TOUR OF NATO - AFTER MUSSELS IN BRUSSELS!

NATO HQ-Brussels, Belgium; Today we had the opportunity to visit and learn more about NATO! The North Atlantic Treaty organization is made up of 26 member countries from across Europe and North America. NATO is a political and military alliance that I believe (unfortunately) the average person back home in the states does not have a full understanding of.

NATO members work together to maintain unified security and defence forces. NATO brings together both continents to strengthen political and security cooperation abroad. That does not mean NATO will not consult and cooperate with non NATO members because it does. NATO works to avoid conflicts between member countries and beyond those borders as well. NATO also has a military alliance force too. NATO soldiers keep the peace when they are called upon. NATO can also help allies work through difficult times of disasterous situations.

An ambassador from each member country is part of permanent delegation at NATO HQ.

NATO is chaired by the Secretary General of NATO, who helps members agree on important issues. All decisions are based on a common consensus. Members can offer up soldiers as NATO forces voluntarily. Those soldiers will return to their native countries once their mission is complete.

Here is the list of NATO members and the year they joined:
Belgium -1949
Bulgaria-2004
Canada -1949
Czech Republic -1999
Denmark-1949
Estonia-2004
France-1949
Germany-1955
Greece-1952
Hungary-1999
Iceland-1949
Italy-1949
Latvia-2004
Lithuania-2004
Luxemburg-1949
Netherlands-1949
Norway-1949
Poland-1999
Portugal-1949
Romania-2004
Slovakia-2004
Slovenia-2004
Spain-1982
Turkey-1952
United Kingdom-1949
United States-1949

here is a list of our rundown for the day:
1.Meet with Mr. James Snyder a U.S. Information Officer with the Public Diplomacy Division

2.Meet with Mr. Robert Pszczel -Polish Information Officer with the Public Diplomacy Division. He spoke briefly about 'Selling NATO in a changing environment.'

3. Meeting with Mr. Gordon Breet with the NATO Operations Section. He gave us a briefing on NATO's Operation in Afghanistan.

4.Meeting with Ms. Rebecca Ross, the Deputy Public Affairs Advisor, U.S. Mission to NATO. She spoke on the American Perspective on NATO in the run up to the 60th Anniversary.

5. Lunch in the NATO Restaurant

Delicious Dinner at African Restaurant in Brussel's.
Kreik Beer - Delicious
Sightseeing - chocolate tasting - shopping and a night on the town

European Commission/European Union

We spent our first night in the lovely Sofitel Hotel in downtown Brussels. We are situated in the heart of the city's premiere shopping district. There is a Dior, Louis Vitton, Salvator Ferragamo and more all around us!

We met in the lobby fairly early this morning and walked over to our first session of the day. We met at the entrance of the Euroean Commission building. Our first meeting was led by Mr. Joe Vandercappellen who spoke to us about the role of the Commission within the European Institutions.

Learn about the European Commission
- Attend daily press conference
- Meet with several officials throughout the day
- RIAS Dinner at Rose Blanche in the main square of the downtown

Rainy Day in Prague!

Our first stop of the day was another exceptional adventure. We met with the country's Deputy Vice Prime Minister! I cannot believe the access we've been given to officials who hold such high offices. This fellowship has created so many different learning opportunities, not only involving various cultures, but politics and their economies as well.

Czech Deputy Vice Prime Minister Marek Mora met with us and brought along several government aides at an official building in Prague. He spoke about the way the Czech Republic has changed since it became a member of the European Union. Currently, Government officials are very busy promoting the future Czech Presidency of the EU. That will take place in the coming months. It was quite exciting to meet with a top government official and to learn so much more about this beautiful country.

Prague also known as Praha is about the size of Virginia. There are ten million people living in the country (1.2 million in Prague) and a big chunk of its gross domestic product is thanks to tourists.

According to the Czech Republic Official website nearly seven million visitors came to the small central european country throughout 2007.

This bit of history comes straight off the U.S. Department of State Website:

"The Czech Republic was the western part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. Formed into a common state after World War I (October 28, 1918), the Czechs, Moravians, and Slovaks remained united for almost 75 years. On January 1, 1993, the two republics split to form two separate states.'

After the morning session ended, we had the rest of the day to ourselves, before flying to Belgium later that night (NATO and the European Union are later this week).

I spent the remainder of the day walking around the central part of Prague. I was with other fellows Gerri Shaftel (FOX Los Angeles) and Kathleen Graham (RTNDF). We browsed different shops downtown (Prague is widely known for its crystal creations) and of course, even hit a local Starbucks store. One thing I did notice is there are similar stores in every direction you walk. We hit what looked like the same jewelry stores again and again. We also saw a lot of lace stores and the ice cream here is amazing too.

We also had the opportunity to visit the spectacular gardens surrounding the mystical Prague Castle. The castle is the current seat of the President of the Czech Republic. It serves as the historical political center for both the city and country.

The Prague Castle is rich with history. It was here the Czech Kings, Roman Emperors and the leaders of both Czecheslovakia and the Czech Republic had their offices. According to the Gusiness Book of World Records, the castle in Prague is one of the biggest in the world. Of course it was raining today, but that did not stop us from soaking up the natural beauty of the castle and its splendid garden landscaping.

We learned there were several devastating fires and wars in addition to political forces that helped create a plethora of palaces and churches all across the site.

Here is a list of what you can see on the complex:

Saint Vitus Cathedral - which is the most recognizable landmark in the city. You can also check out museums, art displays, several palaces like Lobkowicz Palace and the St. George Basilica (classical concerts are often held here)

Back in the 9th century, the first known building on the site of the Prage Castle was created. In the 12th century a Romanesque Palace replaced it. Then again in the 14th century it was rebuilt in the Gothic style thanks to Charles IV.

The Jagellons reconstructed the Royal Palace at the end of the 15th century and there was even more work done following a fire in 1541.

Final touches came about under Empress Maria Theresa. She employed architect M. Pacassi. But after World War I, renovations to the castle buildings and gardens were overseen by architect J. Plecnik.

The views from the castle could take your breathe away. We snapped a few photos and moved on, to continue our adventure in Prague.

We also strolled across the famous Charles Bridge but did not have enough patience to wait and see what would come from the Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall Tower.

It was amazing though to see hundreds of tourists huddled around the square waiting to see the procession of the 12 Apostles every hour, on the hour. Apparently, once the door opens Christ marches out before his disciples, while the skeleton of death tolls the bell to a Turk replica. The beauty and intricate details of the Astronomical Clock are unreal. This creation I am told, dates back to the 15th century.

The Old Town Hall Tower is another of the most famous buildings in Prague. It was built back in the mid 1300s. You can also climb to the top to take in the astonishing views over Old Town Square.

Today the Old Town Hall is home to the Prague Tourist Information Center. What a sight to see!

On the way back to the hotel we came acorss a very large outdoor market. The people there sold everything from fresh vegetables to bags, cigarettes, wooden dolls, blankets and more. We then found a few more fellows at a nearby cafe, where some of us soaked up some tea (to keep warm and grab a bite to eat).

Then it was back to the hotel to gather our belongings and board a bus for belgium! Tonight we are heading to Brussels to learn more about the European Union tomorrow.

Crossing Country Lines into Prague, Czech Republic

This morning we packed our bags again and boarded a bus for the Czech Republic. Before we knew it we were stuck in traffic in the Capital city's downtown. It was amazing to see the sights and tourists all over Prague. There are a little over a million folks here who call this place home, but the amount of visitors is outrageous! I've never seen so many people in one place (aside from NYC of course).

