Somehow, “Marry Me” by Train is playing on my radio right now. A better cultural export than KFC or Ke$ha but I don’t think I’ll ever be ok with the fact that the radio plays more English music than German music.
Last week I rode a bike again for my architecture class, and I am happy to announce that I have yet to become roadkill. Score! My friend Adam took my camera to document our trip, and the pictures are online here. We stopped off at an interesting place: the embassy shared by the Nordic states. It is more of a complex; they have individual embassy buildings. It’s still interesting to think about a consolidated embassy and to see it constructed.
Of course, biking along the Spree in the sunshine was also lovely. It almost didn’t feel like class.
Then I raced back to campus to take my midterm for my knowledge cities class. My professor showed us a video after the midterm, as a treat. The video is an animation exploring the reasons our education system needs to be overhauled. Of course, I’ve read these arguments a million times before and still have yet to hear anyone present practical steps to begin reform (since the system can’t change overnight or all-at-once). The animation was amusing, though.
For our essay we were asked to write one of four essays. I wrote about the concept of the knowledge city and whether I feel it is pragmatic to suggest that previously industrial cities could transition to knowledge cities to create sustainable economies for this post-industrial age. Personally, I feel that the concept is very idealistic and that it could not sustain a city as the only facet of that city’s identity. However, it would be beneficial to nurture the elements of a knowledge city as a single facet of identity that works in tandem with several others. And here’s my revolutionary moment: what if we replace the schooling system with knowledge communities based off the knowledge city model: mini knowledge cities, of a sort. Just a thought.
Friday I went on a school-sponsored trip to visit Dresden. It was like the ultimate April fools! We walked up to the Frauenkirche and admired the Baroque architecture and the stone dome…and ALMOST forgot for a moment that the city was bombed flat and this was built over the last 10 years with the help of modern technology. The city was lovely, a strange mix of soviet and rebuilt baroque architecture. It just felt a little strange. I almost felt like I was in Disney World or Lego Land because the stories being told by the buildings belonged to buildings that have long been gone. The whole experience was constructed. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it…especially after being in such old places last semester.
Since the program here only offers day-trips, we were home in time to go to a karaoke place near our apartment that night. Saturday and Sunday were beautiful weather! Saturday I spent with friends at a Turkish market, a flea market, and two different parks. Sunday I went on an RA organized trip to Wannsee…a big lake. Both were lovely!
Then this past week was pretty dominated by school work. I started meeting with a tandem partner to practice my German, and again was embarrassed by the fact that my entire experience studying foreign languages has been 4 years French and 5 months German. My partner has had 12 years French and 5 years English. And, no, she isn’t older than me.
This coming week brings a meeting with a visiting Gallatin professor and then the beginning of spring break. I didn’t make travel plans for the break, for a few different reasons. Staying in Berlin should be fun though. I’m excited to explore the city without worrying about my homework or about anything really.
Friends are coming over to bake for a while tonight. Tomorrow I may go to a market in search of olives, cheese, and a sundress. Gotta love Berlin!
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