Week Eleven - Final Exams and Final Thoughts

Mon 18.3.13:

Aww this week has a sad shadow over it, as it means the end of our lovely vacation in Berlin :( As we finish up our finals and check out, our group gets smaller and smaller - I just hope everyone has a lovely Spring Break and that we make time to hang out back on campus!

So, friends... I will strongly miss having E40 class downstairs with you

Today I finished up German in the morning - so sad to say good-bye (nay, see you again!) to Jochen - and then E40 in the evening. I felt pretty good about both exams, and very relieved to have finished, but definitely sad not to see Jochen or Timur again (though we did get a group picture with him! … after an extremely long and difficult 5 hour final). Ah, well - c'est la vie. 

Tue 19.3.13: 

Today I checked Econ off the list - now completely done! That leaves a full day and a half to explore and buy gifts :) - and headed to Sachsenhausen with Anna and Susan. An hour and a half's train ride north of Berlin, this concentration camp primarily held political prisoners at first, then expanded its scope to accommodate other demographics as the pogroms occurred and the war drew on. Roughly 30,000 prisoners were killed in Sachsenhausen, which held 11,000 prisoners at its peak - very cramped conditions then. Our tour began with an overview of how the camp developed, even in the middle of the city of Oranienburg, and how the locals could do little more than watch as the prisoners were unloaded and walked from the train station to the camp. From there, we entered the camp itself, passing the 'Arbeit macht Frei' gate and seeing the wintry desolation both outside and inside the sleeping quarters.

The fateful words entering the concentration camp

So desolate and hopeless - although I knew conditions in these camps were
terrible, I didn't even imagine them with snow. Apparently, prisoners had to
stand outside for daily roll call, and remained in formation until all prisoners
were accounted for - if anyone tried to escape, this process could last overnight

The sleeping quarters were just as I imagined - bunks stacked three high, with just two washbasins and eight toilets for roughly 150 people (but 300-400 when the camp was full). A few of the buildings now are exhibits detailing the conditions in the camp as the war progressed, and describe notable prisoners (such as George Elser, who attempted to assassinate Hitler) as well as the labors of the camp. During the war, Germany used Sachsenhausen prisoners to counterfeit British currency and attempted to airdrop it into Britain in an effort to devalue the currency and undermine the economy. Nifty idea, though I don't think it was particularly successful.

The Gestapo barracks, now an exhibit

Any prisoner stepping in the 'Neutral Zone' could instantly be
shot by the guards, who received bonuses based on number of
prisoners killed. Many threw prisoners' hats here just for sport

SS 'doctors' had prisoners stand against this -
then shot the prisoner in the back of the neck

I'm unsure of the precise meaning; but I'd guess that it represents the guards' meticulous inspection of and willingness to kill prisoners

We proceeded to the 'Execution Trench,' the site of hundreds upon thousands of the killings. The inscribed plaques and memorials - including one with the faces of eight resistance prisoners - were moving but did little to mitigate the overwhelming sensation of depression. The image directly below stands in memory to all the camp's victims, and surrounding it are the foundations of one of the execution chambers. Quite solemnifying.
Finally, we visited one of the medical experimentation and killing buildings. Scientists could request any number of prisoners to inject certain pathogens into, or to cut open and let their wounds fester, and observe how quickly (or not) the patients recovered. Horrid as this was, we also learned that these buildings were also where much of the resistance (however small) took place, as many guards were reluctant to enter these buildings that contained infectious diseases. All in all, I'm glad I saw a concentration camp in person, as it emphasized and deepened my perceptions of them. The entire time, I felt an all-encompassing pressure and depression from the site, and I imagined the atrocities within as I paid my respects.

"In memory of the victims of Sachsenhausen concentration camp -- 1936-1945"
A fitting memorial - the water dripping from the letters looks chillingly like the blood from the concentration camp

Me at the front of the memorial site entrance

Upon returning (on the ride back, we laughed when Anna finally realized that the drink I'd consistently been sipping from was a Bushwhacker and not a protein shake), Susan and I had a quick dinner before meeting Esther and Peter and Cafe Einstein for (again) the best Apfelstrudel ever :) Then we relocated to Bar 39 with Keziah, Sherri, Juan, Zixiang, Allison, and Tim, and gave each other farewells for our respective spring breaks.

Apple strudel makes everything better!

Wed 20.3.13:
After checking out at and taking pictures of the center, I planned out what I wanted to do and see on my final day in Berlin. First, I met Susan and Zixiang at Mustafa's for one final delicious döner. I certainly will miss this back in the US!