Oh by the way, I didn't see very many traffic lights in the heart of the downtown either, but the drivers seemed to be very accomodating to the walkers.

After checking into our uber modern hotel (the rooms totally reminded me of everything you'd see on display at an Ikea store) we walked over to Radio Free Europe (headquartered right up the street).

What an experience! For those of you who don't know, the idea behind Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is to support democratic values through the distribution of facts and ideas. There are still so many countries around the globe where the government exercises full control over what information is delivered to the people living there. RFE believes in informing citizens about the issues taking place in their own "backyards" and beyond.

RFE reporters and employees work tirelessly and put their lives on the line to advocate for the understanding among people of all backgrounds. They work around the clock to gather objective news, analysis and to spark intelligent, lively conversations about local, regional and even national issues.

I didn't realize how much I took for granted my reporting job at WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre, PA. It's always been a given being a member of the media to "seek the truth and tell it" without punishment and t0 question people as often as possible.

Many of the dedicated journalists working for RFE/Radio Liberty are threatened on a daily basis. Some have been killed because of their chosen profession, while others have been fined and detained by their governments for bringing certain "issues" to light.

I also failed to realize the fact many members of their families are also threatened too. What a scary thought! I understand why for some, the stress becomes too much and they either leave RFE out of fear or at times go into hiding. These people are extremely courageous and I have so much respect for the work they set out to do.

Aside from most enjoying our time with a former Stasi prisoner, I was also touched when we paid a visit to the employees at Radio Free Afghanistan. You could see from the look in their eyes and the expressions on their faces what it meant for them to help promote democratic values across Afghanistan.

I was truly amazed when one employee pulled out a bag of letters from Radio Free Afghanistan listeners who wrote thanking them for the programs and news they provide. It was unreal! Shivers raced down my spine, the energy in the room was fantastic. I think as a group, we were all honored to be among these fantastic journalists who were doing so much for the people of their country.

That night, a group of us went out for a traditional Czech meal. I had bread dumplings and a type of beef roast in a yummy sauce. It was absolutely delicious. We walked around the center of town before retiring for the night.

Tour of the Volkswagen Phaeton Manufacturing Plant

Today was surreal. The RIAS fellows received a private tour of the Volkswagen Transparent Factory in Dresden; which houses the high end VW Phaeton. The most expensive of phaeton's can run you up to $157,000 Euros! Surprisingly though, when VW launched this car in America, it didn't sell so well, but Koreans seem to love this sedan.

The plant is called Glaserne Manufaktur or literally the transparent building. Between two floors we saw (almost) the completion of a VW Phaeton assembled by hand. The entire process takes about 36-hours and the people who create these "luxurious" cars wear pristine white cover-alls (and it's important to mention there wasn't a drop of dirt in sight.) These jobs are highly sought after and pay extremely well. The employees (also called "fitters" mostly worked in silence; gliding across beautiful wooden floors with robotic machines helping to transport the larger pieces of the cars to their proper places.

Every year, there are nearly 7,000 cars created here; but about 80 percent of them stay within Germany. Did you know Phaetons are also mostly made-to-order?

We also learned VW chose Dresden back in 2001 because the city is known for being inventive and innovative (first german locomotive, Europe's first white porcelain and the world's first small format single lens reflex camera). We had the opportunity to sit in a finished Phaeton and I admit it was pretty magnificent. The car (from the outside) seems like most others, but the inside had a refrigerator, climate control in each seat, televisions and more. The feel was extremely comfortable! A little out of my price range and taste though.

My favorite part of the entire operation was "the marriage." This is where the bodywork and chassis of the car are united. Also, when the car leaves the sectioned conveyor; it's carried by an electrical suspension rail through the rest of production. The plant also has a high-end restaurant and lots of open space and meeting rooms to "get to know" the future owners. All are invited to come to Dresden to pick up their cars, although I don't think that happens all that often.

Our tour Guide Thomas was terrific. He has been working at the plant since it opened up. There are public tours; that are free for everyone. Thomas also took us to an area where we got to drive a phaeton through a virtual "country road." What a trip that was! I went with my new fellow friend Gerri Shaftel from Fox Los Angeles. The roads were twisty-curvy to say the least, but she sure handled her self well.

We also got to snap a photo of ourselves standing next to a phaeton we designed on our own and we got to pick our favorite tourist attraction in the city to stand by (over the car). We all had a blast making faces and posing. Host Rainer Hasters stuck a stamp on his, wrote a quick note to his wife and sent it home to Berlin. I loved it!

After our amazing tour at VW, we had an appointment with officials from the Saxony Economic and Labour Department. The people there talked about the city and it's low homeless/unemployment rate. They also distributed this awesome publication (the first of its kind) created by Dresden officials and it was a wonderful read. Great articles, lively pictures to show tourists like me all the city has to offer. Dresden we learned is considered the "Florence" on the Elbe River.

Tonight, fellows Blake Warenik, Mark Garrison, Dan Tritle, Sarah Herndon, Allison Bryce and myself had dinner at this wonderful little Turkish restaurant in the New Town section of the city. I had my very first Doner Kebab for dinner and I absolutely loved it. Tasted very much like a Gyro. Slices of lamb on a pita with veggies and this yummy cream sauce. It certainly tickled my tastebuds!

Dresden does it for me! Sleep tight.

We walked back to the Radisson before it was off to Prague, Czech Republic in the morning!

Dresden Here We Come

I woke up a zombie, clearly not as well rested as I should've been; given the events from the night before. Some of us were out late exploring Berlin one last time (and trying to find the closest underground train home for what seemed like forever).

Anyways, that morning I finished packing my things before putting my larger (more obnoxious) suitcase back behind the front desk of the Relexa hotel for our second week of travels. Dresden is halfway between Berlin and Prague; and it's the capital city of Saxony.

The building style of architecture here is clearly Baroque (the details were fine and intricate) and there were lots of museums to see as well.

I learned so much of the city's background thanks to a guided tour named Carola Bernholz. At the height of the 18th century, Dresden ruled most of present day Poland and Eastern Germany from the Elbe River.

"Louis XIV" was also known as "Augustus the Strong" and what a reputation he had. He was not only the prince of Saxony but also the King of Poland. He was known as a womanizing, powerful Baroque man. Today, many call the city "Florence on the Elbe." Rumor has it August fathered as many children as there are days in a year (that's 365 allegedly!)

When the United States and Britain firebombed Dresden back in February of 1945 (during World War 11) tens of thousands of people died in the attacks and three-quarters of the city in Old Town (Alstadt) was destroyed. New Town or Neustadt Dresden wasn't touched though!

After the war was over, the Soviets controlled Dresden. Communists ruled the city for the next four decades. Even today there is a high unemployment rate within the city, but local economic officials are working on that! There were lots of tourists like our group out exploring the city and it certainly was one of the most fascinating Old Town European places I've ever seen!

I loved the atmosphere and feel of Dresden, it was also great if you wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of Berlin (and I would later learn Prague too). Some of my favorite sights to see included the Lutheran Church known as the "Church of OurLady," the Semper State Opera House and the government buildings as well. Oh and the Zwinger Palace was stunning too and I loved having a cup of tea in the heart of Theaterplatz! It was really an amazing experience.

More about The Zwinger - it was ruled by the Wettin Dynasty and is now made up of many museums. The Wettin family ruled Saxony for more than 800 years, till' the end of WW1. Isn't that wild? A King didn't rule Saxony but a prince elector did.

