Big Beautiful... Berlin!

Wednesday, September 10

The train from Freiburg to Berlin was about seven hours long. Before we even arrived at the main train station, I could already see buildings with both new and old architecture that I was excited to see up close. Thankfully, the first thing on the agenda was a city tour, which allowed me to do just that. I was immediately immersed in iconic Berlin monuments and memorials that people must see when they visit the city, like the Brandenburg Gate and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. I actually hadn’t heard of the latter before coming to Berlin, so I was glad our tour guide gave us some time to walk around the memorial to really take it all in (side note: our tour guide had a cute little dog that I did not get a picture of, but I really loved her). That night, I ate at a cute little Chinese restaurant (that I forgot the name of…) before having a looong rest at our hotel.

Thursday, September 11

The next morning, I had a late hotel breakfast, where I thoroughly enjoyed their Nutella dispenser (something that should be in every hotel). Then, a few friends and I did a little thrifting, because who wouldn’t want to say, “Oh, I thrifted this in Berlin”? After walking around the city for a bit, we headed to our talk on “Germany in the Global Economy,” which taught me a lot about Germany’s place in the EU and world trade. 

Unfortunately, it started to rain in the evening, and I was almost stranded without an umbrella… but that did not stop me from my dinner plans: meeting up with my friend Emilio! After graduating from Pomona this spring, he moved to Berlin to continue his studies, so I made sure to see him while I was in the area. He took me and Avery (another Pomona student studying in Freiburg) to an amazing Syrian restaurant called “Aldimashqi الدمشقي,” which I highly recommend to anyone visiting Berlin, especially with a group of people. It was fast, not expensive, and filling, even with just a couple of plates we all shared. After resting for a bit at his place, I went back to the hotel pretty late, despite having to wake up at 7:30 A.M…

Friday, September 12

After indulging in the Nutella dispenser once again, we headed off to our meeting on Germany’s security and defense policy, especially as it pertains to current global events. This session was particularly interesting, especially considering Germany’s size and very central location in Europe. After this session, a few friends and I head to the “Topography of Terror,” a free holocaust museum that gave a lot of powerful insight into many of the atrocities of that time period. Afterwards, I grabbed lunch with Abigail and Elena at an amazing Sudanese place called “Basmah.” Thank you to Elena’s friend (or sister, I forgot) for the amazing rec, we all suggest eating here if you are in Berlin! 

After lunch, we went to the Stasi Prison in East Berlin, where we learned about what suspected political enemies went through once thrown in jail by the Stasi. I think the craziest part about this place was the fact that there were staff members who were former jail mates in that very prison; It really shows that post-WWII events, while definitely historical, are not very far in the past. I ended the night by getting dinner at a little Vietnamese restaurant (which I also forgot the name of… but it was not much to write home about, so it’s ok this time).

Saturday, September 13

This was probably my favorite day in Berlin, mostly because I actually spent a lot of it alone, which was actually quite nice. But first, we visited the Reichstag Building. I really, really enjoyed learning about the history of this building, as well as the important functions it still serves today. The interior was fascinating, and being able to see so much of Berlin from the top was incredible.

Then, my solo journey began. Usually, I am a huge victim of FOMO, but for some reason, I really wanted to take some time for myself in the city, even if just for half a day. First, I went to the lesser-known Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park. This memorial was quite powerful, especially because of how large it was; I was enamored by the statue at the top of the steps. Then, I had to check out Berlin’s Museum Island. However, I may have messed up and bought the day pass for just one museum instead of all five… so do not do what I did! Unfortunately, I had already spent quite a bit of money, so I ended up only going to one museum, the Altes Museum, which was still very interesting on its own! My phone ended up dying, so I ended my alone time with a walk around the island, waiting for my friend Angela, who I knew was in a nearby museum. It was pretty nice to be disconnected for a bit, but I do not advise letting your phone die in a new city with a public transport system that you do not understand 😅 (Fun fact: this was the first time my phone has ever died! Probably because I was taking so many photos). I ended the night eating at a Georgian restaurant called “Golden Fleece,” which I also highly recommend! I was in a bigger group, so we got to try lots of dishes and they were all sooo good. I enjoyed my last night in Berlin, full of friends and good vibes.

The next morning, we packed our bags and made it back home to Freiburg. There were a lot of things I enjoyed about the Berlin trip, but I think my favorite part was getting to hang out with fellow IES Abroad students. We were split into two groups each day, meaning we all had different schedules, and it was nice to get to know people I might not have gotten to know otherwise. Exploring a new city is wonderful, but it’s even better with new friends :) Here’s to discovering many more places together!

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Take care,

--Dana