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This week was the beginning of my schooling at Maastricht University (well, sort of). It was more of an orientation for PBL (Problem Based Learning) and understanding Dutch culture. The start of my orientation was on Tuesday this past week, where I learned more about Problem Based Learning. Problem Based Learning centers more around student groups and less around professors teaching the subject matter. The professor gives us a subject to read about and it is up to the groups of students to study the subject, write down the main components of the subject, and do additional research that the subject may require. This is all new to me as I now have to rely more on my group mates rather than the professor for help on the subject. Later that same day, I went to a class that was about Dutch culture. There, I learned about the things that are most important to Ducth people, which included a variety of foods and alcohol (yes, alcohol is very important to the Dutch). I was also able to ask about what kinds of food I could try while in Maastricht, and I was given a list of restaurants to try while I am residing in Maastricht.

Wednesday orientation was about touring the UCM school at Maastricht. I got into this school via application because one of the classes I am taking this quarter is in this school so I was happy to get into it. There, I learned more ab0ut PBL and how it is applied at this school. After that session, we got a tour of the building and I was able to see where all of my classes were. Later in the day, I had my second PBL session and this time, we went through a practice PBL session where the students discussed an issue and proposed solutions to the issue based off of the information the text gave us. It was very helpful because I find that listening to other students helps me craft ideas of my own and this allows me to participate to the fullest extent.

My orientation was only two days this week so I spent the rest of the week doing my own thing. This involved going to the gym and going to my favorite bagel place, Bagels and Beans. The people that work there are starting to know me since I am a regular at that place. I enjoy the vibe at that place and the food is delicious so it is a place where I frequent. In addition, I also got my textbooks for my classes so I started reading. Right now, I am reading about the history of the EU and the departments within the EU and the history of international relations and realism. This is very interesting stuff and they serve as the basis for my classes. I am excited to learn more about the EU and international relations this semester as I hope to broaden my view and perspective on international relations and European politics.

The biggest takeaways from this week were learning about new things and adapting to a new style of learning. I have been used to learning more from my professors than my peers. Here, it is the complete opposite and I have to adjust to that. Luckily, I have a lot of friends already here in Maastricht and they have been helpful in PBL sessions so far. So I would say that I am off to a great start with PBL here in Maastricht.

Part of my orientation at Maastricht University is the faculty taking us on a trip to Berlin, Germany to explore German history and culture. A four day trip, we were meant to explore the historical impact of Berlin and its history dating back to World War 1 and 2 and the Cold War.

On Tuesday, all 100 plus of us boarded three buses to Berlin. The drive ended being around 9 to 10 hours long and we got there in the night. Some kids chose to go out, but I decided to explore the city around the hotel. I walked past a TV tower that you could go to the top of (more on that later) and found a restaurant that served falafel sandwiches. Being a vegetarian, you know I had to give it a try, and it was delicious. I did not really do much the rest of the night in preparation for the next day.

Day 2 was all about exploring the city. We were given a three hour walking tour of the city of Berlin and saw what it had to offer. We walked past memorials, the remains of the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Chapel, Lund University, and the famous “Museum Island.” After the walking tour, I took the time to further explore the Berlin Chapel and the TV tower. I started with the Berlin Chapel and was able to experience the beautiful; architecture of the building from the murals to the interior design. In addition, I was able to climb up inside the dome and experience an amazing view of the city of Berlin from atop the Chapel. Later that night, I went to the top of the Berlin TV tower. Speaking of that, I feel like every big city around the world has at least one TV tower of some sort that you can go to the top of. Anyway, I went to the top of the tower at night so I could see the city of Berlin at night. The views were spectacular; experiencing a city at night from above is an extreme beauty for me.

Day 3 we were split up into groups based on our specializations at Maastricht and given our own itineraries that fit our majors. For people studying international relations, we were given a tour of a political prison that held Socialists during the Cold War. There, we were taught what the day in a life was for a political prison and the various ways. For me, it was very impactful because I feel like this side of history during the Cold War is not presented in history classes in the US (through my experiences). Germany does a nice job of acknowledging their history good and bad and I feel like that is important for explaining what happened from their point of view. After the tour, I continued to walk the city exploring and at night, I went to this bar where I struck up a conversation with the bartender for about an hour. She was a very interesting person and it was nice to talk to someone since I was alone that night at the bar.

Day 4 was an emotional day. We visited a former concentration camp and it was a really sad sight. The overall atmosphere was eery and I kept having flash images of prisoners in the barracks and in the execution chambers. Visiting the concentration camp allowed us students to get a glimpse into the brutal history of Nazi Germany. It is important to understand all of history good and bad to know what went on and why it is important in today’s world. I cannot talk much more about the camp since everything was so sad and horrifying based on the information I read about what went on in the camp. Later in the evening, we all had a group dinner at an authentic German restaurant with liters of beer and everything. The late night part of this day was so much fun. We went to a bar called the Ice Bar and enjoyed ourselves in freezing cold temperatures and being surrounded by ice sculptures. After that, we went to a club that was underneath a highway and danced the night away to bass boosted electronic music.

Overall, this trip presented me with valuable insight into the Cold War in Germany (specifically West and East Berlin) and the fact history should be presented how it is, good and bad.