We had the official welcome at school this morning. Lots of smiles and lots of applause! Each of our students stood up and introduced him or herself in German and added a couple of “fun facts.“ So…, public speaking in another country in another language…,kind of makes the senior speech look easy! You can see more here:

Bremen, Market Square Panorama

We spent the day in Bremerhaven and Bremen. Bremerhaven is the site of the emigration museum. Over 7 million Europeans (most of them Germans) emigrated to the Americas from Bremen. The museum gives the visitor a feeling for what that experience might have felt like. After Bremerhaven, we spent the afternoon in Bremen, a member city of the Hanseatic League, an organization of cities that fostered trade and helped bring the Middle Ages to an end in northern Germany.

Arrival in Bremerhaus

Getting ready to board.

Last-minute checklist before boarding for America

Ready to board. Patrick is the only one smiling.

Last call for boarding.

In Bremen for city tour

With our tour guide in Bremen.

Bremen

Making a wish at the statue of the Bremen Town Musicians

On the steps of City Hall in Bremen.

I hope this wish comes true.

So many wishes!

Another wish.

Legend has it that you can make a wish at the statue of the Bremen Town Musicians. (It’s a fairytale.)

It’s been a long day(s) of travel, but everyone held up just fine. Here we are with our welcoming party in Löningen, and it’s a beautiful day!

Greetings from CGL!

Greetings from Löningen

Some days are better than others!

We’re here!

Rhein panorama from the Niederwald Memorial

Dinner in Rothenburg 1: Bratwurst und Schnitzel

With George, the night watchman of Rothenburg

Panorama of Rothenburg

Dinner in Rothenburg 2: Sauerbraten, Bratwurst, und Schnitzel

Photo at the “Plönlein,” Germany’s most photographed location

One more from the Rhein

Day two in Berlin took us on a city tour. On the tour we visited the remains of the wall, Checkpoint Charlie, former Gestapo headquarters, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and finally we took a boat tour on the Spree River.