Reflection of Great Cities Study Abroad:

Well just like that I am sitting here at home safe and sound after what was an eventful three weeks. When I first started on my journey across Europe I didn't know what to expect. When I arrived in Berlin I got there two days before my program started, and was able to adventure on my own for those two days. When I arrived at the airport in Berlin I was hesitant at first to hail a taxi because I couldn't speak any German at all, but this very nice lady who's name I forget could tell that I was nervous waved at me and told me to come over towards her taxi. So with that I decided to walk over to her and thankfully she spoke English very fluently. She asked me where I was going and I pointed out to her that I was headed to The Ambassador Hotel in Berlin. She said that she had been there many times and was happy to take me over there. So we went over to the hotel, and the entire time that we were riding, she would tell me what this place and that place were. We finally ended up at the hotel and I tipped her and thanked her for all of the information that she gave me. Following that, I checked into the hotel that I was staying in for the two days prior to the start of my program. During those two days I could not believe all of the things that I got to do and see.

The first day that I was there I really didn't get to do much aside from getting food and sleeping. But the first night that I was there was rather interesting. That first night when I walked out, I was greeted with the smells of bratwurst and all other kinds of street food that was being made in these little shacks. The smells just lured me in like a fish to a well-baited hook. Finally when I stopped and got a bite to eat I was fortunate to have what they call currywurst, which is essentially a bratwurst, smothered in curry and BBQ sauce. I mean I had eaten bratwurst before but this was a whole different experience just because it was authentic German street food. Following that I got to experience the feeling of jet lag, which in my mind was not the greatest feeling in the world, I didn't end up getting out of bed until one in the afternoon the next day which was New Years Eve.

New Years Eve in Berlin was absolutely amazing. I ended up going to a place that my cab driver showed me the day before. This was an old church that had been bombed out during the Second World War. What was so amazing to me about this place was that the bells and the clock were luckily preserved and whenever the clock would strike an hour closer to 12 o’clock midnight there would be a display of fireworks. By the time the clock struck 11 the area that I was in was completely packed. I mean people were elbow-to-elbow and shoulder-to-shoulder. People were drinking and talking and just enjoying each other's company it truly was what the meaning of the season was all about. Before I knew it the clock struck 12 and everyone around was hugging, kissing, and making toasts welcoming in the New Year. In an instant this all ended when the fireworks began and everyone's attention turned to the skies as what in my mind was one of the greatest firework displays I had ever seen took place. The sound of the church clock ringing in the background almost drowning out the sound of the pops and crackles that followed the bursts of light given off by the fireworks was truly amazing.

Following this I made my way back to the hotel in which the city sounded like a war zone due to all of the bangs and fireworks that were being set off in the streets. That whole night was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to me and one that I will never forget. Following this began the first part of my study abroad program and the first city of the program.

For the few days that we were in Berlin we became aquatinted with everyone that was part of the trip, and had some amazing tours. With the assistance of our tour guide J.B. we saw everything that Berlin had to offer, in which some of those things were very emotional to me. The two things that were the most emotional to me were the Locations of the first mass grave that was created during the first events of the Holocaust, and the German Stasi Prison that I got to tour. The first of these two was the mass grave. The reason that this was so emotional to me was because of the fact that you can always read words and numbers in a book, but you don't really feel anything by that you have to go and witness these places to fully get the understanding that yes there were this many people here and they all died and were placed here to be "swept under the rug."

The Second of these two places that I saw was the German Stasi prison that housed many people that were trying to escape the Eastern side of Berlin during the time of the Berlin Wall. With the testimony that we heard from one of the survivors of this prison, and the tour that we had was a very emotionally unique experience. There was a movie that I watched during the orientation of the program titled "The Lives of Others" before the trip began and this was about a man who was a playwright that was living on the east side who was under continuous surveillance by the German police due to the fact that they thought he was trying to promote what we know as freedom. This movie had parts of it filmed in the very location that we toured. There was one part of this prison that had a very mind bending feeling and that was the interrogation rooms. In the scenes of the movie there were parts that there were interrogations that were taking place, and the interrogators would use any mind games that they saw fit to get whatever information they needed out of the inmates. When I walked through these rooms I could feel nothing but the feeling that something was trying to be forced out of me like that of those who were being interrogated. Along with that, the survivor that spoke to us said that is what it felt like every time you had to sit in those chairs. So when I go back and watch that movie, I have a better understanding as to what those being interrogated went through. The last thing that really hit home was when we were in an absinthe bar and we were talking to a guy that lived on Eastern side of the wall, and he said that It really did feel like you were being watched 24/7.  

The next Location that was on our trip was the great city of Budapest in Hungary. Let me be the first to say that during the train ride over we the ones that I was sharing a cart with became laterally close friends. There were five of us all piled into these 5 little bunks that compared to our side were like giants laying on a pack of chewing gum. Nevertheless, we made lemonade out of lemons. We had stocked up on food and drinks and by halfway through the more than 10-hour ride, we were all just as relaxed as can be. I mean there was even a time that we had about 10 of us in one cart all partying it up all the way to Budapest.

While in Budapest, we had lectures, tours, and plenty of free time in between. There were two things from this city that I really took away with me and three if you count the hot baths. The first of the three was the tour that I took to what is known as the "House of Terror." This was a museum of what those had to go through following the Second World War. Following World War II, what we know as the Iron Curtain went up and divided the West and the East. All of those who were imprisoned in the concentration camps returned home, but due to "unforeseen circumstances" went into labor camps that many know as "The Gulag." These labor camps were developed to house those who were known to be against the Soviet regime. It was very sad for me to hear this because of the fact that the few that were able to withstand the torment of the concentration camps had to basically do it all over again. The people in the Gulag barely had anything. They worked extreme hours, had very little clothing to keep warm, and didn't get to have but about a half-minute to wash up a week. Many of those who survived the Holocaust did not have the same luck here.

The second thing that I really took away from the second city was the lectures that we received. There were two in particular that really had my attention. The first was on a group known as the Roma. The Roma was a group of people that had really no origin, and were nomadic, meaning they just stayed on the move. It was interesting to me to hear about them because it reminded me of my own Native American heritage. Based on how they had been treated and how they were a minority I really could show a lot of feeling and understanding due to what happened to my culture.

The second lecture that really interested me was from a guy that was a native to the country, and it was amazing as to how much pride he had for being from this country. It really gave me a lot more appreciation for being from the U.S. due to the fact that there hasn't been a major conflict on our own soil since the Civil War. Following all the lectures and tours we had a free day in Budapest. This was one of the most amazing days that I had on the trip. Me and a big group of people went to what we had been waiting for the entire time in Budapest, and that was the hot baths.

We went there and had the most amazing time. We set one foot into the water and were instantly melted by the warmth of the water. We sat around in that side of the baths for a while and then decided to move over to the other side, which at first was a major mistake. When we got out of that water I literally thought that my body was going to freeze, but when we got to the other side and took one step in the water we thought we were going to boil due to the water's natural steaming warmth. This part of the trip was truly the highlight of the first half of the trip.

