My time in Berlin has been great so far. Since I arrived late Tuesday evening, I have been exploring Berlin almost nonstop. My first three days involved touring some of Berlins most notable sites, German language lessons, and familiarizing myself with the city. To be completely honest, even after the three German classes my knowledge of German is minimal, I was able to order a shawarma in German and understand the price when the cashier said it. Although it’s not much it is way more than I was able to do a week ago.
On Wednesday we visited the Bundestag. It was an incredible experience to see the entire German parliament head into a legislative session. While in the lobby my group had the extraordinary luck to see both the current chancellor Friedreich Merz and the previous Chancellor Olaf Schulz pass by us. Although we were separated by a thick glass window, I was less than ten feet away from the head of state of the powerful country in Europe. This experience was something unique that I don’t think you could experience in the United States. After this we were able to climb up the stairs to the top of the glass dome offering a panoramic view of Berlin and direct view of the German government’s parliament operating directly below us.
On Thursday we were able to explore a unique cultural site and a museum. This provided us with a perspective of the more historical parts of Berlin. I was also able to visit a Russian grocery store on my own and purchase various Russian grocery products that are practically impossible to find in the United States.
Friday was a slower day. The weather was not great, and it rained off and on all day. After our final language lesson, we visited the Hertie School. It is a graduate level only University that offers degrees related to Public Policy and International Affairs. Although none of it’s programs are something I am interested in pursuing, it was interesting to see the university environment in Germany and how it differs from the United States. The most interesting occurrence of the day though was on our way to Hertie when the bus we were taking hit a parked car when it was pulling away from a stop. The accident left only a minor dent in the bus but it was definitely not something I have experienced before.
The weekend passed fairly quickly. I was finally able to catch up on sleep. On Sunday I tested out my commute to make sure I knew how to get there and wander Berlin in the process. Unfortunately for me my commute takes about an hour and a half. It is pretty easy with a 15-20 minute walk from the train station on both ends and a 50 minute train ride. I am staying in the Charlottenburg area on the West side of the city. The office I am working at is located in the eastern half of Berlin technically just outside of Berlin city limits by about three blocks.
During my time in Berlin, I will be working in the logistics industry. The industry is broad and encompasses everything within the movement of goods and services. The variance is so wide it can be confusing. For example, both the USPS mail service and the Pittsburgh Reginal Transport System fall within the logistics industry. In fact, any good or person that moves from location to location is in some way affiliated with logistics.
The company I am interning for is called Tree Logistics. It focuses on the last mile sector of the industry. Last mile is the delivery of products to consumers. Tree Logistics is one of Amazons partners and operate all of amazon’s deliveries in northeast Berlin. They have also expanded to courier and non-amazon deliveries in few other cities in Germany. Obviously the most essential skill would be the know German. Tree is unique because multiple languages are used to conduct business. The auto offices use exclusively English since the drivers are from all over Europe while the office conducts business in a mix of English and German due to the diverse nationalities of the employees.
Last mile is unique because the day-to-day operations are highly variable. Tree operates a fleet of around 100 vehicles. Each day brings a unique diversity of challenges that require rapid response. This also makes each day highly variable. Having a detailed oriented mindset while maintaining a macro view of the process is an essential skill to possess. The directness typical of German work culture is amplified when dealing with the dynamic environment brought about by the nature of the industry. Overall, working in this environment is not dissimilar of one in an American company.