I can’t believe that we are now halfway through the program! Looking at Berlin now, I still feel like the day when I first arrived, as I am still discovering and learning about this city every single day. From the adorable ice cream shops, unique bar and clubs to the magnificent architecture and exquisite street art, Berlin is truly a city that is full of wonderful surprises. And I found that in Berlin, the honeymoon stage of traveling somewhere new does not actually wear off. Instead, the experience has transitioned from a combo of shock and excitement into a sense of appreciation for the city’s magical charm. Much like a delicious Kinder egg, the charm of Berlin now is a combination of sweet familiarity and an element of delightful surprise.
And as our Northwestern classes ended, we are now transitioning into our Humboldt lives. Humboldt is a very beautiful campus. Right by the museum area and overlooking a river, the campus seems to instill even more magic into what we are learning here. Be it Berlin history, geography or our German language classes, it is amazing to be able to look out the window of the classroom and immediately see the connection between our studies and the city. But what surprised me the most about Humboldt is probably the international crowd and how it contributes to the classroom experience. My geography class consists of fifteen students from over ten nations, and as we learned about the urban geography of Berlin, students shared their experiences from their own countries around the world. The class seem to be not only about Berlin geography anymore, but a learning experience that takes me around the world.
Just like eating the fairytale-like ice cream of Berlin, thinking about this summer in Berlin puts me in a warm, happy and soulful state of mind. And as Humboldt begins, I am excited to experience whatever adventure that comes next!