You see? I'm smarter than John F Kennedy!
Since I've gotten back from Berlin, I've hardly been able to sleep. I'm really reenergized by my trip, but I'm also going into that post-Berlin funk. Both of those keep me awake. I can say that leaving this time wasn't nearly a heart-wrenching as last time. The first time I had to leave Berlin, I didn't know if I was coming back or not. This time I know I'll be back, it's only a matter of time. Also, three weeks is much better than two weeks. Two weeks simply isn't enough to take it all in. Three weeks isn't either, but you get to drink in enough so that leaving isn't quite as traumatic.
Coming back to the states is hard for many reasons. I could easily live in Berlin, no problem. There's something a little more fresher and positive about Berlin, which isn't hard to manage compared to the US. Every time I got back to my place in Berlin, the first thing I'd do was turn on CNN, to find out which bank had collapsed, or which corporation was announcing massive layoffs, or what part of California was on fire. Germany's economy isn't great either right now, but at least their roads aren't falling apart, and their bridges aren't in danger of falling down. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to go back at all, considering what's happening to the economy. And sometimes I wonder if I'll be back in Germany sooner than I think, because I might be forced to leave the country. (Destroyed economy, neocon coupe, etc, etc...)
Another reason it was so hard to leave was because of the people. I made so many new friends, and some of them have already asked me when I'm coming back. It's something that also reminds me that I wish I had done something like this when I was younger. If only I could have been another giddy 20-something instead of the weird old guy sitting in a room full of chattering youngin's.
Though not once did any of my classmates ever treat me like a 'weird old guy'. They treated me like one of the gang and a friend, and even clambered over to the pub to send me off!I might try to find work out there. There certainly isn't that much work around here! It would be hard to leave the Bay Area for a variety of reasons, but good ol' Deutschland is always calling. I'm convinced if I could spend 6 months in Berlin, I would not only become fluent in German, but i'd also be engaged to my next wife! (Want to stay single forever? Move to the SF Bay Area. No, seriously!)
In any case, still can't sleep, still trying to stay in touch with peoples back in Berlin, and trying to keep up with my German. Ich will Deutsch lernen!
My street in Berlin this time around, where I walked along every day to get to school and the U-Bahn.
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