Thursday May 16, 2013

Today was our last day in Berlin, Germany.  Even though I am excited to be moving on down South to Munich I will miss Berlin.  The day was filled with amazing people that took valuable time out of their day to speak with us.

We started off the day with our typical breakfast, little did we know we would be having a not so typical day.  The walk to Axel Springer was a great way to see some sites on the way to the visit.  We walked past some more of the great things Berlin has to offer like the Berlin Wall stones on the ground, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Taz Press.  The weather was also amazing, which helped with the walk.

Once we arrived to Axel Springer Mr. Porsch greeted us and brought us to the sixth floor of the building, which was home to the Axel Springer Academy.  We then learned about some of the students that study at the academy and some of the history behind Axel Springer.  Mr. Porsch was so passionate about his career at Axel Springer and just being a journalist in general.  His amount of enthusiasm really made the presentation amazing.

We were lucky enough to chat with some of the students that were picked to study at the Axel Springer Academy.  The ages of the students varied from 18-mid 30s, which was very surprising to me.  They all seemed to be a family.  Each of the students came from a very unique background and getting to know them was a great experience.

We also were lucky enough to talk to one of the main employees that works on videos for the Bild.  This was a completely different aspect to what Mr. Porsch was talking to us about.  It was amazing that Germany has so many laws for video usage.

After lunch, which we got to share with some of the Axel Springer Academy students, we met with Mr. Englaender.  Mr. Englaender has a very high up position at Axel Springer and is very passionate about his career, just like Mr. Porsch.  Another interesting fact about Mr. Englaender is that he was one of the Jews in a Box.  The Jews in a Box made international news.  He gave us a lot of information about Jews in Germany that many of us were unaware of. He also informed us about a lot of newspapers that are produced at Axel Springer.  My favorite newspaper would probably be the Die Welt Compact.

The tour of the newsroom was also amazing.  I love that they used all Apple products.  Some of the Axel Springer Academy students showed a few of us the 19^th floor of the building, which is a bar and restaurant.  There were so many million dollar paintings along with an amazing view, big leather seats, and large wooden fixtures everywhere.  It was also interesting to learn that you could smoke and drink on this floor.  That floor was also where the Euro was created.

The entrance of Axel Springer was the only location, that our tour guide knew of, that had pieces of the Berlin Wall laying on their sides.

Axel Springer was an amazing experience. We ended the day with some amazing ice cream, my choices were chocolate and chocolate chip.

Tomorrow we will be flying to Munich and our wake up time is at 4:30, so I better get some sleep!

Xoxoxo

Katie

International Media-Berlin, Germany

Wednesday May 15, 2013

I cannot believe that the trip is flying by so quickly, it feels like we just got here! Today was another fun filled and educational day in Berlin, Germany.  Starting off the day was much easier than it was yesterday because we all rested up.  Along with being well rested, the beautiful weather really made a difference on the day.

We started off the day with an AMAZING trip the ZDF.  Siting in the morning show audience was something that I will never forget because it really is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Being on the set and so close to the hosts is something that is very different in the States.  The German Pop Star that played on the show was also amazing.  Her music had such a great beat and she seemed like she was having a lot of fun preforming.  After the morning show we got to have a conference with one of the hosts from the morning show.  He said so much funny puns and jokes that really added enthusiasm to the confrenece. It was really great that he took the time to sit down and talk to us.

We were able to have a little bit of free time in the middle of the day to grab lunch and do a little exploring.  We got to see this huge chocolate store that even had chocolate replicas of the Titanic!

DPA was our other media visit for the day.  This agency was really something different to learn about because we really don’t have much like it back in the States.  I loved the open office space and how the workers talked freely, if they wanted to, throughout their day.  That set up was much different from the average cubicle set up back home.  We were privileged to have an amazing photograph editor talk to us about some of his photos.  The photo that he took of the pope will be something that I will remember forever.

