Hey everyone,
the fourth week in Germany has already gone by, and it is going so fast. I feel like we just arrived. This week was definitely more of a chill week for me, which was honestly nice. One thing I feel like I have discovered about myself is how much I love wandering around different parks. One of my favorite things about Berlin is how they balance city life with nature. Growing up near Chicago, it always felt like there were buildings everywhere and not a lot of green space. Even in Pittsburgh, one thing I wish we had more of is parks and outdoor spaces to explore. Being here has made me realize how much I enjoy just walking around outside and seeing where I end up.
On Mondays, I work remotely, which basically means it is my rest and relaxation day. I did my laundry, bought some groceries, and went on a little picnic. Some people from the group decided to do a sunset picnic together. While it ended up being pretty cloudy, it was still fun to get outside and enjoy the beautiful outdoor spaces around us.
Later in the week, I decided to take a walk through Treptower Park. I ended up spending about three hours wandering around and taking everything in. One of the things I saw was the Soviet War Memorial, which was absolutely massive. It was definitely one of those things that is hard to appreciate through pictures because the scale of it is just huge in person. The park also had a rose garden, which made me happy because roses are my favorite flower. My favorite part of the day, though, was the little island connected to the park. I sat next to the Spree River for a while, listened to live music, and just enjoyed being outside.
My favorite outing of the week was definitely going to Markthalle Neun. Every Thursday they have a food market with all kinds of different cuisines. I got tteokbokki and bao, which were both delicious. I also got a peanut butter açai bowl that was amazing. Honestly, I would go back just for that. The rest of the week was pretty cold and rainy, so I spent a lot of time hopping between different coffee shops. If there is one thing about me, it is that I will never turn down a chai tea and a pastry. Some of my favorite moments here have honestly just been sitting in cozy cafés and people-watching while it rains outside.
All of that led up to Saturday when I decided to take a trip to Potsdam. I spent about five hours walking through the parks and admiring all of the castles and historic buildings. Some of them were under construction, but they were still really beautiful to see. The parks there felt endless, and I could have honestly spent the entire day walking around. I also visited the Dutch Quarter and stopped at Herr Dang for Vietnamese food. It was so good and definitely one of the best meals I have had since arriving in Germany.
Now, while I have been loving my time here, I have been struggling a little bit with my allergies. Going to parks almost every day is probably not helping, but it has been a little rough. For a few days, I had a sore throat and itchy eyes. Thankfully, I packed allergy medicine before leaving for Germany, so it has started getting better.
The bigger issue has actually been navigating food allergies here. Not all products in Germany clearly label whether they contain traces of nuts, and because tree nut allergies are not treated with quite the same level of severity as they are in the United States, I have had to be a lot more careful. I have run into a few situations where I accidentally ate something that may have been cross contaminated with hazelnuts. It is honestly pretty scary because it makes it feel difficult to swallow for a few hours afterward. So lately, I have been trying to figure out what I can and cannot safely eat.
One thing I have discovered is that I really cannot eat peanut butter here. Back home, peanut butter is one of my favorite foods, but a lot of the brands here have traces of cashews. So instead, I have been eating cookie butter sandwiches, which are fine, but definitely not the same. Another disappointment is that so much chocolate here contains nuts. I know this is not exactly a huge problem in the grand scheme of things, but it has been a major inconvenience because I was so excited to try European chocolate before coming here.
Another thing that has been difficult for me to adapt to is grocery stores being closed on Sundays. I know I should be used to it by now, but somehow I still forget. I pack my Fridays and Saturdays with fun things to do, and then Sunday rolls around and I realize I have absolutely no food left. That usually means I end up going out and getting a döner. Which, honestly, is not the worst thing in the world, but I am trying to stay on a budget, and constantly eating out definitely does not help with that.
At this point, you are probably wondering how my internship is going. Thankfully, it is actually going really well. They have slowly started giving me more research projects and responsibilities. While I am glad to have more work to do, the assignments can be a little confusing at times. A lot of what I do involves helping them better understand the numbers and analytics side of HR. I enjoy researching those topics, but the directions can sometimes be pretty vague. Because of that, I have gotten into the habit of asking clarifying questions, putting together a rough draft, and then reviewing it with my manager during our daily meetings. This week she reviewed a presentation I was working on and told me I was on the right track, which was reassuring.
As for this week’s prompt about what has been most difficult to assimilate to, I would honestly say that the workplace has been one of the easiest parts of my experience. The company is very international and flexible, so a lot of the workplace dynamics feel familiar. They trust me to work independently, answer my questions when I have them, and give me the freedom to figure things out on my own. Everyone has been incredibly kind and welcoming. They even gave me my own set of keys so I can come in early if I want. They told me I could bake there if I felt like it. Overall, it is just a really fun and supportive environment. I am excited for what the next week has in store.