A new Social Lens

September 1, 2016

I have changed personally because I have learned how to become more aware of my surroundings. I have learned new travel tips that I will take on with me as I continue to travel as well as when I return to Boston. I would say that my professional and academic goals have stayed the same but due to my research I have gained a new social lens that I will be able to take back with me when I start studying again in the Fall. My topic of research was on gentrification in a specific part of Berlin called Kreuzberg. I have gained a new lens in the sense that I encountered a group of people that are affected by gentrification that I haven’t found in Boston, which is that young people are extremely affected by gentrification in Berlin.

A self-discovery that surprised me was learning how to keep an open and positive mind at all times. The first few days adjusting to the first area we were in was extremely hard. There were instances in which I felt extremely uncomfortable being a woman and walking around. I kept a positive mindset at all times and did not let my negative experiences perpetuate any negative stereotypes about a specific group of people. I navigated through my fears by being able to talk to my Mom about the things that I was worried about. She helped me walk through my anxieties and I’m grateful that I was able to speak with prior to departure.

Studying abroad has impacted my view on the world because as a traveler it’s important to always keep an open mind. Due to the fact that I experienced moments of discomfort the importance of keeping an open mind and staying positive has never been this prevalent. The greatest benefit of studying abroad has been being able to immerse myself in a culture. I have loved spending time in Berlin. Each area is different in such a unique way. In addition, one of the greatest benefits of studying abroad is definitely all of the amazing food that I’ve had! My favorite experience was our boat dinner that we had the first week of our trip. We got to go on a tour of Berlin on this beautiful boat and had a fantastic dinner that was paid for by Northeastern.

My advice to future participants is to google the area that your hostel is in so you have a sense of what the neighborhood is like. I would ask people to do this not so that they can form any sort of stereotypes but solely for the purpose of having a small understanding of the neighborhood so you are not shocked. I would definitely study abroad again. I have gained so much knowledge and experience from having this time away. One of the best parts of studying abroad is being able to ignore all of the havoc Donald Trump is wreaking, this is something that I am not looking forward to facing when I arrive back home. My next study abroad experience will hopefully be in Barcelona, Spain this Spring.

Written By

Thalia Carroll-Cachimuel

My goals for studying abroad are being able to immerse myself in a new environment as well as apply classroom concepts to our travels. I have chosen the Politics of Space: Islam, Gender, Sexuality in Berlin to continue expanding on my fervor for travel as well as explore personal topics of interest. I have a passion for social justice and viewing and interpreting social issues from critical and different lenses. A fact about myself is that I have participated in the Alternative Spring Break program at NEU twice. My first trip was in Tahlequah, Oklahoma where I worked on a Cherokee Reservation in the Early Childhood Unit and my second trip was in Jinotega, Nicaragua where I worked in a local learning center that provided educational services to children from low-income areas.