Update from Berlin

Liebe (dear) Family and Friends,

I've created this blog so that you guys can keep up with how things are going for me here in Germany. I have been here now for two months and 12 days. I have completed a six week intensive language course that was 3 hours a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. School started two weeks ago and I am taking four classes, all of which are in German. I have class on Monday and Tuesday only, since classes only meet here once a week, but the rest of the week is for all of the ridiculous amount of reading that I have to do, as well as independent study. During the semester there are no tests or papers whatsoever and the only thing that determines my grade is my final test in each class. The semester is also very different than the U.S. We just started, like I said, two weeks ago on October 18th and the classes go until February 14-18 and then we have time to write papers or exams if necessary. The next semester starts April 11 which means I have two months of vacation between February 15 and April 11. The classes I am taking are: 1) "Deutschland in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus" (Germany in the Time of National Socialism) which deals with everything that happened during the time of the Nazis from 1933-1945. It is probably the most interesting class I have. It's a 1.5 hours long class. 2) "Berlin zur Zeit der Mauer" (Berlin during the Time of the Wall) which deals with the history of Berlin during the time that the Berlin Wall existed from 1961-1989. This class is also 1.5 hours long. 3) "Kulturelle Orientierungs Berlin" (Cultural Orientation Berlin) which deals with the cultural history of Berlin mainly in the 20th Century. 3 hour class. 4) "Sprachkurs B.1.2." (Language Course - Level B.1.2.) This course is a language course that is at my level of German, it will help me improve my German. 3 hour class.

So I covered school. I have also made many many friends here from California as well as the rest of the Europe. It is amazing to meet other Europeans who are studying here also. They are all really nice people and very friendly. I have made friends from countries, Ireland, England, Spain, Italy, France, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. All my California friends I have made here are aweseome, and we try to speak German at least half the time, as much as possible. Of course with the other European students we normally speak German though most of them speak English.

The food here in Berlin is very ethnic and very very very cheap! There is a turkish food called Döner which costs usually 2.50-3.50 Euro, and also many asian restaurants as well as Indian. Us Californians, of course have already hunted down our native food, Mexican; we have found the best burrito place ever called "Dolores Burittos" and they are big, cheap, and California Style.

Travel here is very easy. In August I went to visit Mara's parents and her brother, while Mara was still in Vancouver. A weekend ago I went to Bremen with 4 of my friends and we stayed in one of their dad's house. In Bremen we went to a festival calleed Freimarkt. It is similar to Oktoberfest except it is much, much older than the 200 year old Oktoberfest. While Oktoberfest was celebrating it's 200th Anniversary this year, Freimarkt was celebrating it's 950th Anniversary. It is the oldest festival in Germany. There was a parade, a huge carnival, and Oktoberfest sized beer tents. It was a great time! Other trips planned are, this weekend I am going to Wiesbaden, by Frankfurt, to visit the Olschar Family. I hope to visit Mara in Spain sometime very soon and the first weekend in December I am going with some friends to London, England to see the production of "Love Never Dies," the sequel to "Phantom of the Opera." For Christmas I am planning on going to first visit my cousin Judith, her husband Max, and their beautiful new baby Maximo who are in Montpellier in the South of France, and then for actual Christmas I will be with the Beier (Mara's) Family. In the Spring I want to travel to Poland and see Krakow and Warsaw as well as the infamous Ausschwitz. I also hope to travel back to Switzerland and other places in Germany.

I am going to try and keep you all updated from now on as much as possible. I miss you all very much!

Love,
Jared