Hi! I’m Kelly Jones, and I study Materials Science and Engineering. I’m on exchange at Denmark Technical University (DTU), which is just outside of Copenhagen.
This past weekend, I took a trip with my friends from DTU and went to Berlin! It is Easter break at our university, so we planned a group trip. After a few weeks of planning and one 8.5 hour overnight bus later, the group arrived at the main bus terminal in Berlin. I was so excited! I had never been to Berlin, let alone Germany, so I had no idea what to expect. Granted, many of the Germans that I had met while abroad told me that Berlin is so different from other German cities because of its distinct history and
international nature.
I really looked forward to visiting Berlin because of how much I learned about its significance in history classes. It had been years since I had covered the topics and specifics of WW2, and I was eager to review the history of Berlin. When I arrived in Berlin, I was surprised to realize that I didn’t really need to visit any museums to learn about the devastation of WW2 and the effects of the Cold War on the city, as there were constant reminders as I walked the streets. I encountered the East side gallery, the escape routes crossing the Berlin Wall that were clearly marked in stone, and the 3rd Reich Governmental Buildings, which were still utilized today. It was surreal to walk around Berlin and see the artifacts from history, preserved for everyday life in Berlin.
On walking tours of the city, I learned about the stories of people who had lived in east Berlin during the Cold War and how it had affected people. Specifically, I was really interested in the cultural impacts of the war and how the people had coped with their new lives. Throughout the city, graffiti was draped across buildings and walls. Homemade posters advertising music shows and artwork covered every inch of street poles. It was evident that after the years of repression during the Cold War, the German people now artistically expressed themselves however they could.
One aspect of Berlin that I really enjoyed was how much green space there was. It is filled with sprawling parks and green spaces throughout the city. Many of the WW2 airfields have even been converted to public parks! I quickly realized just how big Berlin was as a result of this, as it took nearly 50 minutes to travel across the city from my hostel in eastern Berlin to the Brandenburg Gate! Even so, I loved how easy it was to find a park and picnic: my friends and I often took advantage of this.
Berlin has fantastic street food options, especially the doner kebab. This became my favorite food item to purchase, which only cost €6.50! In Copenhagen, I would have spent around €15 for the same item. Furthermore, compared to other European cities and even Philadelphia, Berlin offers so many more vegan and vegetarian options. At every kebab store, there were both falafel and vegan meat options that tasted fantastic as well. In addition to the prevalence of street food, there is also a great street wear and vintage culture in Berlin. I was lucky enough to stay through the whole weekend and was able to attend the largest outdoor market at Mauer Park. Dozens of food vendors and even more vintage item sellers gathered in the sprawling outdoor park. It seemed as though everyone in Berlin wanted to participate in the market and soak up the warm weather, because the market was packed.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Berlin. I loved the food, the cultural atmosphere, and that I was able to also really experience and understand the history of Berlin through the various museums and tours I attended. As I grew accustomed to the enormity of the city, I looked forward to finding each hidden beer garden in the park and uncovering yet another piece of world history.
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