave me, is a love for the white foam that follows the crashing waves.

"We are as near to heaven by sea as by land."

Humphrey Gilbert

Saturday Night, in East Berlin

I know this entry can't be too long, because I'm in the middle of my midterms, as of this morning. They are similar to finals, in terms of the fact that we don't have classes on the alternative sessions, but we should be using that time for review and study. Anyways, I'll surely come back to make a few revisions to this entry.

I really enjoyed the East Berlin presentation of the Indie experimental band, Animal Collective. I'm not saying that much had to do with the venue, Berghain, although the hollowed out and renovated power plant was quite impressive as well. I was a bit worried that my friend Samantha would not be able to make it into the show, because the agency had suffered a computer problem and could not deliver her ticket in a timely manner. Due to the fact that she brought proof of purchase, she was allowed entry. It was great, but I didn't want to spend the whole night out on the town afterwards, because I knew that just after noon the next day would be arriving my UNH friend who has been playing the role of au pair in Dusseldorf for a little over a month.

My UNH friend, named Kate, arrived at the main Hauptbahnhof station in central Berlin. She was really excited after more than 3 hours on the tracks, and I was surprised when she wanted me to lead her around on a brief walking tour. But I knew the way, after a few tours I had seen myself. So I made sure we had the proper direction, and we set off to see the Reichstag, the Gendarmenmarkt, along with a number of other interesting sights around Unter den Linden.

Being able to lead someone else through a city is a good enough signal that you are at last finding your way. Of course, tour guide books are heavily relied upon for any visitor staying for a short number of days, but for a semester or so, there can be no argument that it is necessary to gain a perspective of your cardinal directions. For me, I'm not certain what exactly I have been using as a landmark for navigation, because the TV-tower is often shifting. So too is the Spree River. I suppose I simply register in the back of my head which portion of Berlin I am standing in and where the nearest U-Bahn can be found. It's a learning experience, and I'm trying to take it for all that it is worth.

As Kate will be in Dusseldorf through the Spring, I wondered if I might come to visit and see the Rhein River and Cologne (Koln) some time close to the holidays. That trip would of course depend upon the success in the US economy, and let's not forget my ever-shrinking bank account.

Today's exams did not throw anything unexpected in our direction. But because they are worth a mere tenth of our final grade does not mean that I won't try as hard. As I don't have classes tomorrow, I will still be going in to Mitte for the purpose of studies.

I'll try to get in another post before I head off to St. Petersburg. I'll be flying over there on the 19th.


"Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself."
Miles Davis

Globalization

The weather here has been beautiful over the past few days, almost like a warm, late August in New England. I've managed to step into a few more grocery stores and pick up the right vegetables -- I hope -- that will keep me going healthy. A couple friends are talking about a weekend trip to Amsterdam during Halloween weekend, but I wonder if cutting so short a time frame would really be worth it. I should have a talk with my younger sister. On her brief study trip this past spring, she traveled to almost every city where I plan to go.

I also just bought a ticket to an independent musical performance at Berghain on Saturday night. If you follow Indie pop rock, look up Animal Collective. I'm pretty excited for the East-Berlin dance scene. Beforehand, I might spend the day heading around to a museum or two downtown. The Pergamon musem is doing an exhibit on the Babylon Myth, so I think I may check that out. As far as Sunday, I have a friend from UNH coming to visit for a few days' vacation. She is staying until the springtime, looking after a couple kids in Western Germany. I hope I know the rail system well enough to explain, or better yet, maybe her city of Dusseldorf has a system similar to that of Berlin.

Recounting my venture down to Krumme Lanke, I was recently offered to join in with the family for a night of symphony where another friendly acquaintance will be playing the piano. This will be happening next week, on Wednesday.

But wow, look what time it is! Midterms already. I can't believe they snuck up on us so quickly. For one thing, I am really going to have to keep every free second to myself this weekend. For another, I really should not be spending my nights out partying until late and then perpetuating the vicious cycle. I know that Berlin is a great place to go for vacation, yes, and I worked hard for a couple months this summer to make myself believe that hard work pays off. I can't pay for everything on my own so my folks are helping me out with that.

But I gained a sense of self-empowerment, enduring a stay-cation and working through a normal period when I regularly would have been at the beach with family.

Berlin is much better, I believe, for the creative individual. Of course educational background matters too, and that's what I'm working on as I speak.

I already mentioned some things I am missing out on, like my cousing giving birth to twins. Well, as it happens, another cousin has since moved from Providence RI into a house that is no more than a bike ride away from mine. This is also good news. So indeed is that coming from a third cousin, who recently announced plans of a happy engagement. I had nothing but smiles to show when I heard these reports via email.

