A Brief Recap of the Past Month

Wow! It’s hard to believe that I have been in Berlin for a month already. The first two weeks were spent with our IES Abroad coordinators in an orientation to the Metropolitan Studies program and to the city of Berlin. We are about three weeks into our semester and about two and half weeks away from our first excursion to St. Petersburg! We all take our German language course in the morning, Tuesday through Thursday and have our other four classes for an hour and a half twice a week with Fridays are reserved for field trips. However, we do take advantage of the Fridays we have free for extra travel time! It’s extremely convenient (and cheap) to travel throughout Europe. I already have trips planned to Munich and Budapest in the upcoming weeks. Although it’s important to travel while abroad, I definitely recommend spending some weekends exploring the city you are studying in. Berlin, for example, is filled with hundreds of events scattered across the city.  I have been trying to take advantage of my time here, however it can be a bit overwhelming because there is almost too much to do in the city. Below is a glimpse into what the past month has looked like for me.

Schloss Sanssourci; Potsdam

Potsdam is a short S-bahn ride from Berlin and well worth the visit. The city center is a small, pedestrian area full of shops and small cafes. The city is filled with rich history and beautiful castles (Schloss).

East Side Gallery; Kreuzberg

The East Side Gallery is longest remaining part of the Berlin Wall, covering about a mile along the Spree River in the district of Kreuzberg in the former East Berlin. The gallery is a display of various artists’ work, mostly addressing the idea of peace and equality.

                                                                                               Pergamon Museum; Museum Island
The Pergamon Museum is located on Museum Island and home to the famous Pergamon Altar. Unfortunately, the museum
will be closed for the next five years for restoration and reconstruction.

                                                                                Brandenburger Tor; Multimedia show at the Reichstag

A multimedia show about the story of Berlin was shown along the Spree River behind the Reichstag last week. On my way there, I couldn’t help but snap a picture of the famous Brandenburg Gate lit up at night.     

                                                                                                  Mauer Park; Prenzlauer Berg

Berlin is filled with markets, including the popular Mauer Park on Sundays. I’ve been twice already, so yes, I definitely recommend going! The market is full of vintage clothing, art work, books, shoes, and various nick-nacks.

   
Bike riding in Gleisdreieck Park; Shöneberg

My host mother has an extra bike, so we’ve gone riding a few times. One Sunday afternoon, we rode to a newly designed park in the district of Shöneberg. Gleisdreieck Park is hands down the best park I’ve been to in Berlin. It’s built along an abandoned S-bahn track with bike and running paths, basketball courts, playgrounds/swings, a skatepark, an urban garden and much more!

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Potsdamer Platz

IES Abroad was nice enough to organize a night at the philharmonic for those students interested in going. A small group of us attended the event this past weekend. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of classical music, I recommend attending for not only the cultural experience but to appreciate the architecture of the building!