Blog 5

Cooper Robards

March 17. 2023

Blog 5

    Since coming to Berlin my German has improved a lot and come in handy in many situations. However while it is nice to have some German skills here in Berlin, I have found that just about everyone in Berlin speaks fluent English, or at least knows a few phrases.  It is often humorous watching Berliner's reactions to my strong American accent and somewhat weak German. For instance, I often try to order or pay for things in German (like at my favorite Donner place), but in most cases the workers will immediately recognize my American accent and switch to English. Many Berliner's I have met or interacted with seem to be proud of their English skills or even eager to practice, often using me for practice or to flaunt their skills. one German word I have grown to enjoy is "genau".  It is essentially an affirmative response, like exactly or precisely. If you walk down the street or through a train station you are bound to hear it at least once. 

    This past week was my spring break. I started off the week by visiting one of the many flea markets on Sunday, Mauer Park. it is one of the more famous ones in Berlin and was tons of fun. There was plenty of good food, and some incredibly interesting vending stalls. My favorite part was flipping through the clothe stands. There were so many unique and vintage clothes.  It gave a lot of insight into the current and past fashion trends of Berlin. The style of Berlin can often be described as grungy.  I think this is partly due to the prevalence of flea markets and thrift shops throughout the city. After visiting Mauer Park I traveled to Como Italy and stayed in a hostel for two nights along the lake. It was an amazing experience. I traveled alone which was new and unique for me, but also very relaxing and freeing. I was able to explore on my own schedule and spent a lot of time sketching or simply just relaxing and taking in my surroundings. One of the coolest parts of being abroad has been the ability to travel and experience different areas and cultures. 

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