At my last week wraps up, I’m remembering the first week in Berlin. I was initially nervous– nervous living in a new country, nervous about the language barrier, nervous about the interactions among the group, and dreading my internship. I wish I could go back and tell myself everything would be fine! It’s easy to say this now, but in the first week I couldn’t help it. I was, of course, always excited at the prospects of Berlin, but it was overshadowed by my anxieties. As I always knew, everything would work out. Living in a new country always comes with its struggles, but it’s been an experience I’ve grown from. The language barrier was not too much of an issue; I picked up a bit through the months to help myself order food and have small interactions with locals. The group I traveled with has been great– everyone’s become a friend that I’ll end up missing. And my internship? Not as bad as I imagined it to be. My coworkers have been welcoming and I made a good friend along the way.

I say this almost every week– I’m more than excited to head back home. But I’ll miss Berlin the minute I leave. I’m looking forward to driving my car, eating at my favorite restaurants, and free refills!! It’s almost not fair to compare Berlin to home. As I’ve lived here, I’ve come to realize that Berlin is a multi-faceted city made up of diverse neighborhoods that cannot be compared to home. Even Berlin’s culture is made up of a number of cultures, each residing in a little Berlin niche. That’s something that cannot be made up for at home, and something I’ll miss discovering each week.

I’ve included my favorite photos from this trip to highlight the happiest moments from Germany, Prague, and Amsterdam.

Tschüss, Berlin!