For Dinner we ate at this delicious restaurant called Sophienkeller. The theme of the restaurant was Baroque from top to bottom! The style of dress worm by the waitresses to the furniture all across the restaurant was Baroque themed. The atmosphere was amazing. I had pork fried in cheese with potato dumplings. It was delicious. We also gobbled up this fresh bread and drank some fine Dresden wine too! "Augustus the Strong" was walking around the restaurant interacting with each table too. Of course, he was working.

One of my favorite things at the restaurant was the turn-style table at each setting. We kept putting our food on this huge round table and passing it around to eachother. It was fun.

We then retired to our luxurious rooms at the Radisson hotel just down the street. A wonderful time was had by all.

Tomorrow we're off to the VW plant in Dresden. Exciting stuff right?

Chameleon Theater To See "My Life"

Saturday was a lazy day. I worked on my blog all day long, then took an hour break to get some exercise in before we went to the Chameleon Theater to see a fantastic show.

"My Life" was honestly one of the best shows I've ever attended! It was right up there with my favorite Broadway musical "Rent." And the best part about "My Life" was that there wasn't any scenery, only a small stage, and very few props. Just a lot of raw talent, energy, great vocals, athleticism, and enthusiasm.

So here's how the show went on: 6 individuals made up the entire cast. Three women, three men. One of the gals looked like a supermodel. Really dark brown hair, perfect complexion, high cheekbones, very tall and thin. Another woman was petite and defined as ever. You could tell she was a former gymnast or maybe even a dancer. Regardless she was the spunky, sassy one.

The first woman was definitely portrayed as the sex goddess. The last girl was your typical "girl next door." You could definitely tell she was the youngest female in the theatre troupe. She had the face of a beautiful little porcelain doll. She was just so excited about being on stage, doing what she loved. It really was a sight to see.

The first of the three men was very outgoing, boisterous and high energy. He sort of got the crowd going in the beginning. The next man looked like your typical German male. Blonde hair, blue eyes, very athletic and attractive. The last gentleman was my favorite. He was built as well with much darker facial features. To me he looked like a former hockey player. Turns out he was from Canada (so I wouldn't be surprised if he grew up on skates).

The show was a combination of singing, dancing, difficult routines with hoo-la-hoops, on ropes and basically a lot of "flying in the air."

One of the men juggled, the other did this ridiculously difficult routine on a steel hoop, while the high energy man danced all over the sky on his ropes. I forgot to mention one of the other men did this hilarious skit with a mirror image allowing himself to look like he was doing all these crazy things (like one finger push-ups and more).

The women were very very talented as well. They sang, danced and showed their upper body strength with strenuous routines on the ground and in the sky. It really was an awesome evening. Thanks again to RIAS for the opportunity to see such a wonderful show.

After that - we went across the street and ate at this delicious Italian restaurant. Our host Sandra was with us the entire evening and brought her Mother along as well. Although she couldn't understand much English I explained to her what a wonderful job she did raising her daughter. Sandra Fettke is a wonderful person and an exceptional Host. She and Rainer Hasters have done so much for us and I can't thank them and RIAS for making everything happen! What a phenomenal experience.

Oh - I forgot to mention also I saw my first glimpse at a few prostitutes working the streets of downtown Berlin. That was quite different. I can't get over how:

1. attractive these young women are.

2. that prostitution is legal in Germany

3. many of them wear high white leather (maybe even pleather) go-go boots

4. how blown away I was at what I saw

The night ended with a group of us walking around looking for maybe another local watering hole, but it turns out we were all pretty pooped and just wanted to get back to our hotels for some shut eye. We had a little trouble finding the closest S-Bahn train home but once we did we were good to go.

Then I got home late and packed for Dresden, Germany our next stop on the tour.

I didn't get to bed until 3:30 am and got up at 6:30 am to get a small workout in, update my blog and board a bus to Dresden, Germany for another stop on the Fall 2008 RIAS Tour.

Night !

Former Stasi Prisoner - Mr. Eberhard Zahn

An older delightful man of at least age 80 can make your heart melt!

Today we hopped on a bus to tour Hohenschonhausen Memorial which is a former Stasi Prison. Members of the Stasi were the official "Secret Police of East Germany." They were made up of both men and women and were "master interrogators."

The Stasi police were paid quite well for their work. Most of their families had know idea what they really did for a living though!

The Stasi was known as one of the most effective intelligence and secret police agencies in the world. The MFS stands for "Ministerium fur Staatssicherheit" or Ministry of State Security and was connected to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany or SED; which is basically equivalent to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

The goal of the Stasi was to keep the communist dictatorship in East Germany. Thousands were imprisoned here including Mr. Eberhard Zahn; who was thrown into jail at age 23 for writing three political articles. Zahn explained that the Stasi told him "he endangered the peace of Germany and the whole world including the U.S." He stayed at the Stasi prison for seven years between 1953-1960, and was confined to one very small cell for the first ten months. Then he was taken out and moved, after being interrogated.

During interrogation, prisoners were transported to special rooms in another building and the way Mr. Zahn explained it, he was almost anxious to talk just to have some kind of interaction with another human being! I would go nuts if I had nothing to do but sit and stare at an empty room 24/7. It was awful to think about the mind games one must play with themselves going through that type of torture. These camps were essentially "silence camps.' Prisoners weren't physically tortured or forced to work, they were crammed into overfilled barracks.

But to bide time in the close confines of his cell, Mr. Zahn says he would recite math problems over and over again in his head or his favorite lines of Shakespeare so he wouldn't go completely crazy being by himself almost the entire time.

Tears started pouring from the pockets of my eyes as Mr. Zahn began reciting his favorite Shakespearean poem to us in his very own jail cell. At first, I didn't understand why someone would want to return to a place filled with such painful memories, but then I got it. Mr. Zahn explained how triumphant it felt for him to be back here; completely free and giving museum tours to those of us who wanted to know about his past and the way he was treated here. He was the most delightful, happy, energetic senior citizen I have ever met and it seemed very therapeutic for him to talk about his horrendous past inside the walls of this former Stasi prison.

The other cells were extremely small as well, and sometimes people were stuffed in like animals! It was heart breaking to see how cold and creepy these tiny rooms were. According to a brochure on this particular Stasi camp, about 3,000 people died here. The emotions I felt here were as heartfelt as they were at the Nazi concentration camp, although here I really appreciated the fact we had an actual former prisoner as our tour guide!

When Mr. Zahn was arrested he had something like $64,000 marks on him and members of the Stasi believed he was a spy. He claims those accusations were totally unfounded and false! I felt bad for him but I also realized Mr. Zahn made this time in his life a part of who he is today. And he seems to be the most gracious, wonderful person one could ever meet.

I really enjoyed my time spent at the old Stasi prison. We also learned 200,000 visitors toured this prison last year and they hope to get 50,000 more people this year.

Oh by the way, there were 17 Stasi prisons in all.

After visiting the Stasi prison - we met up with Dr. Wolfgang Lutterbach. He is the head of the International and European Union Policy at the Federation of Trade Unions. DGB presents future related ideas for a social market economy.

There are 8 branch unions in Germany with 6.3 million members total. It was interesting to learn that Germany does not have a minimum wage. 19 out of 27 countries within the European Union have a minimum wage. I liked hearing that Unions in Germany don't pay a dime to any political coffers associated with political parties. I never understood why some of the Unions in the U.S. come out in support of one candidate over another.

Dr. Lutterbach also discussed the social and economical challenges of globalization and how the Union can handle it.