With the first half of the program over we made our way to the next half with our first stop being in Sarajevo, Bosnia. This city was the most unique out of the four that I toured. The reason for that is because of all of the conflict that had occurred almost two decades before. When I walked down the narrow streets, it is hard not to go by a building that isn't riddled by bullet holes from the war that tore the city apart. The first full day that we were in Sarajevo did not disappoint. We had a briefing at the U.S. Embassy, which I really got a lot out of. The one thing that really concerned me is that the peace treaty that was developed during the war back in the early to mid 1990s is what the government is using for the constitution. The peace treaty, which is known as the Dayton Accord, was the peace treaty that was developed to end the war between the two ethnic groups. This is a major concern for me because when we went to the presidency in Bosnia, the advisor referred to the document as the Dayton Constitution. I have a hard time with this because due to this they cannot do anything to amend the document because they treat the agreement as a living-breathing document. What I mean by this is that the document is the only thing that stands in the way of them being able to do anything for their people.

But what really upset me the most about what was said about this was that I felt that the document was being blamed for not being able to get anything new done, and that the National Community was being held responsible. When I was at the embassy, I was told that some of the officials there in Bosnia did feel this way, but it was completely different to hear someone talk about the issues in the way that the advisor did. There was one last place that we toured while we were there that was really monumental to me. This was the site where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.

Being there and seeing this location was really an experience to me because when thought about, it is where the spark of World War I took place, which was followed by World War II, which was followed by the Cold War. So when I think about it, to me it is where one event took place that sparked almost a century of conflict. And there is basically nothing there now but a museum on the corner of the street. But there was one question that lingered in my head then and still does and that if there will be any increased sense of nationalism since it is the centennial of World War I. I guess only tile will tell. Before the last city on our agenda, we stopped at a place in Srebrenica where the Bosnian Genocide took place.

This was extremely overpowering emotionally for me because of the nature of this tour. A survivor of this event greeted us and he told us his story and how he was able to escape, and what it was like to be a part of that horrible event in which the bodies are still being discovered from. I remember when the tour was over and after seeing those images of the graves and the events that plagued the people involved I went back to the bus and silently wept as I prayed for those that were lost and that could still be lost out there somewhere. It is something that I had never heard about until this trip. It was really something that I will never forget. Following this we made our trek to the last city on the agenda, which was Belgrade.

In my opinion this city was just as equally unique as the city of Sarajevo. This city looked like it had been barely touched by all of the conflict that plagued the other cities that we had visited. During the lectures that we had we learned the history of the city, and how they were trying to get into the European Union. I feel bad for Serbia because they are going through the hardest part of the process now and it looks kind of iffy. There were so many lectures on this topic that I couldn’t keep up with them but they all had the same premise that Serbia needed to join, but the people need to be able to take care of themselves too. The EU is not going to magically solve all of their problems. I couldn’t agree with this more due to the fact that it prevents the event of moral hazard by the country to take place. What I mean by that is that the country has to work and not expect to have everything handed to them. Following the lectures the rest of the days in the evening were free for us to do whatever we wanted. We took this time to get gifts as well as explore the city. Before we knew it though the few days that we had in our last country were over and we were back in the States and that was it.

Now as I look back over all of the countries that I have been to the one thing above all else that I took away from my experience it that we are lucky to be from where we are. I mean look at what all of the countries that I toured went through. It was all within the past 100 years, and compared to the United States it’s only a drop in the bucket. I mean there has been so much conflict from each of these regions that it is really hard not to be appreciative of where I am from. I was very fortunate to have been a part of this program I have a whole new perspective on things regarding the countries that I visited, and I met some amazing people. It was truly in every sense of the term once-in-a-lifetime.          

                 

Last Day In Belgrade... Last Day of 2014 Great Cities Study Abroad Program:

Well today marks the last day of Belgrade and also marks the last day of our trip. I have to say that it has been an absolute privilege to be able to go on this program and be a part of something with such a great group of people. Today all we did was have a little discussion on what we will be taking back with us when we go back to the states. When I was asked this, I knew exactly what I was going to say. I talked about how I was going to take away a greater appreciation for where I am from and that I also have a better understanding of how this part of the world really works. The one thing that I will be doing when I get back to the states is that I will be doing a lot more research on a topic that brought out so much emotion for me. That topic is the Bosnian war as well as the Genocide that took place in Srebrenica. I mean this was something that in my opinion was really swept under the rug due to the fact that when the UN came there to help those that were going to be killed, they did not know that the UN could only help “promote peace.” This struck a raw nerve with me due to the fact that once the UN was there, the Dutch troops took away all of the weapons that Bosnians had and then the Serbs came in and executed them. To me it looked like the UN was leading lambs to the slaughter. But like I said the other day, I was in tears after that tour and have never been the same since. So following that the lot of us decided to go out and explore the city a lot. Me, Morgan, and my roommate Ben decided to break off and go out our own way we decided that we were going to go out and get souvenirs for everyone, which we did, and after that, we went back to the hotel to pack. We are all going to reconvene for our farewell dinner tonight, and tonight we will go out and take Belgrade by storm for one more night of party. As for tomorrow, we are going home.     

Belgrade Day 2:

Well today was my last full day of lectures and activities here in Belgrade, and I have learned so much today that there could be multiple classes on for a year.  There was one place that we went to that I learned the most, which was the U.S. Embassy. We started off our day with a tour of the U.S. Embassy here in Belgrade. The first speaker that we heard from was Drew Giblin who was a cultural affairs officer. He went on to talk with us about why public affairs are such an important staple in society. I could not agree more with what he said about this topic. What he deals with is trying to develop ways for people to engage themselves and be able to connect with the Americans and Serbians. The reason that I agree with this is because by doing this it will build ties and bring people together culturally. I really did like hearing how there were so many programs that help develop this bond that people can create for themselves. One of these programs is a sports program. Through the sports program, it takes different sports and activities and people can participate in them and also learn valuable lessons that they can use in everyday life. Another program that really interested me was the exchange program that they have set up. The purpose of this program is to send either students or professionals and send them to another country like the from Serbia to the U.S. in order for them to be trained in different fields basically ranging from anything that they want to learn. Once they return back from their studies they are encouraged to then proceed further and develop a way that they can continue to their profession, and possibly if they want help get the funding for a non-profit of their own started. They couldn’t stress enough that when the participants got back from their programs, they were heavily encouraged to continue to expand on what they had learned and apply it to their profession. We also discussed the funding for such programs and how that it is all “one way.” By this I mean that the only thing that the embassy is promoting is the American culture and everything that follows it. They are by law not allowed to spread any other ordeals than that. There was one thing that I found very interesting about what was done to build the strained trust up with the police of Belgrade. This was done by creating a soccer game mixed with red light green light, and by doing it showed many people that the cops aren’t all corrupt like people thought. Also while at the Embassy we got to meet the ambassador. This was really interesting to me because I had never met with one and he also had a lot of interesting points about Serbia joining the EU. One of the things he touched on was the benefit that could be obtained if Serbia joined the EU. He discussed that if Serbia successfully joins the EU then it would be a good segway into them being able to be part of the World Trade Organization. If is this is done it could lead to a lot of foreign investment and that is what Serbia needs to prosper economically. But also for that matter they cant always be going after the big investors. There needs to be an encouragement to develop small business and then by doing this it could lead to the big heavy hitting investors to come follow. I mean there was a lot of talk throughout the meeting at the embassy that potentially Serbia could end up being the silicon valley of the Balkans. But the overarching theme to the entire meeting as well as the meetings from yesterday was that the EU could only save Serbia if Serbia does the work. Also the EU is being looked at as a club with requirements. The two requirements that are needed for Serbia are rule of law meaning that there needs to be a set of policies towards how things will be handled in the country, and the second is that Serbia will not be let in without a stable economy. Which means getting unemployment rate down. Lastly one thing that above all else needs to be done in order for Serbia to fully develop is to build on a sense of pride and not dwell on the past like what has been happening. Following the speech from the ambassador, we leaned about the security of Belgrade. By security I mean just how the crime rate is and what you should and should not do. Basically we were told while we are here even for the short time that we are here we should just use common sense and know when to just get out of what could end up being a sticky situation while here. Like I said today is my last day of lectures and tomorrow we have a meeting in the morning followed by time to share what we are taking back from the trip. I have a good idea of what I am going to say and cant wait to post it tomorrow       

