For starters, our bus ride to Berlin was...intense. I say that for two reasons. The first being the inconvenient occurrence of my Cappuccino spilling on my lap. The foam, boiling espresso shot, and all of its glory spilled...on my pants. Honestly, it was a surprise I wasn't expecting, but I laughed it off afterwards. The second happening, or well, state of being (to be precise) was the tension in the pit of my stomach. As everyone knows, riding a bike isn't something that comes naturally to me, so I was dreading the bike tour through the busy Bear City. Luckily, I found the nerve to admit to Kristin that I was not yet ready for such a task, and she offered me the option of the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour. It was a decision well made! One day I will experience a European bike tour-probably not this time around, though. The day ended exceptionally well with our group dinner at Brauhaus Lemke! As always, the food was beyond amazing!
The Charité Museum was also very interesting! As an aspiring pediatrician (hopefully, maybe...), it was both exciting and a bit discomforting to have a glance at the unnatural embryos in the gruesome aisle saved for the end. However, I do believe that it is a necessity to become familiar with these possibilities. Dr. Wasser's lecture at the ruin lecture hall was another perk to place in the books of history. The day wounded down to the simulations set-up by the medical students of the Charité! It was so much fun, and it reminded me of a great poem called "Canción de Otoño en Primavera" by Rubén Darío. It starts off with saying: "Juventud, divino tesoro...Youth, treasure only gods may keep!" The medical skill training and old age-related simulations reminded me that aging is a privilege denied to many and my response to that is: memento mori!
Wednesday's excursion was my favorite. The guided tour to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Site would not have been complete without Sion as the leader. His acknowledgment of a much needed somber and respectful aura contributed to the experience. Each detail and comment he made added to a deeper understanding of what the prisoners had to endure. And that is an understatement. I will never be able to feel or fully grasp the pain they lived in, but I can formulate a small idea and that is scary enough. I have so much empathy for the victims as well as anger towards the terrible things humans are capable of doing. My heart and mind can only compare these troubled individuals as non-humans. But the sad truth is that they were human beings, and it is a problem and issue of interest that I wish to one day understand. Not agree with. Never that, just understand.
The Natukundemuseum was a blast! Museums of Natural History are always of interest to me. It was great to see so many people (especially kids!) excited about science. The liveliness and variety of exhibits meshed to create a delightful walk through time! During our free time afterwards, Miko, Kristen, Jordan, and I decided to give Berlin's famous Currywurst a try! It was truly delicious, but Bonn's continues to be my favorite! I enjoy the option of spiciness level I have here, at home! Afterwards, Kristen and I went to Dalí's surrealism art museum! Art is a skill mastered by few (trust me, I used to oil paint), and it is even harder to find a style of your own. Dalí perfected the two and offered a different perspective to the idea of the ideal-that which is beyond the existent. I tried to understand his concept of metamorphosis as represented by caterpillars and butterflies carefully placed across his artworks. I was also pleased to see the painting he attributed to several people. My favorite was that of St. Thomas. St. Thomas was known for his lack of faith. Ironic, I know. But to him, seeing was believing. As Dr. Wasser recently mentioned, faith revolves around the idea of having a deep belief in something you may never see with your own eyes, and St. Thomas is a great example of a devoted Catholic who's life was changed by God's simple touch. And so, it was great to see a painter like Dalí make an example of St. Thomas via art. Kristen also attributed to the surrealist concept as she was the ideal company to share the day with. We both share a fascination for the arts and bonded thanks to it. Lastly, the farewell dinner at Restaurant Kasbah was AMAZING. The Moroccan atmosphere lit the entire place so delicately. I felt brilliantly overwhelmed. And Dr. Wasser did a fine job (as always) at joining in with the live music. Alltogether, the warm aura made way for beautiful memories to always carry with me.
Duderstadt! Friday was dedicated to the visit of the Otto Bock Headquarters! Even the presentation on prosthetics was personalized! Cansten Moenicke was an engaging individual who first-handedly told us about the impacts of C-legs and other related devices. It was a surprise to us since his jeans covered it, and this proved to show his ultimate goal that stressee the fact that he (and others with his disability) did NOT want to be reminded of it. The goal is to live as natural a life as possible. And it is something that Otto Bock continues to execute via its wonders!
The ride back home turned into a party bus pleasure! Maybe it was the fact that it was our last trip as a group. Or maybe we have all just taken great delight and comfort in each other's company. Either case, provided for endless singing, dancing, and a truly fun work-out! The best part was having our professors, program coordinators, and bus driver join in on the craze! Good times indeed!
The Brudder Kuss along the Berlin East Side Gallery (adequate for the Blog Entry Title!)
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