Last weekend, my roommate and I decided to take a trip to Copenhagen. The trip was pretty last minute, and I booked our hostel only two days before leaving. Tracy had to go to work and would not be able to leave until the evening, but I was able to leave in the morning because I was working from home and able to be online during the train ride (which was about 7 hours total, with a stop in Hamburg). Even though I had to be awake so early for my train (it left at 6:30am), I really enjoyed the ride to Copenhagen. We passed through beautiful fields and over rivers and during some parts we passed over the ocean. I was able to use this time to get done all my work for my internship, read my book, and journal—all with an amazing view! Once I arrived in Copenhagen, I went to the hostel which was only a 10 minute walk from the train station. Since check-in wasn’t until 3 and I arrived around 1pm, I simply locked my backpack in a storage locker in the hostel basement and decided to start exploring. As I walked around the city I stumbled upon a nice brunch spot and decided to sit down and get a meal by myself. Although I have gotten very comfortable doing things alone during my time in Berlin, one thing I have not done is get a meal on my own. I have done a lot of exploring, gone to cafes to read, gone on long walks in parks, been to flea markets, but during all those things you are occupied even when you are on your own. However, eating a meal on my own for the first time was a different experience—I ended up talking to some older ladies sitting next to me. One was from Canada, and the other was from Denmark. They had been old friends who met in University, and I ended up joining them and enjoyed hearing their stories from when they were younger. 

After brunch, I went back to check into the hostel. I had booked Tracy and I in a 6 bed female only dorm, and when I went to go see the room a few of the girls were already in there. All of them were very kind, and they were travelling solo from different places. One girl was from Finland and in University studying journalism, just taking a solo trip during her short break. Another was a young teacher from Spain who was exploring during the time in which school is not in session. Another girl was from Kerala, India but moved to the UK for her studies, and was also just exploring cities in Europe during her time off from University. It was so interesting to hear everyone’s different stories and experiences, and it was just the kind of social experience I was hoping for. The hostel itself was very nice—it was well managed, clean, and had a lot to offer. With a bar, restaurant, kitchen, gameroom, pool, and gym, it had everything one could possibly need while travelling. After resting in the room for a bit, I went to Nyhavn which is the most famous street in Copenhagen with the canal and all the boats. Although it was raining for a majority of my time in the city, I was still able to see a lot and appreciate the beauty of Copenhagen. The next morning, since Tracy arrived, we were able to explore together. We went to a bakery that is famous all over Denmark, saw two palaces, climbed up the round tower, and the stairs of the Church of our Savior. The latter was the most fun, as the view from the top was amazing. Although it was a steep climb, it was also thrilling because some of the steps were very small and in tight spaces. We also stopped by the happiness museum, one of my favorite stops on the trip. Overall, Copenhagen was a beautiful, clean, and safe city that I would love to visit again. 

I would say that my host culture defines “success” as having a career in a field you are passionate about. When I talk to my coworkers about their path to having the jobs they do now, and about their kids/spouses and their career paths, the common theme seems to be that everyone pursues careers in something they are interested in. I feel like here, money is less of a factor in choosing a career path, whereas in the United States the salary of a job plays a large role in people’s decision to pursue that career. To be considered successful in the field I am working in here, one simply has to be competent at their job and able to problem solve. The behaviors and actions of a successful employee here in Berlin are nothing out of the ordinary, so long as one is competent at their job they are considered successful. However, in the United States I feel like an employee is only considered successful if they go above and beyond in their work (like develop brand new revolutionary ML techniques), and if they make a certain amount of money.