Belgrade Day One:

Well today was my first full day in the city of Belgrade and it did not disappoint. The first thing that i got to do is visit the National Democratic Institute sector here in Belgrade. There we learned about what is being done to continue to help democratize different countries here in the Balkans. I learned that by raising public awareness this could lead to electoral reform. This is a big deal because I learned that many people don't know who their elected officials are here in the country. This is an ongoing concern because if no one knows what is going on then how are they going to be able to have their voices heard. I got to hear Tom Kelly who is the director for the National Democratic Institute here in Belgrade, and he said that if they are doing a good job, then they are actually working themselves out of a job. Also that due to the people that are in power, they only look one way and that is to the presidency not towards the people, because of this here there is no way for those citizens that are politically active to have their voice heard. This is why there is a need to find ways for the public to get their opinions expressed. Following this discussion we went to see the Serbian Parliament. This was really cool because it was the first parliament that we actually got to sit where the members sit and get a small feel as to what it is like to sit in where different policies are developed. Due to the fact that there are so many parties, there is a need for coalitions to be formed. the thing is that those coalitions that are formed end up being very weak due to the fact that there so many different interests and because of this it makes the coalitions weak. What was interesting to me is that when the Minority leader was talking to us he said that Belgrade was a "open communist" country. what he meant by this is that there were some capitalist things that were going on at the small scale. This is interesting to hear because it sounds a lot like the was Budapest was with the Goulash Communism. essentially they were the same. It was also interesting as to what his opinion about Tito was. Despite the lack of freedom it was actually not bad. And also he lead the anti-facisist movement. The biggest challenge here in Serbia is that of unemployment. The main thing that is now being pushed is how to improve the wellbeing of the citizens and be able to cut the unemployment. Following this we went to a meeting to discuss what has to be done in order for Serbia to become part of the European Union. This lecture was kind of confusing for me because i thought that they were very optimistic point of view as to what being a member of the EU will do, but the question was brought up about if Bosnia could ever do it successfully, and I have a hard time agreeing with their answer that they can at this time. They think that if Bosnia joins then all of their problems would be solved, but i don't think that will be the case. I think that there may possibly be a spring that will occur when the people have finally had enough and then and only then they will be able to start from scratch. Following all of those lectures we went and toured the city. We ended up at this old fortress that was really cool. I like old ancient structures so this was awesome for me. while we were walking around, we came to this ledge that had an amazing view of most of the city. We walked around for a while until we decided to go this coffee shop that was built into the fortress. I ordered an espresso and had the greatest view of the sunset ever. The sun went down to the point that all of the buildings in front of the sun put off these silhouettes that looked absolutely beautiful. After that we walked back to the hotel and now I am just in the process f deciding what to do for dinner. Tomorrow is basically our last day because on Saturday we are having our farewell day and Sunday we are headed home. So this means that my blogs are starting to wind down but I still have a few days left and tomorrow we go to the U.S. Embassy here in Belgrade. So I will have PLENTY to write about if it is anything like the last one I went to.

Off to Belgrade Serbia:

Well today was a day that I don’t think that I will ever forget. We started off on our way to Belgrade our LAST CITY!!!!! This is a bittersweet time due to the fact that there isn’t much time left for my tripe to Europe, but I have had an amazing time so far. While on our way to Belgrade, we stopped off in a place called Serbinetsia and toured a place that I never knew existed. The place was a cemetery/ memorial that was created for the Muslims that were victims of the genocide that destroyed the Muslim population in 1995. In my opinion, this place reminded me a lot of Arlington National Cemetery. I mean all you can see for a ways is nothing but white marble tombstones for those that were murdered during the genocide and that their families were fortunate enough to be able to find the remains of their loved ones and have a proper send off for them to the other side. I had an extremely difficult time when I was there due to hearing the story from one of the survivors of the genocide and how bad it really was. I had to choke back a lot of tears during the trip so far but this tour was the one that made a lot of them come out. I just cannot believe that this was so recent and that it was because of differences led to a huge group of people just being erased. They may have been killed, but the loved ones that are still alive keep them remembered. Following the tour, all I did was get back on the bus and while it was still quiet I sat let the tears that were held in start to come out and I just prayed. I prayed for those that were affected by this great terror that plagued them for as long as it has, and I prayed for being as thankful as I am for being in a country that does not have these things going on, and lastly and most importantly, I prayed for the ones that are still lost due to this terror and that hope, peace, and light can find them so they wont be lost anymore. As for the rest of the trip to Belgrade, we stopped after the tour at a local buffet to eat lunch which I am still full from. There was so much food I didn't know what to pick first. I actually think it was the first time I have had a real vegetable the whole trip. So we finished up and all piled into the bus and made the rest of the trek to Belgrade. We have a very busy 2 days here before our last day which is on saturday, but I will be looking forward to my experience here in my last city and with that I say Greetings from BELGRADE!!!!!!!!  