A lot of what we have been talking about recently in our courses has to do with the effects of globalization. Sociology applies to us all, because the effects of living in a society apply to everyone living in an industrialized nation. I just want to acknowledge one positive outcome of globalization is that I'm very glad that we can all keep in touch. As the internet here steps up in usage (the bandwidth is a bit slower in Deutschland, by the way), other forms of media begin to lose their impact. One good example of a persistent old-fashioned medium is the post mail. I will be receiving my absentee ballot within the next week, by transatlantic post. I don't believe that process will be changing any time soon, so long as the US Government hopes to keep votes away from hackers. But other methods of contact, such as using the telephone, are already being absorbed by the computer. Does anyone else here use Skype? Then you know what I mean.

Returning through history to the German printing press, newspapers from around the world are emailed to Berlin (and presumably every other first-world metropolis) within minutes of their completion. To the business entrepeneur working at an investment firm in Berlin, this marketing tool serves a very important task.

However, to farmers and hunters like those I visited this past weekend in the suburbs, I would imagine the international newspapers might be little more than a distraction -- a hindrance, if you will, on seeing their own native culture. Outer cultural influences are pushing in, whether by media, through style, or through student tourists like myself. It is a little bit disconcerting, but I wonder if there is much that can be done to stop it.

Is globalization a part of human nature, given the technological innovations we have created? Or can it be controlled?


"It is also rarer to find happiness in a man surrounded by the miracles of technology than among people living in the desert of the jungle and who by the standards set by our society would be considered destitute and out of touch."
Thor Heyerdahl

Erntedankfest

I know what people are talking about when they speak of losing touch with their home culture, being shocked into a new realization that there is more than one course open to every individual in order to reach a desired goal. I have fallen out of regular patterns that, back in America, have been a product of my environment. Naturally, I'm doing my best to seek new patterns here as well. At the same time, I am also trying to integrate myself into the culture of a Berliner, as I wrote about last weekend.

I'm just getting over the cold, and it's raining outside. I blame mother nature if my writing seems negative, because I'm actually doing quite well. So much has happened since my past entry, it will be a sincere effort to recount it all in chronological order. Perhaps I can summarize.

On monday, in the short span of time between when my classes ended and when the IES center closed down for the evening, I asked for assistance in the final purchase of my November travel tickets. Ryan, who works on the staff with IES, took some time aside to help me out. He had previously made a trip that was very similar to the circuit around central Europe that I hope to make, except in the opposite direction. He knew the best deals to look for, and as it turns out, I was able to attain some very good deals with his assistance. I don't know if I'll be able to write in sufficient detail while on that journey, but I plan to be visiting the Czech Republic, Austria, and Southern Germany.

It was on tuesday that I truly felt the woes of my cold coming on. I wasn't sure about how to combat it, because I have heard from a couple of different people that the germs here in Germany are a little different than those we are used to in America. Of course, I kept looking for fruits and vegetables to boost my immune system, along with tea whenever the opportunity arose.

I resolved not to head out during the week, which probably helped my sinus situation. When Friday arrived, I woke and looked at the calendar in the kitchen to see, 'Tag der Deutsche Einheit,' or 'Day of German Unity.' This was a national holiday, and could be compared to Independence day, except that it was only established in 1990 with the unification of Eastern Germany with Western Germany. I met up with a couple of friends and traveled by rail over to Potsdamer Platz, then Alexander Platz in East Berlin, followed by The Brandenburg Gate in the evening. For those of you who do not have facebook, I will post a few shots on this site as well. The be-all end-all of the day was very enjoyable, as the rainy weather from earlier in the week cleared up to allow sunny skies.

Any time I refer to meeting up with friends, I am of course referring to fellow IES students. I think that by now I have come to know them each well enough to have befriended them. Although I am still keeping my head up for some local Berliners to spend time around and thus absorb culture more directly, I am having a great time here.

Earlier in the week I heard plans from Ella, another staff member with IES, about a possible orchard visitation in the suburbs outside Berlin near Potsdam. Interestingly enough, there was also a castle (or Schloss) in the area, called Marquardt. I was very intrigued, but when I woke up to make the venture on Saturday morning, it seemed as though I was traveling solo. Oh well, no worries -- it's probably best to look into your background without any social distractions.

It took me a little over 90 minutes to make my way out there, by way of the U-Bahn and a couple of Bus rides, all of which were free of charge with my student pass. Aside from traveling just a little bit out of my path, I made my way back towards Fahrland, where they were celebrating an Erntedankfest. This community-based celebration happens every fall, and involves a feast from the harvest. Outside this one specific building there was a stand with potatoes and a great variety of apples. I decided to explore inside, and was washed over with incredibly fine scents from baked goods. I had not eaten breakfast (fruhstuck) yet, so I asked the price and made a purchase of an egg and cheese mixture, along with a fine portion of vegetable soup. Upon sitting down, I happened to meet a local named Wolfgang who had been born in the town. He looked very pleased with the bounty of food. After asking me about my stay in Germany, he checked to see if I enjoyed the countryside better than the big city. Absolutley. I really felt a connection back with nature, glancing down the sidewalk and seeing some yellow oak and maple leaves falling with the breeze. It was terrific.

