Planting Roots in Berlin

By: Sylvie Cullen

Growing up, the closest city to me was Raleigh, North Carolina. This city has less than 500,000 people, and covers about 150 square miles. In comparison, Berlin has 3.8 million residents and an area of 344 square miles. This was my first time living in a city, and it just so happened to be in a foreign country on another continent. Despite studying German in school, reading as many articles and social media posts about Berlin as possible, and even getting in contact with people from my program, I was terrified of the unknown. After spending a week in Berlin, I felt finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. There were still a lot of unknowns ahead of me, but I felt confident in my ability to succeed in this city. 

Over the past 4 months, I have seen more growth in myself than ever before in my life. Many people view it as a culture shock, but I felt very comfortable in German culture. Overall, it felt reliable, predictable, and efficient. I can’t say I’ve ever been able to easily walk up a full escalator in the United States, but the Germans have it figured out! I spent the first two blocks travelling, learning, trying new foods, improving my language skills, and making new friends. Finally, in my third block, I feel fully at ease in this city. I am familiar with the geography, I know all the best food spots, I’ve found a group of people that I feel really comfortable with, I have an internship with an amazing organization where I have made friends from all over the world, and I can say that I’ve learned a lot about who I am and what my priorities are in life. I’ve planted roots in Berlin, and the only regret I have is that I have to leave my second home.

EXPLORE BERLIN