Friday was an extremely busy day. After our Union meeting we were off to a radio station called RS2. This station is an extension of RIAS (Radio In the American Sector) which was designed to broadcast the truth in East Germany. RIAS was based in West Berlin but broadcast into East Germany. People were thrown in jail for listening to RIAS radio broadcasting. I can't even comprehend that! It's a basic right to listen to whatever radio or television program you want and to take that away from someone is insane to me!

There weren't any commercials played on the RIAS station and when the East and West united, the amount of radio stations doubled. Here in Germany groups of radio stations compete with each other to get listeners.

Radio in Germany not only informed but it entertained as well. It was very popular but with the RS2 or RIAS 2 - before it became privatized everything was paid for by tax dollars.

Rick DeLisle is a famous American radio host in Berlin at RS2. He came here in the 70's with the United States Air Force and never left. He met his wife and raised his children here as well. DeLisle was quite the opinionated, outspoken character and I really enjoyed our conversation.

He says he sort of fell into radio (being in the right place, at the right time) and loved the "gig" so much he decided to stay! He's retired now but does a one hour show from 7-8 p.m. every night and he still loves it. DeLisle says he comes in and records his shows ahead of time in bulk so he's not at the station that often. He doesn't pick his playlist, but has the final say over the tone and mood of his program! From what I understand, DeLisle is a legend here in Berlin.

He's known as the "Ami" on air which is short for American. He talked about the most successful radio station being the one that gets closest to its listeners.

He also taught us about the Ebinghaust Curve from Klaus Ebinghaust's book in 1898 called "About Memory." The concept is simple; "The faster you learn something, the quicker you forget it." And "If it takes you a long time to learn something, it'll take you a long time to forget it as well." I find these statements completely accurate.

DeLisle said German radio is far advanced from stations in the U.S. because the stations here deliver what the people want!

DeLisle also told us he's often interviewed by local television stations about issues concerning America or his opinion on other ideas as well. He was a very animated, enjoyable host.

Finally the last stop of the day, might've been the most exciting part of the day. After rushing back from the Radio Station we raced up to our hotels rooms to get ready for dinner. Tonight we were meeting former German RIAS fellows who had already spent a month in the states with the same program.

I was paired up with Dr. Herdin Wipper. He's a Sports Broadcaster/Manager at Deutsche Welle Television here in Berlin. What a wonderful host he was! Dr. Herdin Wipper was raised in West Germany but came to Berlin to go to University and never left. It took him six years to earn his doctorate in sports but you can tell he really loves his job.

At first, Dr. Herdin and I exchanged small gifts from our stations with each other. He brought me a stuffed animal polar bear with the Deutsche Welle logo on it. It's modeled after the famous Berlin Polar Bear named Knut. I brought him an Interactive t-shirt from WYOU-TV and a coffee mug from WBRE-TV. He seemed to like his gifts a lot! Then he asked me what type of food I was interested in eating and of course it was to have an authentic german meal!

But before that he took me to Deutsche Welle TV, which is an international television station based in Germany, Moscow and Washington. The station was massive! We arrived just in time to see an English language show called "Journal," which focuses on International news.

The lead story was an interview with George Bush and the financial crises in the states. I had the opportunity to also tour the station and meet many German employees as well as a few Americans (the two hosts of the show "Journal" and some Aussies and Irish people who work there too). It was interesting to hear the hosts speak English and everyone in the control center speaking back to them in German.

The format of the show was a little different than what you would watch in America. The Anchors don't announce who the reporter is covering the story because it's usually someone who translated the German version of the story in English and then re-voiced it! That's a very different concept to me, almost like handing your work off to someone else who takes all the credit for it. But not really I guess, because they put the German journalists name on a line at the very beginning of the story.

So after watching the show we went to this old-school style German restaurant and I had a roast roll of beef filled with vegetables, red cabbage and two potato dumplings. I ate every last lick of my plate and also enjoyed some good german wine as well. I noticed though the waiter didn't really even address me at all. I'm not sure why, but he only spoke to Dr. Hardin. I'm not even sure if it was just the language barrier. Interesting.

Then it was off to another restaurant/bar known as "Blaus Band!" It was a beautiful quaint Italian restaurant. We had another drink there and discussed life here in Germany versus life in the States. Dr. Hardin is excited to be getting married for the first time this June. His fiance's name is Anna and she's a 32 year-old lawyer. I didn't get the opportunity to meet her because she was on vacation with her Mother for the week near the Sea.

Dr. Hardin is currently remodeling his "flat" that he and Anna will live in when they are married. Apparently, it's not unusual for a tenant to renovate the apartment they're living in. Sometime the landlord will split the cost with his or her tenant. Speaking of which, did you know 87% of Berliners rent apartments in the city while just 13% own? I was amazed by this statistic.

Dr. Hardin has had his place for 13 years and the rent has stayed the same the entire time! Lucky man. I wish I could say the same, although back in Wilkes-Barre, PA rent has been very reasonable and I really cannot complain. We talked about so many things Dr. Hardin and I. The biggest one being about how all eyes around the world seem to watch every move made by the United States of America. It really is astonishing and I guess it took flying half way around the globe to realize that!

Finally our last stop of the night was to an underground nightclub called "Icon." It's owned by Dr. Hardin's close friend Pamela (pronounced Pah-Mee-Lah) and her boyfriend Lars. Pamela was such a warm wonderful person. Here's her interesting story. She and Lars opened the club about 12 years ago and today it's doing quite well. That night they even flew in this well known D.J. "Benga" from London.

Pamela and Dr. Hardin work together at Deutsche Welle and have been great friends over the years. Pamela explained the club is open 'till the early morning hours and the place gets packed between 3-4 o'clock in the morning. We weren't out that late, so I didn't get the chance to see but there were plenty of people coming in while we were there. I actually ran into two 18-year-olds from outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their names were Alex and Jack and they had just graduated high school and were back packing around Europe for a few months. I was very jealous of them both and wishing I was as adventurous at that age. Oh Well - I guess it's never too late to start. The night ended around 1:45 that morning and I tell ya' I was tired. Great day though, aside from the first day with all the sightseeing this day ranks second.

I caught up with a few other fellows at the hotel who were arriving home at about the same time I was and we all caught up and found out how each others' nights went. Everyone seemed to have a blast. Next time though, I really need to see someone's apartment. Maybe I'll meet and make new friends during my extension and then it will happen.

Off to bed - goodnight from Germany for now!

Bonus - Click on this link to view my friend and fellow Blake Warenik's magnificent photos of both the Stasi and Sachsenhausen

Ben Wargin - Berlin Artist!

Reading about the Berlin Mauer or Berlin Wall was a totally different experience than actually seeing and feeling its power in person!

The allied forces protected West Germany; which was surrounded by Soviet East Germany (the GDR) and became the area around which the wall was built.  The East Germans constructed the wall as part of an anti-fascist movement.  They didn't want to be a part of the democracy West Berliners craved.

What I had failed to realize was that the wall wasn't just one concrete barrier.  It was actually two walls with land in between referred to as the "death strip."  This middle section was manned by security guards who would shoot and kill you if you attempted to cross the city's divide.

Today - the majority of the wall is gone, but there are still pieces of the wall in pockets all over the city.  And it seems in some spots; there are beautiful gardens surrounding where parts of the wall still stand.

Parlament der Baume - Also known as the Parliament of Trees.  Journalist Chas  Henry and I found it lodged between the new government district and the Spree River.  I'm learning this area is maintained by a well known Berlin Artist by the name of Ben Wargin. 

