In Berlin, we stayed with a wonderful woman named Heide. Heide is Kelly’s former exchange student’s mother who generously housed us, showed us around, fed us, and generally just made it an excellent stay for our 3 days there. As, I can imagine, anyone who’s been will tell you, one of the most striking things about Berlin is the historical context. You can stand where JFK stood during his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech; you can have your photo taken at Checkpoint Charlie, the main crossing into the American quarter of Berlin during the time of the wall; and you can talk to the residents, and they will tell you about how they blacked out their windows so their lights wouldn’t interfere with the pilots during the Berlin airlift, and how, even today in Germany, no one stands to the flag during the national anthem for fear of echoing the nationalism of Hitler’s era. What we read, bleary-eyed and absent-mindedly in our American history texts detailing events long-passed in unreachable places, is a day-to-day reality here that governs no small part of society and behavior. And yet in the midst of their own historical extravaganza, the Berliners, and in fact the folks from other regions with whom I had on opportunity to speak, seem to have a very devoted interest in American politics. Only days before I got there, Barak Obama had spoken in central Berlin to a mind-bendlingly large crowd numbering into the six figures. He, in particular, is something of a superhero over here. I was speaking with the eldest daughter in the household in Heiligenhafen with whom we stayed, a lovely 20-year-old mechanical engineering student with a good head for politics, in my completely unbiased estimation, and my impression from the conversation was that Obama represents policies that ensure a more peaceful international community. This, of course, is of interest to the Germans, who have been reticent in voicing a further commitment to a NATO under the influence of what some (very liberal individuals, certainly not of or relating to my political or social circles in any way whatsoever) might call a war-mongering regime in American leadership. Whereas involvement in NATO under the leadership of Obama may (in some cases, hypothetically, in the opinions of people unmentioned here) lead to fewer German men sent off to fight in a war of someone else’s making. It makes sense, and is an interesting and widespread effect of our elections that is not always perceived within our own borders.
Unfortunately, not all interest in American politics is as positive and hopeful as that. Many Germans, I’m sure, couldn’t give a rat’s hind parts about what happens on the other side of the Atlantic, and undoubtedly many object to America in general. But nonetheless, it blew my mind and broke my heart to see the charred remains of a destroyed American flag hung viciously in an apartment window overlooking a busy Berlin square. Sadly, I’m sure it won’t be the last time I see that, but it does go a long way to pointing out the flaws in some of our recent policies, and make me do what I can to correct these views of my country.
But philosophical points aside, Berlin is a pretty rockin’ joint. We spend most days seeing the sights: the Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column, and the like. We had coffee with our gracious host on Unter den Linden, the center street in Berlin. We watched sunset from the top of the Reichstag. We saw Checkpoint Charlie and the East Side Gallery, the new American Embassy, The old DDR TV tower, Humboldt University, and the Holocaust Memorial, and all manner of other wicked cool sights throughout Berlin. By night we explored a few different musicians playing at clubs (the highlight was Jenny Owen Youngs), and a great bar on the banks of the Spree where you could kick back and watch the barges float by from beach chairs on the lawn. All and all, Berlin was fantastic, and it was only the promise of the mystique of Prague that lured us away. But that’s another update.
I also have a couple of photo albums up from the first half of Germany. The first link below, and ones that follow in later posts will take you to them. But be warned, things like risqué public service announcements about the spread of HIV and early afternoon wine tasting and the like are pictured as well, as it’s a part of life here. I disavow myself of any peripheral culture shock you may have as a result of my photos. That said, I shall endeavor to have new ones soon. I’ll send ‘em out ASAP.
Ciao for now,
Laura
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2296804&l=62d4b&id=10223286
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