41 DAYS: Art Appreciation Day

Here's another afternoon stroll in Berlin. This time we explore the punk artsy side of the city. We went to this abandoned-building-turned-art-gallery place called Kunsthaus Tacheles. It's crazy how people are so creative and make arts out of junks. Apparently not long ago - like about two months ago, the government wanted to destroy this building because it's an old building. The entire Berlin community was against it and they did an online petition. In the end the building still stands strong until today. FYI, the artists (there are about a dozen or so) live in this building. Sleep, eat, and create arts.

After that I went back to Alexanderplatz and look what I found, a jamming session right in the middle of Alexanderplatz. Oh I love Berlin.

PS: Listen to the music, ignore the random dancer.

Cheers!

42 DAYS: How To Travel More When You're A Student

About a week ago, I came across a blog written by an adept traveler: 'How to Travel Young and Middle-Class' and since then I've been wanting to write something similar since I can't really relate to the middle-class part. First of all, I'm a student with no income (well maybe small income from part-time job and what not); I live on a strict budget; and I sometimes have impulsive shopping behavior so I don't really save up for long term. Simply put, I'm a broke student with a simple obsession - that is traveling. So how in the hell can I travel?

Well one thing that I'm good at is researching - not the scientific kind; this kind of research, you just need Google and social media. Also bear in mind that my kind of travelling is not just for 'having fun' or 'being a tourist'. I travel for a purpose - educational, professional or philanthropic, whatever that reason is, I'm eager to learn and experience more from the places that I visit.

Study Abroad

I guess this would be an excellent choice for anyone who wants to study and being abroad (duh!). The length can vary from 3 months to a complete 4-year program. I saw a lot of my friends have done this and I bet every university have a study abroad program. If you don't know, Google it.

Work Abroad

My favorite! You get money and you're abroad! I've done this twice through AIESEC and it's amazing. You can work for a company of your choice (if they are in the database and if you're accepted). There's a lot of similar program like IASTE and other organization. You could also find a company by yourself via Google (seriously, I Google everything - you'll hear this more from me).

Volunteer Abroad

I only have 10 days during Spring Break and I want to travel, so I choose to volunteer abroad. Global Brigades offers a short term volunteer trip to Panama, Honduras and Ghana - and I think they're expanding. There are also tons of other fellowship program to Central and South America. Do your research.

Sponsored Conference Abroad

THIS MEANS FREE! So yes, it's one of the best way to travel and learn at the same time. There are tons of conferences abroad that will sponsor students - because we are the future generations (YEAAA!). But these kinds are usually hard to get because they have a pretty tough application process and usually thousands of students (I'm not exaggerating) applied. This kind of thing, you sometimes can't really Google it but that's why there's Twitter and Facebook. For example, there's a Global Changemaker Conference hosted by British Council in London - all expenses are paid, you just need to get on the plane, I heard about this via Twitter.

Scholarship/Fellowship/Research Grants

I honestly don't know much about this, but there are tons of scholarships/fellowships/research grants that fund your travel abroad. Here's a list that I just Googled.

Notice that all the points above require your brain to absorb something educational while you're travelling? That's the best part. Honestly, I don't wanna be one of those mindless tourists in a tour bus who follow the tour guide around like a flock of ducklings following the mother duck - I've done this when I was a kid, it's not as pleasant as travelling on your own.

Now, when you're there, at the destination of your choice, remember that we're broke. So find cheap (or better, FREE!) things. Couchsurfing is a good place to find a host for up to a week trip. Look for cheap hostels. Meet locals. Do what the locals do, that way you'll understand the actual culture better, not just the icing on the (cup)cake.

Before ending this, I have to say that I have no credibility to tell you to travel more - I, myself, haven't traveled much compared to some other individuals at my age that have traveled extensively. But I'm telling you, there are so much wonders out there in this world that we, young people, can learn from while we're still young and free - financially or mentally, whatever your interpretation of 'free' is.

See this epic journey of a 74-year-old man and his wife travelling the world (with a car!) for 23 years and counting.

PS: See the world, my friends, nothing is stopping you.

Cheers!

45 DAYS: Discovering Wonderland

Last Friday, I finally got the official invitation to visit the Reichstag/Bundestag Building (the German Parliament Building) - it's an important place where politicians meet up and discuss the nation's issue and other things. I must say the building is amazing. It was renovated back in the 1999 (designed back in 1992!), but the dome is simply stunning. It has 360-degree view of the surrounding of Berlin cityscape. It was a sunny day, so it's just perfect. I can't describe how amazing this place is. Especially when you're at the top of the dome and just lie down to watch the clouds. It's very special.

