Last weekend, I ventured outside of Italy’s borders for the first time since beginning my study abroad program. I travelled to Berlin to visit Sharon, my sophomore year roommate who doing a co-op in Germany. After not seeing her for nearly a year because our study and co-op cycles have been opposite, I was thrilled to have this opportunity to reunite. Moreover, I was so excited to have a semi-local take me around Berlin.
One characteristic of this city that I picked up on after spending a short time there is that most of the culture and attractions are “underground.” Unlike Rome, there are few signs and flyers advertising tourist attractions. In order to see and experience the most interesting and authentic aspects of this young, progressive city, a visitor must either do substantial research or be lucky as I was to have a personal guide.
To begin describing my weekend in Berlin chronologically I must start with my flight, which was not the smoothest experience of my life. The city of Rome has two airports: Fiumicino and Ciampino. I had arrived in Rome to the first of the two, but travelled to Berlin from the latter. I left myself plenty of time to get to the airport, which was fortunate because it ended up taking me two and a half hours and three legs of transportation to arrive there. Then, when I tried to check-in for my flight, I found out that I was supposed to have checked in online ahead of time, as is Ryanair’s policy. To be fair, the airline did send me an email warning me that this was necessary, but because the email was in Italian I could not read it and I did not worry because I assumed it was a reminder or a promotional message. Because I failed to check in within the proper time in the proper way, I had to pay an extra 50-euro fee, which was extremely frustrating. I tried to take it as a lesson through to be more aware in the future of rules and protocols, especially when abroad. But if you plan on flying with Ryanair anytime soon, learn from my mistake and make sure you check in online ahead of time!
After enduring this fiasco and finally landing late at night in Berlin, I managed to figure out the public transportation system and arrive in Sharon’s neighborhood. The relative ease with which I was able to navigate German public transportation without knowing more than a word or two of the language made me truly grateful for how accessible the world is to English speakers. Had I only been able to speak Mandarin or Russian, travelling in this casual way would be nearly impossible. Then, after my joyful reunion with Sharon, she took me to a doner kabob restaurant that was open late. While donor – a chicken, lamb or beef dish – seemed to be a local German delicacy, I actually learned that it was a Turkish cuisine. This fact made more sense once I understood how large of a Turkish immigrant population there is in Berlin. As an international affairs major deeply interested in immigration issues, I was fascinated to see the difference in the amount of immigrants in German and in Rome.
The next day – my first real day in Berlin – Sharon had a work day for her co-op so I spent the first part of the day exploring by myself. I first headed for the East Side Gallery, which is a section of what remains of the Berlin Wall that is covered in politically charged art commissioned by artists from all over the globe. The works ranged from abstract to blunt, joyous to dark, humorous to empowering. I spent nearly an hour walking along the wall, absorbing the messages, enjoying the images, and photographing my favorite works. After learning about the Berlin Wall in history classes as such a powerful split in history between political ideologies, seeing and touching the barrier for myself was an unreal experience.
Next, I headed towards Hackenscher Markt, a distract of unique shops, restaurants, and walls filled with street art. In this area, I visited the free attraction of Otto Weidt’s Workshop for the Blind – a place of employment in which Weidt provided jobs and later hiding for blind a deaf Jews. Had Sharon not advised that I visit this spot, I never would have stumbled upon this incredible spot. Seeing some of the real cloth Jewish stars which Jews during the Nazi regime were forced to wear was perhaps the most impactful part of the exhibit.
At this point, Sharon had finished her workday and I met up with her to head towards a local thrift shop. The next day, one of her good friends was hosting a 1920s themed party, so we went in search of period-appropriate attire. Although I did not end up purchasing anything, browsing the high quality pieces at the thrift store – which was perhaps more expensive that an average store – gave me a taste of the Berlin fashion culture. Afterwards, we met up with some of Sharon’s friends and got dinner at a vegan Vietnamese restaurant. I dabbled in veganism this past summer and, while I no longer strictly adhere to the diet, I still try to make vegan choices when possible. Because of this, I was extremely happy with the food, which (I never thought I would say this) was a welcome change from my daily pattern of eating Italian dishes. I suppose you truly can have too much of a good thing. Later that night Sharon took me to a relaxed, local bar that was actually on the top floor of a grocery store parking garage. The fantastic view of the city that we had from this obscure location in the city was another example of an experience I would not have had had I not been with a “local”.
The following day – my last real day in Berlin – was spent exploring and sampling more delicious foods, teas, and desserts until the time came for the big 1920s party. Every single guest gave their 100 percent when it came to dressing the part. The hosts even had a DJ playing modern house music combined with a 1920s style. Attending such an authentic German event and meeting so many Berlin locals at this party made me feel like I received so much more than a tourist experience; I got a glimpse into the life of a resident of this city. And that, I believe, is priceless.
