As I begin to wrap up my first week in Berlin, I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I'm across the world from where I am used to being. I have travelled to Mexico often but nothing has quite felt like this, it's like being in a familiar dream. I haven't experienced much culture shock- especially since English is widely spoken in Berlin as well as the fact that Berlin is a city similar to those in the United States. However, there are some glorious things about Berlin which I wish I could take home with me.
Firstly, the public transportation is on another level. As a public transportation fanatic, otherwise known as someone without a license, the transit in Berlin has surpassed my expectations greatly. It is so incredibly easy to move around from place to place even without knowing much German. As well as with the fact that Germany offers a 9 euro transit ticket for a month that allows you into any public transportation, Berlin has fulfilled my dreams of a walkable community.
Secondly, although it may be a bit contradictory to my last statement, another fun part of Berlin for me is the mass amount of weird-looking cars. I am not a car person, if I had to describe a car I would so by its color rather than by make and model, but the aesthetics of colorful little cars in Berlin has left an impression on me. It seems that you cannot walk down a street without coming across one of these little fellas.
Finally, two random, perhaps more negative, impressions that Berlin has left upon me are regarding its weather and bathroom culture. Regarding the former, it is not Berlin's fault that there is an intense heat wave occurring right now throughout Europe, but it has destroyed my idea of cool European weather, as well as cut my wardrobe options in half. Now as for the latter, it might seem strange to bring up bathrooms, and for the most part the bathrooms are great- all the public bathrooms I have been to have been very nice and clean. Still, it has not stopped baffling me the way in which Berlin toilets lack toilet seat covers. I can understand the lack of it, there isn't as much of an "anti-germ" culture in Europe, nor is there groups attempting to profit from the sale of these covers, but I guess I never realized how much I had internalized the need for toilet seat covers until now.
To end on a more uplifting note than toilet seat covers, another remarkable aspect of Berlin is the amount of color. There is so much more color everywhere- more parks bringing greenery to the area, houses with varying colors, many red roofs, as well as a great deal of graffiti make the city incredibly vibrant and alive.
By Citlalli Martinez Cano
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