Upon making my way outside, I ran into a group of hunters, all wearing green outfits and sipping Veltins at 1.30 in the afternoon. I laughed to myself, and approached. They were serving out free of charge a stew with mushrooms, black beans and meat taken from local wild boar. Most of these men had also been born in Fahrland, as well. I took a deep breath and stopped for a moment, thinking about my situation. What exactly was I doing here? Yes, I wanted to find my roots. I thought Schloss Marquardt looked interesting enough to try on for size, even though the closest I got was this small festival. But what else was going on here before I arrived? As part of Eastern Germany, the travel of individuals had been seriously restricted, and individuals commonly grew to old age in the same town where they had been born.

Fahrland had very much of a community gemeinschaft atmosphere about it. I would imagine that in a location like this, outside influences would normally be considered troublesome, although I was not specifically looked down upon. I can remember seeing a little girl showing a great amount of excitement as another young boy made his way down the sidewalk in her direction. Perhaps, under a socialist regime, they would have grown old together? Under the politics and economic changes that have occurred since 1989, I would guess that situation would be less likely. There are very formal traditions from Eastern Germany that are now being done away with, ever since the 1989 fall of the Berlin wall. When citizens such as these have sensations of nostalgia (specifically, "Ostalgie"), they focus on the better parts of life that have been swept away with the socialist lifestyle.

In the mind of an Eastern German, there are both positive and negative aspects about the loss of one set of politics and the pickup of another. It seems a shame that culture like that of these Fahrlanders is being compromised, regardless of the fact that all are working towards a greater end. Between 1989 and 1990, as the wall fell and Germany was reunified, there was an armistice that claimed the failures of the past should not be repeated, and cooperation should be the catalyst towards economic recovery. In reality, Germany could not pull itself out of the fuctioning world and become a politically insular nation. Because the European Union had already been established, unemployment would have been rampant across the nation, if that would have been the case.

Thus, Germany unified and opened up its doors to outside ideas, as well as opened up its economy to foreign investors. I have already mentioned how Berlin always looks alive with construction; this is true also for Dresden, Hamburg, and other German cities. I have also mentioned that Germany has the largest GNP (Gross National Product) in the world. This means that Germans living here and abroad make more capital than any other nation.

Before I get ahead of myself, I wanted to mention the news. Angela Merkel has been acting to guarantee savings here in Deutschland, which have been effected by the worldwide ripple-effect, beginning in the US. I don't personally have any strong ideas about the economy, but I wonder if we ought to have an ideological shift in our global acquisition of our energy sources.

Just as I arrived back at the apartment last night, I got back into contact with another friend from the program, with whom I was thinking about joining in for a potluck. I was just a little bit late on my return, so I grabbed a few apples and made my way over. Four of us enjoyed a delicious supper of stuffed bell peppers, a curry-spinach mixture, and my offering was the freshly picked apples with cinnamon and brown sugar, baked for about 10 minutes. It was sehr lecker (very tasty).

"A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape."

Mark Twain

And you may find yourself in another part of the World

I had a lot of fun on friday night. The graceful meeting exceeded my expectations in Krumme Lanke, but it was in truth only the beginning of my weekend. I am not sure If I mentioned my immersion with the group of German fellows who I happened to meet up with upon my return.

After sitting down for a drink in the Berliner-style Oktoberfest while seated around Potsdamer Platz, I waited for a few of the other students to give a call back. I had been waiting to meet for the debate, and head off for a tavern in a seperate part of the city which might be open late into the night (due to the time change, this would be necessary). It was at this point that a local spotted me, and hopped over the rail in my direction. At first I was apprehensive, but I simply stood, and kept my guard.

"Wie schmeckt das Bier?" he asked. How does the beer taste? I shrugged, "So-so." He looked closer at the bottle, and laughed. "Naja, das ist Franzozisch" (No wonder, it's French). I shrugged a sigh of relief, and laughed myself. I offered him a try, and he didn't think it to taste very well, either. At this point he asked me my name, trying out his English. I responded, in German.

Up until this point, I have been enjoying myself very much in the big city at the heart of Europe. However, I have felt a bit insulated from cultural immersion out on the town. I must admit my grammar and vocabulary still needs some improvement, and so I am not yet an active participant in fluent German conversations. But this was my chance to dive right in and see what a couple years of classes and a summer at the Goethe Institute in Boston had prepared me for. I knew that I was able to step away from the interaction and join with my fellow student friends at any point, regardless of when they gave a call. I knew also that taking chances while venturing off into mysterious locations with strangers, as well as you think you know your location, is always taking a risk. I know that this does not provide a good example of said precaution. If I have said it before, forgive me for repeating myself; Berlin is a city where you do not want to get lost, because it can cost a great amount to get yourself back on the right track. In hindsight, I am glad that things went as well as they did that evening.

