My time in Berlin is coming to an end, which somehow feels impossible considering I was only here for three weeks. Three weeks doesn’t sound like much on paper, but the way this city has changed me makes it feel like I’ve been here for months. Before studying abroad, my plan felt simple and safe: graduate, find a teaching job I enjoy, and maybe travel around the U.S. every year or two. International travel felt like something other people did—too expensive, too complicated, too far outside what I thought was realistic. Now, I’m leaving Berlin with a completely different mindset and absolutely no idea where I might end up, and honestly, that’s exciting.
Berlin has a way of putting things into perspective. After countless museums, walking tours, and memorial visits, it became clear just how quickly life can change. History here isn’t distant; it’s layered into sidewalks, buildings, and everyday routines. If there’s one lesson I’m taking home (at the risk of sounding a little cheesy), it’s that nothing is guaranteed, and waiting for the “perfect” time to live fully is pointless. This city reminded me that experiences matter more than perfectly planned timelines.
As meaningful as the coursework was, the moments that changed me most happened after class. Once the museums closed and the lectures ended, I found myself wandering Berlin, getting lost on purpose, trying new food, and learning more about myself than I ever expected. Those moments of independence, navigating public transportation, meeting new people, and realizing I could handle unfamiliar situations, are what really stuck with me. There are too many moments that made me think, I don’t want to leave, and somehow that makes leaving even harder.
Sitting in our little apart-hotel room during my last few days, I keep thinking about how different I feel from the person who arrived here. I don’t just want to explore the world anymore, I already have. In my last journal, I mentioned possibly going to Paris during a free weekend. Paris didn’t happen, but instead, I planned a spontaneous trip to Prague in about twelve hours with two other girls before we hopped on a train to the Czech Republic. Germany felt manageable because I had time to prepare, practice the language, and learn the culture. Prague was a completely different story. I don’t speak a single word of Czech, and the entire trip was planned the night before. I was convinced something would go wrong. Somehow, it didn’t, and that might be the most surprising part.
Prague was beautiful, but one of the most interesting things I noticed throughout my travels was how American culture weaves its way through Europe. English was everywhere, American music played constantly, and familiar stores popped up in unexpected places. It was comforting to see pieces of home, but I loved being surrounded by so much newness at the same time. In Berlin alone, I tried food from seven different cultures, visited museums featuring art from all over the world, and met people whose lives looked nothing like mine, yet somehow felt familiar.
Every expectation I had for this program was met and then completely surpassed. The students on this trip are all so different, heading toward careers and futures that look nothing alike, yet we all shared this moment together. I feel incredibly lucky to have learned from their stories just as much as from Berlin itself. This experience changed how I see the world, my future, and what I’m capable of. I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t taken this leap, but I know one thing for sure: this wasn’t just a trip, it was a turning point.