Day 1 in Berlin: The Reichstag and a Wedding

This morning we woke up at 7 am and looked up what the weather would be like today so that we could decide what to wear. We discovered it would be 20 degrees Celsius, or around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and that rain was not expected, although apparently the weather here can be pretty unpredictable. We packed our lunches, and I made a sandwich with sunflower seed bread and frischkäse, which is pretty similar to cream cheese, but it has less fat. Zeinab lives very close to the school, so we didn't have a very long walk to get there. When we arrived all of us Americans met  to discuss how Germany was treating us thus far. After homeroom and a tour of the school and its surrounding area I met Zeinab for her geography class. During class they mostly discussed what their exam on Monday would entail. Apparently the exam will take 4 hours, and it is a pretty big deal. Next we ate lunch and went to Zeinab's next class, which, from what I understand, is all about learning to make a solid argument and present it effectively. Today they talked about improvements that could be made to Neukölln, which is the district of Berlin that we are in right now. The top 3 improvements that they discussed were "Neukölln investiert in Bildung" (investing more in education), "Neukölln fördert die Wirtschaft" (promoting economic improvement), and "Neukölln kämpft gegen Jugendarbeitslosigkeit" (fighting unemployment among young people). I think that this class was both interesting and beneficial, and it would be good to have one like it back home. Next we went to math, and then we left school to go to the Reichstag, or "the supreme constitutional organ of the Federal Republic of Germany," as the booklet I got says. 

 The Reichstag has a glass dome on top and we were able to walk up to the very top of it while a listening guide pointed out various landmarks in Berlin that we could see as we ascended. The Reichstag is designed in a very environmentally friendly way: inside there are 360 mirrors that are angled downward and reflect natural light into the room where parliament meets so that they don't have to use electric lights. 

After the Reichstag we returned home (via the subway) and started to get ready for the first of 3 weddings that we will attend while I am here. This wedding was very different from any wedding I have attended before. While all the weddings I have been to have been quiet and have had 100 people at the most, this wedding was very loud and exciting and had at least 250 people. Music played almost nonstop, and there wasn't a service the way there is at the weddings I've been to. Rather, the bride was walked in by her father and was surrounded by dancers wearing gold and white. She and the groom danced together amid these other dancers and miniature fireworks went off as food was being served to everyone else, who was seated at tables of about 8. The bride and groom then went up to sit at an elevated table and everyone ate rice, chicken, bread, salad, and fruit. After we ate, there was more dancing and music, and the celebration was still going strong when we left at 11:30. 

Overall, being in Germany can be a little overwhelming at times, but the Germans are 1. very patient and understanding and 2. very good at English. I am glad that we get to have this experience because I think it is important to have exposure to other cultures in order to gain perspective. 

Walking Berlin with natives

Today Sarah Homokey and I walked around Berlin with some of my hosts, Lulu's friends. We got to use the U-Bahn, and just walk around, which sounds boring, but to us it was very new. I expecially had a hard time remembering to not cross the road without looking both ways! Oh and the bikes. So many people on bikes.
For Mittagessen we, Sarah, our host, and their friends, had Indian food. Lulu's dad made it, and it was SO GOOD. I had never really had Indian food before, and I was hesitant to eat it, but I am glad I did! It was so good.
in the afternoon we just walked aroind Berlin. I was also more comfortable speaking in German. If I mess up, they will correct me and all is okay! I really liked walking around and reading the signs, and if I didn't know a word it was easy to ask one of the girls for help.

When in Iceland, do as the Icelanders do.

Each time we had a GAPP meeting, there was always a so called "Elephant in the Room." Something that everyone knew about, but wouldn't address it. This was a topic that only applied to our trip to Iceland: swimming. None of us wanted to think about it, much less talk about it in a large group. If you're not already informed, swimming in Iceland meant stepping out of our comfort zone. To be allowed in the pools, one must shower naked in the large public washroom with an attendant present to assure that everyone washes the correct areas, the correct ways. For most of us, it took months to convince ourselves that swimming would be worth it. Up until the first toe touched the water, we were still unsure, but only then did we come to the realization that the process we went through was more than worth it. The water felt amazing, the environment was very calming, and we got to spend time and bond with each other, some of us who barely knew each other prior to the trip. Having doubts about stripping down, in a new place, with strangers all around speaking a foreign language, is completely normal. Although this is true, life is all about taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone. So if you ever find yourself in Iceland, take a leap and go swimming because as the saying says, "When in Iceland, do as the Icelanders do."  

GAPP 2015 is almost here!

It's less than a week until we Ami's leave Kingsport and only seven days til we arrive in Berlin!

What do you think will be the most difficult thing for Americans to adjust to during our time in Berlin?