He spoke very little English and Chas and I spoke very little German, so it was a bit difficult to communicate but you could see the hard work he had poured into this place by getting a glimpse of his hands.  They were gritty with dirt filled fingernails; a true sign of a man who's given his heart and soul into this project. Ben is older; but I'm not sure his age.   He was precious.

Anyways, I have learned this spot memorializes the 258 people who died attempting to cross the Berlin Wall.  It's my understanding the last victim was killed just a few short months before the wall was torn down.

There are now trees, willows and markers planted throughout the "death strip" to memorialize this moment in time and all that it stands for.

Although it's not normally allowed, Ben let us onto the property to take pictures of this strip of Berlin Wall with our RIAS camera crew and to film some stand-ups there.  It was amazing to see and feel the sight.  

Ben then showed us pictures of his work captured in a book.  It was really neat to flip through the pages and see the change in scenery over time.

What an amazing afternoon.  I wish I could've ran into a translator to interview Ben for a story.  He's such a unique character.  I would've loved to have talked with him in his native tongue!

Day 4 in Berlin!

At 8:30 the RIAS fellows began the day with a breakfast meeting at the hotel with Mr. Thomas Habicht. He's a Senior Political Editor with the "Runfunk Berlin Brandenburg" or RBB. He's a radio journalist for the station and has traveled extensively abroad with Hillary Clinton in her run for the American Presidency.

Mr. Habicht first discussed 3 reasons why the Germans are so interested in the U.S Presidential Election. Here's why according to him: It's the first time there's an African American candidate (Illinois Senator Barack Obama,) and a female Vice Presidential Candidate in Sarah Palin. Habicht called them "two political rockstars." The second reason why he said is that the system of American Primaries is a "sharp contrast" in comparison to their political system. Basically, it's completely different to Germany's Parliament.

And the final reason why Germans are so interested in the American Presidential Election is because "it's an illusion." Many Germans; according to Thomas Habicht believe President George W. Bush is the "source of all evils in International affairs." Being that I've never really traveled abroad I didn't realize this was the feeling in foreign countries.

I understand there are a lot of people back home who are unhappy with the President, but I didn't know there was a similar feeling in Germany. According to a survey here in Germany, 70% of people living here support Barack Obama for President. Funny though, because Germans love George H.W. Bush. He opened the American Embassy here.

I also found it interesting and learned a lot more about the crisis in German/American relations because the previous Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said "no" to the war in Iraq. I also learned that one should never "dis" JFK or the Kennedy family. Here, he's basically considered a Saint. There's even a Kennedy Museum at the site of the Brandenburg Gate. This is also where JFK said in his famous speech in the 1960's "Ich Ben Ein Berliner!" Translation: I'm a Berliner!

Chancellor Angela Merkel has always been friendly with the Democrats. She is the first female Chancellor and the first East Berliner in that position. According to Habicht she can speak Russian with Putin, and English with President Bush.

We also learned the communists in East Germany and East Berlin are still strong today. The unemployment rate is lower in East Berlin; which was also the capital of the GDR or East Germany. Both sides we're told were not psychologically prepared for Unification in 1990.

I didn't realize that the first President Bush was one of the only Presidents to support German unification.

We covered a whole variety of issues with Thomas who I found to be extremely intelligent and quite interesting. I didn't realize there are 82 million people living throughout Germany. I also didn't realize the city of Berlin is more than 60 billion Euros in Debt. You couldn't tell driving or walking around here. The city is young and vibrant and there is so much construction taking place (well, maybe I see now.)

After the end of this session (and the questions and answers of course) I had the opportunity to do an "on camera interview" with Mr. Habicht in the court yard of the hotel lobby.

I asked him more about the American Presidential Elections and the growing interest in the candidates throughout Germany. People here associate Arizona Senator John McCain with President Bush and they don't see much opportunity for change with him.

After, the RIAS Berlin Kommission hired a freelance television crew for three of us "T.V. Journalists." We were lucky enough to have Photographer Mr. Norbert Dunkel and his Assistant Ms. Donna with us for the majority of the afternoon.

Our first stop was to Pariser Platz, the site of the Brandenburg Gate, the Kennedy Museum, the U.S. Embassy and so much more. I had the opportunity to interview about five or six Germans; all different ages, background and gender about their interest in America's run for the presidency. It was interesting because all but two said they supported Sen. Barack Obama. He represents change, is a cross between JFK and Martin Luther King and is seen as the right man to strengthen ties even more between the U.S. and Germany.

We then did stand-ups in front of the Brandenburg gate and moved on to other historical locations in the city including the Bundestag, the Chancellory, the train station and we even found a nice plot of land with a whole stretch of the Berlin Wall.

Oops - Lets Go Back To Sachsenhausen!

On Tuesday - 9/16/08 I forgot to blog about my first trip to a concentration camp.  It was a very emotional, eye opening experience and I cannot believe what happened to thousands of innocent people all because of Germany's leader Adolf Hitler. 

We took a tour bus to the state of Brandenburg for this trip.  It was about an hour's ride from the Relexa Hotel.

We visited the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp on a dank, dark, dreary day and it seemed appropriate given what happened here.  Sachsenhausen was built in 1936 by prisoners from other camps.  It was the first camp after the installment of the new head of the German Police in July of 36'.  The complex was designed by an SS architect as a model for other concentration camps.  It's basically in the shape of a triangle.  It was designed to enhance Nazi Germany's world view and symbolize the submission of the prisoners to the SS.  

I also learned that Sachsenhausen had special status in the National Socialist Concentration camp system. 

In its entirety, Sachsenhausen imprisoned more than 200,000 people between 1936 and 1945.  

At first, the Nazi regime mostly arrested political prisoners but they were later joined by others considered racially or biologically inferior.  The aryan race was blonde haired and blue eyed.  Many here were the exact opposite. 

Tens of thousands of prisoners died from disease, strict and inhumane working conditions, maltreatment and starvation.  They were also murdered (killed by gunfire and the gas chamber thanks to members of the SS).  

Thousands of others were killed in death marches too after the camp was cleared out by the SS in 1945.  

The Soviets and Pols came and liberated about 3,000 prisoners in April of 1945.

The small rooms in which prisoners were tortured, shot and killed or gassed in, caused a great sense of sadness.  People had essentially no way out.  The barracks where they slept were cramped, dark and dirty.  I can't imagine being brought here to live out my life (knowing like so many of these people did there was no hope for them).  And the fact they were ripped away from their friends and families, what an awful feeling.

After the war ended, and Europe was liberated from the National Socialist Rule, the Soviet Secret Service moved one of their camps into the area that was Sachsenhausen.  Most everything - was used for the same "services" as before.  The camp then housed Nazi functionaries, but political prisoners as well.  Men and women were sent here; with and without a Nazi past.

After 1948-Sachsenhausen was the largest of three special Soviet camps.  The camp was finally closed in 1950 and at that time 60,000 people were prisoned here.  12,000 of them died from disease and not enough proper nutrition.

Sachsenhausen is a national memorial.  The land here was converted into a memorial site symbolizing the victory of anti-fascism over fascism. 

I am so glad, I got to see a concentration camp.  We went into the top floor of a lookout building and it was cold and scary.  The sign at the entrance to the camp said "work will set you free" in German.  That phrase sent chills down my spine.  

I also forgot to mention on our tour of Berlin the first day, we got to see different sites throughout the city where the Berlin Mauer is still standing.  That's the Berlin Wall for those of you who don't speak much German (like me!)

What amazed me the most about the Berlin Wall is that there were actually two parts of the wall.  Both portions of the wall were in East Germany, because that's where the wall was built (by the East Germans).  There was a security area in between both walls, manned by guards who would shoot you if you attempted to scale the wall and get to West Berlin. 