And here's the amazing dome. Architect Norman Foster won a commission to design and rebuild the dome in 1993 though it was based on Gottfried Böhm's suggestion: a cupola of glass with visitors walking on spiral ways to the top in 1988

A mirrored cone in the center of the dome directs sunlight into the building, and so that visitors can see the working of the chamber.The dome symbolizes that the people are above the government, as was not the case during national socialism. 

The top of the dome is just amazing. I could just lie all day there and be content.

And look at what I discovered outside of this building. More wonders of this amazing city.

This view is just breathtaking. And as always, I ended my afternoon stroll at Brandenburger Tor with a cup of Starbucks coffee, of course.

PS: I hope you're having a great day! Take an afternoon stroll and discover wonderland!

Cheers!

49 DAYS: Peristal Singum, Berlin's Urban Legend

It was a gray cloudy afternoon in Berlin. The sun had not set yet but the sky was dim. We - Priya and I, took our chances finding the infamous salon where the legendary mysterious labyrinth dwells in the abandoned building behind it. The locals call it Peristal Singum. Peristal itself comes from the word peristalsis which means the wavelike muscular contractions of the gut. Perhaps that is what we're going to experience.

We found a small crowd of people in front of a salon at the end of Alt-Stralau Strasse. 'So we must be at the right place', I thought as I glanced at my note that said 'Alt-Stralau 70'. Susen, my roommate, appeared before us. She had been waiting as we promised to meet at 19:00. "Come," she said, "you have to line up for the gold coin." As I stepped inside Salon Zur Wilden Renate, I noticed the 'No Photo' sign but my ignorance guided my hands to reach my iPhone to snap some pictures.

The salon is anything but ordinary. A rustic wooden bar, Victorian style couches, fading patterned wallpaper and the chandelier with peculiar things hanging on it - from chains to underwear. At the corner of the bar, a short lady in an old Deutshce clothing was occupied by her customers; I was told that she is the gatekeeper. When it was finally my turn to purchase the gold coin she hesitated, "I'll come back in some minutes" and she rushed to the back of the salon. Five minutes later, she came back with a small wooden box. "How many?" she asked. "Four," as I counted Priya, Susen, Philip and myself. Each of us exchanged 10 Euros for a gold coin and a brochure. "Sit anywhere, I will find you when it is time".

Scanning the place, there was no more room for us so we headed outside for some fresh air and a beer. We didn't know how long the wait was going to last. A man said he was waiting for an hour while another claimed two. We figured it was going to be a while; thus off we went to the bridge across the street. We shared stories about what we heard regarding the mysterious labyrinth. A friend told Priya, one could be trapped inside for hours or even days; but if your mind is clear, your journey would be magical.

After an hour, we decided to head back in case our names were called. And our instinct was right, she called us as soon as we stepped into the salon. "Who wants to go first?", she asked. I grinned and raised my hand like a child, I was very excited; my curiosity was at its peak. "Do I need to bring anything?", I asked. "Bring only the things that you want to lose." My brain was processing her words in sluggish pace, "Should I not bring anything?" She nodded, "Just bring the coin". So I gave my everything - bag, wallet, phones, to Susen and Priya. The short creepy lady grabbed my hand and started to walked toward the back of the salon. I waved to my friends as they were wishing me luck and safe journey.

After passing a short hallway, she stopped in front of a giant metal door. "Welcome," she said, "this is a place of love. After you opened the door, the gold coin will lead you the the next room. Don't rush, clear your mind; it will be a wonderful journey. Good luck!" And I entered the labyrinth...

What happened next... I can't really tell you because every person has their own experience and interpretation of the place. For me personally, the place is indeed magical. I was Alice in Wonderland; I entered the rabbit hole and found another world full of illusions. It was an ethereal experience, definitely out of this world. I crawled, slid, duck, climbed throughout the perplexing maze; feel and touched every objects along my path; astounded by the maestro who created this world. I spent a good 50 to 60 minutes in there. Exploring every room; reveled in its unique beauty.

Susen, Priya and Philips got out about 10 to 20 minutes after I did. We chatted about our experience inside and each of us saw similar, but different things. The labyrinth definitely toyed with our sensory perceptions. 

In case you're wondering, this is the brochure from Peristal Singum.

I assure you, nothing scary happened here. This place is intentionally built to trigger your fear and push you to overcome it. After all, fear is relative and it's all just in your head.

PS: Moral of the story, never let fear limit the amazing possibilities in front of you. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, "He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat".

Cheers!

50 DAYS: Tourist Afternoon Stroll Pt. 2

Yesterday was another sunny breezy afternoon in Berlin so I just randomly took a train to Potsdamer Platz - I was there on Sunday with Toby. Success story: I didn't get lost. The entire time I keep telling my Dory-like-brain, "You got this Jessica, you got this". And apparently I got the shit (huuraaaay!).

