Finally in Franfurt/Oder

WOW! What a start it has been already. Well we flew out of SLC to JFK with no problems but getting out of JFK was a tad bit more complicated. Basically in a nutshell, Our flight was delayed an hour, gate changed to across the airport, my seat was double booked, we taxied for 2 hours because only one runway was open due to construction, then had the radar break down had had to go back to gate to wait another hour, then flight crew was now illegal to fly so had to get out of plane and spent the next 5 hours trying to reschedule our flights and had to stay in a hotel from 5am to noon. Get back to JFK where we were hoping to make it on a flight and thankfully we did! I was so excited to see the Brooklyn bridge and New York City skyline from the airplane coming in but so excited to finally be getting out. haha.

We landed in Berlin at 7:00am and dropped our stuff at the hostel, took a boat tour down the river which was beautiful but started raining so cold. I had no idea Germany was so green! We then went to lunch at a pizzeria which is famous apparently and all the pizza's are named after the first 12 apostles. I must say Peter pizza was not my favorite because of the fish. haha. We then took a 2 hour walking tour through Berlin and saw some amazing history! First stop was the square where Hitler held the book burning of over 20,000 books. In the center of the square is a glass that you can look down and see hundreds of empty shelves underground as a monument and showing there is a place for those books today. Next stop was Charlie Checkpoint during the coldwar. While it is very different today they have a monument there still in remembrance of the checkpoint and the many people who tried to escape through the point. We then headed over to a part of the Berlin wall that is still standing and what an amazing thing to actually see and touch. There is then a brick path that goes around all of Berlin as a marker of where the Berlin wall use to stand. Within the last few weeks they have done some digging and recently discovered an underground gestapo headquarters and holding cells. That was really neat to be there during the digging. We saw several Nazi buildings and headquarters that are still in use for various other businesses and such but what was most interesting to me was Hitler's death place and bunker. It is not marked as a monument or even labeled. It is actually now just a parking lot for an apartment buildings and small area where entrance was is fenced off and 15 meters down is where the bunker was. Our tour guide said this is because the Germans do not take pride or want to show respect for this man so they do not label his death place. I found it rather interesting. We then went over to the Holocaust monument where thousands of concrete slabs are arranged and you walk through them like a maze almost. The feeling there is rather interesting because it is eerie in parts but hopeful and reverenced in others. One of my other favorite stops was the Brandenburg Gate. Just marvelous! If you get up real close you can see where they have done patch work since the war and quite interesting that is still stood after the war with how much patch work was on the thing. We saw Hotel Adlon where several celebrities and government officials stay, including the balcony where Michael Jackson hung his baby over the edge. lol. We then did a bit of shopping and finally able to crash at 8 that night.

We woke up the next day at 7:30 and headed off to Potsdam and tour Sanssoucci Park. This place was absolutely STUNNING! This persian king decided he wanted to have his one summer park so built several palaces across hundreds of acres of land, each palace representing something different. The Chinese palace was one of my favorites. He even had architects build ancient roman ruins because he wanted to be able to look out his door and see a piece of Italy. haha. What pompous men they had back in the day. We then took the train to Frankfurt/Oder where we were given a quick tour of the city and how the tram runs and moved into our apartments. I haven't had much time with the roommates yet but I have one girl from Russia named Lena and anther Stephy from Potsdam, Germany. This is when I really started to feel a culture shock. From this point we are on our own for the week and I only see my USU classmates in classes because we all live in different parts of town and no cell phones to communicate with one another. haha.

People pin point me from the states very easily and not afraid to tell me my German is horrible. haha. ( they are right, the little bit I know I sound terrible.) But people are very friendly for the most part in this town and the younger the people the better English and more willing they are to talk to you, so when I need help I usually try to find high school kids or other students. haha. They also notice quickly my way of life is very different then other Americans and Europeans as well because I don't drink or smoke and that will get a religion talk going all the time. I wish now I had bought a bunch of German Book of Mormons because they all are curious when I talk about it. Most have seen missionaries though and say they are easy to see because of the nice clothes and so they try to walk the other direction because they stop and talk to you when you have no time. hahaha. Germans are very punctual and like order I am learning. I tell them next time you see them say "guten tag" and ask for their book :) Several things are making me appreciate the states and my family so much more! I do love learning so much from others though and wish the states were more on top of teaching other languages. Everyone I meet knows at least 3 fluent languages and have traveled all over Europe and to the States or Canada. I think that is so cool!

Well I wish I could share more but I am tired and have major school work to catch up on. This language course is kicking my butt because I can not get this throaty 'r' sound to come out of me. haha. I forgot my picture adaptor so I can't post pictures till I get home :( but I love you all and will update as soon as I can!

Tschus!