Berlin Then and Now: People, Places, Experiences

Alexis St. Clair

Education Abroad

I spent the month of May studying abroad in Berlin, Germany where we learned about the rich history of the country itself. We did this through several excursions, tours, museums and were able to interact through discussions in class where we met on Monday and Wednesday mornings. It was really interesting to dive into past events to see not only how they happened, but how those events have shaped and transformed Berlin into what it is today.

Just as the historical events have shaped the city, my experience abroad shaped me in a similar fashion. Prior to this experience, I had a predisposition as to what I thought traveling meant. With several social media apps, it is easy to get caught up in the superficial beauty of other countries. While these places are definitely beautiful, I’m talking about a much deeper beauty, only something that may be appreciated if an individual spends an extended period of time in that particular place. After my first trip to Europe, I thought I would return home with some neat souvenirs, some nice pictures to show my family, and maybe some new history knowledge. I was so naïve.

Little did I know, I learned the world is a fascinating place. I previously assumed traveling was always easy and never tiring. I also never encountered I probably returned home with some new best friends. Lastly, I never thought my mind would encounter and consider so many thoughts in such little time.

If I had to give one sentence about my experience it might read: ‘There are numerous people in each and every corner, time never slows down, and touring a simple neighborhood can be just as eye opening as a famous museum.’ But, I quickly learned traveling is hard. It requires trial and error because, well, it is a new place. It definitely is exciting, but just as everything else in my life, requires energy. Before long excursions or tours, I knew a good night’s rest was necessary. Also, I learned that learning about a new city takes time. For example, I was unable to memorize the train map in one day. Being that Berlin has an underground train, and above ground train, a bus system, and a tram, makes the city somewhat intimidating. I have only used public transit a limited amount in New York and Washington DC where I was guided the entire time. It was a large adjustment to learn how to use public transit in a city where you are alone. Also, traveling with sixteen other students and two teachers, completing any task would require a great deal of patience and flexibility. Often times, we would have to wait in a long line, take different forms of transportation, and had to be flexible on eating choices or eating times due to our schedule. It was hard at first, but after a week it seemed to get easier.

Since our group only had sixteen others, I was able to interact and connect with each person. As a social individual, I held a relationship with each person and grew even closer to a few. Although I grew so close to my peers, I also learned how different we are. However, we may think or have different opinions about certain topics such as politics, but that doesn’t hinder our relationships. I look forward to seeing my friends when I return to OSU in the fall, because I know we will have nothing but fun together. Something small I didn’t realize was it doesn’t matter where you travel, it’s who you travel with. I truly believe that if I traveled with any other group of people my trip would not have been so successful. We were constantly exploring, trying new foods, and ready for what Berlin had to offer.

As a new traveler, I heard several sounds, saw a lot of sights, and smelled many scents. In addition, I listened to new points of view. My mind and my thoughts were definitely challenged and I was forced to think. Often times, people don’t like to be challenged. I’ll admit, being challenged is difficult, but also rewarding. I say rewarding because it can either solidify what current thoughts and feelings exist or change them. I appreciated spending time studying the German culture because it is almost completely opposite of where I’ve grown up. Germany is a very left-winged city and I have grown up in a very conservative area. This was very eye-opening to me and I enjoyed my conversations and experiences learning and attending a performance called “Like Berlin” and a play called “Fear” with my classmates.

In retrospect, my experience from my STEP project was transforming to say the least. It’s so special to me because others on my trip may have written a reflection completely different, and others who did not travel on my trip might not have been transformed at all if they were in my shoes. I will always remember the place I traveled and who I traveled with, not because it makes me happy, but because it has made a difference in my current life and will continue to make a difference in my future. My career goals are to work in the medical field. Working with people and caring for others requires a great deal of patience as well as understanding and perspective: three of which I have acquired from my trip. I would love to continue to travel, not only because of the beauty, but because traveling means learning and I want to continue to learn for the rest of my life. Studying abroad in Berlin has inspired me only to want to continue working with people and to continue to traveling and learning. If one day I could combine all three of these, my dreams would come true. I’ve only just begun.