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I last left you one week ago, after I had taken myself on an adventure into the city centre. As I said, pictures of that are on Facebook, in the album called ''Impressions of Berlin.'' That day included seeing Potsdammer Platz, the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburger Tor, the Reichstag and a saunter down Unter den Linden. (I also did post pics of my room, as I said I would).

On Wednesday I took a long walk around this area, Prenzenlauer Berg. Berlin has twenty-three districts, and up until recently Prenzenlauer Berg was the hippest (The hip-ness of a district changes very fast. The ''in'' place to be now is Kreuzberg). It's a lovely area, with lots of parks, cafes, restaurants, shops, and plenty of apartments

I should have kept my eyes more open, however, because I hear that Prenzenlauger Berg is home to a lot of celebrities. Aside from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt having an apartment here, there's also German actor (and heart-throb) Daniel Brühl, who starred in ''Goodbye Lenin!'' Furthermore, and far more interestingly for me... wait for it... some of the members of Rammstein eat at the restaurant in my hotel lobby! I haven't seen them as yet, but now I always check who's in the restaurant when I pass by.

On Thursday I went with a bunch of people to Checkpoint Charlie and the Jewish Museum. The museum was very nice, though disorienting. The architecture is bizzare, with sloping floors and sharp corners. However, that's the effect it's supposed to have.

Friday I went down to the Ku'damm (or Kurfurstemdamm) the main shopping area. I had fun wandering around and admiring the shops (And I bought a new Oomph! album) and the got back to the school to meet up with some people for a night of salsa dancing. Actually, that's total hyperbole. I only danced a little bit, with the only male school friend who knew how to salsa. Everyone else at the club was far too good to pay much attention to us novices.

Saturday we took a day trip to the nearby town of Brandenburg. We took a canoe trip around the town (Which obviously has a lot of rivers) followed by a late lunch at a town fair. Sunday I vegged out, and yesterday there was another of those Monday-night socials for the students (It's called the Stammtisch).

As for this week, things that I have planned include a boat-party on the Spree, and barhop on Keruzberg on Friday, another canoe trip (I really enjoyed canoeing), shopping on the Ku'damm, and a trip to the zoo (Knut, here I come!)

As for me, I'm pretty lonely. I don't really fit in with the people here, or at least I don't really feel close to anyone. I miss my friends. Furthermore, I'm going through one of those phases where sex and romance make me physically ill. Those two things seem to occupy my thoughts a lot.

I like it here, but I can't wait to leave.