The attitude on the downtown streets of Berlin is surprisingly lively. But I believe that because everyone tends to keep to their own space, moral and ethical obstacles can be avoided. I would not say that the expression allowed to Germans in media or on the streets in accordance with the law is less restrictive and thus more dangerous in comparison with America, but I would argue that it may be a bit more liberal. There is noticeably more nudity here, but also a smaller percentage of the population carries firearms. So there are some cultural differences which are no longer as noticeable to me as when I first arrived.

You know, I have already spoken about this topic in general, but not to a specific point. Homeless beggars and gypsies are a common sight on the streets of Berlin. I have thus far walked past a number of talented accordion and keyboard players whose object was to entertain the passers by. In Hamburg, I saw a very talented chalk artist drawing out on the sidewalk, and made a small donation. These efforts, I believe, have taken devotion and practice. But when I see a 25-year old lady with dyed hair and a puppy sit down at an intersection in a U-Bahn station, at a first glance it appears that she is attempting to catch suckers with holes in their pockets. Individuals such as this do not make passers by feel positive as they offer a token of appreciation, but play off the human sense of pity. By contrast, the most difficult cold shoulder I have ever had to deliver was to a gypsy Indian woman near the Brandenburg Gate. She caught me off guard and asked, "Speak English?" I nodded, hoping to help her. But she handed me an index card which read that she and her daughter were refugees from Burma. A little girl hung by her side, and I nearly broke down with remorse. After reading the card I took a deep breath, looked up and handed it back to her. "Please," She insisted. I felt filled with shame having to walk away.

I had to remember, early in our tour, the advice we had been given. For many tourists in the area, it was so easy to be taken advantage of by gypsies, that the cash in our pocket would seemingly disappear by the next day. Later, a friend told me that all people in need have a similar craving for money. A person in Philadelphia once asked her for some spare change after she had spent her last dollar on a sandwich; she offered the food in its stead, but it was thrown back into her face.

I do not feel like generalizing by offering a guess at the percentage, because I know that different countries have different welfare systems. It would be unfair of me to be so biased by saying that hard work pays off, because education matters too. Whether the poor may be out of work, out of a job, with illness, or suffering from an addiction, I believe individual situations vary with the political and economic climate around the world. As part of a later edit, I felt a bit stronger when the same lady approached a crowd of tourists the following weekend -- on the day of reunification -- and I didn't feel good about telling her no, but there are other things she could be doing to help herself, rather than living in that position.

We students should especially be careful with our loose change. It is ever more important right now, with the exchange rate as it stands. What I mean to say is that our education should take priority over feeding the cyclical habits of the homeless or the workless. I have mentioned before that the state subsidizes shelter for the registered citizens. I should worry about keeping myself healthy; that is a big enough challenge, with a large city like Berlin being the first metropolis inhabit for more than a week or so. I don't want my immune system to struggle in adapting to this new environment. Well, I suppose a cold may be expectable for a few days, but nothing out of the ordinary.

It was a breath of fresh air, to really be able to reach into my memory and extract some German vocabulary (and grammar) which I was then able to piece together into full sentences. I felt pretty bad for sleeping late again on sunday morning, mainly because it was such a nice day, and the Berlin marathon was run on the street that went right beside my apartment building. I'm sure I'll be able to wake earlier on future weekend mornings to enjoy the day.

Sunday night a couple of my fellow IES students and I returned to Potsdamer Platz to see a movie, subtitled in English. The Baader-Meinhof Complex tells the story of the RAF (Red Army Faction) in Germany during the late 1960s and early 1970s, but it didn't seem like much but a potent, explosive mess, void of a cohesive plot. Of course it was history, a story with which most if not all Germans living in the area are familiar as part of their background. It seems very interesting, all the learning I am tying in from outside of the classroom and connecting into the studies from inside our courses as well.

Anyways...

Following the movie we had a short talk with a couple of students from the German area studies program (the alternative IES or International Institution for the Education for Students, located in the same building). It was fun to be sitting in Potsdamer Platz, a colorful architectural masterpiece.

This afternoon, I booked my travel plans for a November circuit around central Europe. I have to say I'm pretty excited. More news to come.

