To be sure, Saturday was one of the BEST days in Berlin. My host parents think I'm the most spontaneous person now, but my mother always tells me to have plans A-Z ready just in case something does not go the way I planned it.....
The whole week before I had been planning on going to Leipzig with the Freizeitprogramm held the Deutsch in Deutschland Institute. I was sick the first time the group went and now the weather was MUCH nicer; I decided this would be the perfect opportunity. The meeting was SUPER early in the main train station in Berlin. I had to get up at 5:50am to be at the train station at 7:30. I arrived shortly after 7 and went to the meeting place at McDonald's and got a McGriddle...MMMM tasty! At 7:20 I went outside the door to wait for everyone, yet no one showed. I wandered around and bit and came back punctually at 7:30. No one was there. I decided to sit in the window of the McDonald's and wait to see if I could see anyone coming. Putting in ear-buds and keeping an eye out for our leader, I sat waiting. Two minutes later, two guys, obviously exhausted from a big night before, struck up a conversation with me auf Deutsch. We talked about music and what we were studying and before I knew it, it was past 8 and I kept talking to these guys. With the group either gone or not coming, I quickly made friends with two of Werder Bremen football team's biggest fans and nicest German men! Rudi and Tobi.
They said they were headed to the football game this afternoon and asked me about it. I quickly remembered that the American group had purchased tickets and I ACTUALLY HAD A TICKET TO GO TO THE GAME! What luck! So for the next 7 hours, I spent the most delightful time using my German with actual Germans outside of school and getting into all kinds of shenanigans.
The whole week before I had been planning on going to Leipzig with the Freizeitprogramm held the Deutsch in Deutschland Institute. I was sick the first time the group went and now the weather was MUCH nicer; I decided this would be the perfect opportunity. The meeting was SUPER early in the main train station in Berlin. I had to get up at 5:50am to be at the train station at 7:30. I arrived shortly after 7 and went to the meeting place at McDonald's and got a McGriddle...MMMM tasty! At 7:20 I went outside the door to wait for everyone, yet no one showed. I wandered around and bit and came back punctually at 7:30. No one was there. I decided to sit in the window of the McDonald's and wait to see if I could see anyone coming. Putting in ear-buds and keeping an eye out for our leader, I sat waiting. Two minutes later, two guys, obviously exhausted from a big night before, struck up a conversation with me auf Deutsch. We talked about music and what we were studying and before I knew it, it was past 8 and I kept talking to these guys. With the group either gone or not coming, I quickly made friends with two of Werder Bremen football team's biggest fans and nicest German men! Rudi and Tobi.
They said they were headed to the football game this afternoon and asked me about it. I quickly remembered that the American group had purchased tickets and I ACTUALLY HAD A TICKET TO GO TO THE GAME! What luck! So for the next 7 hours, I spent the most delightful time using my German with actual Germans outside of school and getting into all kinds of shenanigans.
^ Above is a picture of Rudi and myself outside the train station a few hours before the game.
In totally I hung out with 5 Germans from Hanover who were pretty die hard Werder Bremen fans. Obviously Green is the color of Bremen and rooting for Werder is like rooting for the underdogs. They are a pretty decent team with great players.
In the pic above from left to right is top left: Niels, Rudi, bottom left: René and Tobi. This picture was taken around 9am and they were enjoying their beers.
In the pic above from left to right is top left: Niels, Rudi, bottom left: René and Tobi. This picture was taken around 9am and they were enjoying their beers.
Above is Erhardt. He loaded me a cool Indiana Jones type hat with a Bremen pin on the front. I totally felt like Indiana Jones too with this new adventure I was having. Erhardt was about the loudest fan, shouting Claudio Pizzaro's name in the street REALLY early in the morning and talking to just about everyone he met on the train or in the train station. For example:
He reminded like a fußball crazed version of my Gramps, talking to everyone.
The game was held at the Olympic Stadium where the 1936 Summer Olympics were held and the 2006 World Cup was held. The place can hold 85,000 and that day for the Berlin game, 57,422 people. I unfortunately had to say goodbye to my new friends as I found my seat among the Berlin Hertha BSC crowd.
After spending a day with Bremen fans, I felt like a traitor for sitting on the Berlin side, but it was definitely a sight to see with the flags (bet my dad wish he had this flag business)... and cheering....
And the Americans from my group...cheering for Bremen ;)
Bremen unfortunately lost to Berlin 0-1, but it was worth it. Leaving the stadium and getting home was for sure another adventure. Getting into a train, was like only 5 lifeboats were left on the Titanic and everyone was rushing the boats....
This was just one track of the train lines.
Unfortunately at the end of the game, I couldn't purchase a Bremen scarf as a tribute to my new friends, so I was a bit disappointed, but this past Tuesday I got a surprise in the mail!
Unfortunately at the end of the game, I couldn't purchase a Bremen scarf as a tribute to my new friends, so I was a bit disappointed, but this past Tuesday I got a surprise in the mail!
Tobi was a SUPER friend and sent me a scarf, poster, decals, player stats and a songbook to learn ALL the Bremen chants! TOTALLY made me squeal with delight when I opened my package!. I think, even though I've never been a sport-fan before...I think I'm now a Bremen fan for LIFE! A total blissful day in Berlin spent!