Later that night we went to the dome of the Reichstag building.  The building looked amazing on the outside, but once you climbed the top the outside seemed like nothing!  The view from the top was something out of a movie.  It would really be the perfect place to go on a date.  Andrea and  I sat in the dome, on the bench, for 40 minutes.  Time passed by so quickly!  We just looked up at the sky and clouds.

Today was another amazing day in Berlin, but I believe that I am ready to move on to Munich!

Xoxoxo

Katie

Tuesday May 14, 2013

Berlin, Germany

Each and every day we spend in Germany gets better and better.  I had another very exciting day today, all starting with a trip to the East Side Gallery.  This was a great place to visit because I really got to experience the art in real life.  The art on the walls was so colorful and meaningful.  My favorite wall art was the one of the car crashing into the wall.  I think that it really made a point that the East Berliners really did not want to be in the East and would love to drive a car into the wall to get out.  It was also a great experience because the group took the subway on our own!  We actually were not as bad at getting around as we thought we would be and got back with enough time to recharge our batteries for the second half of the day.

The Media visit today was another great experience.  Fabian van der Marc was so lively and happy to be with us and that really made the experience even better.  My favorite part of the media visit was when we took the tour of the studio,  Seeing the studio made me want to minor in broadcasting, even though that is totally unrealistic for what I want to do with my life after college.  Then Mr. van der Marc had a big surprise for us. . .he took us to the top of the building for an amazing view!  When we got up on the top of the roof I was instantly amazed. It was definitely a breathtaking view that I will never forget.

Later in the night we were able to go out and explore again.  Andrea and I visited the Topographie of Terrors Museum, which was truly moving.  I am very into Holocaust history and it was interesting to read more about the events in the Holocaust.  I also loved that they had some of the wall near the museum.

After the Museum, Andrea and I decided to brave the S train ourselves and adventure out to Alexander Platz. We made it successfully without messing up!  We hungout in that section of town for the rest of the night, did some shopping, and just talked about how we were enjoying the trip so far.  Oh, and we bought some really amazing leather goods.  It was a great (and adventu

rous) night for the both of us!

xoxox

Katie

Monday May 14, 2013

Berlin, Germany-Day 2

As we woke up this morning I knew it would turn out to be an amazing day, and I was right!  We did so many great things that it was hard to keep track of everything!  I really like that the whole group gets along really well.  It is great that when we have free time the whole group ends up going somewhere together.  I feel like we are really bonding.

The morning started off great because we got our BELOVED luggage back, thank god!  It felt so great to put on different clothes, have my own soap, and be able to stop worrying about what I was going to do about clothing for the next 2 weeks.  From the moment I retrieved my luggage back I knew it was going to be a great day!

Once we all finally put some clean clothes on from my suitcase we were on our way for Freie University.  On the way to the university we learned how to ride and navigate their subway system.  In my opinion, it was much different than riding any type of the subway system in America.  To get on the subway you have to press a button on the door for it to open.  I thought that was a great way to converse energy.  The subway trains, the S and the U, are also very clean and comfortable.  I love riding the Berlin trains already!

Freie University was really a wonderful university to visit.  Between the vast amount of food choices and the amazing architecture in the library, Freie University was much different than Point Park.  Comparing them w

as so difficult because there were so many differences!  The co

nference room that we sat in was in what seemed to be an old house.

The lecture that was given was amazing.  I learned so much that I didn’t know, and would have never guessed, about the German Media.  My favorite fact that I learned about German Media was that their book industry is still thriving.

The night time was also filled with fun memories.  A few of us went to exchange money and then on the way back decided to stop at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum.  The Museum was truly amazing.  There was this one section of the museum that explained how a girl snuck into West Berlin in two suitcases.  The story, in my opinion, was the most moving one there.

Later on in the night the whole group got to spend some time together, which was a great bonding experience.  We went to see some other attractions around Berlin.  Michelle, Connor, and I went to this awesome Australian cuisine restaurant  to eat dinner. I almost got kangaroo nuggets, but decided I was too hungry to risk not liking what I got.