That area was also considered "no man's land."  The size of the wall fascinated me as well, being that it didn't seem that tall or difficult to climb over.

The East-West Tensions were strong in Germany.  The West wanted to spread Democracy, the East wanted a more communist regime.  It divided the city and the country.   I can't believe the Wall only came down in November of 1989, tensions here in modern day Germany are still present today.

It amazes me how much Germany's past is present in today's society.  There are so many reminders all over the city of Germany's terrible history, but I like the fact they don't try and hide their horrible past.  The people understand what happened here and they know a lot of it wasn't right.

I respect that so much and I also wish I could re-take my history, government and political classes in high school and college.  I think they would have so much more meaning to me now! 

Delicious - a group of us went "out on the town" and chowed down on some yummy Vietnamese food.  I had tofu and veggies in a tasty peanut curry sauce.  It was marvelous.  

We walked around Berlin for quite awhile before retiring for the night.  I love it here!

Day 3 in Berlin!

We were given a "free morning" on this Wednesday and my new friends Sarah Herndon from ABC News in Washington D.C. and Blake Warenik a freelance multi-media journalist in Athens, Georgia decided to head for Museum Island and check out the Pergamon Museum and its Babylon Exhibit. Its "Myth" traces the roots of Babylon's rise and fall, but also reveals their strong remaining influence. The architecture and design of the work displayed in the museum was mystical to me! The jewelry and sculptures were filled with intricate detail and fine craftsmanship. I was truly amazed also by the manuscripts and contemporary art being featured.

There were more than 800 objects to explore including statues, pieces of masonry, reliefs and votive offerings. I learned also that timepieces, calendars and the signs of the zodiac would be inconceivable without babylonian science. The first part of the Babylonian tour explored the roots of our western culture through a tiny scope. I now have a better understanding and appreciation for museums and all they have to offer. I also found it quite interesting at the line formed to get in. There were dozens and dozens of people all over the museum learning and exploring too, it was really quite inspiring.

In between our first meeting of the day and our afternoon appointments we had a few free hours, so our RIAS hosts Rainer and Sandra treated us to a beautiful boat ride down the Spree River.

The Spree runs through Berlin and the sites to see along the way were absolutely amazing. We saw the German Parliament, beautiful old churches and lots of tourists too. Some walking right along the river, while others relaxed in what looked like cheap metal beach chairs outside of cute little cafes. It was a brisk cool day, with a slight breeze, but the fresh air felt amazing and I really enjoyed the scenery.

We then took a tour bus to our first meeting of the day. We met up with Mr. Ozcan Mutlu who is a member of the Green Party and of Turkish descent. The Green Party was born out of the 60's movement. They're very much in favor of the environment and doing away with nuclear power. The Green Party makes up roughly 9% of Germany's population, so essentially it is tied as the second smallest political party with the "FDP" or liberal party.

Mr. Mutlu is a member of state politics currently, and is running for re-election next year. He believes Turkey must find its peace in the European Union. Turkey would like to be a member of the EU, but some others oppose the idea.

Mr. Mutlu spoke about the non-German population in Germany, immigration issues and his experience as a Turkish politician. He says there were two ways to enter Germany as a non-German by either family unification or as a refugee. Turks mostly came into the country as guest workers: either working in construction or on the assembly line. It's my understanding employers had asked for low educated people to pay them less, yet still get the job done.

Again, as I have already stated 50% of the Turks living in Germany are unemployed.

Kreuzberg is the neighborhood we were in, and it is often referred to as "Little Istanbul." 25% of the population living there is Turkish. One of the largest jails in the city houses 1/3 alleged criminals, who are so called non-Germans.

I found it interesting that Mr. Mutlu says the overall impression of German Educators is teachers believe kids with migratory backgrounds cannot succeed at the Gymnasium or University. Only 10% of German students go on to the Gymnasium (which is very much considered an elite high school) while 70% of the students go to the types of schools where you have no future. They are called the Haupt Schule. That statement really bothered me, since America is considered the land of equal opportunity.

No matter your race, background and gender you can succeed with hard work and determination. Why is it that teachers have a say in your future? I understand that German kids' future is decided at age 12, but parents I guess, can also refuse the track.

Mr. Mutlu also told the group immigration law here is an anti-immigration law. From what I gathered, it is extremely difficult to live in Berlin and Germany for that matter as a Turk. He basically told us, Turks are the Latinos of Germany.

Mutlu said this was a huge reason why he wanted to get into politics, to help his own people. I respect that completely and compare it to the way some people in America treat people from Mexico or Spanish speaking people in general.

There are big issues in the area in which I live (which is near Hazleton, PA). The city's "anti-immigration relief act" was the brainchild of Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta. He had hopes of imposing fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and to deny business permits to companies who give illegal immigrants jobs. After a nine-day trial last March, a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional.

The city of course appealed, but seeing also how Germans speak (not so highly) of their Turkish neighbors I have developed a more sympathetic attitude toward so-called "outsiders." These people come into our country and other countries (most of them working their tails off) to create better lives for themselves and their families. It is quite courageous and I have a better understanding and respect for them.

We ate at a delicious Turkish restaurant where I had Turkish Comlek and Bulgur. It was basically lamb with vegetables and like a wheat type of rice. It was yummy! The coffee was very different though, they don't separate the grounds from the cup. It was rather strong and a bit bitter for me.

After the meeting with Mr. Mutlu we headed for RBB "Inforadio" or Rundfunk Berlin/Brandenburg. RBB radio/t.v. covers the city-state of Berlin and Brandenburg exclusively. RBB's parent company is ARD. That stands for "Arbeitsgemeinschaft der offentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland." In English that means "Association of Public Broadcasting Corporations in the Federal Republic of Germany." There are nine independent broadcasting corporations under state law. They provide radio and t.v. to the public, who pays a fee of (about) less than 20 Euros a month. The tenth and final member of ARD is the International Broadcasting service Deutsche Welle.

RBB's Inforadio runs 24-7. Reporters usually get about 2 minutes and 30 seconds for each piece they put together. The Radio Reporters in the group of fellows were blown away by that.

They couldn't believe the amount of time given, since they usually receive about 30-seconds for their entire story including the host "intro."

They "do it all" in the sense they cover news, weather and traffic every 20 minutes with features and interviews and other reports as well. The biggest difference to me is that public radio and t.v. stations here get all their money from the government so they don't do any on air fundraising. That is crazy to me!

Their newsroom was very similar to what we see in the states, but a bit different for me was the fact they also had a small television studio off to the side of the newsroom where the anchor was delivering the news for the t.v. broadcast side of RBB. She was actually standing in the control center, so everything was right there.

We then walked over to the television side of RBB to meet with Ms. Daniela Hartmann. She is the editor of RBB's "Abendschau." It's a well known local daily t.v. news show that lasts 30 minutes and covers the news of both Berlin and Brandenburg. Reporter presence here is not like what we see in the states. There aren't very many stand-ups (where you see the Reporter in the story bridging one part of the piece to the next). I was told Reporters do stand ups here when they cannot get an official to speak on camera, but the executives were also open to the idea of seeing more of a Reporter presence because I personally think it helps viewers identify more with the story when they can put a face with it. At least, that is what the viewers in Pennsylvania have always told me!

The anchor of the RBB show "Abendschau" is a beautiful older blonde woman, and I cannot remember her full name off the top of my head. I believe it's Caterin Bohme or something like that. I of course, tripped over a wooden box behind the set when I went to get my picture taken with her. It was funny, but I was embarrassed. We all snapped a few photos and were given the opportunity to watch the show in the control room.

