On Monday of finals
week we got a real treat. We got to go biking!!! It was a beautiful day. The
sun was shining but the air was cool. In short, it was perfect for biking.
After picking up our bikes and helmets, we began our group ride to Remagen. We
biked along the Rhine and the water glistened with the rays of the sun. The
forest we biked through were a vibrant green and we even saw a bunny bouncing
across the grass. We could not take pictures for safety reasons but it was so
beautiful!!! Every mile that passed (it was a 12 mile ride to Remagen) was
breath taking. However, about halfway through my butt was sore. I have not
ridden a bike in the past six months and by the time we reached Remagen I was
so excited to stand.
At Remagen we
received a tour from an excellent guide about the history of the Ludendorff bridge. At the
end of World War II the Ludendorff bridge was the only bridge remaining on the
Rhine. The rest of the bridges had been destroyed and it was the German
military's plan to destroy it as well to stop the Allied invasion of Germany.
However, when the Germans tried to blow it up the bridge flew into the air and
fell back into place. A miracle. The Allies then used this bridge and other
bridges made out of pontoon boats to transport troops and tanks over it. We
also got an exclusive tour of the museum (the museum was actually closed).
There we saw many pictures of the history of the bridge. These included the
German "frog men" (scuba divers) who tried to put explosives on the
bridge but were caught by nets and pictures of the Allied forces pontoon
bridges. We also visited the Nobel Prize room and the war room. In the war room
it has panels of all the war that have occurred in the world since World War II
and a plaque that states the deaths of soldiers and civilians during World War.
At least two to three million of the civilians who died in Poland were Jews. I
hope they will not have to add more panels or plaques to that room.
We then had a
wonderful lunch at an Italian restaurant complete with delicious Gelato. I then
made the decision to bike back with Dr. Wasser along with five others. It was
beautiful! I do not regret it but my body was definitely sore for at least two
days afterwards.
The rest of the week
was filled with studying and completing projects. On Friday we were finished!!
Victory!!
On Saturday, I went
to church, youth worship service, a walk, and youth group. On the walk I saw
and got to swing on my first "birds nest swing." It is sooo fun!! I
haven't been on a swing in so long and this swing is so comfortable! Especially
when your friends push you! The Adventist church in Bonn has been extremely
kind and welcoming to me and I am really going to miss them.
On Sunday, we had
our farewell party and where I hugged many study abroad buddies and teachers
good bye. It was so crazy and sad to think our time together in Germany was
actually coming to a close. My heart squeezed a bit as a I hugged each of my friends and walked out of the Old AIB. I stopped to take a picture of the building that held so many memories for me and was a place that I built beautiful friendships. This morning I said goodbye to my host family and
almost started crying. They are amazing and I am really going to miss them. I
am sure I will do more crying on my flight to the US when it fully sinks in that I
am really leaving. Yet, I am happy. Why? Whinnie the Pooh says it best.
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
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