Bis nachher [biss knock-hair]
(Until later)


"Most of us are just about as happy as we make up our minds to be."
William Adams

Krumme Lanke

This has been a great week. I have really enjoyed the weather outside, as it has been bright but brisk. Emails from home tell me of a light chill that came through the air on the 21st, which I think was the official beginning of autumn. I have been seeing some leaves turning yellow around here, but plain and simple, it just doesn't feel the same as New England. That's not a bad thing at all, but it leads me to a point about our Northern German latitude. I hadn't taken the time before to ponder about how much further south the continent of North America is than Europe. Apparently, we'll be having evenings in December when the sun will set around 3.30pm and it will be dark by 4. Note to self: buy more wool sweaters! When it gets as cold as can be expected with that little sunlight, I would be looking forward to a location for skiing or winter hiking. I brought my boots, so why not? Well, as the land in the vicinity of Berlin is so incredibly flat, I might want to take advantage and savor a trip out of the city, provided I have that chance to travel independently. I do know of one hill over on the Western side of town, not far from where I live, called 'Teufelsberg,' or devil's mountain. Following the second world war, during which much of the city had been destroyed by bombs from the allies, much of the rubble was collected and transported into a heap, which resulted in an enormous amount of waste. Now, it is positioned near the Southwest region of the city, and if it snows, it can become slick enough for a ride down on a sled. Sounds like fun!

But I want to enjoy the sun and herbst (autumn) 2008 as it passes. The other night, fireworks were going off just around Alexanderplatz, surrounding the TV-tower. I wasn't close enough to get a good photo, but as the tower is quite massive and in the central, downtown portion of the city, the bright lights achieved their goal of gaining everyone's attention. I think it was their task to mark the beginning of Oktoberfest, an expensive tourist trap, located down in the Southern portion of Germany (Munich). Hopefully I will be able to visit the town at an opportunity that might be less crowded for passers by. November looks good to me. But we here in Berlin have our own Oktoberfest, as well. Each individual town has its own brauerei (brewery) and so this helps to define cultural boundaries, as well.

To continue, we were walking in range of the cracks from the fireworks while searching out a burrito restaurant. This location is one of the few burrito stops in the city, fighting against the grain of Turkish dominance on nearly every street-corner. This is by no means a negative aspect of the city, but I wonder if a greater diversity of cuisine might enthrall more visiters. Who am I kidding, I love food. I'm surprised I'm not eating right now.

On friday evening I was invited to attend dinner with a family that was indirectly introduced to me while I was still in America, preparing to leave. After taking the U-Bahn down to Krumme Lanke, located very much to the Southwest extreme of the city before suburbia is approached, I eventually found myself in a wonderful, pristine looking neughborhood and standing nearby a home enclosed by a security fence. All homes in this neighborhood -- as a matter of fact, in all of Berlin -- are especially concerned with security. I suppose such a pattern can be expected of any urban environment.

Inside, I found waiting for me the stepmother of a friend who had given me some additional foresight from back home. Also, a musician from Romania was very much engaged in conversation, following the arrival of another young lady who works at a Krankenhaus (hospital). As we were fully engaged in German speech rhythms with which I had been brushing up in class, only at a moderate speed of practice, I remained quiet for the majority of the evening. I could understand the better amount of what transpired, such as a discussion about a demonstration by thousands of medical practitioners in front of the Brandenburg Gate on Thursday, demanding more sufficient support from the German government.


I mentioned that I had traveled to Tempelhof in an attempt to see the classical performance earlier in the week, but was unsuccessful due to a lack of tickets. The mother mentioned that later in the semester, I would be invited to a separate performance put on by the Romanian lady, which I am very much looking forward to. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of green beans, potatoes and steak from a slow-cooker.

On the way back into the city, I made a call to another student and asked where we would be watching the debate. I didn't know at this point whether or not it would take place, but it was still early. When our group met up, we checked out an American-style tavern, which was playing music and suiting its guests. It was able to play the program, but would not accept American customers who wanted to disrupt the facade of popular culture, turn down the music, turn on the TV and become involved with politics.

By the wee hours of the morning, we resolved to set up camp in an apartment where a couple other students were staying. I was happy to embody the ideals of my generation, now that my role-playing identity has come around to the fore. I am not proud about the research I have done in my life thus far in politics or social history. However I do know there is no better time than a voting year to begin thinking on your feet and taking action.

To conclude, I want to thank everybody for your replies and feedback. It has given me a great incentive to continue writing this blog on a regular basis. Be well!


"Daring ideas are like Chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Night-life

Here were my plans: meet up with a fellow student Stephen at IES in Mitte, and take the U-Bahn to Tempelhof, where we might see a nice excerpt of European symphony. Stephen was pretty excited, having studied musicians -- he claimed that one of the world's most renowned violinists would be performing in the show that night. The five of us waited in line at the entrance to the airport, which no longer carried the majority of incoming flights, or perhaps any at all. It was a darn shame, though, that we hadn't arrived 10 minutes earlier, because the box office sold out just before us. I apologize that I don't have any good photos to present, but I'm sure that as you all can understand, the sensation of hearing a symphony cannot be translated through words. I was not lucky enough to enjoy said experience, but I'm not going to let it get me down. I know a similar symphony will be performing in the Berliner Philharmoniker (a location built for a symphony, rather than a hanger for airplanes), so I will see if I can't make it there instead later in the semester.

