Friday, June 29 - Zoe

I knew today was going to be rough.  I expected to cry my eyes out and be depressed for the rest of the day.

Today we visited Dachau, the first concentration camp.  Inside the camp, the perimeter walls still stood.  Two barracks were reconstructed and the crematorium haunted the back corner.

Everyone knew the mood of the day.  We thought we were prepared, but as soon as you stepped past the gate, which states "work makes you free" the air felt hotter, heavier.  No one, and nothing, can prepare you to visit a World War II concentration camp.  We watched a heart wrenching documentary, walked through the museum, the barracks and the crematorium.  I think for everyone, the crematorium was the hardest part.  First you walked through a forested area which hosts mass burials of ashes.  Thousands upon thousands of human remains lay right beneath your feet.  Then, you walk past execution sites, paths are worn into the ground where tourists will walk 5 feet back to the wall to touch the surface that was once stained with blood.  I don't know if anyone from our group did that, no one wanted to get that close.

The crematorium consisted of maybe 6 rooms.  Rooms where piles of bodies were once stored.  Rooms where clothes were stripped from the deceased.  Rooms where prisoners would shovel fellow prisoners bodies into coal burning stoves.  You can still see the ashes. Each step I took tightened a knot in my stomach, chipped away at my emotional strength, and reaffirmed my lack of faith.  We all asked ourselves how and why.  I want to share this experience with you, but if I write more I will cry again.  I get chills just thinking about it.

Leaving Dachau lifted a weight from everyone's shoulders.  We went to lunch afterwards.  Just a quick meal near one of the train stations.  I felt really, really drained.  I fell asleep 3 times on the 20 minute ride and if you know me, you know that I NEVER TAKE NAPS.  I became exhausted just climbing the 15 steps in the station.  After lunch I went back to the hostel.  I couldn't do any more except sleep.  My whole being was emotionally drained.

Okay.  I know I've written a lot.  But I like to write.

The whole day wasn't bad.. Hannah and I shopped for souvenirs at the Marienplatz, and navigated around our second major city together.  We make a pretty good team.  We shared some laughs and bonded while eating crappy pizza then rushed to our meeting point to find the rest of the group.

Now I am packing.  Tomorrow is our last day, then home.  Honestly I am so ready to hug my parents and sleep in my own bed.