Time to Eat!

The jet lag has been defeated! Mostly.

Since Tuesday, our 20 entrepreneur students have successfully settled into their temporary home at CIEE's G-27. As I walk throughout the halls, I hear students remark about their new favorite lunch spots and go-to orders. In the second-floor kitchen, ingredients from the local grocery store are being tossed onto the stove to be transformed into an incredible dinner. Food seems to be on the mind both in the students' daily lives as well as on our excursions beyond the classroom.

On Wednesday, we were humbled by the story behind the Syrian restaurant "Kreuzberger Himmel." (Himmel means Heaven.) We sat down for what we thought would be a nice meal and a general presentation about how to run a restaurant. What we were met with was far more moving. We learned about how a small business can reflect the best in people. This was not just a normal restaurant. This was a location in which Syrian refugees were able to gain not only access to a job but also to an owner whose goal was to ensure that her employees were safe from deportation, safe from discrimination,  and safe from severe uncertainty. This business is run by and managed by solely Syrian refugees. The owner plans on opening a hotel in the near future with a similar business model.

Thursday was jam-packed. After a fruitful business class in the morning, the students were allowed to choose one museum to go to from a detailed selection of ten. Some students choose to gaze at masterfully painted art pieces at the Bode Museum and the Germäldegalerie. Others choose to walk down the path of the past at the DDR Museum or the Pergamon on Museum Island.

Once they had completed their museum tours, they journeyed to Markethalle Neun to take in the amazing scents of street food from all over the world. They dined on pastries, pulled pork sandwiches, fresh sushi, and gelato. They marveled at how much diversity in food could be packed into one building. With bellies full, our students made their way back to CIEE's gorgeous campus for some rest and relaxation.

As I write this, students are packing up for a weekend excursion to Hamburg. We will be leaving Friday afternoon to observe the infinite bridges, historical architecture, and blue canals. The students will take a tour of a museum as well as the beautiful harbor.