Later in the night the whole group experienced our first Berlin industrial club experience.  The building was nothing like I have ever seen in America.  The place used to be an old factory that made heaters.  They only had the first 2 floors open, but it was still really great to see.  All of the music they played did not have any words, which was a big difference from American music.  We went on Electro Monday.

All in all, the day was amazing!  I know this trip will be something I will never forget.

Xoxo

Katie

A combination of May 11 and 12, 2013

Today was a very adventurous day that I will never, ever forget.  Between our flight being delayed in Pittsburgh to missing our plane in Paris to our luggage getting lost when we got to Germany today was crazy!

It all started Saturday in Pittsburgh.  Our plane got struck by lightening on the way to Pittsburgh and so they had to repair the damage while we waited in the airport.  As we waited and waited for the plane to come we realized that we were going to miss our connecting flight from Paris to Berlin. Uh oh. But, I figured that was ok because I liked Paris and would love to explore the airport a little bit.

When we arrived in Paris, only a few hours late, we were directed to find our new gate and grab our new boarding passes.  A few of us went to check out a café by our gate and looked around at a couple of stores.  Once we took off from Paris the plane ride was very quick and easy. . .until we arrived in Berlin.

Once we arrived at Berlin I thought getting our luggage would be very simple, especially since we got off the plane and the baggage claim was right there.  That was not at all the case.  About 9 of us lost our precious luggage, myself being one of them.

I always feared the day I would loose my luggage on a flight because who really wants to go through that terrible situation.  Thankfully I had an extra pair of jeans (and some other goodies) in my carryon.

I JUST REALLY WANT MY LUGGAGE BACK!

But, other than the whole luggage dilemma and flight delay, today was an amazing day!

The bus tour was nice because it gave us the opportunity to see a lot of neat things in Berlin in a fast amount of time.  The Memorial that we saw was very moving.  The structure of it was interesting because it was so easy to get lost in the middle of it.  I also had an AMAZING Nutella Crepe while we were there.

 Wherever the Berlin Wall used to stand there are bricks in the ground.

The hotel that we are staying at is very nice!  I am highly impressed.  The last time I traveled to Europe it seemed like the hotels were not as nice as the ones back in the States, this one proves me wrong!

I am a very picky eater, so when it came to be dinner time I knew I was going to have a rough time eating.  I got an great tasting beer at dinner, an apple flavored one.  I usually do not like beer so it was neat to find one that I actually enjoyed.  I tried to eat the food, but it just did no

t appeal to my tastebuds.  The place that we ate at was in the center of Potsdamer Platz, which is even more beautiful when it is lit up at night.

The walk home was a great conclusion on our long and adventurous day.  I am looking forward to exploring the city even more tomorrow, and maybe I will even leave my heart in Berlin.

Xoxox

Katie

In three days we will be in Germany!  That is pretty hard to believe since I am currently laying on my back porch tanning, I haven’t started the balk of my packing, and I still have another day to work.  But, none of that matters because I am almost Germany bound.  I am beyond excited to take this trip and to explore Germany.

I came to Point Park expecting a wealth of opportunity since it is located in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh.  Little did I know I would get to talk a class that includes a trip to Germany!  I am (or going to be this next semester) a Junior Advertising and Public Relations major.

I have always loved traveling.  The first time I went to Europe I knew I wanted to go back the first opportunity I received.  I love exploring new things, meeting new people, and learning about a culture that is different to us.  This trip is going to be so full of adventure and learning experiences that we will all remember for a life time.

I am beyond excited to see the castle that we are going to.  I have been looking up pictures online and it just looks enchanting.  Going to a place like that will make me believe that fairy tales to exist.  I am also excited to go to Salzburg for our day trip.  It will be neat to explore another city in a totally different country.  All in all, I am just really excited for the whole entire trip (minus the coming home part).

Happy packing!

xoxo katie