Okay so last week I was in Berlin, Munich, and Prague, and instead of the date at the top of the page I'm going to write everything down according to the real date I was there...so the following few journal entries are from my paper journal I wrote in last week.

February 10th- morning

Last night started our first travel week. We left campus and flew from Milan into Berlin late last night. During the taxi ride from the airport I couldn't stop staring out the window at the beauty of the city. I can't wait to go out and see Berlin in the daylight today. By the time we got into our hostel last night, we were so exhausted that the only thing we could get ourselves to do was go downstairs to the bar and have one drink. After that, it was bedtime. I have never been in a hostel before, and I gotta say, it's not that bad. The sheets are clean (let's hope)...and that's a definite plus in my book. And all six of us were laughing because we feel as if we are summer camp with the bunk beds and stale sheets.

To make it even funnier the beds are straight out of an IKEA catalog. Oh Germany, you gotta love it. I can't really think of any funny stories yet besides the fact we stayed up just cracking up and acting stupid for like an hour after we said we would go to bed. I definitley think this is going to be one heck of an interesting trip.

February 10th-afternoon

Today was a great day. We all went to this concentration camp in Berlin called Sachsenhausen. It was quite an experience...and very powerful as well. As soon as I walked in and passed an area that was used as a massive burial ground, I felt my heart become heavy. It was an interesting feeling, but it was almost as if I could feel the presence of all the innocent victims that were brought and tortured there. It brought tears to my eyes, and it was an eye-opening couple of hours. Going through the barracks and witnessing part of the Holocaust first-hand put everything into perspective for me. I couldn't believe everyday each person there would walk in the freezing cold with next to nothing on, and wonder if it would be their last day on earth. I felt selfish complaining about my frostbitten toes aching in pain from the cold, especially when I thought about what these people had gone through. I think it's crazy that I learned all about the Holocaust in high school, but it never really seemed real to me until I realized I was in Germany, at an actual concentration camp. SO crazy. I just couldn't get over the horrific events that took place only 80 years ago.

February 11th

Last night was quite the adventure. We went out to this German restaurant, and the food was amazing. I had sausages and meatballs with potato salad , and I tried German Mac N Cheese. SOOOO good!!

After that we tried to get into the number one club in Berlin, only to be rejected at the door because it was "invite only". Everything worked out though, because we ended up meeting this guy named Roy from Ireland, and we all went to another club down the street. The average age at this club was around 35, but I think it just added to its charm, haha. It overlooked the river, and it was 3 stories high. It wasn't anything too special, but we had a fun time just sitting around drinking and talking until 5am.

Then this morning we got up and went out to a free walking tour. It would have been awesome, but I only lasted 30 minutes before the stinging cold numbed my frostbitten toes and I couldn't walk anymore. Honestly, it was unbearable. The only things I ended up getting to see was the Holocaust memorial, Hotel Adler (where Micheal Jackson held his baby out over the balcony), a couple different embassys, Bradenberg bridge (I think?) and some other monument that was pretty cool. I feel stupid I can't remember what they were, but I really couldn't pay attention.

SO John and I went to a restaurant cafe place and just sat and talked for a couple hours before getting a taxi back to the hostel. It was a really great conversation too, and I'm glad it happened. We got a lot out in the open about our feelings and what's going on, and I feel a lot better about it.

The rest of the group made it back later, and we are now sitting around getting ready to go out. I don't feel particularly well, so I'm interested to see how the night will pan out. We are leaving for Munich tomorrow morning pretty early, so it's gonna be another night of limited sleep. Story of my life I guess, haha.