Now that we are finally settled in and know our way around a little better, we have begun to explore the city a little more. On April 1st a few people from our group met in Bergedorf. On the train ride there we finally got to see some of the countryside, and it was beautiful, but interesting. One side of the train was full of fields, cows, and quiet country homes, and the other side was busy with apartments, shops, and cafes. As soon as we got off the train in Bergedorf, my first comment was "This is exactly what I imagined Germany to look like!" The other places we have visited in Hamburg were not how I pictured Germany with all the high rise apartments, modern architecture, and all the graffiti everywhere. But in Bergedorf, the architecture looked very much like what you see in movies with the tall cathedrals, cobblestone streets, and there is even a small castle, it was absolutely beautiful!
While sitting in the cafe's everyone noticed we were American and would just star and laugh as we kept asking our waiters, who spoke very good English, how to say things in German, but it was a lot of fun.
On the 2nd, we took a tour of the University of Hamburg and listened to a lecture on the German School System. The tour was very interesting, especially learning about some of the architecture of the buildings and why certain buildings were built. It was also very interesting to learn that Hamburg was the central location for most Jews during the Holocaust, so there are small square tiles everywhere on the sidewalks that indicate where Jewish families lived that were killed during that time. The tiles have a gold color and are raised from the sidewalk so people trip on them and have to acknowledge and remember the past. There are also several buildings there which served as bunkers during the war but have now been turned to classrooms. One of the most interesting places was a school that served only Jews during the War but now serves anyone. Today, this is the only place around that is still is completely surrounded by a fence and is guarded 24 hours by 3 policemen, one whom walks around the building monitoring with a machine gun. No one really knows exactly why this building is protected so much, but it is most likely to prevent any danger or attacks.
So far the trip has been great and we have learned and expereienced m
Glad you are getting this experience! You have an interesting story to tell. So proud of you love you bunches!!!
Love your mom
Paula
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Chris Jones
4/3/2014 03:24:28 am
Alicia,
I am so very grateful that you have been granted such an opportunity! Cherish every moment even though it is no doubt
hard being separated for those that you love so very much! Many
of us back home can only dream of being where you are! With that
being said we will journey through Germany through the pictures and the visions that your words paint in our minds! Be careful and
vigilant!
Love, Chris Jones
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Alicia
It is the end of my senior year in college and I am on a 4-week exchange program in Hamburg, Germany. While there I will be working in a German Elementary School learning a little about the German school system. Here you will find out about my journey!