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Traveling to Stasiland

Twenty-two years ago this week, the Berlin Wall fell. Thousands of people danced around it and straddled the top, celebrating the demise of one of the most significant symbols of oppression and division ever. In an instant the gates were open and the Berlin Wall, still sprawling for miles in either direction throughout the city, […]

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Recalling History at the Berlin Wall Memorial

I stood in a tower in what was once the French sector of Berlin. From the metal perch I could see a preserved section of the Berlin Wall; guard towers, a lighted sand field – once known as the death strip – and the wall itself were all there. It was almost twenty-two years to […]

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Walking Through History on Berlin’s Grand Circle

I stood on the roof of the United States embassy in Berlin talking with Greg Delawie, the Deputy Chief of Mission in Germany. From that vantage point, our RIAS Berlin Kommission group enjoyed an impressive view of history; we could see the Brandenburg Gate, the German capital building – the Reichstag – and the lush, […]

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A Night Under the Hawaiian Skies

The sun dipped below the horizon through the clouds in pale colors of yellow and orange. I stood alone amongst the crowd, watching the marvel that I had seen so many times before. The commonness of the sunset made the experience no less special, though, since I was standing atop the largest mountain in the […]

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Racing at Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park

I stood nervously by the side of the track watching the drivers zip by, managing the tight curves I knew I didn’t have the skill to handle. I wasn’t worried about crashing, I knew I could keep the car on the course, I just didn’t want to make a total fool of myself amongst what […]

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Touring the New Dinosaur National Monument Visitor Center

Stradling the border between Colorado and Utah, Dinosaur National Monument sits on the far western – or eastern, depending on your perspective – side of the state. It is for this reason that I had not traveled there – the drive from Denver was just too long. But this past week I finally made the […]

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