Sarajevo Day 2:

Well today was very informative to say the least with very different perspectives on major topics in Sarajevo. Our day was extremely busy with lectures and briefings all day. We started off the day at the Bosnian Parliament with a lecture from one of its' members. The purpose of the Parliament is to ensure the organization of the constitution as well as the organization of assembly. These two things we learned were created out of the Dayton Accord. The Parliament has two sectors, the House of Representatives, and the House of Peoples. The House of Representatives is interesting because not all of its' members are elected the same way. There are 42 members of the House of Representatives, 28 of them are elected directly by the people, and serve sets of four year terms. But what is interesting is how they are elected by the different parts of the public. 28 of them are elected by electoral elites, and the other 14 are elected by electoral members of the caucuses. The other part of Parliament is the House of Peoples. these are 15 delegates in which five of them are Bosnians and are elected indirectly by Bosnians. This is interesting to me due to the fact that there is a sense that only certain ethnicities can vote for their respected people, this makes me feel like in some cases that there is a barrier as to who can vote for who. Another thing that interested me was that how the process of creating an amendment was different to what is done in the U.S. We learned that the reviewing is done by a committee then it goes to the House of the Peoples, then it goes to reading in Parliament which is done on a first and second reading phase. What was interesting about this was that there is a possibility that there can be a chance for another amendment to be developed into what has already been put out. Now there is something that happens when someone wants to run for president. when someone wants to run they have to declare themselves when they fill out the census what ethnicity they are now due to this they may be discriminated against so some just put other but when they do that they cannot run. This is becoming a big issue for Bosnia and it was said that if there is no way to figure out how to end this discrimination then there is no reason for them to join the European Union. There is one thing that Bosnia needs more than any other thing at the moment and that is foreign direct investment. If there were more FDI then it could help cut the unemployment rate which at the moment stands at about half of the population. Once we finished our tour of there we then went to the Office of the High Representative (OHR). While there we got a rundown on how and what they do. This was very interesting to me due to the fact that from what I understood between yesterday and today, the OHR are the ones that have the final say in what happens At the state level. The state is what is referenced to as the highest level in the government here in Bosnia and the federal is below. So the OHR was created under what is known as Annex 10 of the Dayton Accord, and acts as an enforcer to civilian interests. In 1997 the group met and came to an agreement that things were not moving along as fast as they could, so there was a motion to make major improvements. So there was motions to make the higher representatives able to substitute actors to adopt laws, and also be able to remove officials that were obstructing the way for peace. The OHR also tries to promote local responsibility which means that there needs to be some effort by locals to take action as to what they need done, and not to expect the OHR to do it for them. This was interesting to learn because there was a group of protestors that were in front of the OHR saying that the OHR is responsible for doing what the protestors needed, but that is not the case. The other thing that was touched on was that during the war in 1992-1995, the youth that were there to study and further their education after high school had to be relocated to other less conflicting places and due to that the ones that were in power during socialist and communist times were able to remain in power. This was bad because the same old same old could take place and the country would remain stagnant. One of the things that should have been a real eye opener was that based on the current constitution and Bosnia's situation currently, there is no possible way for them to join the European Union. Based on all that was discussed to me it sounds like Bosnia is a very volatile state and it makes me wonder what could happen to the state as I know now. The last lecture that we had was in my opinion by far the most interesting. It had to do with the idea of what business will be like in Sarajevo as well as the rest of Bosnia in the foreseeable future. One of the major challenges is your ability to culturally adapt. Also what you thought you knew does not matter any more at all you have to relearn a lot in order to adapt. The main thing that I took away from the last lecture was that the communist mind frame still lingers. What i mean by this is that if you were to become rich instantly many people would think that you were a thief and that you stole the money. It is things like this that make me wonder about what was said a bout democracy for the state. The question of whether or not democracy was brought in and developed too soon was brought up, and I can't help but to agree with that. I believe if business would have been focused on before government then maybe people wouldn't think about where people are making large amounts of money.                

Last Day in Sarajevo, Bosnia/Herzegovina:

Well today was my last day in Sarajevo, and man all that I can say is that it was interesting. The first part of the day we toured a place that was a tunnel that was created during the war in 1992-1995. The tunnel has called the “Tunnel of Hope.” Its purpose was to connect the city of Sarajevo to the outside world. The tunnel was built under an airport, and was a way to get weapons as well as goods and people from one side to the other without being detected. While we were there we watched a video that showed parts of the war taking place between the different ethnic groups that make up Bosnia. I couldn’t believe at how much devastation actually took place. I mean it was really heartbreaking to see all of those people killing each other as well as many of the buildings that were just being lit up with gunfire.  During this video we saw the construction that was being done on the tunnel, which really looked backwoods and was only big enough to get people through in a single file line only carrying the bare minimum that ended up being what they could carry with their hands. Following the video we were allowed to go into a segment of the tunnel, and it really was an interesting experience because of just being able to feel that there were that many people that walked up and down the same tunnel that I was in carrying the goods to the other side so people could eat and basically survive. Following the tour we headed back into the city, and after watching the video I saw many of the same buildings that were left to ruins and riddled with bullet holes, and it really amazed me when I realized that this country still has many open wounds from a war that in retrospect was not too long ago. We then arrived at our next meeting that was scheduled for the day, which was at the U.S. embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there we were briefed on the current situation that the country is in, and that there is cause for concern due to many things. The first thing being that there is no real constitution, because of the fact that the only thing that it is looked at like a constitution is the Dayton Accord. This is very problematic because all that that document was created for was to end the war that ravaged the city in the early to mid 1990s. But the one thing that I heard that really angered me about the politics here in Bosnia is that since the finance minister was fired, military veterans cannot get paid, and this is a big problem. These people need that money in order for them to be able to live. For most it is the only money that they can make due to being disabled or other reasons. Without this money they are forced to go out and find things in the garbage that they can burn in order for them to at least keep warm. Also the children that are living in conditions like this alongside their parents are forced by themselves to go out and cut down wood to burn. Now this is not a problem, BUT when you have OVER 9000 and I say again 9000 minefields that are still active after the war has been over for close to 20 years now. There was a case just last week that some kids got killed due to this very fact, and on average there are at least a few cases of this a month. This is something that is UNACCEPTABLE and no one should have to go through that but that is what happens when the government is set up the way it is. But do you think that the ones in power want to take responsibility for their actions? NO. During the briefing we heard that the ones in power are blaming everyone but themselves for what has happened. Lastly during the briefing we heard how what is to be rumored one of the most ruthless criminals that there is in regards to money laundering and etc. was actually the one that was getting the most done. That is interesting to me because it feels like a Robin Hood scenario where he is a thief but gives it to those who are worse off than he is. So that was the gist of what we heard at the briefing. The next place we went to was to talk to the Bosnian Presidency advisor, and this discussion really had me confused and belittled based on what he talked about. The first thing that I found upsetting is that they believe that the Dayton Accord was a permanent solution since we do not live in what he called a perfect world. This upset me due to the fact that I felt as if they were trying to blame people in the he said that. There were more things that he went over including the idea that they would be willing to cut salaries in order for those who are going to be affected by the firing of the finance minister and as a result wont be able to get a check for the ones that are veterans. In my opinion I think that what he was saying there was a lot of populism, now don’t get me wrong he was a good speaker and all but he is a politician and is the type that can pull you in to believing anything, but for some reason it didn’t seem believable to me. Lastly I got the feeling that there was a lot of blame towards what he called the “Dayton Constitution” rather than an agreement. The idea that I got was that they treat the document as something that is living and breathing, and due to this they are never able to amend anything. I don’t know but it all just seemed to me to be very contradictory to me between what I heard at the U.S. Embassy and what I heard from the presidency advisor. Lastly we heard from speaker from the International Commission on missing persons. During this lecture he discussed what the organization is, how it worked, etc. I had no idea that there were that many people lost or killed in a place that is no bigger than West Virginia, but due to the war there were many that were killed and put into mass graves of just lost all together. So he talked about how they have a procedure on how they go and look for those who were lost, and how they go by returning them to their families. It made me really happy and at the same time sad that there is a group that does this. This is because I understand that they are trying to reunite people with the ones they lost, but I have to say that it saddens me when there needs to be something like this. Following this lecture we went back to the hotel and hung out for a bit and then we went out with the kids that had been showing us around to a local bar and had a few drinks and just enjoyed the nightlife in Sarajevo. We had drinks, laughs, and just were happy to be there and it felt kind of euphoric in a way. So me and my friend Morgan decided that we would head out early due to the fact that me and him had to pack so that is what we did. I came back got packed up and went to bed 

