The first of many blog entries

     I am finally going abroad. I have never really left the country except for a small trip through Canada. I am really excited to finally leave this country and immerse myself in another culture many miles away. I feel that it is important to travel and explore different parts of the world because it gives you a new way to look at life and a new source of inspiration.

     I chose to travel to Germany for several reasons. The main reason is because I have a large part of my heritage from Germany and I want to experience part of my heritage. Another reason is because I have always wanted to visit Germany during the winter season. I have been to the Christkindle market in downtown Chicago and loved it. Another reason is because Germany is full of history, stories, and culture! I am really excited to see how Berlin and other places in Germany have grown and changed since WWII.

     I am really excited to learn about everything but I am really excited to learn about the architecture. I think that architecture really says something about the culture and what was influencing it at the time when it was built. I am also really excited for the food, the traveling, and seeing how people react to American students in their community. I do not know what to expect with that but from what I hear, they are usually kind.

 These are some images of things that I am really excited for!

 This is the Brandenburg Gate that was built in the 18th century and is one of the buildings that is full of history and architectural beauty. 

     This is an image of Dresden Germany. This place was (from what I understand) fairly damaged from WWII. It will be interesting to see how it looks today. In my free time, I hope to find an image of a damaged area and visit it to see how it looks today.

     This might be one of the most stereotypical images of German food. That is what I hope. I really want to use this trip to expand my horizons and change my way of thinking. I want to leave this trip knowing these stereotypes are either true or false.

    

     Overall, I am really excited for this trip and all the experiences that I will gain and places I will explore.