Week 52: Reverse culture shock - Readjusting to the good ole USA

I can't believe I am back in Miami. One year has flashed before my eyes! The best year of my life so far (at least, that's pretty damn safe to say). Readjusting to not having my fellow PPPlers around will be really difficult considering I miss them all already. If there is one thing Germany taught me, it's to go with the flow. Be like water. Punkt.

Week 51: the final days in Germany

This wonderfully fantastic year has flashed before my eyes (as cliche as it sounds, its true). I had my final days in Germany as a PPPler. I made awesome friends and experienced more spectacular things than I could have hoped for. I had the best year of my life thus far! This week I got to discover NYC as my American homecoming, check it out :)

Week 50: German road trip baby!!!

Nothing like a road trip zooming down the Autobahn to round up an amazing year in Germany. That's exactly what Alex and I did! Visited Steven in Munich, zoomed over to Konstanz and Radolfzell to reminisce on my language school days, and ended up in Bavaria for the last leg of the tour for some delicious German spuds!

Week 49: packing, driving, and re-emergence into the Slacklife

Fourth of July spent in Germany!  SOunds kind of funny, but it was all American (well, with the exception of Alex, but he's also an exception haha). Alyssa's family was in Berlin and we had an awesome grill out! The next day Alex and I headed to Munich for the Slackline World Cup. Check it out!!!

Week 48: Underberg and beer...ouchies!

Since I'm no longer interning I am enjoying the finer things in life: watching movies, sleeping in, beer (okay, I've been enjoying that all year, but you get me)!  Its been pretty nice. See for yourself :)

Week 47: Oooh hello Mr.President

I have been presented with so many cool opportunities thanks to CBYX. Kinda like, I got to see President Obamers speak in front of the Brandenburger Tor! Also did an interview post speech for RTL...in German, I might add. Some other crazy things went down this week (as usual) so check 'em out!

Week 46: from lovely visitors to the German Caribbean

As the weeks wind down, the party is winding up! Not only did some Miami friends keep me busy, but then I buckled up my seatbelt and took a ride on the Autobahn at about 150mph. Check it out!

Week 45: CBYX Final Seminar...boom goes the Bier Bike

I can't believe the year has already come and gone. The end of the year seminar was a reality check that this program will be ending faster than we can imagine. Got to spend one last week with all the PPPlers, got interviewed by the German government, and even had some more Miami visitors. It was Samazing :)

Week 44: The Real World Istanbul

7 people in 1 small apartment for 5 days. Pretty much chaos. Definitely the Real World, real life edition. It was so great to travel to Turkey and visit one of its beloved cities: Istanbul. The culture was so different from anything I have experienced. We even made a friend, Ishmael, who taught us a lot about the Turkish culture and muslim religion. Sweet! Plus, everyone, I mean everyoneeeee, was friendly. Loved it!

Week 43: Miami comes to Berlin!

Had plenty of visitors come from the hometown of MIA this week! Bianca, Sabrina, Stef, and Annie to be exact. It felt awesome to have a piece of home over here in B-Town. Ate German food, drank German beers, and i learned them some German language. Check out what we got into!

Week 42: Karneval shook down the week!

Nothing like Berlin in the spring to really get you excited for the heat stroke of the summer (hopefully)! Karneval der Kulturen was theis week and I danced my ass off. In the streets. In a parade. Hell yeah! Plus, my travel soulmate has joined me once again to add more umpfff to the saga. Don't miss a beat!

Week 41: Flying to an Island off the coast of Africa...yesss.

The Sun. The Beach. The Food. The People. Teneriffe was absolutely amazing! For those wondering, Teneriffe is one of a chain of islands off the coast of Africa. That's right, Africa! the Islands belong to Spain though, soooooo the culture shock wasn't, well, shocking. I had an amazing time and teneriffe is likely the most beautiful place I have been. Then again, I may have just been missing the beach. Loveeeee.

Week 40: P!nk fades into Cinco de Drinko!

Not only did I get to spend some more time with my mom and abuela, but we got to celebrate Erste Mai together! This is also known as Germany's Labor Day. This week I realized a childhood dream and rounded off the week with some twquila on Cinco De Drinko. Check it all out on the video!

Week 39: the Cubans return to Berlin!

It was so amazing to see my mom and abuela arrive in Berlin this week! We have walked A LOT and eaten even more (hardly possible, but we can achieve great feats). Steven joined us on Friday evening and it has become a Cuban spectacle of loudness and vitality here in the spring. Check it out!

Week 38: friends time (wie immer)

I've been pretty forgetful lately about posting the video up on this page even though its on YouTube. Shame on me. I wont let it happen again folks! Spent a lot of time hanging out with the whole friend network this week. Germany is still kicking ass (especially now that it's warmer and the sun actually shines)! Check out the Shenanigans :)

Week 37: An overdue visit and multiple toilet photo ops

This week I got a visit from my lovely Kaferine Elizabef! Hadn't seen my old roommie since we were in Australia 2.5 years ago. Check out our adventures! Oh and yeah, I had a lot of interesting toilet visits this week. Like when the public toilet on Warschauer Straße refused to close its door so Juan, Eric, and Kat stood in front of it and acted as the door while I did my duties. YOLO, right? Haha. Oh and the bicycle butt cheeks incident. Trust me, you don't want to know.

