Berlin: The City of Hope or a Hero?

In all honesty, I’m pretty sure every single American student has read at least one fiction book in their lifetime; a book where the story consists of a consistent plotline, a main character or two as well as a “hero’s journey.”

In comparative mythology and narratology, the hero’s journey (monomyth), is defined as a generic template of tales that involve a hero who “goes on a journey, eventually wins a victory after an unforeseen obstacle and returns a new person.” Tales such as the Odyssey, the Iliad or even Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! tell a surprisingly tantalizing story with the usage of “the hero’s journey.”

The journey usually consists of separation, descent, initiation and return.

As a summer student in Germany, I’ll be the “hero” in this series of posts. My name is Kenzo Kimura. I am 17 years old. At precisely 11:12 AM tomorrow, I set out for Berlin from Miami “separately,” in hopes of changing my life and starting my own story.

This is my beginning chapter.

Originally, I applied for study abroad  programs like CIEE in hopes of doing something exciting while learning something new during the long and boring three months I had to spare. However,  when I started searching through CIEE’s website, scrolling through their vast array of locations and options, my eyes settled on “global entrepreneurship” in the heart of Berlin. I wasn’t sure why, but at least the title was captivating enough. After extensive hours of research through public forums and youtube videos, I realized that this was the program for me.

 As a student who’s constantly involved in the speech & debate community and Model UN world, - debating policy international and domestic - business and economics were always like mandarin to me; I’ve always been curious about learning it, yet I’ve never had the opportunity to fully do so.  

After receiving the program’s merit scholarship, I was given the opportunity to start investing my interests into an actual hands-on experience far away from home.As independent as this trip sounds to me, I decided working on it - the application and trip preparations - independently. By taking responsibility on my own, I saw my interests towards this trip increasing and my maturity rising.

From July 8-July 28, I will be studying in Berlin, Germany, in the hopes of gaining different perspectives, making new connections and learning something useful for the future. As a rising high school senior, I plan on majoring in the fields of medicine and business where I can truly make a humanitarian change through my research and work. Learning entrepreneurship through programs like these shows that the intricacy of business is not only useful, but also provides a new in-depth take on a future career.

Although vague, I really have no idea what to expect during the program. Although my expectations are high for the classes, I’m not really sure what I should “expect.” I’ve watched a good amount of videos and reviews regarding this trip, but honestly, I would have a better take on the classroom atmosphere once I get there.

As for the free time, my main expectation revolves around exploring Berlin and taking advantage of what the city offers; whether it’s traditional cuisine or beautiful urban scenery, I hope for the best experience. While I think my trip is exciting, my family and friends back at home seem to have a similar view on this as well.    

I’d say the reactions towards my trip have been fairly exhilarating. Each and every one of my friends are either ecstatic or jealous, while my family and teachers have had similar reactions of happiness or shock, unable to accept the fact that a high schooler is travelling by themselves to another country in hopes of learning entrepreneurship.

As a high school student, I have two priorities: good ACT/SAT scores and getting out of bed. By preparing this trip, it’s been more on the logistic side. I’ve prepared through online courses known as “modules,” which help me prepare for the actual summer course. The modules consist of lessons ranging from course rules to cultural awareness in Germany. Not only have I been working from the computer, but I’ve also readily packed for this trip, giving myself an outfit for every imaginable situation there, being both comfy and stylish. I’ll always be prepared!

When it comes to actually SPEAKING German, my fluency is near zero. Although I am fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and (obviously) English, German is nowhere to be found within my knowledge of language. But, I’ve recently begun studying basic German phrases and words, hoping I’ll appear less like a confused tourist and more like a student.

Overall, my preparedness for my journey is as prepared as it can get. I hope my expectations for this trip maintain high throughout the whole month of my stay.

Through the hero’s journey, the main character first goes through the “separation” stage. Although my hometown is Sao Paulo, Brazil, my home is a small town in Florida called Parkland, recently known for the atrocious February shooting and student activists. As I physically prepare for my one month stay in Germany, I also emotionally prepare my journey.

My separation from where I am right now to where I will be in the next 24 hours scares me; but it also gives me hope - hope that I will write my own story and hope that I will return a changed person with new friends as well as new perspectives. Wish me luck.