Well, I am leaving Berlin in a week from tomorrow. It's hard to believe how quickly my time here has gone by. At the same time, I feel like I've been here for the whole eleven months; it seems like last summer was ages ago. I could go on and on about this city, but I'll keep it short and sweet. There's something about the atmosphere here that makes Berlin unlike any other city in the world. For most of the people I know, no European city can come close to the feeling that being in Berlin gives them. It's hard to articulate why. But it certainly has something to do with the history & the demographics.

Barack Obama is going to be here on Thursday! After a lengthy debate, he is speaking in front of the Siegesäule (victory column) instead of the Branderburger Tor. I'm prepared to wait hours to see him. The Germans for some reason absolutely love him, so the whole event is a really big, exciting deal.

Meanwhile, the gorgeousness of May and most of June has come to a complete stop. Now it's the typical northern European summer: gray, rainy, and chilly. Gross. Can't wait to have some 90 degree weather at the beach.