My first week in Berlin flew by. I got to Berlin a day earlier than most of the group. We navigated our way from the airport to the hotel with no problem. During the week, we went on many tours and learned some German.

My favorite place we went to was Zalando. I found this business interesting because they are an online clothing company. Since it is mostly online, there is a lot of logistics that go into it. I found it interesting to know what the employee was talking about because of the Supply Chain class I was in last semester. The building we were in also had very cool architecture. I find that very cool as well. For the longest time I wanted to major in architecture, so I have a pretty strong appreciation for it. Even all of the other places we visited were very interesting in terms of their architecture. Humboldtforum, the former Berlin Castle, has a history of interesting architecture. There was an architect that built the current building that kept design of a past architect in mind. It was interesting hearing about how the two styles were incorporated together.

Other than seeing new places, I have gone to several restaurants to try new things and find good local places. The first day I got falafel and it came with fries and some type of salad which was very good. I went to a couple Italian places which had great pizza. I ate at an authentic Greek restaurant and got a tzatziki appetizer and an orzo pasta. I also have had a lot of pasta and burgers. I have only had German food once. I got curry wurst at a stand with the rest of the group. I did not know if I would like it, but it was very good. It would seem like I would be eating more German food, but around the hotel it is a lot of Italian and Asian restaurants. I am trying to get something different every day to expand what I like, but it is a little hard to do.

Over the weekend there was a carnival for different cultures. It was hard to get to the area because so many people go to it. The trains were very crowded. Once we were there, we got to walk around and see a new area. There were many vendors selling food and drinks. I did not see much of the parade because it was very crowded, but from what I saw it was cool. On the way back to the hotel, it was not as crowded because we tried to leave when not a lot of people were going yet.

A challenge I have come across here is finding what store to go to to but certain things. There is not a store like Target here that has everything you could need. The grocery store we have been going to has some shampoo, but there is another store kind of like Rite Aid that has more. I also have been looking for a fan but it is almost impossible to find. We found some at T.K. Maxx (German T.J. Maxx), but not the kind we were looking for.

For my internship, I will be working in the business industry at Vencon Research. The tours we went on this week of German companies helped to give me an idea of what I can expect. To be successful in the business industry, it is very important to be on time. Being on time is the most important thing. Other than that, being successful in the business industry relies on many different things. Some key skills and strengths to have are good communication, punctuality, strong work ethic, and time management. All of these are similar to the U.S. besides punctuality. The Germans like to get right to the point. This is helpful so there is no confusion on peoples roles, or in any major aspect of business. There is an efficiency with it by not wasting time. Something that matters more in German business than the U.S. is the focus on sustainability. The business I mentioned earlier, Zalando, has a very strong focus on sustainability. We also saw a new Amazon Tower that is being built right near Zalando. The Amazon Tower also has a strong focus on sustainability. There is also a focus on giving back to the community. Sustainability and giving back to the community are not as common to see in the U.S.. From what I saw and learned this week, it is very important here to have your business focused on sustainability in order to be successful. This is something that American businesses should start focusing on even more.