As I prepare to head to the airport, I go through my luggage for what must be the twentieth time.
Not pictured: day pack filled with other essentials & my traveling clothes\
While I’m beyond excited to study and explore Berlin, I’m terrified that I’ll either bring too much (and be stuck schlepping extra weight around Germany) or too little (and add an unexpected expense to an already expensive trip). My clothing choices will give me dozens of outfit options each day, and two pairs of walking shoes keeps me under my 15kg checked bag limit as well as showcasing my personality—is that important? I read somewhere that that’s important—that clothing is a source of pride, or individuality, or both, or something. Was it a guidebook? Maybe. A student at the orientation?
*breathe*
I might be overthinking this.
My flight leaves a few days earlier than the program’s start date, giving me time to get familiar with the city and comfortable with the culture. Still, I’m preparing for the waves of embarrassment that I’m sure are coming when asked a question in German and I must politely ask for an English translation. Honestly, I’m not so anxious about my language skills as I am about coming across as a stereotypical American student. Not that I’m ashamed of my nationality by any means, but I want to be able to fit in for a few minutes at a time. Even if I can’t pass as a native Berliner, I want people to be curious about where I’m from and why I’m interested in the place they call home.
Having mentioned the program to friends and coworkers, I now have suggestions for places to eat, drink, sleep, and explore—more than I could ever cover in a few months. If I manage to find any free time between the robust, fast-paced programming offered through NU IPD (via Humboldt University of Berlin) my intention is to begin working on this list; yet, I’m going to save a few experiences as excuses to return on future trips.
My expectations are based on secondhand sources and popular accounts of what is in store for the next few months, but firsthand experience could shatter all these expectations: I’m prepared to be flexible and fully embrace all that this global city has to offer.