Hey, welcome back to my blog. I can’t believe it’s already been another week. This week was a little slower paced compared to some of the others. Because I try to explore everything I can after work, my body has finally decided to revolt against me. Not through sickness, but through migraines. I had a migraine for two days, which was definitely not fun. However, I am happy to report that it is finally over, and I can continue with my plans. Additionally, my legs are starting to feel the effects of walking 20,000 steps a day, but I keep marching on.

One evening this week, I went to a park and decided to watch the sunset while eating a burger. If you ever come to Germany and find yourself craving a burger, Burgermeister is where it’s at. I watched the sunset at Viktoriapark while sitting near a waterfall, and it was incredibly peaceful.

Another thing that happened this week was a crazy coincidence. I decided to go for a walk and visit a free museum. While I was there, I saw someone and kept thinking he looked familiar. I recognized his face and voice but couldn’t place him. Eventually, I went up to him, and it all clicked. He is a German professor at Pitt! While I have never actually had him as a professor, I have seen him at departmental events. So, quick shoutout to the Pitt German Department. They are the best.

At work this week, we also had a company barbecue. They catered food and drinks, and we had the chance to socialize with our coworkers outside of the normal work environment. Shoutout to the tofu and the virgin piña coladas they had. They were absolutely amazing, and I am so glad I decided to go. It was nice being able to talk with coworkers in a more relaxed setting and continue building relationships with them.

After the barbecue, I was still kind of hungry, so I stopped by a little food truck outside of work and got carrot soup. Let me tell you, it was the best carrot soup I have ever had. Granted, I had never actually eaten carrot soup before, but I imagine this was toptier carrot soup. I finished it before I even thought about taking a picture, so unfortunately there is no photographic evidence.

Now, something about me is that I am naturally more of an introvert. After socializing for most of the week, my social battery was running low. I spent Saturday calling friends back in the United States and catching up with them. It was something I desperately needed after being away from them for five weeks. I even started making plans to see the new Spider-Man movie with one of them when I get back home.

On Sunday, I decided to finally take a day trip and explore somewhere outside of Berlin. I went to Spreewald, which is about two hours away and is known for its beautiful waterways and canoe rides. I spent two hours canoeing through the area, and it was gorgeous. I am so happy I decided to go. I was also able to buy some pickle souvenirs for my family. Spreewald is famous for its Spreewald Gurken, and while I personally do not like pickles, my mom will be very excited that I brought some home for her.

One thing I have learned from this trip is how much I enjoy being outdoors and exploring new places. If you have been reading my weekly blogs, you probably know that I seem to visit a new park almost every day. I really should start visiting museums again, but there is something I love about walking around, eating ice cream, drinking a chai latte, and exploring whatever part of the city I happen to end up in.

For work, I have been pretty busy this week helping set up interviews, assisting with event preparation, and continuing to work on my time trscking worksheet. I have loved how much responsibility I have been given because it keeps me busy and focused. Through this internship, I have gained confidence and strengthened my communication skills. Sometimes I still doubt myself and reread emails about 90 times before sending them because I want to make sure I am getting my point across correctly. However, I have noticed that I am becoming more confident in my decisions and no longer feel the need to double check every little thing.

One transferable skill I have developed is learning how to ask questions. At first, I worried about bothering people or asking something obvious. Now, I realize that asking questions is one of the best ways to learn and grow in a professional environment. It helps me better understand my work, avoid mistakes, and improve what I am doing. I have also improved my ability to communicate with different people, whether that means coworkers, interview candidates, or supervisors.

In terms of technical skills, this internship has really helped me improve my Excel abilities. I feel much more comfortable using formulas, organizing data, and creating spreadsheets than I did before arriving in Germany. Repeatedly using these skills in a real workplace has helped them stick in a way that classroom assignments never could. The more I practice, the more comfortable I become using Excel without needing to constantly look up how to do something.

Finally, my global competencies have been extremely important throughout this experience. My background in German has helped me understand much of what is being said around me. While my speaking skills are still a work in progress, I can communicate through a combination of German, gestures, context clues, and determination. Living abroad has also taught me to be more adaptable and patient. Not every interaction goes perfectly, and sometimes there are language or cultural barriers. However, I have learned that being willing to try, even when I make mistakes, goes a long way.

Danke,

Bis später