Sarajevo Day One:

Well today was my first full day in Sarajevo and there was plenty to do. I got up this morning and had a small breakfast with some of the friends that I have made on the study abroad program. Following that, we decided to go out and explore the city for an hour or so. I could not believe all of the sights that I saw by just walking around. The first place that I came to was a church that was a classic looking european church, but what was behind it was what amazed me. For as far as you could see there was nothing but mountains surrounding the city. It was absolutely beautiful to take in all of the sights that I saw before the group tours started. We walked around for a while longer crossing the river that divided the city a few times and taking more pictures. I didn't really know what everything was that I was looking at at the time so we finished that up and went to the hotel to meet up with local students for the tour of city. We started out where we had went to the ATM earlier to get some cash, and there was this flame that was there but I had no idea as to what it was. Our guide told us that it was the eternal flame for those who lost their lives during World War II. That was very interesting to me that there is just a memorial to that magnitude just out on the side of the street. Following that we saw many different churches. There was a Mosk, a Jewish Synagogue, and a orthodox church. This is very interesting to me because I am really surprised at how the tolerance factor is so high to have that many different religions so close to one another. Following that we went to a market place that has been standing since the Ottoman Empire. I could not believe that a place like this could withstand the tell of time like this building had. I mean It had to get through World War I, World War II, Cold War, and even the war that the country had in 1992 to 1995. When I walked inside of the market i was practically blinded by all of the colors of the different scarfs and other headwear and fabrics that were from the floor to the ceiling I mean it was really beautiful, and the prices were not too bad either. I may have to go back and pick up something for my fiance there. I continued my tour with the group only stopping for a second or two to snap a few pictures. We were walking along the side walk when we got to this bridge that had a concrete chair built on the corner. Our guide got up on the chair and told us to turn around and when we did she told us that the corner of the street that was directly across from us was where the Arch-Duke of Hungary Frans Ferdinand was killed along with his wife which in turn sparked the start of World War I. This was interesting to me because when thought in retrospect it is the one place that an event caused so much death and destruction for close to 100 years. The reason that I say that is because when Frans was killed, it started World War I, after that was over Germany got blamed for a lot of it which set the stage for World War II, following that, the two powers that were left were in a conflict for another 40 years in what we know as the Cold War. Following that sight, we walked past what was the only orthodox church that was not destroyed during the war in 1992 to 1995. After we went past all of these different churches and buildings and so on we started to feel that rumble in our stomach so we got a bite to eat. The place that we ate at was absolutely amazing the place was called "Sarajevska Pivara" Which is a local brewery here in Sarajevo. When we walked in, it looked like something that you would see in New Orleans, Louisiana. The entire place was hardwood and looked like the bar that I had been looking forever for. We went to the upstairs and we sat down ordered our drinks and made smalltalk with the kids that were giving us our tour. Finally the drinks came out and I took one sip of mine which looked like the darkest beer that you could imagine. One sip and I felt I was drinking nothing but silk. The beer was as smooth as silk and had a hint of sweetness at the end that reminded me of molasses. So I kept enjoying my drink and the food came out. The food was nothing to complain about at all This place really knows how to grill food. It was an assortment of meats along with french fries. After we had our lunch we went to our evening lectures that were part of the schedule for today, and both of them were very interesting. The first of the two was about the culture as well as the history of SarajevoI heard about a lot of the same stuff that I was told about on the tour being that the city is very culturally diverse. That part really interest me because I love culture so much mostly due to the fact that I am so close to my own. The second lecture was in my opinion my favorite of the two it had to do with the international policy that is carried out in regards to Sarajevo. It discussed the purpose of what is known as the Dayton plan as well as the fact that there could be something similar to an Arab Spring in Sarajevo, but the idea is that if this was to occur it would be controlled with the help of having troops from the U.S. to help contribute so that there is not another war like in the early 1990s. Following that we piled into the bus and headed back to the hotel where we all got ready to go to this place that was a small cafe' that was only about a stone's throw away from the hotel. Now this place was the most amazing place that I have ever been to that was a coffee shop. It looked like what is depicted in movies as a traveling gypsy bar. This place had so much old fashion stuff in it I mean when you walk in you are greeted by the sound of the classic coffee house music that you may have always been looking for and there is only one guy that is running the whole place with one woman behind the register and you can tell that he loves what he does. While there we were told eat what ever you like and at first I didn't see anything there but it was like a big game of I Spy looking for the candy as well as fruit and other stuff hidden in the drawers, tables, and anywhere imaginable.  If you have ever seen the second Sherlock Holmes movie where there is the group of traveling gypsies in it he would fit in perfectly. This guy was super friendly and was always happy to get what ever you needed. I have to say that the best cup of coffee that I have ever had in my entire life came from this place. it may have just been about a two CL pour, but it had so much flavor in it that you didn't need any sugar nor cream in it whatsoever. So we stayed there for a while until we got hungry and then we had one of the guys that were showing us around show us this great burger place that was right around the corner. Now this place made me feel at home going to the fair getting a burger and just relaxing. When you walk in you are met with the savory smells of the hand-made burgers as well as the fries and hotdogs cooking and when you bite into the burger you know where your money went. This place like I said made me feel at home. Following our little adventure to the burger place we ended up going back to the coffee shop to have a couple of more drinks and chat for a while longer. We stayed long enough to finish our last drink and we started to head out. We paid for our drinks and then when we were leaving I asked one the guy that showed us around if he could ask the guy that served us to take a picture and he was happy to do so. So me and the man that i can only refer to as the man with the really curly handlebar mustache had our picture taken and I shook his hand and thanked him again for the great service and we left. I have to say that today was a one-of-a-kind experience and cannot wait to see what tomorrow has in store for me.            

