Week 5: Berlin Reflection

The whole extented SPICE crew traveled to Berlin this week! It was nice being able to bond with our fellow SPICErs from the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma. In Erfurt, we live in "East Germany", while in Berlin, we stayed in "West Germany". There were many differences but one difference that stood out the most was how welcoming and nice the West Germans were. Living in East Germany, many people speak German and Russian and aren't fans of Americans. While in Berlin we came across many people who spoke German and English. They welcomed us with smiling faces and warm greetings. Whenever we asked if they spoke English, they would reply with "a little bit", but could hold full on conversations with us.

Last summer, when having a conversation with the family I stayed with, I distinctly remember a native West German saying, "East Germans are much different than West Germans". That statement holds true. East Germans are closed off, quiet and don't smile if you make eye contact. West Germans greet you, are very helpful and smile, even if its just to themselves.

We saw many sites of Berlin, such as the remains of the Berlin Wall, Alexanderplatz, and the Government District. All of these areas were filled with so much history. The Berlin Wall divided a whole city for almost 30 years. Alexanderplatz was a famous shopping area for the DDR and a source of real fun for the members of that society. The Government District was only completed in 2001! The wall came down fairly recently in 1989. They are still trying to perfect what they are working with. We take our government and its age for granted. This country has gone through a lot of turmoil in such a short time.

When I went to Berlin last summer, a woman in our group told me about the day the Berlin Wall fell. She was pregnant with her first son and sitting uncomfortably in a chair. She was watching the T.V. to keep up with all the happenings of the country. As soon as she heard the Berlin Wall would be taken down, she started to cry. "I started to cry because I was so happy that my son would be born in a free country". We really don't know how lucky we are that we come from a place built on freedom. The United States of America isn't perfect, but it sure does have its perks.

The pictures I have included are from the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the exact spot I took my picture with the Berlin Wall last summer! (I was surprised at how fast I found it!)



(Picture from last Summer...2016)




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