Deciding to make the best of the evening in spite of our poor luck, we walked on out of the aging historical landmark, known best as the location where food and necessities were imported to West Berlin during the airlift, and hummed to ourselves, making our own music. Someone had the great idea to go and enjoy some ice cream ("Eis") in a nearby neighborhood, so we all travelled together. Berlin may be large, but the U-Bahn system can certainly assist with transportation.

Apparently, chili-chocolate is a popular flavor here in Berlin. I don't know why for certain, but I suspect it may have something to do with the two enlightening aphrodesiacs mixed together... Anywho, following our departure from the ice cream parlor, we heard of a concert in a park that was just finishing up, down the street. After splitting up, a couple of us walked through the thinning crowd, realizing that as 10pm had just rolled past, loud noises were discouraged throughout the major city.

Another fellow student, Ned, has been following the underground musical scene here in Berlin very closely. It was with him that I made a visit to two different clubs last week, named Berghain and Club 25. Berghain was once a power plant located in East Berlin, and the building in which the performances are held appears stark and imposing. It is located in the middle of nowhere. Bar 25, on the other hand, can be found on the Spree River. A number of these different clubs are meant for summer usage only, so I am looking forward to scanning through the internet for further information about these clubs.


"Something that has so much power must have life. Instruments have life."
Laurie Anderson

If at first you don't succeed

You know the rest of that statement. I've had a little bit of trouble making my way around the big city over the past few days. Some of my clumsiness I suppose comes from a lack of foresight, and I suppose the rest comes from the way business here is run on a 24-hour, 6-day per week enterprise. On sundays, you may see a car headed down a busy street, but picture if you will, everyone in the city sleeping from saturday evening through monday morning. I think it's pretty crazy, but I suppose each country has their own customs. I know that some churches open up their doors in other parts of town, and I've been giving some consideration to making a visit to one of those. But late nights have really been catching up with me, and I have been finding it difficult to wake before noon or so.

Anyways, in terms of other fumbles I've made along the way, last night on the U-Bahn home I dozed off and ended up at the end of the line. I had just been patting myself on the back earlier that evening for holding off from taxis ever since I needed a ride from the airport. Unfortunately, as I shook myself awake a few kilometers west of my intentional destination, I looked at the clock. It was 3:15am, early Sunday morning. The stores were closing, and electricity was powering down all over the city. Luckily, I managed to hail a graveyard-shift cab and explain my address to the driver. The fee wasn't as exorbitant as I had expected.

Another thing that disappoints me here is the prevalence of American fast-food chains, like Burger King, McDonalds and even Wendy's. It makes it all the more difficult to live up to my initial goal of avoiding meals at said locations and really finding a taste of authentic German cuisine.

Actually, I did enjoy some of this much-proclaimed food while on a bike tour through Potsdam on Friday. I think it may be in the undiscovered locations, outside of popular tourist attractions, where the pristine German culture remains. That gives me all the more incentive to think outside the box and begin some traveling, even if it's only as far as a suburb like Potsdam.

On another note, if you ever travel to someplace outside the States, take very good care of your passport. I am very fortunate in that I live so close to the American Embassy which, provided I have any trouble with security, will hopefully be open to assistance. Your passport, however, is more important to you than your credit card, your driver's license and your cell phone combined. Even here, in an industrialized nation, you can't be careful enough.

On a closing note, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a break from alcohol for a little while. This would be primarily so that I could save for future travels. I suspect I might also be able to wake at an earlier hour and achieve more here in Berlin while the temperature remains above 10 degrees Celsius (about 50 degrees Fahrenheit). On the other hand, becoming a 'crafty consumer' is another piece of the complex problem that a student tourist growing up in a foreign land should try and figure out. Take time for your school, for your friends, keep in touch with your family, and be sure to take care of your self.

I'll be sure to report back with more photos next time, as I have heard a few requests for those.

Until then, tchuss! (bye)
[pronounced: ch-OOO-ss]


"It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe."
Muhammad Ali

Courses: Week 1

On any monday through thursday, my travel-size alarm clock has been ringing at 7am. While my classes don't begin until 8:30, you might wonder why I would bother getting up at this time. Well, I often like to check my emails -- of course, as I am 6 hours ahead of Eastern standard time here in Berlin, there may have been a few messages I missed out on from the evening before. I hate being ignorant to any sort of information that might help me later.

By 7:50 or so I make my way down the short stretch of Bismarckstrasse in Charlottenburg to the U-Bahn (or subway) stop. I'm guessing from the two times I've ridden by auto in and out of Mitte that it's a relatively similar distance to connecting our home in Westwood to Foxboro Stadium, in terms of distance. However, if I can time it right, I get the switch-off from U-Bahn to S-Bahn, arriving at Friedrichstrasse and walk the rest of the way to the IES center in under half an hour.

