More and More Friends!

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More Friends arrived the past week and a half. Rich and Brian came in last last friday. I had an excursion with the program to Sachsenhausen, one of the first concentration camps! It housed mostly political prisoners and Nazis when the Soviets took control. However, ruins of the ovens were still there. It was pretty intense.

Rich was suppose to call once he had landed and we would discuss where we should meet... However... he never called. Luckily for us, I had set up a meeting spot in case Rich and his friend (Brian) were unable to call me. After the excusion, I ran over to the McDonalds at Alexanderplatz. Once we said our hellos we went to my place where they dropped off their stuff. That weekend we went to the Reichstag, down Unter den Linden, Holocaust memorial and around Alexanderplatz. We went to Haus 100 Bieren (House of 100 beers) and got some traditional food and beer.

Brian came later on Monday. Jana went to go pick him up because I had class till 4pm. I was worried because we didnt have any set plan or anything in case. However, thankfully Jana was able to find him and brought him to the local pub near the apts. I came by later and we had a couple drinks and then Brian and I got some food. Brian was exhausted and proceeded to fall asleep in a chair until Brian and Rich came back.

I had class through the week and while I was in class the two Brians and Rich went out and saw the city. On Thursday we met with Jana and others and had some beers while we played some drinking games and I learned how to play the game using dice and trying to either get doubles, 21, or a high number than the person before you.
Saturday we went to the Zoo and it was great. Like the zoo in Vienna, the animals were really close. However, the Brians split to see the birdhouse and Rich and I stayed nearby and watche the wolves. We somehow lost the Brians and proceeded to enjoy the zoo and thought we would eventually see them else where. Rich and I saw Knut, a famous polar bear for being raised by zoo keepers after the mother rejected the bear cub. We then saw the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church and had lunch. We were unable to find the Brians so I took Rich to a store in the Hippyzone of Berlin (Prenzlauerberg). Rich bought a bunch of stuff and we then went back to my place where we met the Brians at Jana's. Since Friday was my "21st", my friends wanted to do an American style 21st since my real one was kind of a flop. We went to Zum Therometer (local bar) and had rounds of drinks and talked while some played pool or darts. I nearly beat Brian in darts and almost won at pool but I scratched on the 8 ball.

Saturday was mostly spent in Potsdam. We first went to that store I took Rich the day before and then hustled down to Potsdam. We walked around and saw the palaces and the univesity and some other interesting buildings. We walked down the shopping district and bought some gifts for people before heading back. When we got back we saw some Beerfest and went to sleep.

The next morning everyone was leaving. We slept in a bit and Brian and Rich almost missed their flights. They got there about 30mins before their flight and it looked bad at first but they let them on. Brian and i then went back to my place so he could get his stuff and then went back to the airport. WE said our good byes and then I went to the Easter dinner with the American U. kids. I bough potatoe salad at a restaurant near by but I was a bit late. The dinner was great and then people left for the soccer game while Casey and I stayed behind to help Matt with dishes. Casey left after a bit and Matt and I hung out a bit before I came home.

Today, after about 2-3weeks of hosting people, slept in to a bed of all my own and didnt get out till dinner time.

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