Day 4 - Prague to Berlin

Today the team traveled on a bus for approximately 4 hours on a rather quiet but relaxing ride. Jacob and Ben socialized quite a bit throughout, while most everyone else listened to music or slept. Halfway through the trip, our group stopped for a short lunch break at a rest station. The “exit ticket” from the bus was trying Rev Lank’s reindeer jerky. As the group’s vegetarian, Tiff filmed everyone’s reactions, which later revealed that AJ most enjoyed the jerky, winning him the second bag. I (Zoe), along with Rev Lank and Ms. Mason, tried a local corndog that tasted remarkably sketchy. The rest of the group either enjoyed some Burger King or sandwiches from a cafe. AJ proudly bought a Batman hat, without a single ounce of hesitation.

On our drive into the city, we crossed the Spree, Berlin’s iconic river, and saw the Molecule Men statue. We soon arrived at Hotel Birgit, where we were given some time to drop off our belongings in our rooms. We made our way to the Alexanderplatz via the U-Bahn, Berlin’s subway, and had time to take a group photo at the Berlin TV Tower, the tallest building that stood during Communist times.



Next we met our tour guide, Holger, a pleasant companion on our first day in Berlin. To our educational benefit, Holger shared his experience growing up in East Berlin and elaborated on  the effects of the Berlin Wall on him and his family. Moreover, he was an expert in providing the group with accurate details about Berlin’s rich history. After meeting Holger at the city center, we toured the Alexanderplatz area, learning the backstory of St. Mary’s Church and what buildings used to surround it but were damaged in the war. As we continued, Holger explained the significance of Socialist Realism, an art form that promoted East German values. We saw an example of this through a statue of a female laborer, which highlighted how East Germany’s post-World War II gender roles differed from the U.S. Another example of Socialist Realism was seen a few blocks later in the “Haus des Lehrers,” or the House of the Teacher, which was surrounded with mosaics depicting educators, laborers, scientists, and the ideals of Communist East Germany.



The weather was a chilly 40 degrees and the breeze and the rain made it slightly harder to bear. Regardless, the group kept the spirits high and pushed through a super informative tour with curious questions and active note-taking. In my honest opinion (AJ), the cold weather became a memory from home, reminding us that Rhode Island’s weather followed us.

After a quick stop at a coffee shop to warm up and get some sweets and snacks, the next stop was the GDR/DDR museum. The museum consisted of information about East Germany during Communist rule, with interactive screens about the economic structure, propaganda, and the government composition. I (Zoe) found it interesting that the Communist regime deliberately focused on educating the young generation in Communist values. This was achieved by strictly limiting the children’s opportunity for individual reflection, exclusively forcing them to engage in community time.

For dinner, the team decompressed with some local German food at the Hofbrauhaus. The restaurant was loud and busy, but the vibes were outstanding, including a live band playing Bavarian folk music. Most people ordered schnitzel or pork knuckle. While waiting for food, Tiff and Kylee kicked off dancing on the empty dance floor and everyone soon followed (even the teachers!). The group displayed high spirits, dancing, singing, and linking arms while skipping (and heel clicking) back to the hotel. We closed our evening out with gratitudes: thanking everyone for such an amazing day, adding individual shout outs, and acknowledging Megan not only for leading us through the day but for teaching us a new way to call out jaywalkers on the German streets: "Rotgänger, Tortgänger! (Redwalker, Deadwalker!)."




AJ, Zoe