Berlin through fresh eyes

Berlin to me is a city with a troubled past and a promising future. I didn’t really know what to expect when I signed up for this study abroad opportunity in Berlin. I had been to other European countries such as France and Italy when I was younger, but I knew that Berlin wouldn’t be quite the same as those two. France and Italy are often sensationalized in American media, so I sort of knew what to expect, but Berlin is not usually the background of choice for summer blockbusters, so my previous knowledge of the city consisted of what I learned in school or saw on the history channel. From first glance I can tell you right off the bat that Berlin is a city with its own identity. From the modern one-of-a-kind style of its residents to the city’s regretful past Berlin is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

The open and diverse youth in Berlin is what makes the city unapologetically unique and vibrant. No matter what style of clothes Berliners choose to put on they always make you feel like you’re underdressed. Their refined simplistic style matches perfectly with the city’s industrial aesthetic.

The city also carries a dark past on its shoulders which it is openly regretful for. The solemn historical sites located throughout the city exemplify the remorse of the German people. This was most evident at the Berlin wall memorial, where dozens of fallen citizens and soldiers are remembered throughout displays located by the original remains of the wall.