https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbIrm42zYTU
Charles Krauthammer dubbed this the “oddest presidential speech ever,” and he has a point. Presidential addresses from the White House during prime time usually have a clear purpose, or what I called on Twitter last night a “Big Ask.” This particular bully pulpit isn’t used for fireside chats or for campaign speeches, but to focus American attention on a particular and inexorable course of action, and to rally Americans behind the Commander in Chief for that action.
Yesterday, though, Obama sounded contradictory and confused. He attempted to rouse moral outrage over the use of chemical weapons against scores or hundreds children in Damascus on August 21st, which is an easy case to make — but thousands of children have been killed in the Syrian civil war in all sorts of ways, by all sides. Obama argued that Bashar al-Assad had to be deterred from using chemical weapons in the future, but left out any call for regime change, which is still the official strategic goal of the Obama administration. To Americans reluctant to engage in another war, Obama cajoled us to action, claiming that only the United States had the power to bring Assad to heel.
And then almost in the same breath, Obama then acknowledged that a diplomatic solution had arisen, despite two weeks of beating the drums for war. Just after arguing that only the US military could solve the problem, Obama said that he was turning to Russia for a potential solution. Not only that, but he also announced that he had asked Congress to hold off on a vote to authorize military action until the Russia and UN track played itself out. This change was necessitated by the fumbling of his Secretary of State, even though Obama himself had just called the UN “hocus pocus.”
The speech may have been short, but it far outstripped its substance and its symbolic value. Before a President gets up to wave the bloody shirt, is it too much to ask that he (a) knows what the hell he wants to do, (b) actually has decided on military action as a last resort instead of a first resort, and (c) and knows who we’re fighting against — and for?
sabato 28 giugno 2014
domenica 15 giugno 2014
What Is It About Swimming That We Love?
What is water? Some people say we can’t live without it. We need it for survival. It is their enemy. It is their friend. It is unpredictable and wild, yet it is tame and inviting. Water… so undefinable. But to me, the pool is my home, the water is my best friend, hard work is my passion, and swimming is my life. An outsider to the sport would call us insane for staring at a black line for hours on end, but really it’s much more than that.
I began swimming two years ago. I thought it would be fun and great exercise, little did I know that I would soon be addicted to it and never turn away. I was definitely not a natural, I slowly worked my way up the list, and I am now on an exclusive community team that is the defending state champions. I’ve been through everything you can imagine- injuries, losses, wins, friendships, enemies, sickness- yet I would never trade the lessons I learned from that for the world. Truly, swimming is a great sport. At one meet you might be ranked number one, then at the next you may finish last. It is such a fast-moving sport.
Every true swimmer has the will to work hard and get better every single day. It’s this that pushes you through those grueling practices where you just want to pass out; it’s what makes you spend an unfathomable amount of time in the pool just to shave off a millisecond in your next race; it’s what consumes your thoughts every second of the day to just achieve that unimaginable goal time. This is why swimming is not for the feeble-minded. It is the most mentally challenging thing I have ever done. You must train your hardest to overcome your fastest enemy who may as well be your best friend in the lane next to you. Swimming is simply unbelievable.
I never knew I had such a strong passion for swimming until this summer. I spent more than 100 hours in the pool this summer and made some of the best memories of my life. It was worth getting up at 6:00 AM to train for hours a day instead of having tons of sleepovers with my friends. It was worth spending my summer going to two practices a day instead of going on fancy, luxury vacations all over the world. I made friendships that will last a life time and have discovered more things about myself than I ever thought was possible. This summer I found the will to succeed and never give up. I found it in the water.
I can apply this to any aspect of my life which is the amazing thing about swimming. When you are swimming a long set and feel like you are going to drown, this is where the champions are made.
Beneath the water is a different, complete world. It’s almost impossible to describe every aspect of it. I feel alive under the water. I feel free. I feel at home. I feel like myself. But most importantly I feel that my desire for success is greater than my fear of failure.
I began swimming two years ago. I thought it would be fun and great exercise, little did I know that I would soon be addicted to it and never turn away. I was definitely not a natural, I slowly worked my way up the list, and I am now on an exclusive community team that is the defending state champions. I’ve been through everything you can imagine- injuries, losses, wins, friendships, enemies, sickness- yet I would never trade the lessons I learned from that for the world. Truly, swimming is a great sport. At one meet you might be ranked number one, then at the next you may finish last. It is such a fast-moving sport.
