I came to Berlin, Germany with zero German skills. My knowledge consisted of whatever Duolingo decided was important, which turned out to be asking “wo ist die Maus?” (I never had to ask that question, mostly because I was well aware of any mouse I came across). I wish I took the time to learn a bit more German before I left because my experience was definitely impacted by my language skills (or lack thereof).
Berlin is a bustling, grungy, beautiful city that has so many unique things to offer. If you’re only in Berlin for a day in the next month, here are my recommendations for things that you absolutely should check out. I’ve put together a list of things that are both high culture and subculture in the hopes of creating a well-rounded list for any day tripper.
I started writing these posts wondering what kind of person I was going to be as I packed for my year abroad. I tried to remain open to whomever the city would shape me into being because, in my previous experience, I knew placing myself in an entirely new environment with new people had the potential to completely change me. I thought I was entering this experience prepared to uncover previously undiscovered facets of who I am. And yet, Berlin still surprised me.
I have never been a huge party person and most certainly never been a club person. Still, I knew that living in Berlin I’d have to try going to a Techno club at least once in my time here. This is the world capital of Techno music after all. So when my friends talked about going out I agreed to join them.
The semester is officially drawing to a close and I’m quietly saying goodbye to many of my friends as they head home after their semesters abroad while I get ready to spend the rest of the year here. There’s a lot of excitement as my friends get ready to go home and spend time with the family they haven’t seen in months and a lot of sadness as we realize our time together is coming to a close. So, in honor of all the good friends I’ve made, here’s a list of a few of my favorite moments in Berlin from the past 4 months.
Each day in Berlin brought a new opportunity to explore. I could live there for years and never get to see or do everything, but I attempted to do as much as I could in my three short months here. Quickly after arriving, I stopped feeling like a tourist. After a few weeks, I got into a routine that made me feel like a local. I structured my schedule to have a three day academic week and a four day weekend, so I gave myself plenty of time to experience the city. I found that having a routine made my study abroad experience more impactful.
How much studying is actually in studying abroad? At some times I have felt extremely overwhelmed, but other times it has been a breeze.
On November 6th, I went to Hakone with one of my good friends and got to experience a calmer side to Japan! I only went for a day trip, but I got to see beautiful art and insane sights.
Between November 22nd and November 25th, I was able to go to Osaka for a small trip and it was absolutely amazing! My time in Japan in 2017 did not allow me to visit Osaka, so I had no knowledge of how Osaka would differ from Tokyo.
“Ta, Ta-ti, Ta, Shh!, Ti, Ta, Ta, Ta!” To many people, if they heard me leading a group of ten-year-olds in this chant, they would wonder exactly what was going on. But to my class of music students, this chant represents the rhythm of the first line of Joy to the World.