Thursday, May 29, 2014

Die Katze


In the few days I've had after the program, I've gotten to show some new people some of my favorite places: Warschauer Straße -still "home"-, that one bench on musuem island where I sat for 2 hours and gave 6€ to a homeless woman, that one cafe where I had a pastry buffet breakfast with 3 people I had just met from all over the world. And yet. It's been only a month, but I feel at home here. I felt like I was showing them my little world. 

This city is so huge but feels small at the same time. Janet was right. Has it been a month, a day, a lifetime that we've been here? I had only one expectation upon arriving in Berlin: to be exhausted. I've never been one to nap, but here I can easily be deep in REM cycle within 10 seconds of sitting down on the U-Bahn. I can't say I've showered recently, and there are 3 cents left in my wallet, but I feel like this has been the adventure of a lifetime. Every day has been so jampacked with experiences in places I would have never seen had I not been on this trip. This is just what I needed at this point in my life. I've taken away so much 
from all the shows and people I've seen. From Woyzzeck III to Peter Pan to the Berlin Philharmonic.. Every single night I was seeing something new. Shows I would never have otherwise even considered. Every single one has been memorable, some more shocking.. I can't say I've ever been shot at during a show (it was a fake gun.. I think). I feel that my awareness has expanded, I'm more conscious of the way I'm moving through this world. That's something I picked up here- Europeans seem to be more conscious of their actions. They are more Eco-friendly, the dogs are all off-leash and well-behaved, they are more polite and quiet for the most part. I surprised myself with how interested I became in history and how much I ended up reading about WW2 and all the events that took place at all the various places we visited. It's so fascinating how much this city has been through. 

Berlin is like Narnia to me. This strange little place that I will always be able to rediscover and love but never explain. 
I'm coming out of this trip with a newfound appreciation for all the little things.. Like free water. I've never before felt so appreciative of free sink water from the bathroom. I've learned to adapt so quickly, having had to live outside of my comfort zone for this extended period. 

Now on to the next adventure.. Amsterdam for 5 days, then Mallorca, and then I'm going to bus around Ireland for a week! I can't wait. It's been the experience of a lifetime. 

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