Every true swimmer has the will to work hard and get better every single day. It’s this that pushes you through those grueling practices where you just want to pass out; it’s what makes you spend an unfathomable amount of time in the pool just to shave off a millisecond in your next race; it’s what consumes your thoughts every second of the day to just achieve that unimaginable goal time. This is why swimming is not for the feeble-minded. It is the most mentally challenging thing I have ever done. You must train your hardest to overcome your fastest enemy who may as well be your best friend in the lane next to you. Swimming is simply unbelievable.
I never knew I had such a strong passion for swimming until this summer. I spent more than 100 hours in the pool this summer and made some of the best memories of my life. It was worth getting up at 6:00 AM to train for hours a day instead of having tons of sleepovers with my friends. It was worth spending my summer going to two practices a day instead of going on fancy, luxury vacations all over the world. I made friendships that will last a life time and have discovered more things about myself than I ever thought was possible. This summer I found the will to succeed and never give up. I found it in the water.
I can apply this to any aspect of my life which is the amazing thing about swimming. When you are swimming a long set and feel like you are going to drown, this is where the champions are made.
Beneath the water is a different, complete world. It’s almost impossible to describe every aspect of it. I feel alive under the water. I feel free. I feel at home. I feel like myself. But most importantly I feel that my desire for success is greater than my fear of failure.
Street Artist Banksy
His work strikes a chord with many, particularly youth, for the blunt usage of messages within an art-form that was often regarded as existent only within the margins of society. Banksy isn’t seen as just an artist, but also as a philosopher and political spokesman against capitalism, war, theism, totalitarianism and fascism. By stirring the youth with broad and direct statements, as well as through his constant subversion of authority, Banksy has managed to develop a large following.
The seductive nature of Banksy’s work within the hip-hop community is easy to understand, and can be attributed to two significant factors: 1) the fact that graffiti never had a universal flag-bearer and 2) the ease of his artwork. Graffiti comprises a quarter of the so-called hip-hop culture, but similar to b-boying, it is largely marginalized by emceeing and djing. This isn’t to say it doesn’t earn respect, but few would argue that its stature among the masses is equal to the hip-hop elements centered around music. Although there have been numerous graffiti artists who gained some notoriety prior to Banksy, but none have had a similar universal following.
As a draftsmen Banksy is nothing less than solid. His work tends to be bold and sweeping, his style so distinct that it is difficult to mistake his work for anyone else. Through his incorporation of elements of surrealism, such as a dog shooting a record player, Banksy allows his vision to remain fresh. This quirky side to his artwork is doubtlessly what makes him so attractive to people around the globe. He also makes heavy use of irony, cleverness, wit and archness. Banksy’s street art is often centered around a single key idea. Instead of existing as art in itself, his work is often founded on external concepts. His view of the world is utterly simplistic, and in that very agreeable to many, especially youth. Banksy is particularly skillful in taking broad, complex abstractions and reducing them into something palatable. Instead of using ideas as a pretext for his art, his art is a pretext for his ideas. Banksy’s foray into social criticism speaks most strongly regarding this, where his art became a container for his statements.
The ease of Banksy’s work has much to do with his popularity. His work often lends itself to reduction, frequently his work is little more than a simple idea covered by an active imagination. A quick glance at Banksy’s gallery is revelatory of this, his work can be decoded effortlessly. A man throwing a bouquet is symbolic of peace, a depiction of graffiti removal is a tongue-and-cheek reference to the treatment of his own work. Much of Banksy’s catalog consists of work that is supposed to click; he completely avoids the murkiness and mysteries of life. There is very little engagement of reality; instead, Banksy’s views and interpretations are downright infantile and insipid. With Banksy art is a simply a matter of knowing; of understanding the reference, the clear message or the clever joke. Great art transcends such amateur aims.
The best of artists are draining, they require an active audience. Banksy offers an alternative, he offers escapism. People love to be flattered, and Banksy’s work caters to this shallow desire. By making art that often has a solution of sorts, people become impressed with their own intellectual capacity, and by extension they are roused by Banksy’s work. The ideas found within his work are easy and reductionist, completely isolated from life itself. A lay-person can extract the–juvenile, in the case of Banksy–notions with ease. Banksy uses a reward system to great effect, he creates art that requires a little decoding, and essentially remunerates his audience when the work is unlocked. It’s difficult to shrug off the touch of condescension embodied in this attitude. In this aspect, his work hues closer to playing a game of connect-the-dots than it does true art. Banksy doesn’t deal with the complexities of life, instead he creates games to take us out of reality. His work is doubtlessly accessible, but it’s also trivial.
