Sunday, February 17, 2008

Rachel Is In Berlin

     I was sitting at the computer this morning drinking my coffee and reading on Yahoo about Kosovo declaring their independence as a nation.  I heard my phone announce that I had a text message. I knew it had to be Rachel wanting me to call her. Sure enough, it was. She had just arrived in Berlin Saturday to start her ESL school Monday and so she has been out exploring the city. She has been there before but this is the first time she has lived there.
     I called her German number and the first time I received an automated message (in German, so I am guessing from the tone of the message that all circuits were busy). I called again and she answered all excited, "Mom, I was walking around Berlin before going to a movie and ran into this huge crowd of people celebrating the independence of Kosovo!" She said it was wild and crazy. There was music and dancing and flag waving. People were screaming. They were mainly people from Kosovo but Rachel said she got caught up and started dancing and celebrating with the crowd.
     She left eventually and went to an ice cream parlor above the crowd and called me. While we were talking they started shooting off fireworks. I wish I could have been there with her. Her second day in Berlin and she ran smack into a part of history. A new nation celebrating it's independence!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That'd be absolutely awesome to be there. Imagine how angry we'd be if someone took away our rights like that. Their emotions were probably the exact opposite times ten. True freedom and true happiness. We take things for granted like that and don't expect things like that to be gone in an instant. It's almost like the word guarantee shouldn't even exist because nothing is ever for sure.

Wendy said...

How cool!!!

I was in Germany when the Wall came down, so I know exactly how that feels. It's incredible.