München to Berlin

I am off to Berlin in the morning, which has surprisingly caused more anxiety than I would have predicted. I arrived in Germany four weeks ago, so I am well acquainted with the German language and culture. I spent the last four weeks studying at the Goethe Institut in Munich. I chose to study in Berlin because of the IES Metropolitan Studies program. I am studying both Architecture and Sociology at my university back in the United States, which makes this program a perfect fit. As a requirement, I have to complete a minimum of a semester of German language prior to my time in Berlin. The introduction level was not offered this past semester, which is why I spent the month of August studying in Munich. I was fortunate enough to have my dad travel over to Germany with me. I spent the first week orientating myself around the city with my dad (who I happen to be extremely close with), which made the transition a lot less stressful. I had the most amazing month in Munich, where I had the opportunity to befriend people from all over the world. I met students from Italy, Spain, Serbia, Scotland, Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Japan, Taiwan, Belarus, and Libya for example. The list of names and their respective countries could go on forever. I believe the most nerve-racking part about going to Berlin is that fact that I have to start all over. I spent this past month getting to know an amazing group of people, making it difficult to say good-bye. I skyped my parents tonight and found myself extremely upset by this realization. My parents ensured me that I would have an equally memorable experience in Berlin, which I know will be true. I’ve always found it difficult to say good-bye, so having had said good-bye to so many people within the last 72 hours made it challenging to look forward to a fresh start. I know once I arrive and settle in Berlin I will love the next four months as much as I enjoyed these past four weeks. I look forward to sharing my experiences and will share more about my month with the Goethe Institut once I settle in Berlin!

Andie