As clichéd as this may sound, I feel as if Berlin has become a second home for me. I am (for the most part) completely familiar with the dizzying transit system, know some of the best restaurants to eat at in Kreuzberg and Neukölln, and I even partake in the Sunday flea market culture here. In fact, I believe I have become even more familiar with much of Berlin than I am with a large part of Chicago, maybe due to the latter city’s larger size, and also, possibly because unlike at Northwestern (where I’m living in a suburb of the city), here in Berlin, I am surrounded by the urban landscape at all times. The Bundestag and Brandenburger Tor are steps away from my hotel, and I take the U-Bahn to get food in various neighborhoods daily. Thus, city life in Berlin has been my daily lifestyle for over a month, at this point of the program, and I feel quite comfortable and “at home”. 
Despite making plans for trips throughout Europe (and being quite excited for all of my upcoming travels after this program ends), I still feel so happy that I chose to spend my summer in Berlin; and in particular, that I chose to study abroad in this amazing city. The nightlife, cultural diversity, and special history of this city makes it completely unique in comparison to other cities throughout Germany and the rest of Europe. Thus, while being quite excited for my trips to other countries, I will always keep Berlin in my heart, as this city has changed me and my perception of life. I’ve become more open-minded, more observant, and more brave to try new things that I possibly would have never experienced back home in Chicago.