To Be a Berliner...

Oh what I would not give to be a true Berlin-er today.  Why do you ask?  Well, today was this huge Culture Festival and Parade in Berlin and it was INSANE.  Berliners know how to through a party - although, Spain still trumps all fiestas!  Jaja.  There were thousands upon thousands of people in the streets.  Body to body.  For miles and miles.  I have never seen that many people anywhere.  Well, maybe at the Iowa State Fair.  Jaja.  Since it was a culture parade, there were many different booths with food, crafts, jewelry, scarves etc. from all over the world.  I found this adorable quilt made in India but have no way to get it home, seeing as I'm backpacking!  Bummer.  But I took a picture so maybe I can find something similar in the States although it won't be the same!  To sum up the Berlin Culture Fest in a few words or even a blog post would be impossible - definitely something that you need to truly experience and I am so glad I was able to.
The highlight of Berlin has definitely been the company.  I am staying with a girl named Katie who knows Barbara who is one of my CRU leaders.... Katie lives in Berlin and is on STINT with CRU.  Not only have I met Katie and her other fellow STINT-ers but I have also met students from Purdue and Butler University who are on Summer Project with CRU in Berlin!  Craziness!  It has been a lot of fun being able to tag along with them on a few things.  Tomorrow if it does not rain, we are doing a walking tour of Berlin! On Saturday I went to the German History Museum which was very informative especially about WWI and WWII.  I haven't done a lot of sightseeing yet because I am planning on the tour tomorrow and also it has been nice to just relax.  I needed a little breather after Vienna and Prague and definitely before Munich with Jared and then in the final stretch with Paris!
Although I am very excited to come home to the States and then go to the OC, I am still missing Spain and my friends and family from there a ton.  Last night I had a dream about my host family... and my American girls from Spain... I miss them soo much.  It's unbelievable how close I became with all of them in less than five months.  On the other hand, I am extremely excited to see my family-family in the States (Jared in Munich) and then see my friends too!!  YAY!  I am also excited to use a dryer, eat real Mexican and sushi, go to Target and simplify my life back in the States.  Yes, that's right, the first thing I am doing when I get home is to get rid of a ton of stuff and simplify my life.  Living out of two suitcases for the past five months made me realize that I don't need a lot and how much I really have.  If I don't need it now, there is someone that does need it NOW.  I am so blessed and fortunate to have so much but there is a line between having enough and having too much.  I like having a simplified life.  Less mess :)
Well I better sum this up.  The girls and I are about to watch X-men 2.  Last night we watched the first one, which I had never seen!  My first American movie in 5 months!  Wow... the transition has begun.  It will be tough with the reverse culture shock so I am glad to be starting now and to be starting slow.
Dos besos
Sarah