Welcome to Görliwood!

Day 1 in Görliz:

From the hustle and bustle of Berlin, to the baroque-style streets of Görlitz, the students and Program Leaders spent their Saturday and Sunday in the small town nestled alongside the German/Polish border. After a three-hour bus ride, the day started with a quick break for lunch and a walking tour of the city. The group was split between three different tour guides (one in German and two in English) who described the historical background of the city and its relevance in today's society. The architecture and overall tone of the small town was a stark contrast to our day-to-day life in Berlin. One student even described it as "being in a Disney movie", which fits the overall vibe of the town - given that it is the filming location for many Hollywood movies, such as Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel - hence its nickname, Görliwood.

Following the walking tour, we checked into our youth hostel or Jugendherberge and headed off in different directions for dinner. Dinner in smaller groups was wonderful and allowed the students to strengthen their bonds with their fellow classmates and program leaders. They were also encouraged to try different foods available in this region, such as the "Head Cheese" order by Hauk or the "Kvas" drink enjoyed by many at the restaurant across the river in Poland. After dinner, the kids were able to enjoy some freetime by strolling through the streets of Poland, shopping at the quaint stores sprinkled throughout the town, or heading back to the hostel a bit earlier to play ping pong with their friends in the courtyard. At 9:30pm, it was lights out for us, as we had another exciting and full day on Sunday.

Day 2 in Görliz:

The sun was shining and the birds were chirping as we all slowly rolled out of bed and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at our hostel before splitting up once again to enjoy several different cultural museums in the town. One group went to the Barockhaus, an older residential-style building filled with hundreds of original furniture pieces (in great condition!) from the 15th and 16th centuries. The Barockhaus also housed a scientific library of over 130,000 books, including a hand-written book from the 12th century. The other two groups went to the Schlesisches Museum and the Kaisertrutz to learn more about the history of the region and its military background.

As the morning winded down, the students were given more freetime to enjoy any activities they were interested in - whether that be shopping, more museums, or an organ concert at one of the local churches! As 3:00pm rolled around, we were all tired and ready to sleep on the bus back to Berlin! It was a wonderful experience and one that this group will never forget!