I just returned last week from my study abroad program in Leipzig and Berlin and, let me tell you, part ofme is still in Germany. These two pictures basically summarize my experiences in Germany.

The first picture is from the Multicultural Parade in Berlin, near Sonnenallee and Karl Marx Strasse, during my first weekend in Germany. The bear is the symbol for Berlin and the concept of the bear waving the German flag represents Germany being able to be proud of their national identity without the Nazi guilt they experienced for decades following World War II. Germany celebrates diversity and has welcomed more than two million refugees in the last five years.

The second picture is from Karl Heine Strasse in Leipzig near the flea market. There was a parade going on that celebrated the local workforce, especially skilled trades such as welding. Both of these pictures capture the fun-loving spirit of Germany that I am missing now that I am back in Columbia, Missouri.