It’s a shame how much attention Banksy has garnered considering the quality of his work, but not out of step with todays culture. At a time where schlock has completely invaded the arts it’s no surprise that the likes of Banksy have gained such a massive, global following. Childishly, Banksy presents people with puzzles that must be solved in order to get a glimpse into his own puerile thoughts. In many ways, Banksy stands in direct opposition to what great art is. He doesn’t offer a new way to live, instead he provides than a path through which one can escape reality. Through his flattery of his audience, Banksy continues to impress people around the world. Formally, his style is as reductive as the work it creates; that is to say he mixes trite ideas, often sociopolitical, with a visual flare, all while barely skirting the edges of reality. Banksy’s art isn’t an expression of life, it doesn’t deal with the truth. And therein lies his fatal flaw that holds him back from ever becoming a great artist.
The seductive nature of Banksy’s work within the hip-hop community is easy to understand, and can be attributed to two significant factors: 1) the fact that graffiti never had a universal flag-bearer and 2) the ease of his artwork. Graffiti comprises a quarter of the so-called hip-hop culture, but similar to b-boying, it is largely marginalized by emceeing and djing. This isn’t to say it doesn’t earn respect, but few would argue that its stature among the masses is equal to the hip-hop elements centered around music. Although there have been numerous graffiti artists who gained some notoriety prior to Banksy, but none have had a similar universal following.
As a draftsmen Banksy is nothing less than solid. His work tends to be bold and sweeping, his style so distinct that it is difficult to mistake his work for anyone else. Through his incorporation of elements of surrealism, such as a dog shooting a record player, Banksy allows his vision to remain fresh. This quirky side to his artwork is doubtlessly what makes him so attractive to people around the globe. He also makes heavy use of irony, cleverness, wit and archness. Banksy’s street art is often centered around a single key idea. Instead of existing as art in itself, his work is often founded on external concepts. His view of the world is utterly simplistic, and in that very agreeable to many, especially youth. Banksy is particularly skillful in taking broad, complex abstractions and reducing them into something palatable. Instead of using ideas as a pretext for his art, his art is a pretext for his ideas. Banksy’s foray into social criticism speaks most strongly regarding this, where his art became a container for his statements.
The ease of Banksy’s work has much to do with his popularity. His work often lends itself to reduction, frequently his work is little more than a simple idea covered by an active imagination. A quick glance at Banksy’s gallery is revelatory of this, his work can be decoded effortlessly. A man throwing a bouquet is symbolic of peace, a depiction of graffiti removal is a tongue-and-cheek reference to the treatment of his own work. Much of Banksy’s catalog consists of work that is supposed to click; he completely avoids the murkiness and mysteries of life. There is very little engagement of reality; instead, Banksy’s views and interpretations are downright infantile and insipid. With Banksy art is a simply a matter of knowing; of understanding the reference, the clear message or the clever joke. Great art transcends such amateur aims.
The best of artists are draining, they require an active audience. Banksy offers an alternative, he offers escapism. People love to be flattered, and Banksy’s work caters to this shallow desire. By making art that often has a solution of sorts, people become impressed with their own intellectual capacity, and by extension they are roused by Banksy’s work. The ideas found within his work are easy and reductionist, completely isolated from life itself. A lay-person can extract the–juvenile, in the case of Banksy–notions with ease. Banksy uses a reward system to great effect, he creates art that requires a little decoding, and essentially remunerates his audience when the work is unlocked. It’s difficult to shrug off the touch of condescension embodied in this attitude. In this aspect, his work hues closer to playing a game of connect-the-dots than it does true art. Banksy doesn’t deal with the complexities of life, instead he creates games to take us out of reality. His work is doubtlessly accessible, but it’s also trivial.
It’s a shame how much attention Banksy has garnered considering the quality of his work, but not out of step with todays culture. At a time where schlock has completely invaded the arts it’s no surprise that the likes of Banksy have gained such a massive, global following. Childishly, Banksy presents people with puzzles that must be solved in order to get a glimpse into his own puerile thoughts. In many ways, Banksy stands in direct opposition to what great art is. He doesn’t offer a new way to live, instead he provides than a path through which one can escape reality. Through his flattery of his audience, Banksy continues to impress people around the world. Formally, his style is as reductive as the work it creates; that is to say he mixes trite ideas, often sociopolitical, with a visual flare, all while barely skirting the edges of reality. Banksy’s art isn’t an expression of life, it doesn’t deal with the truth. And therein lies his fatal flaw that holds him back from ever becoming a great artist.
