I just got back from my trip to Berlin! Check out my Field Trips and Gallery page!
I was an amazing experience. I walked across the Berlin wall reading so many tragic stories. These horrible events in our history happened such a short time ago. I could feel the intensity of emotion as took notice of the artwork that covers the wall today. Walking along the wall and through so many other memorials was so interesting. Our tour guide spoke to us about the history of how everything came to be and why but just standing in the exact place history was made kept me engaged and hopeful. I noticed so many couples holding hands, friends laughing with each other, people taking pictures. To think that we can do this now, we can have this now, this is ours now, to be free, to have fun, to live; well, it was a lot to handle. I would bring this feeling back to the United States. We can fix the problems with our country. We can change. We can make something beautiful out of this tragedy. We can have hope, we can have this. After two weeks of being in Germany I am finally on a normal schedule. Now, I'm fully unpacked, I eat breakfast everyday, and Jet-lag is just a memory.
Things were hard at first when I got here. It was scary and I wanted to go home immediately. I mean it, immediately. I was driven to my apartment, walked in, set down my suitcase, and considered checking the quickest flight back. I remember thinking "what am I doing here? I don't even speak German... this was an awful idea... I'm unprepared." But it's been two weeks now and you know what? I speak quite a bit of German. I was really prepared. I'm having the time of my life here. This was a wonderful idea. I've explored so much in the two cities I've been to and I love every second of it. I mean, you should see these churches! If there's any advice I could give at this point it's simply: Yes, it's scary, really scary. However, it will pass. Things can be awkward, uncomfortable, nerve-wracking, anxiety-inducing; but that's just life! Grit your teeth, laugh it off, breathe slowly, do whatever you do but just know you got this, because you do. BTW... No I didn't eat Malasadas in Portugal.... I fell asleep until my next plane. I have booked my flight and filled out my official flight forms and I am so excited!
It feels like it's really happening now. Booking my flight is like saying "okay I'm really doing this, I'm really going. They charged my credit card and everything. I made a legally binding contract to pay for a flight... A flight that is going to take me out of the country for the first time..." Not scary at all right? I've opted to make my own way there and make a few stops along the way instead of taking the group flight. Even though I'm scared I'm ten times more excited than I am afraid. Besides, I'm very excited to eat malasadas in Portugal. Malasadas in Portugal. Malasadas. In. Portugal. Actual Portuguese doughnuts from Portugal. I can't believe this is happening.... Three scholarships down, forty two thousand eight hundred and ninety one to go...
Sometimes it feels like a lot, filling out scholarship application after scholarship application (not to mention the full time classes and part time job it's not like that takes any of my energy right?) but I know it's all going to be worth it and that's keeping me going. I got my luggage tags and program t-shirt a while ago. It's nice- being able to look at them and remember that this is really happening. This week is an important one. It's officially time to start booking flights and hotels. I'm staying in a residence hall in Germany but I'm going to spend some time in New York before I leave the country. Which reminds me, I should get Broadway tickets... |
AuthorRachel Figueroa, 18 Categories
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