Made it to Sarajevo:

Well I have made it to Sarajevo. It took a little longer than expected but I wouldn't change the timing at all. The main reason that I say that is because of what I could see out of my window on the bus. While I was on the bus I was listening to some tracks that I like to listen to with my fiance and was looking at some of the pictures that I had taken over the course of the trip. Even though it was dark out something really caught my eye, and that was the way the moon just created enough light to show the silhouette of the mountains that surrounded us as we were making our way to Sarajevo. I don't think anyone but me noticed them since I had to really look for them at times, but nonetheless they were absolutely beautiful. I mean you could really get lost in the moment when you look at them. As we continued on our way basically following the road in which moved with the mountains, we stopped to get a little break and stretch when we decided to get a bite to eat. At first, we went into a gas station where there was just the minimal road food that you could get for a snack, but right next door, we were escorted by the gas station attendant to this small simple restaurant where you could get just about whatever you wanted and for a cheap price. Since I was and still am feeling a bit under the weather, I decided to play it safe and just get what they called noodle soup and some french fries. The noodle soup was very interesting because it was simply a whole lot of broth and these small maybe a cm long noodle at the bottom of the broth, but I am not complaining at all about it, it was just fine. Following dinner we all piled up in the bus to finish our trek to Sarajevo. While listing to my music, I was able to nod off for a while and get a little bit of a nap. And by the time I had woke up I saw that we were near the hotel. I have gotten checked into my room and am now getting ready for some much needed sleep so I can be ready for what the city of Sarajevo has in store for me over the next what I am going to assume to be a short three days which I haven't liked how fast this trip is going but nonetheless it is awesome and I am having a blast      

Budapest Final Day.... Sad Face.... Sad Face

Well Well today was my day in what has been and probably be my favorite city from the entire trip. Yes berlin did have great things but I thought that Budapest had a lot more to offer and I was happy to be able to take part in what is offered. During the entire week that we have been here I have been able to learn about the country in the short time that I have been here, and today was no different. Today I was so lucky to go and visit a park titled "Statue Park." This was a park that had all of the statues of different things that represented communism during the Soviet era and before. When I got off the bus I was greeted by this archway that had the fathers of communism on one side who were Karl Marx and Frederich Engels. on the opposite of it had the man who was the best at implementing the communist beliefs of all of the Soviet Union. That man was Vladimir Lenin. But, across from that there was a monstrous statue of what looked liked a plain pair of boots. But I learned just what that statue was. The statue was that of Joseph Stalin. This was the man that spread so much fear throughout his land that he would kill anyone that opposed him. So what ended up happening, was that the statue was the only one in this park that was torn down due to what he did. As we kept walking through the park I was amazed at all of the different statues and what they represented. The door was closed when we got there but that was done on purpose because I believe there was an inscription on the door that our guide pointed out that said something like "If there is a closed door there is a window that you can still go through." This was to signify that there can always be a way to get to what you want, so right beside there was a smaller doorway that was open to the park. There were a few statues that interested me the most. The first was that of two men shaking hands. It was to represent the Hungarian-Soviet relationship. The interesting thing about that statue is that the Soviet man in the statue was keeping one hand back as to keep his guard up where as the other was the Hungarian and he was using both of his hands to shake the Soviet man's hand. This part from what I heard represented distrust due to the fact that the Soviets did do a lot of stealing from the Hungarians including wristwatches. So this is why he was shaking the Soviet man's hand with both hands and that was to protect his watch from being stolen. The second statue was of a woman who looked like she was working. This was to represent that Women can do anything that the men can do. This statue was titled the Ideal woman of the 50's. The last one I think interested me the most as to how the propaganda worked at its best. This was of a man that was an underground educator of communism during the 1930's when I looked at the picture that was in the pamphlet and it was nothing like the statue. The picture of was a man that basically looked like The Wizard Harry Potter, but when I looked at the statue I saw this bust of a man that looked to be very athletic and powerful. This really made me see that those who were in fact trying to continue the spread of communism really were made to look live very powerful men in their pictures, statues, etc. Lastly the tour came to a close at a brick wall that represented the end of communism. But when you turned around, the road towards the front of the park was to represent the road to democracy. After the tour was over, we made our way back to the hotel for those who were not going to the hot baths could get out. As for the rest of us we had an experience like no other. When we started out to the baths when we got there it was still cold enough to see your breath, but then when I stepped that first foot in the water, that feeling of being cold went away in an instant. the water was so warm I mean it literally felt like an overgrown hot tub. So we stayed in one area for a long time and then we decided to move to another which was a big mistake LOL. We had to run from one side of the baths to the other and I thought that my hair was going to freeze before I got back into the water. But when we got into the other bath It was the best feeling in the world. I mean it literally felt like I had melted into the bath just going from so cold to so warm in that short amount of time. Following that we went inside for a while but we saw that we enjoyed it more outside afterwards, so we decided to head out and walk back to the hotel. When we got about 100 feet from the hotel there was this little shop that was right there so I ducked in for a second and saw these glasses that were there and they were only 40 cents american so I said what the hell and bought one for a scotch glass when I got it i didn't notice that there was a picture of freedom square or either liberty square I can't remember which one it was called, but anyway I had just been there and took a picture of it so that was awesome. Now I am at the point to what I am doing and that is writing this entry into my daily blog. As for tonight, I am going out and doing a minor pub crawl with some of the greatest friends that I could have ever made while on this trip. It has been an honor to be able to visit the place that Yehuda is from and to be able to learn so much about the culture and what Hungary is all about. Tomorrow is a new day and the journey to a new country. I cannot wait to see what is in store for me, but I am sure that it is going to be great.      

Budapest Day Three:

Today I had the privilege to visit the ELTE University and hear 3 lectures that were in my mind very eye opening. The first lecture was on the transition of Hungary from 1989 until present day. I was very fascinated in the analogy that was discussed about the transition. The analogy was that trying to create a new form of economic regime out of the failed communism that had been place was like trying to turn "fish soup into an aquarium." I am still thinking about that and could not agree more. I mean when I think about to me it means that after communism failed and since everything was state owned, it had to be sold off. That in itself is very difficult to do when everything has to have foreign investment from other countries. I mean if I was an investor from another I don't think I could do anything for a country that is trying to redevelop itself due to the fact that it may not have any return. The other thing is that people also don't want to have their life's work either. I mean someone has worked their entire life to build up what they had and just because of their government failing they have to loose everything?? To me that is not right. But there were those that were not as skeptical as I am about this and did end up investing in the sectors of Hungary. When the communist regime fell, the employment rate dropped drastically. The investors that were looking to buy up the sectors of the state did in fact know how the system works and and knew what they were buying. Because of this, it was able to get people jobs. The second lecture that we had was one that opened my eyes the most. It was about a group of people called the Roma. The Roma are better known as Gypsies. we discussed who they are, where they potentially came from, as well as what it is looking like for their future. What interested me the most is how they were like my own heritage which is Native American. It was interesting to hear that the Roma did not want to call themselves what they were due to the fact that there may be a blowback of social stigma. I can really relate to this because for the longest time I had a hard time calling myself Native American due to the fact that I had no idea what to expect from those who are not tolerant to other cultures as much as I am. So it is something that I really had to hide for a long time. The one thing about the lecture that really hurt me was hearing how the Roma were basically segregated from the rest of the people. I can relate to that based on the history of my heritage. I cant stop thinking about how when the Americans kept pushing to the west and every time they did they drove the Native Americans further ad further away thus making them feel isolated. During the last lecture I was able to take something away from it that many take for granted. That one thing is to be proud of myself and who I am. I mean the professor that was giving the lecture showed so much pride to be Hungarian and I think that is what he wanted to make us feel, proud to be who we are like he is. I mean the people of Hungary have had to go through a lot and they had a long hard life under the arch of communism and there was a lot of struggle when that happened. I can understand that it was hard going back to my own heritage but I am Proud of who I am and it makes me feel strong to be close to my heritage.      