Boxing
Boxing is referred as the 'Art of Self Defence'. It is a tough sport that has a rough side attached to it. The sport probably spread from the Sumerians to people throughout the world. Boxing was a brutal spectacle in ancient Greece. The sport became more savage with time. A boxing match is usually a fast, violent demonstration of strength, stamina, and skill. Boxing is categorised into amateurs and professionals. Amateurs boxers compete as members of an organisation or team and some box in tournaments.
The rules are different for each of the two categories of bouts in International and Olympic Game competition. Boxers compete in classes, or divisions, based on their weight. To fight in a particular class, a boxer may not weigh more than the maximum for that class. The professional weight classes from heaviest to lightest is Heavyweight, Junior Heavyweight, Middleweight, Junior Middleweight, Welterweight, Junior Welterweight, Lightweight, Junior Lightweight, Featherweight, Junior Featherweight, Bantamweight, Junior Bantamweight, Flyweight and junior Flyweight. A boxer's hands are wrapped in soft cloth bandages, over the bandages he wears padded gloves. The gloves weigh eight or ten ounces. Boxers wear trunks and lightweight shoes that lace just above the ankle. A mouthpiece of hard rubber protects the teeth, and a plastic cup protects the sex organs. Both amateur and professionals wear a protective leather helmet when training. Amateur fighters may wear a helmet in actual competition, though professionals do not. Each round lasts two or three minutes in amateur bouts and each round in major professional bouts last three minutes. The rest period is of one minute in between rounds. A professional bout may be scheduled for four to fifteen rounds. Most professional championships are scheduled for twelve or fifteen rounds. Amateur fights are three to six rounds. All amateur championships are scheduled for three rounds. Fight Officials-During a round, the referee is the only person in the ring besides the boxers. His duty is to see that the fighters obey the rules. A boxer may not hit below the belt or in the back of the head, nor may he strike an opponent who is down, even to one knee. Such actions are called fouls. Other fouls include kicking, tripping, wrestling, holding, hitting with the forearms or the inside of the glove, butting with the head, or using the elbows or biting (remember Holyfield and Tyson). After a fighter is knocked down, his opponent must immediately go to the farthest neutral corner, which is one of the two corners not occupied by either boxer between rounds.
A boxer wins a fight by in three different ways, first by knockout, second by a technical knockout and third by a decision. Sometimes, a professional bout may end in a draw, with neither fighter declared the winner but there is always a result in amateur fights. A knockout or KO occurs when a boxer is knocked down and does not get back on his feet within ten seconds, as counted by the referee. If a round ends while a fighter is down, but before the ten-second has passed the fighter is termed as 'saved by the bell.' He then can rest until the beginning of the next round. A technical knockout, or TKO, occurs when a boxer is declared to be physically unable to continue fighting. If a boxer in an amateur fight is knocked down three times in one round, his opponent wins the match on a TKO. This rule also applies to all professional bouts except championship matches.
Some of the famous fighter of the game includes the 1950's Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Rocky Marciano. Archie Moore held the Light Heavyweight title from 1952 to 1961. Sugar Ray Robinson was the Welterweight Champion from 1946 to 1951 and then went on to win the Middleweight crown five times. Rocky Marciano was the Heavyweight Champion from 1952-1956 and won all his forty-nine professional fights. Who can forget the passionate and very successful boxer of his own genera of Louisville great Cassius Clay?
Why skateboarding inspires teen and kids
Skateboarding inspires kids and teens all over the world. People skate to get out of trouble and to get out of the house. Skating is like a never ending joy ride. This is a opportunity for kids to have a chance to have a good life. Skateboarding supplies skaters with a sweet sport to get in to and to be great at. As soon as you get in to the sport you don't ever lose interest in that kinda sport. Even if you don't skate you can still be inspired to be sport or to be a Filmer or a photographer for skating
I feel that skateboarding gives me something to live for and to have support in when i have nothing. I haven't always skated but since i started i have felt a part of something that people recognize me for and enjoy watching me do. Its enjoying ,exciting, as you make a crowd of friend scream.It has also helped me make more friends. If you start skating allot of good things will happen to you. You can change and inspire people to try new thing and try new styles by one trick that's all someone needs . Also a lot of bad things can happen to you too. When something bad happens its allot of ,head thumping and arms and legs bleeding, but at the end of a good day of skating its all worth it.
