Today was the first day we really had free. There was nothing “officially” scheduled until the evening. So, naturally, I decided that I didn’t need sleep and went on about a 2.5 mile run with our T.A. Andrew and a student Tyler. It was actually quite refreshing to run up the hills and through Volkspark Friedrichshain. We passed by a giant gathering of parents on bikes bringing their kids to work, what felt like 100 dogs and their owners (but let’s get serious, the dogs were the important part) and more small birds than I could count. Also, as we ran, we began kicking up the pollen that covered the ground, making it feel like we were running through bits of snow as we ran to the highest point in the park. After getting turned around and running to the wrong side of the park, we made it back to the hotel just as other members of the group were beginning to wake up. Overall, it was a great idea (but we, unfortunately, have not run as a group since, due to laziness and sickness). 
After a good shower and a ton of food, I ventured with Kiersten to the Barn Coffee Roastery to meet with her subject who, by the way, is the epitome of hipster. This man, who is only about 24-years-old, has a man bun and a beard, gauges in both ears (two different ones, I might add) and tattoos up and down his arms and legs. He is more into coffee than I ever thought one person could be. We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon talking about coffee and his transition from Starbucks to the Barn as Kiersten snapped pictures of him walking around the building. But, as weird as he might have looked and acted, he did give both Kiersten and I free coffee, so he’s alright in my books.
Most of the rest of the day was spent editing photos and writing blog posts, so relatively uneventful. It wasn’t until the night that the most perplexing event of the trip occurred.
On day 5 we went to see The One in Friedrichstadt Palast. I honestly cannot tell you what this show is about. Beforehand, our professor said that if any of us could figure out the meaning of the show, to let him know because he had no idea. If you watch the trailer, trust me, you won’t know either. But, it was very entertaining. The best I can describe it is a burlesque, musical, German, Cirque de Soleil. There was a live pit orchestra (which I didn’t find out till Act 2), a lot of intricate costumes and art and amazing choreography. Along with all of this, a light caught on fire at the beginning of Act 2, causing the performance to be stopped for a few minutes while the fire was put out and the people sitting below the light who were hit with embers were moved to different locations. Part of me wants to believe that there’s some amazing story of this man going through a questioning phase of his gender identity and sexuality, finding love and losing it, going through depression and all of that jazz. Another part of me thinks the entire show is one huge acid trip that this guy goes through. I really cannot tell what it is. *
*Please excuse the picture quality, I took all of these on my phone (which doesn’t have the best camera) because there was no point in bringing my camera to a show where I wasn’t allowed to take pictures of the performance.
A Finkel in Time: Berlin Edition 