So the day before yesterday a few of us from UIC went to Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Wow. It was an amazing yet horribly emotionally draining experience. However, I am so glad I had the chance to see it.

It was something I wished I had done last summer, but I was too busy with my new friends to take time to experience all that I can while here in Germany. I’m so lucky to have  a second chance to experience even more here.   I think I ended up taking 100 pictures just there.

Aside from the obvious observations, it was also a little odd that the memorial and museum place is now situated in what appears to be a very quiet suburban-like town.  Just across the street are single family homes with Volvos and BMWs parked in circular driveways. Life goes on as normal, yet just out of sight lies the memorial. It just struck me as odd.

I hesitated to make a post about this trip, as I realize that for many talking about the traumatic and horrific past is just not done—but for me so far, it has been one of my favorite experience I’ve had this summer—and that in and of itself feels weird to say.