Pathway to the Villa 

Susan representing our common room and kitchen area

We then returned to the Brandenburger Tor (meeting up with Tim and Allison), as we wanted some pictures of ourselves in front of Berlin's iconic gate, followed by Ritter Sport and Fassbender and Rausch, where we picked up goodies for friends and family back home.

Zixiang and I under the Brandenburger Tor

Ringing up 43.51 garnered us a free Ritter Sport bag!
Totally worth it :D

Faberge egg, Fassbender and Rausch style!

The facade of the old Anhalter Bahnhof

Then we visited the site of the old Anhalter Bahnhof, a station with much history. During Nazi reign, it was used to deport nearly 10,000 Jews - even in normal passenger cars attached to the back of regular service trains! Near the end of the war, to prevent the Soviets from advancing, SS soldiers blew up the supports for the underground canal, flooding the tunnels and blocking the link between North and South Berlin. Finally, during the Cold War, some trains traveled across the West-East border and back again, but Soviet soldiers guarded these Eastern stations to prevent anyone from escaping. The trains still slowed as they passed these 'ghost stations,' granting passengers views of the eerily derelict stations guarded by Soviet troops. Anhalter Bahnhof was the first station back in the West, but still developed a very empty feeling.

Even today, Anhalter Bahnhof has a ghostly feel to it

Tim und Struppi??? Haha!

Afterwards (we passed some hall of horrors building - would've been interesting to explore if we'd come earlier), I returned to Kottbusser, explored a comic book shop, and met Esther and Sarah at Miss Saigon for dinner. Then I said good night and good-bye to my host family (I had a wonderful three months with them and will certainly miss staying with them!) and then met up with Zixiang, Allison, Tim, Anna, and Spencer (plus a friend) at a bar to just relax and enjoy our last evening in Berlin. Eventually, I made it home, packed up my things, and made my 7am flight back home - after a sprint through CDG in Paris and four full movies, we touched down in SFO. I was incredibly happy to see Mom and Terence, and savored the sunny weather!

Things I'll miss from Berlin and/or being abroad in general, aka my personal ramblings:
our E40 class, especially for Timur (and Brianna and Mikaela's impersonations of him)
Timur's refusals of our profferred food, claiming he'd have to run 100m per chocolate square
our German class with Jochen - all of us proclaimed that we had the best German class
Mustafa's, falafel, and the plethora of cheap, available, delicious Turkish food
... to be continued

Week Ten (ii) - Charlottenburg Schloss and King Tut!

Wed 13.3.13: 

On the way to Potsdamer Platz for Berlin vor Ort, I got ticketed, having left my wallet at the center - mostly annoyed at myself, and at the nuisance of having to go to a travel center to prove I had a card and get money back. Once there, Dr. Janders informed us of the surrounding history, from Berlin's first stoplight and above-ground pipes (according to him, only an eyesore that some claim is art) to reconstructions of former buildings and the development of the Philharmonie.

Surviving portion of the Berlin Wall

Berlin's first stoplight!

The former Grand Hotel Esplanade - here is the Breakfast Room

Duplo Giraffe!

Monument outside the Philharmonie - great acoustics within!

Outside the Neue National Galerie

Following the tour, I returned to the center to bike and do a core workout - still hesitant to stress my heels too much - made dinner, and returned home.

Thu 14.3.13: 

Today was pretty school-oriented: German final presentation on the Jüdisches Museum, a mock interview with Cemile, Econ presentations, and an E40 review session. Then a few of us went over to Lulu's for the evening to hang out.

Fri 15.3.13: 

As a Friday, class started at 10, and when Jochen still wasn't here by 10:20, we surmised that he'd forgotten and would arrive at 11:15 like usual. It was sad to have only a short time with him on our last day, but we saved enough time to celebrate with champagne on the balcony! Then we had our end-of-quarter Bing lunch at Alter Krug, an old restaurant with typical German fare. We were honored with the presence of our other program benefactor, George Will, and a few of us were fortunate enough to speak with him and seek his advice for how to live successfully and happily (find something you enjoy doing and feel good about). After filling myself from the delicious buffet of schnitzel, fish, vegetables, scrumptious crumb cake with berry sauce, I went home and napped, ran, then headed to Zixiang's with Tim and Allison for the evening.

Sat 16.3.13: 

Zixiang and I got to Charlottenburg Schloss by 11 and meandered through the palace, marveling at the ostentatious displays of wealth and status. Grand collections of table settings intricately lined with designs of royal scenes, exquisite vases and mirrored cabinets, and pieces of jewelry from the royal party. All of this was just stunning; trying to imagine living like this on a daily basis, Zixiang and I figured we'd make it at most a couple weeks before reverting to our current lifestyles. 

