friedrichshain and oranienburger strasse

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okay, i haven't written in a while both because it has been too hot to sit in front of a computer (it still is, but oh well) and because i've been homesick and a little depressed and haven't been able to think of anything interesting to say.

however, today has been a much better day than I've had in a while. i went on a guided walking tour with a cultural program from my school in my neighborhood, and learned a lot about my neighborhood that i didn't know before. in fact, half of the tour took place directly in the few blocks around where i live, which is, aparently, called "samariterviertel." basically the entire neighborhood right around my apartment was left without basic services like plumbing and building maintanence during the GDR era, and I guess the buildings were all basically unhabitable. right after reunification, a lot of the buildings were occupied by squatters from the west, mostly young anarchists. there are still a few squats here, not far from where i live. today i saw more of the punk rock underbelly of the neighborhood!

the neighborhood has changed a lot since then, though, in large part because of money from the west that poured in to refurbish the neighborhood and make the apartments liveable. this included planting trees and making sure all the apartments had there own bathrooms, not to mention re-siding buildings and painting them and installing balconies. all this explains why there are some buildings that look bright and fresh, and next to them other buildings whose exteriors are crumbling--i think it was not so much damage from the war as neglect that makes them look like this. aparently my particular area did not suffer that much war damage, although a few blocks away everything was rubble.

the other area we explored was a strip on what was then "stalin allee," meant to showcase the GDR's respect for workers, it featured several kilometers of tiled buildings that were to be 'workman's palaces.' there are statues and reliefs of workers on some of them.

tomorrow my class is going on a field trip, and my small group has been assigned to explore oranienburger strasse, which has the largest contemporary jewish community in germany, mostly due to the many jews from the former soviet union who have moved there. i'm looking forward to it, i think it should be really interesting and i promise to give you a full report. later i'm going with a few people to the edge of the city where there are woods and lakes. it's supposed to be beautiful there, and tomorrow it is going to be over 100 degrees fahrenheit. i'm going to die of heat overexposure... there are still no fans or air conditioners anywhere, despite all of this heat!!!

my mom is coming to visit next week and i'm very exciting. i like having visitors here, it is good to have people to go out and explore the city with, more fun sometimes than doing it alone. also--i've started taking more pictures, but will probably not post many here, but i can't wait to show them off when i get home.

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Photos

Stalin Allee
GDR Architecture in Friedrichshain, with a view west toward the Fernsehturm on Alexander Platy