I was rather impressed with how polished the anchor was. German language isn't easy to speak let alone pronounce and she "nailed" every word with beautiful tone and articulation. She was very professional. There were reporters in the show too, but it was very different from what we see in America. Here, the anchors usually toss to a Reporter who is "live in the field." He or she then introduces their story. It wasn't quite like that. The Reporter that was included in the show, was a financial "guru" who acted basically as a commentator to the news in the U.S. with the financial status of Lehman Brothers Bank and more.

Then there was also a reporter covering the Golden Hen Awards, which is basically like an awards show featuring German celebrities and the Olympic Swimmer Britta Steffen who just won double Gold in Beijing. It was pretty cool to watch on T.V. but we also got a glimpse of this "red carpet" event on the streets of East Berlin before the actual ceremony even started.

We also saw German's President on T.V. (who was at the show at the time). His name is Horst Kohler and the way I understand it, he's more of a speaker who doesn't have a lot of power but travels quite a bit. That was interesting to me as well; very different from the U.S.

As if our bellies weren't full enough with all the delicious Turkish treats, we then went out to dinner at the SONY Center in Potsdamer Platz. I had a wonderful Bavarian meal. It was heavy pasta gnocchi's with lots of different cheeses. I cannot begin to explain the amount of fresh bread I've eaten too so far, but I can't help it. It's so fresh and yummy!

The time at the restaurant lasted for several hours. We had a wonderful time together as a group and before we knew it, it was rather late. We took off and headed home on foot. We've been so busy so far and we all needed to get some "shut eye."

This is also the time where I lost my digital camera. Leave it to me to lose it! I missplaced it somewhere between the tour of RBB, the ride to the river and/or the restaurant at Potsdamer Platz.

We've put calls into the bus company, the restaurant and RBB. Please keep your fingers crossed it shows up somewhere. I've taken some great shots and I'd like to be able to post them. But in the meantime, I did bring a second digital camera given to me by my younger sister Elizabeth. It has since come in handy for the time being.

Day 2 in Berlin !

Tuesday - This morning we ate breakfast with Erik Kirschbaum. He's an American journalist who came to Germany for a semester abroad in college and loved it so much, decided to stay. Erik has lived here for about two decades I believe and he's currently working for the Reuters News Agency in the Berlin bureau as a business writer. He got married here and raised four children in Germany, but grew up in Connecticut and attended college in Wisconsin. He was extremely interesting and talked a lot about what it was like to live in Germany as an American. He told us he's not a German citizen though because he still likes to vote in U.S. elections.

Side bar; almost every German I've met speaks English (most better than we do) and they were taught as far back as the fifth grade! I wish Americans did that also, like making Spanish lessons in elementary school mandatory. Kids are so impressionable and I think learning a second language at a young age is that much easier than trying to learn it at 28! Sense my frustration.

Anyways, there are seven million foreigners living in Germany including the biggest population of outside people from Turkey. There are between two and three million 'Turks' living here and I have been told more than half of them are unemployed! I found that statistic astonishing. As I am learning though, it is not that expensive to live in the city and there are many more than you'd expect collecting unemployment and living in subsidized housing. I also learned about the tense relations between Germans and Turks (not necessarily from Erik, but others. I'll explain more later).

Erik Kirschbaum seemed very eco-friendly. He talked about the 'energy issue' here and switching off nuclear power. Germany I learned is a world leader in renewable energy! Half of the world's power is produced in Germany. There is a law the government in Germany set up to encourage people to install solar panels on their roofs. The republic then pays homeowners .50 cents a kilowatt. So essentially some, like Erik produce power and get paid for it! He installed panels on his house and paid about 30,000 Euros for it, but he says it'll soon be paid off and making him money. Erik also talked about the German party and the election system, but I have already talked about that.

What I will tell you is the Yellow party is the FDP. They were once the kingmakers and are currently the lawyers, dentists and doctors. They are very liberal on social issues and getting the government out of peoples' lives. Big corporations love the FDP because they have immigrant workers and need the labor force. Members of the FDP hold many seats in the Bundestag.

After we wrapped up at the hotel it was on to visit the Evangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster. The students at the high school were really quite amazing. I was impressed with their knowledge of world issues and the growing curiosity Germans have with the American presidential election. Most of the youngster (again) I spoke with would like to see Senator Barack Obama lead America and to help strengthen U.S. relations throughout Europe.

At this school only 80 students get in out of 300 applications. Academically, it's considered one of the best and brightest in all of Berlin. It's basically equivalent to a magnet school in the United States, but it gets money from the state and is affiliated with the church. It was one of my favorite sessions so far. The students were able to ask questions and we in turn, did the same. They did talk a lot about their opinions and comments on America but they also wanted to know how we covered news in the U.S. They told us they get most of their news in a 15 minute increment on a very popular news show called "Tagessschau." Most of them seemed to watch with their families as well.

For dinner, a handful of us in the group went to fellow Blake Warenick's favorite lebanese restaurant in Berlin called "Babel." It was delicious! I've never had lebanese before and I ate my first falafel. Delicious! After that we went to a Hookah bar and I experienced my first taste of smokeless tobacco. It was quite different, leaving a light airy taste in your mouth. Not something I'm terribly fond of, but pleased for this experience. Then we went to another little bar for a nightcap and before we knew it, it was already nearly 2 a.m. We hopped on the S-bahn and went home.

By the way, I forgot to mention we lost a fellow; Dan Tritle in Hackessher Market. We were in a group and all of a sudden we took off completing forgetting Dan somewhere along the way. Turns out he met up with some interesting folks from all over the world and went on a pub crawl! Hilarious. Berlin is great. If only I could find some work here, I'd like to stay for a while.

jill konopka

Day 1- Orientation

AMAZING - That is how I can best describe this trip so far! Monday was as exciting as ever. The group of 11 fellows met for the first time as a whole in a conference room of the Relexa Hotel. Our RIAS Hosts Rainer Hasters and Sandra Fettke immediately informed the group we have the 1,000th participant among us (so it is a pretty big deal).

We watched a brief 10 minute video on what the RIAS is all about. It stands for Radio in the American Sector. It was the 'Free Voice Of The Free World' and it was funded by the U.S. Information Agency. RIAS (Berlin Kommission) was functioned as a binational government organization; made possible with the interest of $10,000,000.00 Euros from Germany and $10,000,000.00 Euros from America. The Director of RIAS was an American.

We then finished up at the hotel and took the S-Bahn (public transportation system; somewhat similar to the way the NYC subway system functions) to the Dressler Restaurant in another part of Berlin. There are basically a bunch of different pockets of the city; each with its own center. I am staying near Potsdamer Platz or Potsdamer Square as we Americans would say!

It was there we met with Mr. Karsten D. Voigt. He was a very interesting individual who is the Coordinator of German-American Cooperation at the Federal Foreign Office. In a nutshell, he helps explain to his people why America makes some of the decisions it does. He talked about a whole plethora of issues, but what I found most interesting was the people of his country and their clear bias toward Senator Barack Obama for President of America. He described how they view him as a cross between JFK and Martin Luther King. Did you know there is a museum dedicated to the Kennedy Family here? Kennedy made a very popular visit here in the 60s I believe WBRE Photographer Cholly Hayes covered during his tenure in the military as a young man! The Germans apparently are looking for more security and cooperation throughout Europe and Germany with this new administration in America.

