First time out of the country..

During winter this year I am leaving the country for the first time and traveling to Germany, a country very different from mine with a very rich history.  This experience for me will be life changing.  My travel usually consists of a week-long vacation in Wisconsin every summer.  In my entire life, the furthest place from Illinois that I have traveled was to Florida when I was 7.  Traveling to Florida, being on an airplane for the first time, and staying in a state that is different from my own was an amazing experience.  I can't even image how exciting it will be to travel to Germany and experience a whole different culture with different history, traditions, customs, and a different language.  I am half German and ever since I was little, I have heard all about my families trips to Germany.  My mom has visited Germany once, my grandma had been there several times, and all of my aunts and uncles have traveled there at least once.  In addition to traveling to Germany, most of my family has some knowledge of the German language.  This left me feeling out of the loop, I have never traveled to Germany and I did not know the language.  Because of this, I decided to take German language courses starting in junior high and throughout high school.  I was intrigued by the history of Germany, especially the creation of the Berlin Wall and the reign of Hitler during World War II.  These are two events in German history that I have learned a lot about, but can’t seem to totally wrap my mind around.  I think traveling to Germany and seeing where these events look place will really allow me to understand what it would have been like living in Germany during these times.  Besides the rich history of Germany, I am excited to see the magnificent architecture of several churches and cathedrals that have been around for hundreds of years.  Coming from the suburbs of Chicago, I am used to seeing newer buildings, skyscrapers, and modern architecture that is completely different from that of Germany.  For example, someone traveling to Chicago from Germany will probably see the Sears Tower.  When I travel to Berlin from Chicago, I expect to see the Brandenburg Gate.  Comparing these two well known monuments, you can see the huge difference in architectural style between Berlin and Chicago.  This is just a minor difference between Germany and the United States that I hope to experience in addition to the German culture, traditions, and history.