Anna is a recipient of a full scholarhsip to study abroad in Germany.

January 28, 2015 – In the fairly short time that I’ve been in Germany, I’ve learned so much about my surroundings and myself. I think I’ve become more positive and willing to experience things outside of my comfort zone. I can’t even imagine the progress I’ll have made by the end of my Gap Year here.

One of the coolest things I’ve done so far has been participating in a political tour of Berlin with a group that was organized by Markus Grübel, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defense for the constituency of Esslingen. As a CBYX scholarship recipient, I was invited to tour the city and learn more about the German government first-hand. This included visiting the Bundestag (the constitutional and legislative body in Germany) and the Bundesrat (Germany’s federal council).

Of course, we also saw some of the more touristy sites and got an overall feel for Berlin, which is a really beautiful city. It has such an interesting history and is such a melting pot. After learning about it in history class, it was surreal to finally be there.

The trip was pretty much a whirlwind of fascinating sites and discoveries that are best explained visually, so here’s a photo recap of this incredible experience…

A photo tour of Berlin

One of our first stops was the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, which was damaged in WWII:

A front view of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

We also visited the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial, the main political prison of the former East German Communist Ministry of State Security (Stasi). This was an incredibly interesting and somber place. The cells were so unbelievably small, and our guide, who lived in what was then East Berlin, spoke about life there during the Cold War. It was an eye-opening experience for me and I think it even touched other Germans in the group.

A view of the outside of the prison.

 One of the former cells at the prison.

Of course, we stopped at a section of the Berlin Wall. This was probably one of the highlights for me, since I’ve always wanted to see it. The history surrounding it is so interesting, and the artwork on the wall is amazing. It’s crazy that the wall was still standing only 25 years ago.

A cross-section view of the Berlin Wall.

This was my favorite piece of artwork on the wall.

And here’s the Bundestag! We took a tour and listened to a lecture, and then later we got to go to the rooftop terrace:

A view of the front of the Bundestag.

The Bundestag Dome.

The Berlin Wall used to run directly across here.

These white crosses are a memorial for those who died trying to cross the Berlin Wall.

An info session with Markus Grübel, Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defense for the constituency of Esslingen.

And here’s another memorable site that we managed to fit in:

The Brandenburg Gate. That’s me with my host sister on the left.

All in all, this was an experience I’ll never forget. Prior to my departure for Germany, I kept getting the same questions: “Are you scared?”, “Won’t you be missing out on college?”, “Isn’t a year a long time?”. My answer was always a firm “No.” I encounter something new every day here, whether it’s a different kind of food or a new word, and every step I take I’m astounded by the beauty of this country. I’m so beyond thrilled to be here, and I’m so grateful for the CBYX scholarship and the opportunities it’s given me!

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Life with my AFS host family

In case you’re curious, here’s a quick look into life with my amazing host family:

Me (center) with my host parents and three host siblings.

My host mom and sister leading the way during a hike we took in Bavaria.

An amazing view of the Neuschwanstein Castle, seen from our hiking trail.

My host mom and me towards the end of our hike, overlooking the region of Bavaria.

A taste of the local charm in the town of Füssen, which we visited after the hike.

Me at the top of Brauneck, a ski resort in Lenggries and the location of our recent family ski trip.