This past week was very eventful! I realized today that I only have two more weeks left in Berlin (as I’m staying for about a week more once everyone leaves). My time is dwindling, and I am a bit sad about it, so I’ve been trying to take in every little detail about my day, like the walk home or the buildings I see every day on my bus ride to work. This Thursday is my last day at work, and I’m planning on buying each of my coworkers a little plant for the office. Even though I don’t think I’m supposed to know, they’ve planned a little party for me. I really have grown closer to my coworkers these past few weeks, and I’ll definitely miss them.
On Saturday, my friends and I went to the Berlin Zoo! Normally, zoos make me a bit sad, but the Berlin Zoo was very clean and the enclosures seemed well-kept. My favorite animals that we saw were definitely the zebras and meerkats. I also got to pet a few goats in the petting zoo section! There were a bit too many children than what I’d prefer, but I managed… The weather was really nice that day, so we managed to walk around the entire zoo. By the time we got to the aquarium, we were all a bit tired, but I still tried my best to enjoy it. Our trip to the zoo was definitely one of my highlights. I’ll include a picture of a little lounging meerkat below!
Yesterday, I went to Viktoriapark with my friend Zeke, who is a member of another student program. Viktoriapark was absolutely beautiful and incredibly expansive. There were tons of open fields with people picnic-ing, chatting, or playing games. It actually reminded me a bit of Schenley Park in that way. Zeke and I walked uphill for a bit to look at the waterfall there, and it didn’t disappoint. Afterwards, we went to Alexanderplatz to buy a few gifts for family members and stumbled across a really beautiful fountain of Poseidon. We ended up just sitting and talking for about four hours. It’s a bit of a shame we bonded the day before he had to leave, but it was still a really memorable experience!
Regarding today’s prompt, I’d say that my success as an intern so far has largely depended on my mindfulness. I feel like in the U.S., successful employees are usually defined by their extraversion and hardworking nature. In Germany, at least in my experience, success comes from the details. Earlier today, my program advisor and coworker, Charlotte, filled out my intern review form. She specifically mentioned that I was mindful and attentive in both my German speaking and the projects I completed. However, one trait of a successful employee I think is shared between Germany and the U.S. is ambition. Not necessarily in an over-the-top, stereotypically American way, but in an eager and interested way. Early on in my internship, I found myself only staying at the office for a few hours per day. I took it upon myself to talk to my boss and explain that I’d like to contribute to the organization in a meaningful way. This completely changed the trajectory of the rest of my time! I think this kind of ambition is also respected in the U.S.
In the social justice industry as a whole, I think success is largely dependent on cultural and historical awareness. I do not believe that you can work as an international lawyer fighting for women’s rights or as a leader of a queer organization and not be educated on the history of several marginalized communities. I’m very big on intersectional feminism, and it’s important to be that I’m well-versed in feminist theory just as much as I am in racism in the women’s suffrage movement. I also believe that humbleness is incredibly important. As an activist, it is crucial that you don’t lose sight of what exactly you’re fighting for. It’s more than just a resume booster or personal achievement.
I can’t necessarily say I’m looking forward to the end of this week, but I’m trying my best to take it in full stride. This has truly been an unforgettable experience so far, both socially and academically. I’m very grateful that I’m staying for about an extra week or so to attend some Pride events with my coworkers. Even more memories to be made!
Tschüßi und bis später!