In front of the palace

Elephants, obelisks, and other beauties - all for the daily spread!

Zixiang and the royal ornamental helm

The royal sceptre - featuring a gem-studded Prussian eagle

 We continued out into the gardens, which reminded me of those at Versailles. Perhaps they were not quite as grand, but they were incredibly beautiful in the snow. The garden paths are free and open to the public, so we saw several joggers and families out for walks, and we imagined how nice it would be to picnic here in the summer! Furthermore, we delighted in the specifically-winter experiences that we've had these past three months: as gorgeous as spring and summer may be, we really appreciated the wonderful moments and landscapes made possible with the snow. Though I - a California kid who'd never seen a 'real' winter - came to Berlin a little worried about a sub-freezing winter, I've actually enjoyed it, and have delighted in the sunny days that highlight the city's beauty.

Room full of exquisite china and porcelain

This group of princesses was on a tour ahead of us - so cute!

Picturesque entrance to the palace

The palace gardens - gorgeous in the snow!

We snagged lunch at the Moroccan place near our houses, and then walked to Arena Berlin for the King Tut exhibit! Although the entrance was rather janky - it was near a massive flea market (we explored inside, and came across tons of antique furniture and electronics - lots of fun to rummage around) and in an actual warehouse - for such a wonderful exhibit, the items on display truly were incredible. 

The exterior of King Tutankhamun's vault

Winged guardians on the side of one of the inner sarcophagi

Detail on another sarcophagus - hieroglyphics and various gods

The exhibit began with a room-by-room audio tour that explained the history of the find - how this dig was Howard Carter's last, his subsequent struggle with authorities for ownership, and the curse of the Pharaoh - and displayed careful reconstructions (based on Carter's meticulous notes) of how the tomb appeared when Carter's team entered it.

The immense outer sarcophagus containing King Tut's body

The first and second interior sarcophagi

The innermost sarcophagi

The famous head of King Tutankhamun

After the reconstructions, we entered the rooms with the actual items. I was utterly taken with the level of intricacy on the sarcophagi, and peered extensively at the inlays of Egyptian gods and goddesses as well as hieroglyphics. Then of course were the body-shaped sarcophagi, each one just as impressive as the previous one. Throughout the entire exhibit, I couldn't help but be amazed at the amount of gold present and the level of intricacy - how indeed was this ancient civilization so talented at craftsmanship?!

More treasures - jackal, cow, and female figure

Intricate pendants and medallions also surrounded the tomb

Defenders of the realm

The young Pharaoh's chariot, shields, and other accoutrements

The final rooms displayed the numerous guardian figurines within the tomb, from the large godlike deities to the human soldiers with weapons. I recognized several of the godlike figures (thank you, Age of Mythology!) and once again, was impressed with the intricate details and nearly tangible sensation of immeasurable wealth. We saw King Tut's canopic jars, several items from the royal court such as the royal chariot and the Pharaoh's rod and staff, and even a few of Howard Carter's original sketches and drawings! Overall, Zixiang and I were very impressed with the exhibit. After such a long day, though, I didn't have the energy to do anything else but return home, blog, and sleep.

Very apt picture for where we went and what we saw today!

Sun 17.3.13: 

After our E40 review session (Keziah brought a sandwich into the room, and Timur declared "NO! … Well, I think I will be okay - I had a strong breakfast."), Shane and I headed to Mauerpark for the Sunday flea market. We enjoyed some live music and then browsed the kilometer-long rows of stalls. Lots of fun T-shirt designs, figurines made of resistors (we nearly bought one for Timur), old electronics and music, and intermittent food stalls. We ran into Anna and then wandered to the part of Bernauer Straße where a portion of the Berlin Wall still stands as a memorial. I'd missed this Berlin vor Ort field trip, so I was glad for the opportunity to peer through the slits in the memorial into no-man's land and see the guard towers as well as see the extension of rebarb wires standing along the street and the park memorial. 

Jammin' in the park!

Intermingling of new and old:
TV Tower and a pylon from the Wall

One of the watchtowers in no-man's land

A trip down history lane

Touching history - a remaining segment
of the Berlin Wall

A massive outdoor elevated playground

Then, after a glimpse of Mount Mitte - a large jungle gym with old tires and a few East Berlin Trabants - we grabbed Mustafa's (even though it was freezing!) and then went home to study for our finals.