Nick Obremskey: Germany

Visit to the Reichstag in Berlin where you can see the whole city from above

                After staying awake for 24 hours, my AATG group landed in Germany. Exhausted, I was picked up by host brother thinking it was night, but learned quickly that    it was actually 7 a.m. My foggy brain was immediately woken up as we sped onto the autobahn. I had forgotten that on this highway there was not a speed limit. As I clenched the seat cushion, fearing for my life, I began to relax and gaze at the new culture around me. It all suddenly became very real to me, I was thousands of miles away from home and submersed in a new culture. 

Park in between my house and the city

Max, my host brother, and I arrived at his house but stayed for only a short amount of time. After 15 minutes or so, we went into Wiesbaden, where we met Christopher and Ray, another exchange student. We walked around town as I marveled at the beautiful architecture. The city was very traditional; there was the “old city” and the “new city”, which had larger buildings.  My brain had not yet acclimated to its German speaking capabilities, therefore, I was taken by surprise when my waitress, who had no idea I was American, asked me what I wanted to eat. She was rather confused when I just stared at her with no response. Max quickly helped me out and ordered for me. Here, I had my first taste of German culture. The food was incredible! 

Later, when Max woke me up from my nap, he tossed me a helmet and said “it is time to go”. Confused, I followed him outside as we got on a scooter bike and drove to town. We met the whole AATG group there and explored town.  I was initially hesitant to speak German, but that gradually changed. 

Visit to the Sansouci Castle 

My typical day was characterized by a 3 hour German class, then me following Max to his classes. His classes were where the majority of my listening comprehension increased. Often after school, Max and I would go play soccer with other kids from school. But one Friday after soccer, Max planned for Christopher and Ray to come over. 

Max’s dad grilled for us while Max built a fire and set up tents. We spent all night talking by the fire and playing soccer. This was one of my most memorable nights because I really bonded with Max. We slept for 6 hours, so the next day we mainly hung out around the house.  Max and I had a classic teenager day, filled with pizza, Fifa, and soccer. By now, from normal social interactions, my speaking had greatly improved, as I picked up on slang. 

The Berlin Wall 

Berlin! Completely different from America, the main method of transportation was by train. The entire group set out for Berlin on a four hour train ride. During this I played typical games that Americans would play, but in German, such as Uno and various other card games. Once, in the Berlin train station, we had some time to spare so, naturally, Max and I bought a soccer ball to pass the time. We arrived at the hostile to find that we had been assigned 8 boys to one room, which we all found rather comical. Though not the best living conditions, we spent most of our time in Berlin visiting many famous places. Everyday was filled with a new adventure. Typically, the group would visit a historical place in the morning then we had free time to explore Berlin and its culture.  We visited places such as the Berlin Wall, The Reichstag, and The Jewish Monuments. The night of the Reichstag turned out to be a funny night. As we were looking out over the whole city illuminated at night, a storm rolled over the building, creating an ominous feel. The rain began to pour and we all ran through the pouring rain to the train station. 

Jewish Memorial in Berlin

Back home in Wiesbaden, it was sad leaving Berlin, but it was nice to have hot showers again. Max’s parents took us out to a Greek restaurant that night, but because we were exhausted from Berlin, Max fell asleep at the table. There were only a couple days left of my trip, which were mainly filled with various events the school scheduled for us. We had our going away party where every American had to present something. As we made our last memories in Germany a melancholy feel fell over us.  No one wanted to leave. On the last day, I traveled the vaguely familiar stretch of the autobahn that I had arrived on, though now, I was not afraid. I was a completely different man. I took in my final views of my second home and realized how much I had learned. I reflected on all the great friends I had made. We arrived at the airport and said our goodbyes as tears filled many of the kids' eyes. I will never forget the experiences that I had. 

                     Wilson Family,

Thank you to the Wilson Family for providing me with the amazing experience. I really can not thank you enough. I had a great time that will never be paralleled. I learned so much about the German culture and my ability in all aspects of German. It was a time that I will never forget and I made relationships with new friends, who are now as close as brothers.