Achtung, baby, I´m in Berlin!

I know that I have a ton more to write about Paris, but that´ll have to wait. First I will tell you all about Germany! Putting things in their proper chronological order is for wimps. I got into Berlin yesterday and will spend about a week here until I head off to Estonia, and then Russia. At first I didn´t want to come. I have always felt uncomfortable about Germany and did not feel the desire or need to come see it. This can be seen from the fact that I still call regular Germans 'Nazis' and that I refuse to own a German car (or maybe that is just how I am rationalizing the fact that I'll never be able to afford a Mercedes or BMW). However, there was a cheap flight from Berlin to Estonia, so I decided to come and check it out.

So far, I have actually really been enjoying it. The weather is lovely (it's been snowing!), the city is modern and comfortable and almost everyone speaks English. They all seem very nice also, but I cannot help but feel uncomfortable when I hear their German accents. I may have seen too many Holocaust movies.

Speaking of the Holocaust, there is so much going on in the city to remember it, and I find that really impressive. Today I went to the Jewish Museum, which proved to be a very emotional experience. The building itself is shaped like a lighting bolt and the exhibits depict Jews in Germany from the Middle Ages, their Enlightenment era, rise of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and now. It was so well done that I was not too surprised how packed it was. Even though it was Monday, not exactly a peak day for museums, there were so many people there. Including a couple celebrities... (and no, I am not talking about myself!)

Anyway, I am staying with this lovely German lady from Servas and although I was originally going to stay only two days, she invited me to stay longer. Not sure if I want to, though. She told me yesterday that a friend commited suicide in her apartment living room a few years ago. That is not the type of thing that I should here. I could not sleep last night for the longest time, and once I finally drifted off (with the lights on), I woke up at least three times yelling out loud. I kept on 'seeing' a lady with a bag over her head (that is how she killed herself) coming into my room. Yikes. Am I a fruit or what?! Anyway, other than that, my hostess is very nice. I think that I got spoiled in Dublin because my Irish hosts were absolutely wonderful and kind and interesting and intelligent...what a way to set the standards. Plus, if anyone died there, they never told me. But I think that I'll be fine. I need to 'grow up' sometime, so maybe this is my learning experience. Well I think that I have exposed myself enough on this blog post. Welcome to the wonderfully disturbed mind of Leora B!

There is basically no way to change the subject without it seeming like a major non-sequitor, so I think that I will end this post now. But please check back for updates in the future as I will be writing lots more about Berlin and Paris (unless the ghost of the lady with the bag over her head gets me, of course)!!