Berlin

I’ve finally arrived in Berlin. The first observation I made was that traffic is extremely congested. The tour guide explained that they have been undergoing major construction projects. I guess there isn’t a whole lot that separates us (except for the types of electrical plugs we use). It took me about ten minutes of looking at the electrical socket in the airport before I figured out that I would need a converter.

At dinner, I met the nicest couple from Australia. They told me about all of their travels. They are in the process of an eight week tour of Europe. They were fascinated about Nightingale and the American education system. We enjoyed a feast at the hotel. I plan on having breakfast with them tomorrow.

After dinner tonight, I went for a walk around Berlin. Initially, I only planned to walk en route to Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial. I was concerned that it wasn’t part of the tour that I am getting tomorrow. The walk ended up turning into a six hour stroll through many different parts of the city. I’ll have a lot of pictures to share from this stroll. In addition to finally making it to the memorial, I also saw and learned about Checkpoint Charley, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Berlin Wall. Here is what I learned:

The Holocaust Memorial is in a section of Berlin that was practically destroyed during the war and the building of the Berlin Wall. It is on the site of where the Propaganda Minister, Dr. Joseph Goebbels, kept an office during WWII. A memorial to the death of European Jews was first suggested in 1988 by Lea Rash and Eberhard Jackel. It was not approved until 1999. Even though the museum was closed by the time I arrived (and closed on Mondays ugh!), the elegant and simple design of the pillars is reflective of a powerful metaphor. Six million is a number that is thrown around and is hard to conceptualize. I felt as though the 2,700 pillars of varying heights help to demonstrate that tremendous possibilities existed for the individuals who lost their lives. They were individuals, not just a group. Walking among the memorial, you are a single individual among a sea of pillars. The memorial does a good job of making one consider what really separates us from them. I believe the answer is very little other than time and tragic circumstances.

The Berlin Wall was enforced from 1961-1989. Over the years, numerous people died trying to cross from East to West Germany. There are 136 confirmed deaths from shootings, but thousands of other undocumented shootings occurred to curb border violations. Individuals who shot people engaged in a border violation were often given bonuses and became decorated in East Germany. President Reagan gave his famous speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate. I took a picture in front of it.

Checkpoint Charley was an important gateway between the East and the West. My hotel would have been located in East Germany.

Once I am able to explain the concept of a drugstore to someone, I will post today’s pictures. I am glad that everyone knows English for the most part, but certain words that are common parts of “American English” are foreign to individuals who have learned English elsewhere. I forgot the correct cord to upload pictures from my camera and need to buy a new one. All-in-all…not bad for a first day, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s guided tour. You’ll hear from me soon.