I am incredibly impressed with the student to teacher ratio that our program offers. My own small German class has a 3 to 1, and that allows for far more vocal participation. It's a much better practice, but I don't think it goes over the top, because our exercises are not overwhelming. They provide us with practice in grammatical performance and vocabulary building. I have always enjoyed these benefits, but I haven't been able to speak with my professors directly about them in such depth.

To go on with other classes, I enjoyed one engineering/ architecture based course which had a look through powerpoint slides at the historical developments of the metropolitan areas around Berlin, as well as St. Petersburg. With this same class, we had a brief walk around the downtown area of Mitte on Wednesday and had a look at structures and observed the course they had taken as they changed through history. Friedrich Schinkel was an important name to remember of the Prussian era, as he designed the Neue Wache, as well as the Bauhaus. Both of these structures were adapted following their completion due to the political climate here in Berlin.

One other course, called "Soccer, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll" (no joke) focuses in on the happenings of pop-culture around the Berlin underground musical scene. I was handed a paper during my second class which listed off some of the top clubs in the area. Needless to say, I was a little surprised. But I suppose, a lively social life is easy enough to come by for any local Berliner who is around my age.

My late class on tuesdays and thursdays is a sociological course which analyzes the impact of the recycled city on the masses from a comparative perspective, offering views from St. Petersburg and Paris, as well as American cities.

My last course focuses on the question of Identity in contemporary Europe. This course takes more of an anthropological perspective of European cities as they developed, spreading the influences freedom, economy and art throughout their societies. It was with this class that I took a field trip this past friday, biking my way around Potsdam. We did not visit any of the castles or palaces as we viewed earlier in the month, but instead the Dutch and Bohemian communities as well as relics from the past.

If I might pause for a moment, that syllabus-style entry was no more fun to write up than it was to read. I have a few assignments this weekend, for example, implications of Rammstein lyrics on America, and for German, describing the lifestyle of a policeman using prepositions and conjunctions. And now for something completely different...

It's very interesting, the manner in which Germans help each other. They are somewhat passive-aggressive, but when a gleam of light shines upon unification for the nation in free competition, the citizens bond together and cheer. For example, a couple of years ago during the 2006 World Cup, I was told that the Fernsehturm (or TV-Tower) in Alexanderplatz was decorated to look like a soccer-ball. They are not very welcoming at a first glance, which may have earned them the stigma of a cold-shouldered nation. However in reality, as I have said before, all that a person really has to do is ask for assistance, and they will be likely to receive it.

Speaking German doesn't necessarily matter here, either. You may not be able to understand their side conversations as you walk past them, but the younger generations can likely interpret what you would ask of them in English. You may think I have a biased perspective, being a white male. I honestly can't tell you, but what I can say is that the German sense of prejudice at the moment doesn't seem to be as harsh as I have seen in other places, like slums of major cities in America. There are no such locations here, and the unemployed are assisted by the state. It was very interesting, a topic we came upon in my sociology class, which was called the 'filter-effect.' The less wealthy inhabitants of the city move into the buildings which are older and need less maintenance, while the wealthier citizens move to better homes further outside the downtown area, and so forth.

Naturally, each small neighborhood has everything a person would need, including a convenience store, a bakery, and retail markets of all types. Migration within the city does not occur as it might be expected in America, because many people live around the usage of bicycles. I might note that the city was built to move people great distances with rails, rather than roads; thus, the ownership of a car is very clearly a luxury.

I think my courses might facilitate my efforts to dig up the real source of what makes the society here so different from America, and what makes the mind of an individual retain its uniquity. It's not a terrific thing that I'm doing here, viewing an alternative culture a few hundred years in the past. But what I think is remarkable is the fact that I might be able to trace back my own roots, and dig up the dirt and dust of my own origin.

On that note, I made a visit to the Franzozischer Dom as we walked around on Wednesday. This structure was built to commemorate the French Huguenots, or Protestants who migrated to Prussia and were welcomed by King Friedrich Wilhelm. My last name, Marquart, is a German name, but within that category, Marquardt is a huguenot name. I think I am getting closer to realizing where exactly I stand in the face of history.

Either way I think about it, I need to stop paying so much attention to what time it is, I need to enjoy myself in the here and now, and savor the present for all that it is worth. After all, I don't know if I'll be able to come back to Europe again in this lifetime, so every opportunity I see should be a new passage for me.


"Clocks slay time... time is dead so long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does it come to life."
William Faulkner

Pop-Culture

One exemplary reason of why I miss being home is because I miss family, most especially new family. My cousin Molly, who lives in Belmont Massachusetts, was pregnant with twin girls up until a few days ago. When they were born, I was emailed soon afterwards. I rejoiced from afar, knowing I would return around the holidays to find two infant little girls living in the region.

