Visiting the University and Brandenburg Gate
5.13.13
This trip just continues to get better and better as the days go on. I know it’s the second day, but already I know that I’m in for lots more fun. Today we went to Frei Universität. To do this we had to take the U-Bahn. The U-Bahn and S-Bahn are basically a subway system. “Bahn” translates to “train.” I’ve been on the U-Bahn before so, it was nothing new to me, but I never had to use connections. I see the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn like a puzzle. Sometimes it’s very difficult to figure out how to get from point A to point B when you need to use connections. We took the U-Bahn to the University.
The University is in a more upper-class “suburban” community. I loved learning the history of the area it was in. The area the university was in use to be a Jewish area before WWII. Then they were unfortunately forced to leave. Then there houses were taken over by high-ranking SS officials. I learned a lot of interesting stuff that I would not have known otherwise. I learned that the radio is actually very popular in Germany. Personally, my household doesn’t even have a radio. Being an advertising major, I was very excited to learn about German advertising in relation to journalism forms. While in Berlin I have noticed advertisements everywhere. They’re in bathroom stalls and even on napkins! Wherever you look, there’s and ad… that is, everywhere except in newspapers. German newspapers have a lot fewer advertisements than American newspapers. Their ad revenue comes from inserts within the papers. At the university I learned about an Xchange program done in the summer with journalism/communication students who know a good amount of German. This is definitely something that I am interested in.
Another very fun thing we got to do tonight was visit the Brandenburg Gate! This was so much fun. I love the Brandenburg Gate and it is such a great symbol representing not only Berlin, but Germany. After walking through the gate and onto the other side, I saw a guy with what I think was a Soviet hat. I asked him in German if I could try it on and take a picture. He said yes but then asked if he could be in it. I said he could and after than and at an extremely fast pace, other random Germans and our group were running into the photo. It was hilarious. This was supposed to be a photo of just me but it soon grew to me and 30 other people!
Another highlight from tonight was when we were going out. We decided to check out the young adult night culture. We had to call a taxi to get to where we wanted to go. Naturally, I had to do all the speaking… which I love! It’s really good practice for me. So I sat in the front of this taxi and I had a full on 10 minute non-stop conversation with the driver in German. He understood everything I said and I understood everything he said. It really makes me feel good. I love that even though I told him that we are from America, he didn’t start speaking to me in English. I know that some Germans do that because supposedly they are as eager to speak English as we are to speak German, but I sometimes take it as an insult when Germans speak in English to me. I just want to practice! When we got to the club the bouncers told me that I spoke very good German and sounded excellent. I love hearing that because I really do want to eventually become fluent. You could say it’s one of my life’s goals.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be in this amazing country. It feels different the second time around. I feel so much more comfortable here than I did three years ago. That can probably be attributed to now having six years of German under my belt. I know I’m gonna cry when I leave. When I go back to Pittsburgh, it’s not really going to feel like going home. This is really cheesy, but it would be more like leaving home. I feel so comfortable here in Germany. I love the culture and the language.
-andrea
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