Reflections on Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

When I think of Germany, I think of engineering, efficiency, soccer, beer, and sausage. But I also always think of World War II and the holocaust.

Several weeks ago, we took a day trip to the memorial site of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.  Despite this trip taking place several weeks ago, I still remember it very clearly because of how much an impact it had on me.  Going through school, I learned a lot about world war II history and the holocaust, and these are things that just stick with you.  Visiting the site where these events actually Continue reading “Reflections on Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp”

Church Service in Köln

Attending the Köln Cathedral for church on the 29th was simultaneously beautiful and bizarre. The atmosphere of the whole cathedral was undeniably grand. Every sound echoed throughout the halls, and you had to crane your neck upward to see the ceiling. The details in the stone and stained glass windows genuinely felt like they were to amazing to be made by human hands.

At the same time however, the church service itself felt lacking. It was hard to be engaged with the service because I’m not Catholic and not fluent in German, but that wasn’t the only problem. While sitting in my pew, I didn’t feel like I was there to worship God, but rather that I was there for the building itself. Perhaps this feeling was amplified by the various tourists who stood at the back of the sanctuary while we worshiped. I would have much rather enjoyed going to church in a smaller location like I do at home.

Reflections on Germany

Studying for German to go on this trip has given me several opinions or ideas about Germany. I came to these opinions through my own research or what my professors  told me in class. However, actually experiencing Germany was an entirely different and more accurate (I believe) depiction of what German is like. For one example, I was told that talking to people on the street was looked weird and that Germans don’t really talk to strangers (preferring a few really good friends than “superficial” friendships), but I have had several Germans start a

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Sights of Germany

This photo was taken in the gardens behind Charlottenburg Castle in Berlin. With me is Brennan Kaiser.
This is a Beerfest in Eastern Berlin. The atmosphere was terrific.
This is Hamburg’s Rathaus, or town hall. Our train from Hamburg was cancelled so some of us had time to check out the city late at night.

Elevator Speech (Germany in 2 Minutes)

If I had to sum up this Germany trip in 2 minutes, it would go a little something like this.

Imagine you have to spend six weeks in a foreign country where almost everything is in a language you can only slightly comprehend. Imagine you live in a hostel with thirty people for those six weeks, and still have to get along great after all that time. Imagine you’re in class for four hours a day and then head back for three hours of homework each night. Imagine 95-degree days with no air-conditioning in sight. Imagine being stuck in an elevator 20 stories up with 6 other guys on one of those same 95-degree days, and imagine the mirror in the elevator steaming up from all the heat in that tiny box.

Now imagine that this experience was one of the best you’ve ever had.

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Reflections on Cologne

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to travel to Cologne and worship in the cathedral there. This was certainly one of the more interesting worship services I have ever been to, partly because of the spectacular setting, partly because of a language that is still foreign, and partly because of the crowd lined up to enter the church after the service is over. I can honestly say I have never seen people waiting to enter a sanctuary for reasons other than to worship!

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