Re: Berlin Trip

So I got back from a four day trip from Berlin. I was travelling with other California students residing in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg. While I was using this trip as an excuse to see Berlin for the third time, I really wasn't expecting who I would be travelling with.
There were 46 of us on the trip together. I am the only advanced student from Universität Stuttgart, and there are four advanced students from Heidelberg. The advanced students went straight to their universities, while the beginner and intermediate students all started at Horb with host families, and then went to Universität Tübingen. Some branched off later to another university, but the point is, out of 46 students, 41 of them have known each other, partied together, and gone to school together for the past 6 months. I was going to know them all for 4 days and never see them again. If we were all in the uni setting that would be one thing, but we are all travelling.. and I wasn't in the mood to learn 45 names for 4 days really. That was the big downpoint in the trip. Another thing is, after being the only Californian at my school and one of like 10 Americans, it was really different and not as fun to be with a ton of Californians again. The atmosphere of being in a very diverse international group is really what I find best about being here in Stuttgart.

I've been to Berlin twice already, and those were in the Summer. It definitley is a lot better to be in Berlin in the Summer. We went inside the Bundestag, and listen to some people talk on the floor about youth unemployment and education. There was a rule that you couldnt fall alseep while listening, and I think a lot of us would have gotten removed if they knew. We went to Angela Merkels office building - that was pretty amazing. Then we did basic tourist Berlin things.

The night life was ok -- If we really knew where to go it would have been much better. We went out every night pretty much - and there are some pretty funny stories that I really don't feel like telling all the audience here :)

Over all, I would go back to Berlin again, but only with a group of my choosing.