Berlin

New language, new culture, new city: Hello Berlin! We just got home from our "spring break" in Germany!  The experience was surreal. We toured the sites, experienced the culture, and just soaked up as much as we could in the short amount of time we were there. Walking where Hitler did, seeing the SS Headquarters, and even a concentration camp: I was blown away by the history and past of the city. Arriving in Germany, the first shock came in the language barrier. Living in Ireland, I never realized how fortunate I was to be studying in a country that speaks English (be it their own version, but English at least). I must admit, I found the German language quite ugly. I felt like they were screaming or angry at me! The stunningly beautiful looks of the German people and the city of Berlin, however, made up for the ugly abrasive language. Everywhere I looked I found myself gawking at something (or someone) beautiful! As a fashion major, I also found myself drooling over the European style and snapping mental pictures of outfits and silhouettes I want to recreate back home. In between exploring the streets and trying our hand at the train system, we went on a historical "journey" that took us from the Berlin wall and SS buildings to the Teirgarten statues and Berlin Dom. Everywhere seemed to be dripping with history and almost raw with the not-so-distant occurrences of the past that took place within the borders. The Berlin Wall made a huge impact on me: the sheer desperation to breach it and gain a better life in West Germany could be felt just by looking at it. Touring the Checkpoint Charlie museum also opened my eyes to this desperation and events that occurred here. The East Side Gallery was also an amazing experience. It is the longest stretch of wall still standing, and it is pure artwork. The graffiti and paintings represent the past, present, and hope for the future: breathtakingly beautiful, it depicts the raw emotions of the German people. The East side gallery took us to a new and trendy part of Berlin: Mühlenstraße in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Here we explored till we couldn't walk anymore: ducking into cafes and boutiques, it was a wonderfully "posh" place and a place of pure happiness for me. Again, just watching the people and experiencing the real culture...I will never forget it. Overall, the entire experience was unforgettable and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore the history of such a prominent country and walk the streets of such a hip culture. 

East Side Gallery

Berlin Dom