Over the summer, the WCHS Agriculture Department had the amazing opportunity to travel to Germany and Switzerland and learn about urban farming and sustainability. It was a ten-day trip from July 5th to July 14th, and it was a life-changing experience for everyone.
Berlin, Germany
We departed from Lexington airport and headed to Atlanta. From Atlanta, we flew across the Atlantic Ocean to the Netherlands, which was about an eight-hour flight. I had never flown over the ocean before, so it was fascinating to see. From the Netherlands, we had a layover to Berlin, where we began our first day. We did some sightseeing and shopping downtown, where there was a lot of stunning architecture and various tents along the streets selling jewelry, magnets, etc. We stayed at a place called Moxy Hotel, which was very nice, and we had a beautiful view of Berlin.
The next day, we got to take a guided tour of Berlin! One excursion was the Berlin Wall, where we learned about the history of East and West Germany, and there was a long marker on the ground that showed how the sides were divided. We even got to see one of the original watchtowers and structures of the wall as it was built. We then headed to the Holocaust Memorial, which was in the very center of Berlin, to signify Germany’s open acknowledgment of its past. We also got to visit Brandenburg Gate, where we took pictures and ate lunch, and Holzmarkt, an urban sustainable development project. It had a tattoo parlor, ice cream shop, post office, restaurant, a stage, and even a kindergarten. The last place we visited was the Futurium Museum, which was centered around the future of the environment and technology. There were many hands-on activities and visuals. To finish off the day, we had meatloaf with gravy, grilled sausages, boiled potatoes, and sauerkraut.
Our last day in Berlin had officially arrived, but it was quite exciting. We began the day by visiting Atelier Gardens, which was an urban garden in Berlin. We got to see how food and plants are grown in a city environment. We got to go to the very top of the building, where we saw the skyline of the city. We then got to go to the Mall of Berlin to shop and eat lunch, where I bought gifts for my family and a few things for myself, as well. Our next visit was to this place called InfraLab Berlin, where we learned about the importance of preventing food waste. We even got to eat ice cream afterwards at an ice cream shop called Vanille & Marille Eismanufaktur. It had the best chocolate ice cream I had ever eaten. For dinner, we had grilled
Bratwurst with mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. Since we would be leaving for Freiburg the next day, we went to a supermarket to get some snacks for the train.
Freiburg, Germany
We took the train from Berlin to Freiburg, which took about six and a half hours. When we arrived in Freiburg, we immediately began shopping. We went to a bookstore that had popular books in different languages, though most texts were German. We also bought lots of postcards and magnets. We even got to go to a Swiss chocolate shop called Laderach. I got a sample of milk chocolate with raisins, which was surprisingly delicious. For dinner, we had Badische Kasespatzle (pasta) with a salad, then cake for dessert. Our first day in Freiburg was already over, but it was one of my favorite days of the whole trip!
The next day, we had a full twenty-four hours in Freiburg, and we went on another guided tour of the city. There was a farmers’ market going on at the time of our visit, and we got to try some of the food. They had various fruits, meats, and even bouquets of flowers. While on the tour, we saw stunning architecture and even learned that Madison, Wisconsin, is one of Freiburg’s sister cities. For lunch, we went to a Vietnamese street food restaurant, and then did a scavenger hunt to finish off our guided tour of Freiburg. The scavenger hunt was very interesting and was mainly about sustainability and the environment. We even got to see a cat! We then headed back to the center of Freiburg for more shopping and exploring. We saw people selling food, china, and other little trinkets. For dinner, we went to a Korean restaurant. I got roasted pork, veggies, and rice, which was one of my favorite dinners on the trip.
On our last day in Freiburg, we got to see a cuckoo clock demonstration and go for a hike in the Black Forest. We learned that the Black Forest actually inspired many fairytales, including Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. We eventually found a creek during the hike, which was really nice to hang out at for a bit. For lunch, we got to make our own Flammkuchen, which is similar to pizza. Our last stop in Germany was Titisee Lake, where we were encouraged to swim for a while. Before we knew it, we were heading to Switzerland.
Lucerne, Switzerland
This was our first day in Switzerland, and it was the most exciting part of the trip. We got to go all the way up to the top of the Swiss Alps. We got to ride a gondola to the top, and there, we went into an ice cave. We also got to go snowtubing, which was so fun. After the Swiss Alps, we got to tour Lucerne and do more shopping. For dinner, we had veal sausage, Bratwurst, and Swiss potatoes.
It was finally the very last day of our trip. We began the day by heading to a biosphere where we hiked for most of the day. It was rainy, but that made it all the more exciting. After the hike, we took the bus back to downtown Lucerne, where we got to take a tour of a bunker. It was a little eerie, but cool to see. The bunker was used during the Cold War in the 70s and 80s, where it could hold pretty much the entire population. After the tour, we got to do our last round of shopping before the end of the trip. For dinner, we had Schnitzel, veggies, fries, and caramel cream for dessert. After dinner, we packed everything up and were finally ready to head back to the USA.
I am very grateful I got to participate in this amazing trip, and I am glad I got to experience new places and cultures I never thought I would get to see. I would encourage anyone who has the chance to travel to absolutely take it, because there is so much to learn and see when you go abroad!