Skateboarding is similar to a roller coaster they're always up and downs literally. That doesn't stop people from skateboarding. Skating has been around since the 1940s. People are sick of skaters because they think they are bad people and that they don't have any respect,but why should the sport die. people haven't had a problem with skateboarders since that 1940s so why should they now .Millions of people love watching the X GAMES and the shows on TV so this sport should be respected more than what it is. “Its guaranteed that pro skaters will be around for a very long time” Bam Margera said. This wont be true unless people get inspired to skate and make a difference in skating history.
Skating has changed life's for hundreds of kids from all over the world. Skateboarding has became one of the most famous sports since there has been so many commercials and shows to inspire more and more people to get started in the sport.There are now 18.5 million skaters in the world. 85% of those are around 18 and 74% of those are males. It doesn't matter what sex you are everyone can skate, there are no limits to skateboarding So we always need good new skaters,so don't stop skating or you definitely start it a great way to spend free time. These are the reasons teens and kids get inspired to skate so add to the population and start skating. I guaranty someone will inspire you to take that sport to a whole new level.
I feel that skateboarding gives me something to live for and to have support in when i have nothing. I haven't always skated but since i started i have felt a part of something that people recognize me for and enjoy watching me do. Its enjoying ,exciting, as you make a crowd of friend scream.It has also helped me make more friends. If you start skating allot of good things will happen to you. You can change and inspire people to try new thing and try new styles by one trick that's all someone needs . Also a lot of bad things can happen to you too. When something bad happens its allot of ,head thumping and arms and legs bleeding, but at the end of a good day of skating its all worth it.
Skateboarding is similar to a roller coaster they're always up and downs literally. That doesn't stop people from skateboarding. Skating has been around since the 1940s. People are sick of skaters because they think they are bad people and that they don't have any respect,but why should the sport die. people haven't had a problem with skateboarders since that 1940s so why should they now .Millions of people love watching the X GAMES and the shows on TV so this sport should be respected more than what it is. “Its guaranteed that pro skaters will be around for a very long time” Bam Margera said. This wont be true unless people get inspired to skate and make a difference in skating history.
Skating has changed life's for hundreds of kids from all over the world. Skateboarding has became one of the most famous sports since there has been so many commercials and shows to inspire more and more people to get started in the sport.There are now 18.5 million skaters in the world. 85% of those are around 18 and 74% of those are males. It doesn't matter what sex you are everyone can skate, there are no limits to skateboarding So we always need good new skaters,so don't stop skating or you definitely start it a great way to spend free time. These are the reasons teens and kids get inspired to skate so add to the population and start skating. I guaranty someone will inspire you to take that sport to a whole new level.
Street Art
I think that for our time the street art is no longer a novelty as more and more often we meet on the streets of our cities different pictures, drawings or graffiti. They embellish the grey walls of buildings, roads, public spaces and can appear in any of the most unexpected places.
Is it there any definition for street art? Actually not as it combines a wide range of various kinds of art forms and it is difficult to describe them by one common definition. Generally it is a free public art that is inspired by the urban environment and includes a lot of extraordinary styles such as graffiti, wheatpasting, sticker and guerrilla art, video projection, street posters and installations, art intervention and many others.
Street artists use different tools for communicating with everyday people, asking questions about social matters and expressing political concerns. That is why street art often refers to an unsanctioned art as opposition to government initiatives, and can be a powerful platform for reaching the public and acute issues. For other artists urban art is simply an adaptation of visual artwork into a format of public space that makes possible for artists reach a much broader audience and be seen in the off-centre places.
But is street art illegal or vandalism? This question is quite difficult to be clearly answered as with permission of public authorities the urban artworks are considered as public art. But many artists paint without any permissions and are called vandals or even criminals. They are confident in their ideas and feel freely to show them in any place they wish to. So, why should they be banned for that?
The purposes and motivations that drive painters are as varied as people themselves. Some artists express their thoughts on canvas, wood, stone, glass and others just would like to put away all traditional ways and find different public spaces the best for the expression of their ideas. And I think that it is so terrific that we can be witnesses of the rise of new arts, be delighted with them and be inspired for our own art feats.
Is it there any definition for street art? Actually not as it combines a wide range of various kinds of art forms and it is difficult to describe them by one common definition. Generally it is a free public art that is inspired by the urban environment and includes a lot of extraordinary styles such as graffiti, wheatpasting, sticker and guerrilla art, video projection, street posters and installations, art intervention and many others.
