Goodbye Berlin

I can't believe my time here in Germany is over already.  It seems like just yesterday that I stepped off that plane and was introduced to the wonderful city that I now can call home.  Germany no longer seems like a foreign land, but rather a familiar friend that I hope to visit in the near future.  I will miss my host family who have been so welcoming during my stay in Berlin.  I can't say how much they have become like my second family, my family away from home.  I will miss having everything so close and within walking distance (well... except kyle's house and my school.  I won't miss my hour commute to both places.  But I will miss riding on trains everyday!)

Packing has been so surreal.  I want to go home back to Iowa and see my family, my friends, and of course my puppy, but I will miss you Berlin.  I am so glad I chose to live here for the semester.  It was one of the best decisions of my life.  I have a new perspective on life that the Germans have taught me.  Money isn't everything, what really matters in life is really living.  I truly understand what the idea that it's the people in your life that matter, not the stuff.  I have lived out of two suitcases for the last four months.  I never thought I would be able to do, but I'm still alive.  It was truly the people that have surrounded me for the last four months that have made my life amazing.

Tschüs Berlin!  I will miss you dearly.  

My last Friday

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Packing

I can't believe I leave on Monday! Packing began today!






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dresden

This last Saturday, we went to Dresden for the day.  We went to 4 Christmas markets.  It was a long but wonderful day with Kyle's host family.  

 GDR mosaic.

 Dresden was completely destroyed during WWII and nothing was done to repair the city when it was under Soviet rule.  These building have been rebuilt in the last 20 years.

 The church is awesome in Dresden!  The inside is beautiful, but it is amazing how they rebuilt it.  They were able to map out from the rubble which stones went where and then had donors buy the other stones.  This is why you see some stones that are black and some that are tan.  The black is original and the tan is new.  

 Kyle with his host brother and host niece.

 Giant pyramid!

 Man powered swings.

 Stollen parade.  Dresden is famous for Stollenfest.  Basically they make a giant cake (below) and it is paraded through the streets along with marching bands and the bakers.  You can buy a piece of the giant stollen at the market.

 A baker.

 Wonderful brass group at the medieval Christmas market.

 Another giant pyramid!

Dresden by night.

First Advent

Advent is very important to German culture.  Every family has advent candles in their homes that they light at meals.  Every Sunday, they light a new candle.  

 The pyramid in the Kyle's house.  The candles make the entire pyramid spin.

 Advent wreath.

 Christmas market near Kyle's house.

 First Advent celebrations.

 2nd Christmas market of the day.

So cute.

Out and about Berlin

Just a few pictures around my neighborhood.

 Subway station.

 My host brother's soccer game.

 On the S-bahn.

 Wannsee station. (by Kyle's house).

 This is where I live.  Love the colors!

 My favorite bakery.

 Church by my house.

 S-bahn Station.

 This is where my day starts.

Christmas at KaDaWe, a department store in Berlin (much like Macy's).