And So It Begins.

Current situation: Snuggled into bed in my homestay after a long three days of travel and orientation.

I arrived in Berlin yesterday and had a couple hours to kill at the airport before I was picked up, which was enjoyed over a hot Schokolade. Everyone at home was asleep, everyone here was waking up and I'm now straddling two time zones. The flight was decent. It wasn't full, so there were a good amount of empty seats to stretch out in. Flight attendants were pleasant, no screaming babies, the food was edible and overall, it was as good as a transatlantic flight can get.

The main thing that stands out, however, was an American gentleman who was on my flight. While awaiting our baggage, there was a crowd of about ten moms and children with signs, cameras and huge smiles. Apparently, he had been stationed in Berlin when he was younger and had a daughter. This was his first time seeing her since she was eight and the first time meeting his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They had connected the previous week via Facebook. I was behind him when they reunited, and it was an incredible moment. He just dropped his luggage and they embraced for at least five minutes with their family smiling, crying and snapping pictures. It's something I'll never forget. 

My first day in Berlin was spent in a combination of wandering around der Kiez (neighborhood) where the study center is located, being introduced to most of the people in the group and exploring coffee shops and restaurants. I was jet-lagged and exhausted, but pushed through the day and had an early night.

Today has consisted of orientation, an overload of health and safety information, supplemented by explorations to coffee shops (vanilla chai lattes are lovely), exploring our schedules and finally meeting our host families, or moving into apartments.

My host family is lovely and I've settled in quite nicely. They'll be more about them later, I'm sure. Tomorrow, academic orientation and a city tour, with some errands regarding cell phones, money and other small things as well. I also get to commute on my own for the first time, eek. 

I'm falling in love with Berlin, and I've barely even gotten a taste of what it's truly like. The architecture, the street art, the stickers, the language, it's all wonderful to soak in and I'm excited to continue this adventure.

Soon to come: photos, why I choose this city/country, goals/aspirations, fears/dreams, places to travel, etc

Tschüss!