It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Berlin for one week already. I’m getting used to the public transportation system, the miles of walking each day, and the rhythm of classes during the week. Yet there are still some things I haven’t fully adjusted to yet.
I did not expect Berlin to be as clean as it is. I assumed that the overall cleanliness would be comparable to U.S. cities like New York or Los Angeles, but the good people of Berlin make sure trash is kept off the streets and various forms of transportation. I also did not expect to see as much English around the city as I have. Multiple shops and kiosks have had English descriptions in the window, and public transportation even plays some announcements in English.
After living in Deutschland for one week, I already miss driving. It’s nice having a capable public transit system running throughout the city, but whenever our group sits at a bus stop or U-bahn station for a prolonged period of time, I think about the time I could save by driving. I’ve missed air conditioning since our room baked in the 85 degree heat the past few days. And I really miss drinking fountains/free water. Germans don’t believe tap water is healthy, so there are none to be found in Berlin, and water is never free at restaurants here.
Aside from these complaints, I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far. I’ve made new friends, tried new things, and solved for truss forces more time than I care to admit. Hopefully the rest of the program goes as well as this past week has.