An Introduction to the Expectations of the Journey

So, as the sub-title says, this is all about a journey of expectations. And some of you maybe be wondering what these expectations are.... Well, I don't even know! I've got so many of them!! So I've decided that over the next few days/weeks before I leave I'll post a blog every day or so outlining some of my expectations, whether realistic or not. Hopefully all of my expectations will be met and exceeded, though I doubt they all will be. So, over the next few weeks, look forward to hearing all about the crappy weather, traveling, museums, adventures and food that I'm looking forward to in Germany :)

For now though, check out some awesome pictures of the University I'll be going to!

The Dome (taken from google images)

 Another view of the Dome (from google images again)

How cool is the building?

I think it's a library or something

I

Inside one of the buildings! (from google images)

A Brief Intrusion to the Beginning*

*The "Beginning" doesn't actually start until August 22nd. So expect lots of these ridiculous little titles :)

My Flickr page always amazes me. Sometimes I'll create an image that I am so proud of and love, but when I post it on flickr, I only get a few views and maybe a comment or two. And then sometimes I post something that I haven't worked that hard on, that I think doesn't look that great, but I post it anyway. And it gets over 100 views in the first 4 hours, and a billion comments (ok, more like 6-10)! It's amazing, and it frankly doesn't make much sense. I guess the Flickrverse has different taste than I do.

I'm rambling on about this because When I checked my stats at midnight last night, I'd had 3 views for the day. That's pretty pathetic. Less so when you take into account that it's set on Greenwich Mean Time, so the "day" had started at 5 p.m. but still... And then I wake up this morning to find I've got 490 views! In 10 hours! How is this even possible? Like I said the Flickrverse never ceases to amaze me....

Here's a link to my flickr page if you want to check out some of my photography. I've added some of my favorite shots to the rest of this post, for your viewing pleasure, of course!

"Patience"

"Preparing for the Hunt"

"Kelly"

A Continuing Introduction to the Beginning

Yesterday I was sent my course list for the classes I'll be taking next fall, and I must say, I could not be happier! They made us pick our top 12 courses on the application, which made me a little nervous.... I really didn't want to get stuck in my bottom 3 choices! Fortunately, I was assigned my top 3!! So next fall, I will be taking:

• German Cinema Before 1945 - which should be fascinating because we'll be looking at some Nazi Propaganda films, and because it's in Berlin, the films will probably be way different than any you'd see in the US!
• Modern German History in European Context: A Thematic Approach - which takes basic German history, but then contrasts it to the evolving political and social situations occurring in the rest of Europe... so again... should be fascinating!
• The Human Condition and the Totalitarian Experience - This is the course that actually made me chose this specific program! I am so excited because it is one of those hybrid, psychohistory courses! So using psychological analysis and theory, we'll be looking at the motivations, pressures and reactions to totalitarian governments and the genocides that often accompany them.

I've already done a lot of work on the last course - I've taken a psych class and my history seminar on similar topics, but this course really seems to just encompass everything I'm interested in. Looking at the course description, it looks like the professor is basing his curriculum on Philip Zimbardo's incredible book "The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil." This is easily one of my favorite books. For those of you who don't know, Zimbardo was the genius behind the Stanford Prison Experiments, and this book is essentially a full manuscript of exactly what happened in the experiment. He also discusses other studies, and historical events which psychological research has helped to explain. I highly recommend this book! It's pretty dense, but so worth it!

I suppose this has been one of my nerdier posts, but I am just so excited about the courses I got! They are right on key with what I'm interested in! Oh yeah, and besides these awesome classes, I'll also be taking Experiential German on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. So hopefully I'll get really good at German! I'll probably do a post later about how awful my German currently is, but for now, I am off to lunch!

Auf Wiedersehen! (That means goodbye to those of you who don't speak German, or watch Project Runway) :)

An Introduction to the Beginning

This blog is meant to not only serve as a means of communication with friends and family while I am studying abroad in Germany this coming Fall, but also as a means for me to get back into writing. I used to be an avid writer - poetry, short stories, you name it, I've attempted to write it (yes, I've even tried to write a novel). Writing used to be the only way I knew how to express myself and deal with the depression I face on a daily basis; however, over time it seemed to only perpetuate the issue. And so, in an attempt to quell my depression, I lost my ability to express myself in any meaningful, spiritual or beautiful way through words. As a result, I've found solace through the lens of a camera.

I am simply trying to discover a way to combine my passion for photography with my comeback into the creative writing world. And what better opportunity to combine just these two things than by documenting my upcoming journey to Berlin! At some points, this could turn into a travel blog, or a photo blog, or simply a quick "hello!" to let everyone back home know that I'm still alive! Sometimes I'm going to come here to vent my frustration/anger/excitement/amusement, and other times I might muse to myself about the inner workings of my emotions. At times I'll talk like the 20 year old girl I am, and at others, I'll be speaking purely academically. You'll never know what to expect ;)

So now that I've begun to introduce you to me, here's some stuff you should know! I leave for Berlin on August 22nd, and will be there until December 13th (at least!). I've never been to Germany, nor do I speak any German! My interest in Germany stems from my passion for history, especially in studying the Holocaust. It is my dream to one day get a PhD in Psychohistory (a new collaborative field that uses psychoanalysis to help explain historical events). As for now, I am merely a dreamer with more goals than I know how to reach.

This was a very boring blog post, and I do apologize. The next ones will be much more interesting (I hope!) and less blasé!