It's interesting how time can do that to you; when you're not paying attention, a year can pass, and your hair has gone all salt-and-peppery. Maybe your younger sister just graduated from college -- when you remember attending and watching as she wore her dress robes and collected her high school degree. So many distractions keep our minds hidden from what's really important. And I think that before I go on with this entry, I'll list off what I miss most in the United States, which I have only occasionally given a glance of a thought towards, now I am distracted by the majesty of Germany.

First of all, I miss peanut butter. That's right, they don't make peanut butter over here in Europe like we know it in America. Sure, they have candy bars -- no need to send any uber-expensive care packages full of snickers, Mom. I'm all set. But it's different here, the nutritional system. I'm not saying it's bad, not by a long shot. Just different. It might take me a little while to figure out this complex. I was raised to savor meaty sandwiches for lunch, and an oven-baked dinner. Potatoes are quite common here, and I love those, but I'll have to avoid the expensive restaurants and head over to LIDL or Kaiser's, the supermarkets, for my day-to-day necessities. I actually just stopped by LIDL tonight, although all I could think of were American style meals. Meats, cheeses, and plenty of orangensaft with apples by the side. Let's not forget the pasta. That will definitely help me keep the extra euros in my pocket for later on.

Another thing I miss is my home shower. I don't know if this might be the case all over Europe, or just in Germany, but the nozzle releases out of a spigot that the person in the shower must hold by hand. Without getting into too many details, I'll also include the fact that my guest-mother anticipated that I might not be accustomed with this fashion of bathing, and so went searching for a shower curtain... no luck. They call it "walrus-ing" around the bathroom, what I do during my shower. I always make sure to clean up the water that has bounced off and splattered everywhere else. It's really no problem, it just takes more time.

The last thing I miss is the warm, welcoming scent of a New England autumn. I almost forget I'm in Berlin sometimes when I think about the falling maple leaves, turning from green to red and gold before fading with the brown dirt and dust of the path beneath my feet. I would always walk along the grass or between the trees to reach my destination back home, but here in Berlin, almost everything is covered in stone or concrete. It's a little bit of a bummer, but I'll get over it.

On friday I made my way around Wilmersdorfer Platz, a nice shopping center right around the corner, and I purchased some bread and orange juice, as well as a new water bottle. My host mother Sabine showed me a local fish market known as Rogacki which also serves as a restaurant. It is well-known around Berlin, but unfortunately it had just recently closed. I will have to make plans to try it out some time soon.

So we went to Hamburg on saturday. It is truly a beautiful city, located in a very well-to-do area towards the east, by the mouth of the Elbe River. The inhabitants had worked to rebuild much of the architecture which had been damaged during the second world war. One friend from home who has helped me with contacts around the Berlin area hails from Hamburg. After our morning tour, we took a walk through an art museum featuring works by American Mark Rothko. Immediately afterwards, we took a walk over to a nearby dock and boarded a tourist ship, which made its way out through a couple of locks and canals into the commercial harbor of Hamburg. I did not know this fact previous to the tour, but Germany has the world's largest GNP. I was able to observe a large number of frigates and tankers making their way into and out of the bay.

After lunch I counted the cash in my pocket. I had only spent about forty euro, and only on food, because the rest of the trip was taken care of later. Could I really be that frivolous? I had already learned by saturday that Berlin was probably the best place in Europe for the euro. But with the state of the American dollar, including the Lehman bankruptcy, I feel exceptionally glad that I don't have to worry more about finances than I already do.

After an incredibly fast (90 minute) return trip to Berlin, I decided to head over with a friend who lived near Checkpoint Charlie. He showed me points he recognized from his studies during a previous semester; the marks where the Berlin wall began and ended, now marked by stones on a busy blacktop street. Near his apartment were a few of the brass-colored marks dug into the earth, engraved with the names of jews who had died during the holocaust. Hard as I try during my studies here, I don't expect I will ever come to understand the genocidal masque of the swastika. I only try because by now, it has become a part of German culture. So fresh in the past, with so many deaths... but everything here in Berlin, both good and evil, has its own memorial, without exception.

I tried not to think too hard about it. We walked on towards a nearby bar, called Bierhimmel (beer-heaven). Inside, we both ordered Hefe-weizens and listened to the speakers play oldies from a vinyl, spinning directly behind the tap. I had to take a deep breath and remember how full this city was with landmarks that still exist from hundreds of years ago. They all matter to me, not only because I'll be studying here for the rest of the semester, but because I'm growing here, and this experience is becoming a part of me.

To continue, today was my first day of classes. We discussed a good deal of history, architecture, and music of contemporary pop-culture. I'll include more details as they come, but to offer a brief look at where I'm headed, the two cities of St. Petersburg and Berlin were both analyzed in one class, in addition to their style of architecture in relation to the ruler or social system in command. I will find some pictures to post, and that will certainly help all readers keep up.


"I see the path of progress has never taken a straight line, but has always taken a zigzag course amid the conflicting forces of right and wrong, truth and error, justice and injustice, cruelty and mercy."
Kelly Miller