We had the opportunity to interview Karsten before we hopped on a coach bus for a guided tour of Berlin. What a fantastic time that was!

After the lunch meeting with Karsten Voigt we took a guided coach bus tour of the city. We got to see all the important landmarks like the Bundestag, The Chancellory (Angela Merkel is the first female Chancellor and the first from the Former East Germany), the Train Station, the Spree River, the Gedachtniskirche (in the former heart of West Berlin).

This old church monument is crumbling and funds for needed renovations are few and far between. Berlin is about 60 billion Euros in debt, but driving through the city you wouldn't have a clue. It is so new and clean and up and coming. I absolutely love it here and feel I fit right it (aside from the language barrier of course).

The day doesn't even end after the bus tour. Then at 6:30 that night we took a guided tour of the Bundestag. This is the German Parliament; basically equivalent to Congress in America. The tour guide was hysterical talking about all the people in the assembly hall who come to watch sesssion and basically fall asleep!

The Bundestag was created in 1949 - when Germany created the constitution. The Bundestag is the 'lower house' or the 'second house.' Together with the Bundesrat, the Bundestag forms the legislative branch of Germany's political system. Members of the Bundestag focus on assessing and amending the government's legislative program. They are well attended mostly when a major piece of legislation is up for debate. Members of the Bundestag are the only federal officials the public puts in office. They in turn elect the Chancellor and oversee the executive branch. The seats in the Bundestag are all purple in color because it is considered a neutral color. They also hold a lot of 'question hours.' According to statistics there have been more than 20,000 questions posed during the 1987-1990 term.

There are five different political parties in Germany including the biggest CDU; or the Christian Democratic Union. Chancellor Angela Merkel is part of the CDU. The other parties include the SPD (Social Party of Democrats), the FDP in the middle, the Greens and the Linke which some call 'The Communists.'

One of the biggest differences when comparing the United States Congress is that the members don't spend as much time serving they're constituents. Only half of the Bundestag deputies are elected to represent a certain geographic district, the other 50% are elected as party representatives. One thing I noticed here is how informed Germans are when it comes to American politics. I (and many others I believe know little to no information about German politics).

At the end of the tour we were taken to the roof of the Bundestag where we were given the opportunity to walk up the dome of the Bundestag and take photos. The view of the city was breathtaking and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What a long day, but it was worth it. I love Berlin!

Here are a few words that will come in handy throughout this trip:

1. guttentag or tschius - goodbye
2. danke - thanks
3. felin dunk - many thanks

jill konopka

Finally Made It To Europe!

Greetings from Berlin! I finally made it to Germany. I admit I am exhausted. I have never taken an international flight before and it really runs you ragged. My flight out of Avoca, PA to Philadelphia was successful. I was not charged for additional weight with my luggage, which made me quite happy.

I had a three hour lay over in Philly and made plenty of last minute phone calls before mailing my cell phone back to my neighbor (who will watch over it for me, during my trip) and a quick stop to the UPS store.

We left Philadelphia around 4:30 Saturday afternoon. I sat next to a really neat Vietnamese graduate student named Ty who is working on his Doctorate at Cornell University! Small world - I am from Upstate N.Y. so we had plenty to talk about. He is 28 years old, so am I. Ty has three sisters and so do I.

The flight to Germany was about 7.5 hours long before we landed at the Frankfurt Airport. That is definitely the biggest airport I have ever been to in my life. I was a bit overwhelmed by its size. From Frankfurt, I took a connecting flight to Berlin which lasted about 45 minutes. Luckily, I did sleep for most of all the plane rides.

After I got off the plane, I found two other fellows in my group a few gates away from mine. We had plans to ride back to the hotel together since we were the only three arriving at the airport at that time. Chas Henry previously worked for WJLA and News Channel 8 in Washington, D.C. and Kate Ryan works for WTOP Radio in D.C. as well.

I found it quite interesting that almost all of the taxis here are beige colored mercedes. That was amazing to me. So far, Berlin is quite a neat city. We are staying in the former East Berlin at the Relexa Hotel. I am told I am in Berlin Mitte: which is technically the middle of Berlin.

My room is perfect, it has a nice European flare to it. It overlooks a courtyard with beautiful murals on the outside walls. After I quickly unpacked, I met up with Chas and Kate for breakfast at the hotel. I noticed a heavy emphasis on meats and cheese at the buffet line! It was all quite tasty.

At breakfast, we also met one of our hosts on this trip. Rainer reimbursed us for the taxi fare and started us out with 50 Euros for the evening. After that, another fellow showed up. Sarah Herndon is a freelance producer for ABC News in Washington D.C. The five of us chatted about the trip, museums we should check out and more. We were then given the rest of the day to unpack, rest, relax and enjoy the city.

I forgot to mention that on the ride to the hotel we passed by Potsdamer Platz (a landmark in the city) and a huge Price Waterhouse Coopers building. I did notice a subway and a starbucks as well, but also plenty of neat looking German pubs, restaurants, shops and Internet Cafes. I cannot wait to check them all out. Sarah Herndon also told me you can see part of the Berlin wall as well. I need to see that!

After I took a nap, I went on a short run around the city and it is quite chilly here! I was not expecting that. Glad I packed heavier clothing and a coat. Now I have to figure out how to use my electric converter for my flat and curling irons.

Tonight I have plans to go to dinner with Chas and Kate. That is all for now. Once I start taking photos and figure out how to post them on this blog I will.

Jill Konopka

Last Sunday Morning Show at WBRE-TV 9/7/08

The best way to get a hold of me on this trip is by e-mail at jillkonopka@hotmail.com I am not bringing my personal cell phone with me (minutes overseas are expensive) !!! So please, stay in touch and I'll do my best to do the same.

Here's also the link to the list of fellows joining me on this trip:

http://www.rtnda.org/pages/posts/rtndf-selects-12-journalists-for-expenses-paid-fellowship-to-germany249.php

My favorite Audio Man (Seth Opeil) and Me - Sept. 08

Auf Wiedersehen

Well - Today is my last day in the United States before heading out to Germany. Once my initial fellowship is completed, I'll be staying in Europe for an additional two weeks. I received an extension through the RIAS Berlin Commission to intern at either Reuters and/or BBC. My studies there will begin on Monday September 29th and be completed Thursday October 9, 2008 before I head back home on the 10th.

Last night was bittersweet for me. My friends at WBRE-TV threw me a "goodbye party" at the Arena Bar and Grill in Wilkes-Barre, PA! It's tradition to have send-off parties for WBRE/WYOU employees from that specific spot. I was overcome with emotion to see so many of my friends and work colleagues one last time before taking off (even a few folks (formerly) from Newswatch 16 came as well). Thanks Bianca and Ben!

WYOU's Main Anchor Lyndall Stout ordered a delicious cake from Wegman's with "Auf Wiedersehen Jill!" It was perfect. I received plenty of well wishes and it sure seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves.

Here's a link you can check out as well.

Dave Yonki; Editor of the Lulac Political Letter did a nice feature on my exciting news. I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did !!!

http://lulacpoliticaletter.blogspot.com/

Here's the Itinerary for the day :

My "Mother Away From Home" Martha (my neighbor) will drive me to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport at 11 am this morning.

My flight leaves Avoca at 12:45 p.m., before arriving in Philadelphia just after 1:30 p.m.

I leave Philly around 4:15 this afternoon and will arrive in Frankfurt tomorrow morning at 6:10 a.m. before boarding a connecting flight to Berlin. Don't worry my passport is in place.

As of 8:35 am, Sunday the 14th I'll be in Germany!