So schön: Berlin und Copenhagen!

This past week has exactly been the adventure I have been looking for! I decided I wanted to go to Berlin before I headed back to America so I paid 35 Euros, hopped into a car-pool type van with 7 other travelers and 6.5 hours later, we arrived in the beautiful capital of Germany! When I was dropped off in this big city, I took the U2 to my hostel before I set out to explore.

This was my first ever experience in a hostel and I had so much fun! The rooms were clean, the staff was friendly and helpful and there was always someone new to meet. I slept in a room with 8 other people where we all had keys and lockers to keep valuables in. Each night the people in the room would change except for Rob-a new Australian friend that I met who was staying in Berlin for a week!

Berlin ist so schön und interessant (so pretty and interesting). In Berlin, I went on a 3 hour free walking tour of the city. It was fantastic minus the fact that my fingers felt like frozen popsicles by the end. The tour guide was hilariously entertaining and gave us a great history lesson of Berlin. We got to see everything from where Hitler is buried/shot himself to the Berlin Wall to the well known hotel Michael Jackson hung his baby off the balcony to Check Point Charlie to the TV tower to The Berliner Dome to the Brandenburg Gate to the memorial they built for all who died in the Holocaust, etc. It was really interesting to learn about how different people lived in East and West Berlin when the wall the built overnight and how quickly things changed when it fell. My favorite quote that was said on the tour, “If you start by burning books, you end with burning people.”

I also met another really cool Aussie on the tour, Joel and after 3 hours of walking in the cold wind blown show together, we decided to find a café’ to warm up in . Joel sings in a band in Melbourne and was actually in Berlin to watch his guitarist play a show. He was really cool and it’s always fun making new friends!

I was only in Berlin for about a day and a half before it was time to travel onward. I met up with one of my college friends, Trevor in Berlin and we traveled to Copenhagen together. Our travel and time spent in Demark was so wonderful due to a random connection I had. An exchange student who came to western Nebraska last year and became a family friend lives in Denmark. His name is Fred and he lives in Hareskovby, Denmark which is about 25 min. train ride away from Copenhagen. I just sent him a message saying Trevor and I were going to Denmark and maybe he would like to meet up but he kindly offered us a place to stay!

Fred has such an awesome family! I kind of already decided that Maggie (my cousin that dated Fred back in the States) really should marry him (in a good ten years that is), just so I can somehow by association be related to them and visit them all the time. lol My cousin Mags joked that I was going to knock and their door and ask them what’s for dinner, ironically enough I did eat dinner with them (picture above).:) Not only did the Bigum family welcome us into their home, they literally gave us a taste of the Danish culture. We were severed Danish foods, as well as learned about the traditions and ways of Demark. Fred’s mother and father (Lone and Peter) also gave us an insiders’ tour of the city where we got to see The Little Mermaid statue and a hippy town called Christania. Plus they included us in their Christmas stocking exchange where we received presents of warm socks and Danish candies. Talk about the nicest family EVER!

A few fun things I learned about the Danish Culture:

*There is no drinking age but you have to be 16 to purchased alcohol.

*You can get your driver’s license at age 18.

*On New Years eve, Cod is served and it’s a tradition to stand on the couch before the New Year and as the clock strikes 12 jump off of it so you’re jumping into the New Year.

* On Christmas day, they hold hands and dance around the Christmas tree! How fun!

*Children do not receive grades in school until year 9. Then there is a pause year between 9^th and 10^th grade where students can travel, study in another country or go to a boarding school if they prefer.

*Students start learning English in 7^th grade and then learn another language in High school.

*A lot of the Danish television is in English with Danish subtitles.

*People like to curse in English. Which I can see making sense, it doesn’t feel as bad if you say a curse word in another language because in some sense it losses it’s meaning.

Going back to Stuttgart turned into more of an adventure then I bargained for but I guess it makes for a fun story. Trevor and I took the bus back from Copenhagen to Berlin. The bus was running late due to the weather so we didn't end up back in Berlin until around 2:00 AM. The U-Bahn doesn’t run this early in the morning so we had to take the city bus back to his friend Johanna’s apartment which runs every ½ hour. We missed the 1^st bus and ended up arriving at the apartment around 3:30 AM.

I was suppose to head back to Stuttgart on Monday but the ride I found bailed on me. Luckily, Johanna was nice enough to let me stay at her place another night. It was really cool getting to know her, too. Johanna speaks 4 different languages (German, Spanish, Russian and English) and LOVES Mexico! :) I think it’s neat that she and Trevor only speak German and/or Spanish when conversing with each other.

Trevor helped me find a ride to go back to Stuttgart on Tuesday. The lady that I was going to ride with said her name was Hana when we talked to her on the phone but when I met her she was actually the Susan I rode with on the way to Berlin. Now I was just all over confused. She was about 45 min late and then the engine started to smoke so we had a wait an hour before we all ended up leaving. I got back just before the last S-bahn left..what luck! I made it home around 12:30 in the morning! What a day!

It feels good to be back in Stuttgart! My cousins missed me and Leila said that she cried for her Lauren and that it is unfair that I was gone and am only back for a couple of days before I leave for the States. It’s really going to be a hard parting. Leila wants to come with me. I think she could possibly fit in my suitcase. lol

THANKS Dad for all the American candy and goodies that you sent. They kids LOVED them and think we have the best candy in America and now want to come so bad. lol The skittles and s’mores were an instant hit! I like to teach the kids “American” ways like drinking milk out of the carton or watching TV during lunch. They think it’s so fun being American. lol Today Leila and I spent the afternoon making Christmas cookies while listening to Christmas music! So fun!

Wow…my journey is quickly coming to an end. I head back to America the 13^th or 14^th of next week, already. How time flies when you are having fun! I can’t wait to see you all when I get back! It’s been a grand adventure but there really is no place like home! Currently craving New York style pizza and my Mommy’s/Nina’s enchiladas (either will do)! :)

All my love,

L

Ps…I didn’t forget about the food blog…it’s just taking longer than I anticipated but coming up next as my final shebang. It will be about all the F’s – food, fashion and fun in Germany!