Budapest Day Two:

Today we had three different tours of three entirely different places. The first placed that we toured was the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. It really wasn't really a tour rather a briefing. During the briefing, we discussed the economy of Budapest and how it has transitioned from a communist form to a more socialist/capitalist form os economy that we have now. What was interesting to me was as to how this transition took place and how it affected the country. Before the transition took place there is what some know as Goulash Communism. This is when there is an overarching level of communism at the state level, but locally some people had the opportunity to be a private business. This is where we get the term Goulash because like the Goulash that I have been able to have since being here in Hungary, there is this overarching soup look to the dish, but once looked at closer, you can see what is really going on. The transition took place due to the fact that the Soviet Union collapsed and hungary did know what to do at the time. Because of this, all of the state owned enterprises had to be sold off to the private companies and this is how it started to involve into a new form of economy. The second place that we visited was called the House of Terror. This is one place that I could not believe due to what it was. The House of Terror is an exhibit that showed first hand what the Soviet Union did to the Hungarians during the Cold War. There was one thing that really made me feel like I was one of those people. There was one part that had to do with the Jews that were put into concentration camps during World War II and as soon as they were free they were moved again from the natural freedom into the Gulags, which are known to be just as bad as the concentration camps but were workers prisons where those who were there had to work non stop all day every day with only 30 seconds to wash themselves only a couple of days a week, and had no other toiletries at all. This made me feel so bad for those that survived the camps just to be placed there because many didn't make it through the Gulag. There was one instance where a husband and wife that were placed in the Gulag together and they had tried to smuggle alcohol into the camp via a jar of jam and it was seized, the wife wanted to give her husband some rolled tobacco, and she had it taken away from her as well. That was just to give him a way to keep going and couldn't even get that. Also while we were touring the basement of the House I could not believe the smell that was lingering in the air. If I didn't know any better I would have said there was something dead down there it was just unreal. Lastly We were able to visit the Hungarian Parliament. Just like when we were able to see the German Parliament the Bundestag I was so amazed as to how different the layout was to that of the Bundestag, as well as our own legislative buildings. Lastly I was very interested as to what represented the unity of the Hungarian society, and was able to see it for my self that being the Hungarian Crown. I have always thought as a royal crown as representing the ruler and authority figure over a body of people, and here that is not the case at all. As Professor Yehuda told us it is the symbol of the unity of Hungary. Tomorrow we have lectures that I am really looking forward to hearing about. As for tonight I will be going out with a group of friends to find some of the local food that has been absolutely awesome so far.      

Budapest Day One:

Well we bid auf Wiedersehen to Berlin and took a 14 hour train ride to Budapest. We made a good time out of it in our little broom closet of a room that we had. When we arrived in Budapest, we were greeted by one of Professor Yehuda's friends at the station and then we went out for breakfast. The breakfast that we had was unlike anything I had ever had. I mean we had this vegetable platter that came with this cheese spread, and I am not a fan of the vegetables that were on the platter but they were awesome. Then came out the main course I guess you could say. For the main course we had a dish of what was scrambled eggs mixed with sausage in it. I can't believe the difference in what people eat for breakfast in different parts of the world, but it was amazing. following the breakfast we were taken on a sightseeing tour of parts of Budapest we ended up going to a castle looking building known as fisherman's bastion. When we got there, I was so taken aback as to what I saw. I couldn't do anything but look up and marvel at the area. It really looked like something you would see in a movie. Following that, we walked down the street and Yehuda's friend showed us the office of the President of Hungary. I thought that it was very fascinating that we could get to as close to the building as we did due to the fact that in the U.S. you can't go near the White House without a fuss, but here there is nothing to it. Following that we got back on the bus to tour more of Budapest, then we saw what I think everyone wants to see here in the city and thats the hot baths. These were the coolest things to hear about because they are just basically natural hot tubs and they actually have to be cooled in order for them to be comfortable. After we saw the baths we ended up not too far away from the hotel at a market where we walked around and had to exchange currency due to the fact that Budapest isn't on the Euro. After that me and a few of the others walked down one of the streets near the hotel where there was nothing but restaurants. I mean you could smell the food for as long as you would walk down the street. We didn't feel like going any farther so we went to this little Italian restruant. Following that we walked backed to the hotel and are just trying to unwind for a bit and will be looking to go somewhere tonight to see what the nightlife is like here in Budapest.

FInal Day in Berlin:

Today marked the last day that we had in Berlin. Today we had two lectures at the Freie Universität Berlin. The first lecture was given to us by Jan C. Behrends and was about the transformation of Berlin . We learned that over the past year, that the elections in Germany for Parliament resulted in there being no majority in the Parliament due to this, coalitions had to be formed resulted in one major group of 311 seats forming one coalition which consisted of the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats. Jan said that the Government got close to being a dictatorship.  As for the German Chancellor,  she never shows her agenda, and had an agenda for other things but not the important things. The only thing that is clear is keeping the euro stable. There was one thing that was interesting that he discussed when he was talking and it was that some of the policies that are in place came from the Nazis around World War II. The policy was that those who were working more than 40 hours were able to receive the money that they worked for but the extra time that they worked, they got all the money and did not have to pay taxes on the overtime that was owed to them. This is interesting to me because it ties into my research paper. The Nazis did this as an incentive for those who were working to continue to work hard and keep up the production. The second lecture that we had was from a retired member of the German Parliament. He talked about how the German Parliament formed a grand coalition and that due to it it will be extremely difficult for minorities to get their voice heard. He also said that the main problem with Germany is the demography, and that the country is aging. This means that it could turn the country into an immigration country.  But the thing about the country being an immigration country is that it would to receive one million new immigrants each year. He did put an emphasis on what needed to be done to make sure that people can remain at where they are and be able to live a good life. The first thing  that he said that needs to be done is to put more into the education that people get in order for them to get good jobs. I could not agree more to this statement because education is a key thing that everyone needs to have. I also thought it was interesting as to what he said about Russia and President Putin. He sees Putin as tying to rebuild the Russian empire, and shouldn't be backed into a corner. I agree with this because if he were to be cornered, it may not mean he won't fight back. Lastly the one thing that he said that I thought was interesting was that Germany still has national demons. One of these demons is the fact that this year  marks the 100 anniversary  of World War I. No one really knows what might entail when that happens, but the good thing is that there hasn't been a conflict in Europe in 50 years. Following the lectures, we went back to the hotel and went our separate ways for a while. me and a group ended up going to one of the biggest if not the biggest shopping centers that I have ever been into my entire life. The shopping center was called Ka We De, and it wasn't even a block away from where I was staying at before the study abroad program started. I could not believe all of the food and clothes that went on as far as the eye could see. I mean this place had everything in it. We ended up looking around for a while just taking in the sights and smells of the food that was being sold. Following that, we made our way back to the hotel and then ended up going to the train station for our overnight ride to Budapest. The train ride at first was a little cumbersome due to the fact that there was about five of us in a space no bigger than that of a broom closet which turned out to be a riot due to the fact that we ended up having about 12 of us piled up into one cart jus having a great time listening to music and talking about the trip and whatever else we could. I mean we literally looked like sardines in a can but we didn't care we just went with the flow. that went on for a while until everyone wanted to retire, so we did, and the next thing we know it is seven am and we are in Budapest!!           