Street artists use different tools for communicating with everyday people, asking questions about social matters and expressing political concerns. That is why street art often refers to an unsanctioned art as opposition to government initiatives, and can be a powerful platform for reaching the public and acute issues. For other artists urban art is simply an adaptation of visual artwork into a format of public space that makes possible for artists reach a much broader audience and be seen in the off-centre places.
But is street art illegal or vandalism? This question is quite difficult to be clearly answered as with permission of public authorities the urban artworks are considered as public art. But many artists paint without any permissions and are called vandals or even criminals. They are confident in their ideas and feel freely to show them in any place they wish to. So, why should they be banned for that?
The purposes and motivations that drive painters are as varied as people themselves. Some artists express their thoughts on canvas, wood, stone, glass and others just would like to put away all traditional ways and find different public spaces the best for the expression of their ideas. And I think that it is so terrific that we can be witnesses of the rise of new arts, be delighted with them and be inspired for our own art feats.
Trip to Berlin
Friday witnessed another early morning for Lorenzo and I. We hopped on a train in Florence, and hopped off in Berlin. We were fortunate enough to have a connection in Berlin (Lorenzo's family friend) that allowed us to stay at his house, free of charge. After catching up with him and freshening up from our travels, we set out to meet a group for a free walking tour. The tour was a few hours long, and focused primarily on the historical aspects of the city. Seeing as I had just finished an intensive "Twentieth Century Europe" history class this semester, which obviously centers quite a lot in Berlin, this amazing city was at the top of my list of places to visit. It was incredible to stand in such historical places and see the aftermath of events I had constantly read about in textbooks. The tour guide was especially great because she not only enlightened the group on the history of Berlin, but also made an effort to point out Berlin's future -- that Berlin's history of being the epicenter of events in the twentieth century is not stopping Germans from molding the city into a very modern and unique city.
The tour lasted a few hours, and at the end we wandered through the immense city, eventually finding a park to lounge in. We laid in the grass and chatted for hours, processing the vast amount of information that had just been thrown at us. As the sky began to fade, we headed back towards the apartment.
The next day, we were up early for a very important -- though I cannot say a very fun -- excursion. We headed to take a tour of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Though I had visited a concentration camp in Germany a few years ago, the intensity of the experience did not diminish in the slightest. I do not feel the need to describe my visit to the concentration camp, but I will say that I believe it is an important experience for people to have.
After spending the entire day at the camp, we headed back to the apartment. We were all exhausted -- emotionally and physically -- and soon realized our plans to wander the city at night were a bit too much for that day. We discussed our experiences as we made dinner at the apartment, and eventually fell asleep from pure exhaustion.
I have to say that I feel so fortunate to be able to travel with such wonderful people. As I am visiting these incredible places that I have only ever dreamed about seeing, I realize the importance of learning about the history as well as the present-day significance of the cities. Being able to have intelligent conversations with my friends over our experiences with and interpretations of these cities makes travel that much more meaningful. I cannot imagine visiting Berlin, a city with such a dense history, without being able to discuss and process fully the impact of its history.
My experience of Berlin was mostly focused on the historical aspects of the city, which I think was important for my first time in Berlin. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the vibe of the present-day city, and fully intend on returning so I can delve deeper into the modern culture of Berlin.
The tour lasted a few hours, and at the end we wandered through the immense city, eventually finding a park to lounge in. We laid in the grass and chatted for hours, processing the vast amount of information that had just been thrown at us. As the sky began to fade, we headed back towards the apartment.
The next day, we were up early for a very important -- though I cannot say a very fun -- excursion. We headed to take a tour of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Though I had visited a concentration camp in Germany a few years ago, the intensity of the experience did not diminish in the slightest. I do not feel the need to describe my visit to the concentration camp, but I will say that I believe it is an important experience for people to have.
After spending the entire day at the camp, we headed back to the apartment. We were all exhausted -- emotionally and physically -- and soon realized our plans to wander the city at night were a bit too much for that day. We discussed our experiences as we made dinner at the apartment, and eventually fell asleep from pure exhaustion.
I have to say that I feel so fortunate to be able to travel with such wonderful people. As I am visiting these incredible places that I have only ever dreamed about seeing, I realize the importance of learning about the history as well as the present-day significance of the cities. Being able to have intelligent conversations with my friends over our experiences with and interpretations of these cities makes travel that much more meaningful. I cannot imagine visiting Berlin, a city with such a dense history, without being able to discuss and process fully the impact of its history.
My experience of Berlin was mostly focused on the historical aspects of the city, which I think was important for my first time in Berlin. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the vibe of the present-day city, and fully intend on returning so I can delve deeper into the modern culture of Berlin.
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