Excuse me, do I stand out THAT much?

Unique.

The one word that could describe everything I have seen in Berlin so far. Every person, building, painting, beer and street has its own vibe. It seems that the German way of life has evolved into an accepting one, even if everyone still may be searching for their identities.

Even though our plans changed some today, we definitely found things to do. Some of us spent the morning searching for a place where we could exchange our American dollars to Euros (so we could eat!). It only took a couple of hours, but we finally found a place. During the time of wandering we were also able to experience the culture more.

History and current culture collide in a seamless way. The layout of the city is unlike any other city I have been to. There are no skyscrapers, plenty of trees, and loads of people. Even with people crowding the streets and shops, all of us stand out like sore thumbs. Other Americans we pass on the street can even pick us out, so trying to blend in is pretty much impossible. Although our cameras (or clothes or accents) may give us away, we’ll keep trying to look natural in our new setting!