Berlin Tours Day Three

Today was our last day with our tour guide in Berlin. We started the tour with a tour of the Berlin Wall. I was really amazed at what I heard what people did to try and escape. I mean the first death that happened when the wall went up was that a woman tried to jump out of her window to the western side of Berlin with her mattress. I just cant imagine how much people wanted to get out of a place that was really oppressive to them. Also we also heard about a group of people that ended up digging a tunnel from one side of the wall from their apartment in the east all the way to the other side. I mean I know that it must have took them a really long time to be able to do that. It just shows that the ones that were under the oppressive rule would stop at nothing to be free. The second thing that we did was take a tour of a part of the berlin Wall that had been painted with graffiti on the east side. When I was walking along the wall I was so amazed at the art work that was created along the wall. I mean I know that It must have been very hard for those who did put graffiti on the walls to do so due to the soldiers watching them. But I believe that the messages that were put on those walls all that time ago still have meaning today. In the U.S. we have the freedom to express our feelings, and for a place like Eastern Germany, that was under communist rule to have things like that done really amazed me. I mean I bet all of those who did do the art had to be in fear of major prosecution and even death for just expressing themselves. The last place that we toured was a Stasi Prison. This was very moving for me due to the fact that we had a tour guide who was actually imprisoned during the Cold War. The prison was constructed to house those who were deemed as enemies of the state of Eastern Germany. We were told that there were 17 of these prisons throughout Germany. The ones that committed the worst crime against Eastern Germany were those who smuggled people from East Berlin over to the West. This Is what our tour guide did and because of it, he ended up in one of these prisons. He was trying to smuggle out his sister and her fiance when he was stopped and got caught doing so. So because of this, he was sent to one of these prisons that were kept secrete from the public. He went on to tell us about how he was interrogated similar to that of which we saw in the movie "The Lives of Others." Parts of that movie were actually filmed in that location. Because of seeing that movie and then going and meeting someone had to live through it firsthand it is really amazing to me that people would go to such great lengths to make sure that their loved ones were not in any harms way of the oppressive government.  

Free Day in Berlin:

Today we had the day all to ourselves. I went out and explored the city for a while today and ended up finally getting the rest that I needed to get to be finally be rid of the jet lag later this evening me and one of the other people in the group went out to the chocolate store which was amazing. I could not believe how much was there. There were many different replicas of the monuments throughout germany as well as buildings that were constructed entirely out of chocolate. Following that, we came back to the hotel where we talked with our professor about what we did and discussed how hard it was for the jews that were executed during the Holocaust.  

Day one of Tours of Berlin:

Today was the first full day of our student program and it consisted of tours in Berlin. I had a very hard time keeping my emotions in while taking this tour because of the material that was covered. Many of the sights that we toured were related to the Holocaust, and what some did to prevent jews from being persecuted. In one case there was a factory that the owner who was getting his workers to make cleaning brushes and some of his workers were in fact jews. Due to this, whenever there was an SS patrol he would hide them in a space in the wall and place a big cabinet in front of the doorway. But there were two places that really made my heart bleed for those who were persecuted. The first, was the first mass grave that was set aside for the jews. It is just so unreal and appalling that something like this even existed I mean how can some one kill massive amounts of people and just basically sweep them under the rug. I mean the place does not look anything like it probably did but you could feel something in the air when you walked by it that would take you by storm. The second place that really opened my eyes was the Holocaust Memorial that is on display not too far from the Brandenburg Gate. The memorial itself may not look like much but just a bunch of big cement columns, but when trying to look at in the eyes of one of those that memorial commemorates, it blocks your vision to the other side. to me this makes me feel like those that were put into concentration camps. They could see no hope in reaching the other side and being free, and this is what that memorial meant to me. It is one experience that I will never forget. Many in the group want to tour a nearby concentration camp later in the week. And I only see fit for me to join them and pay my respects to those that were flat out murdered for no reason. It is funny, I never really knew how much of a struggle it was, because I have only been able to see the pictures and numbers, but seeing it has given me a new perspective on just how hard it was for the Jewish population in Germany as well as the rest of Europe

Happy New Year, and the Start of My Program

I was very fortunate to be able to celebrate the New Year last night in Berlin. I could not believe all of the sights and sounds that were around me. I went to a Christmas town that was only about a 15 minute walk from my hotel. I had walked to the town the day before just to see what was around and I absolutely loved the way in which the town was set up. As what seemed to go on for maybe a half-mile, I could see nothing but these little wooden shacks that in my opinion resembled miniature ski lodges that housed different shops. the shops had everything from food to clothes. I walked around for what seemed an eternity trying to find a place to watch fireworks to bring in the new year when all of a sudden I hear the chimes of a clock from an old church that had been crippled during World War II. I looked up at the clock and I could not believe what I had seen. I couldn't do anything but marvel at what was left of the tower. I mean it was a piece of history that withstood a war and was still standing and was able to ring in he new year. As the chimes continued I saw nothing but people around me in each other's  arms drinking, singing, and bringing in the new year as this continued the sound of fireworks started to ring in. everyone abruptly looked up and looked in complete awe and joy as to what they could see. The fireworks were going up into the midnight sky from the top of a shopping center that butted up against a corporate building for Mercedes. The colors of red, green, gold, and many more flooded the sky followed by the bangs that almost drowned out the sound of the chimes of the clock. The firework display lasted for about 10 minutes or so then many kept singing and having fun. As for me, I started back to my hotel when I realized that I could barely see for the smoke that flooded the city streets as more people were setting off fireworks in the streets around me. It sounded as if I was walking through a war-zone due to all of the pops and bangs that were going off around me. Finally I was able to make it back to my room and started to pack my belongings for the change of venue that I currently sit in waiting patiently for my group as well as my room to be ready for check-in. We start our program by meeting in the lobby tonight and then tomorrow we will be exploring what I am happy to call the great city of Berlin