Week 36: the clock is ticking!

Okay so I posted this on YouTube on time, but somehow I forgot to put it on the actual blog. FAIL. Anyway, the video rocks. The week was chill. Check it out :)

Week 35: 17 weeks to go: Passover, Easter, and all these European Capitals have me sprung

I got to celebrate both Passover and Easter this week. My stomach is definitely NOT complaining. Even more exciting I traveled all the way to Budapest, Hungary for the long weekend with my host family. Needless to say Budapest is gorgeous! Check it all out :)

Week 34: yes, it's still snowing

I'm assuming you read the title of this post. If you didn't, then surely look at the picture to your right----------------------------------->
Yes. You are looking at a plethora of snow. Yes. I took this photo this week. Yes. It is the end of March! Unglaublich oder?!?!? Oops sorry! That was German meaning, "Unbelievable, right?!" I could hardly believe it myself. I am sure hoping the spring comes VERY VERY VERY soon. I don't know how much more of the cold I can take. Despite the freezing weather (longest and darkest winter on German recorded history), I am of course having a wonderful time. Check out this week's adventures!

Week 33: Saint Patty's Day in Ireland!

Saint Patty's Day in Ireland? DUH. That may have been the easiest question to answer....ever. After a chill week in Berlin, I flew off to Dublin for an epic weekend. I met so many wonderful new people from everywhere! Ireland (duh), Germany, France, blah, blah, blah. That whole European continent thing. I hope you guys enjoy!

Week 32: Road Trip to....Poland!

I had quite the busy week. Between saying goodbye to Martin, saying hello to Bido, being a sneak preview lab rat, and driving to Poland I may have gone as crazy as the snowstorm blowing outside right now! Well, lets hope my life is more exciting than the snowstorm. I thought Spring was at its beginning, but sadly it is not. Regardless, Germany is still, well, Samazing. So check it out!

Week 31: fighting for fun (who am i kidding?)

Although i had the run of the mill work week, it didn't stop me from throwing some fun around! A pot luck, a fight, a dance marathon...well two actually...and a professional photo shoot! Not to shabby for a weeks work. Check out the adventure below :)

Week 30: The new lifestyle

A big change happened this week: I began working….like a grown-up! Yup, you guessed it, 40 hours devoted to the man every week. Thankfully, I've got some friends lying around this ever buzzing European city that have jobs too, so we just take it for what it is and take part in the Berlin version of happy hour. Pretty sweet adventures this week...so check it out! :)

Week 29: A Berlinale week with a SamAshley twist!

I was introduced to something BIG this week: The Berlinale. It's a one of the biggest international film festivals in the world, that just happens to be in Berlin. Where i live. The movies, the parties, the vibe. It all made the week sparkle just a little extra. It also didn;t hurt that Ashley came to visit over the weekend! As you may know, the effect of that visit, well, madness ensued :)

CBYX Week 28: The SlackLife

It's incredible. This semi-underground world of Slacklining. Actually, it's not just a sport. It's a lifestyle. I spent a week with all the monkeys at Gibbon, hanging out, slacklining and shootin' the shit. I also had a near death experience and a run in with the authorities at the Berlin airport, but those are minor details.

Week 27: Casual chat with Jill Biden and Slackline fun!

This week was all over the place! I finallyyyyyy got an internship after months and months of electronic applications (because why bother with snail mail in the age right?). Oh yeah, I also got to meet Jill Biden. No. Big. Deal. She's just the Vice Presidents wife or something. Not to mention, after all that fun commotion with Jill, I booked it over to Munich to the ISPO trade show to solidify my legacy as a Slackline hoe :)

Week 26: Reeperbahn debauchery

SamazingTravels to Hamburg, Germany this week! With a purpose: To see Mrs. Ashley Kowalski perform as Catherine in George Orwell's 1984. Pretty sweet stuff! I also got my first taste of couchsurfing. Totally stayed in the coolest artist commune known to mankind. Maybe I'll become some sort of hippie. Well, maybe not. But for a weekend, it was bomb!

Week 25: The Mid-Year Seminar A.K.A. Party week!

I haven't gone out so many consecutive nights in a row in all my 23 years until now. Mid-Year Seminar week for CBYX was amazing. Seeing everyone brought back thrilling memories and, of course, we made some new ones! See the absolute madness below :)

Week 24: THe Birthday Bash Blast

Getting old here! Spent this week celebrating my 23rd birthday. I've got to say, I am lucky to have such a great group of friends to celebrate with! After 2 days of non stop celebration, I am in recovery till next year (which can really take its time getting here, by the way). Hope you all enjoy!

Week 23: Ringing in the New Year with a premature birthday bash!

Well folks, the year 2013 snuck up on us! Don't you hate when the years do that?! Thankfully this year has already gotten off to a fantastic start. Not only did i ring in the new year with the fam, but I got to visit my favorite city in the world: Prague. Holding its title since 2005, Prague is just as wonderful as I remembered it...the last 2 times I was there! Enjoy :)

Week 22: Christmukkah and more!

Couldn't be more excited to spend Christmukkah with the family this year! Not to mention plenty of other interesting adventures. This week SamazingTravels to Munich, Neuschwanstein, and Salzburg! Check-it-bon-check-it :)