What's so special about Potsdamer Platz you ask? Well first of all, they have THE ONE AND ONLY movie theater that plays movies in English. That's important considering the Batman  movie is coming up soon. It's located in the heart of Berlin; walking distance to other touristic places e.g. Bradenburg Gate, Memorials, etc. So yes, this is a special place. Just look at the dome-like-ceiling of this Sony Center.

In front of the Sony Center, there's Boulevard der Stars which kinda looks like Hollywood Walk of Fame. But of course I know none of these people. They are all German artists/director/producer/etc.

Walk a bit more and you'll find more parts of Berlin Wall. There's one wall where you can just write whatever on it (it's this one on the picture!).

This is the Holocaust Memorial. Opened in 2005, this memorial has spurred a lot of controversial dialogues. The architect & designer intentionally built the memorial this way and let the people interpret it by themselves. First thought came in mind when I saw this - it looks like a cemetery. And as you walk to the middle of this place, the ground will get lower and lower; it kinda looks like a maze. Anyways, I say it's a good place to reflect on the German history; the Nazism and why we must remember such tragedy so that it won't happen again. 

Across the Holocaust Memorial, there's Tiergarten Park where a monument dedicated to homosexual holocaust victims is located. So in the history, the Nazis didn't just discriminate against Jews, but also the disabled and homosexuals because of the Nazi's propaganda: 'The People's Community'. Notice the hole there? There's a short movie clip playing all day, 24/7 about gays today enjoying their rights to love the people they love.

And here's a colorful picture of Rotes Rathaus or the Red City Hall. There's a very colorful hippie guy selling these colorful umbrellas.

My afternoon stroll ended here at Brandenburger Tor - which is one of the most popular tourist destinations. It has been the symbol of peace since the time of Napoleon. So yes Napoleon was here; Kennedy was here; and now I'm here.

Well that's it. End of my afternoon walk and didn't get lost (pat myself on the back). Here's a cute picture to end this long post.

Cheers!

51 DAYS: Tourist Sunday Stroll Pt. 1

Noted this as 'Part 1' cause I'm sure there'll be many more following.

So last Sunday, Berlin was in a good mood. The sun was out, and that's enough reason to go out. I was planning to just have a stroll by myself (with high potential of getting lost), but Toby, my friend who is the AIESEC TU VP Reception (woohoo!), was being awesome and took me around. That day, we walked for almost 5 hours non-stop. No kidding, it was my exercise for the day with a hint of German culture.

Marco was also being awesome, gave us a ride to the closest bus stop (and a mini tour around the old Berlin).

We were really playing that music in the car. Notice that 'Jessica' is also in the lyric (Ha!). And did you notice the buildings are at the same height? Their height is approximately 20 meters while the street's width is 20 meter as well; the idea is that in case of disaster and the buildings collapse, they won't hit the buildings on the other side. That I know from future German architect, Haike! - a picture of her is on the last 2 posts before this.

Toby and I basically went to all the touristic places. My iPhone died in the middle of our tour so I'm missing some pictures.

FYI, there's a Starbucks not far from this fountain. So Neptune is the God of the Sea and Starbucks' logo is a two-tailed mermaid - is that why they wanna stay close? 

Well this guy is something. He's Prussian (that is now Germany/Poland/Denmark/Belgium/etc) and his name is all over the world. There are at least 11 cities in the USA named after him (also streets, school and species!)- no kidding, this guy is like uber famous. There's also Humboldt State University in California while this statue right here is at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - FYI, there's an opera house next to this university.

Love, love this bridge view. There's the Pergamon Museum across this bridge but it was closed. Well, next time then. 

In front of Alte National Gallery. This couple was dancing and there's an old man playing a classical piece. This is definitely my favorite place. I could just sit and read and enjoy my afternoon here. 

And that's a part of Berlin Wall. The colorful part is the 'West' Side, which was the American side - we saw the other side and it's clean, no graffiti. We also went to the Berlin Wall Memorial where you can read the entire story from 1930s 'till present time. Didn't take picture cause phone was dead. Will be back for sure though - haven't finished reading. 

 20 years ago, you can't just cross East & West easily.

 This memorial is heartbreaking. It's a statue of a mom holding her dead son. The statue is placed in a huge empty building with just a hole on the roof created for room lighting. We couldn't even enter the building - there are bars like from the prison cells.

 Finally a shopping district - but ALL stores are closed on Sunday. Major disappointment! By the way, Toby spotted Christian Bale wandering around this street last year. Where is he now!

Well that's a lot of pictures. That's not even everything (plus my phone died in the middle of the trip). Oh we also went to the Fuhrer Bunker - where Hitler killed himself. Apparently that place was completely destroyed by the Russian and there's nothing there now except signs and a huge board explaining the history of the place.

Now, ending this post with cute cars/vespa! Isn't the pink vespa cute?? I want to steal it and bring it home!

Stay tune for part 2!

Cheers!