Here we go, three weeks into the Humboldt University half of the course and I’m still falling in love with this city every morning—usually with my news in German, which I’m picking up much easier after our language courses.
Wow, so much has happened since my last update, here’s a short timeline:
We traveled to Hamburg for a weekend, about one week after the conclusion of the G20 Conference and the city still showed signs of the conference & accompanying events. The broken windows and graffiti did not distract from the city as a whole, but rather reminded me that German cities—not just Berlin—are hubs for global affairs and domestic debate for the Eurozone.
Shipping and commerce capital of the Eurozone
Hamburg Town Hall
After returning from Hamburg, we began classes at Humboldt University and met an entirely new cohort of students. The past three weeks have been filled with classes and events, such as tours to the Bundeskanzleramt where Chancellor Angela Merkel has her office, cabinet meetings, and offices for support staff.
Bundeskanzleramt: Don’t let the ominous clouds fool you, this is one of the nicest office buildings I’ve ever seen
Cabinet Room at the Bundeskanzleramt
That brings us to now—where I’m exploring Berlin on foot, on bike, and on an amazing public transportation system. Next time I visit this easily-traversable city I’ll be sure to buy a bike for the entirety of my stay: there are bike lanes everywhere! Another Northwestern student on the program, John, bought a bike at the beginning of the trip and is still using it. Despite repairs and a flat tire, when he resells the bike it will have ended up being cheaper than a rental.
Besides the beauty of downtown Berlin, there is just as much fun to be had away from the city. Schwimmbad Wannsee is a ~short~ 9 mile bike ride from our hotel (it’s a wide city), and the regal castles and palaces of Potsdam make a pleasant day trip for the casual explorer.
Schwimmbad Wannsee—and it has a waterslide!
Despite all that I’ve done and will do in our final week here (only seven days left?!?), I know there is too much to accomplish here in one week. I’ll try to make my list of regrets as short as possible, but that will serve as a to-do list if I get the chance to return to this inspiring city.
Bis Später,
Robert Babich