Last time I checked in, I had recently arrived in Berlin, Germany for my Long Study Tour. This was a jam-packed week of history, politics, and culture, but it was all worthwhile!
Berlin has long been at the center of the European political scene. The gravity of the city’s past, just beneath the surface of more recent development, is palpable wherever you go. Monuments and memorials all over the city commemorate the horrific tragedies of World War II, and relics of the infamous division between East and West still stand. One of our guides, Finn, showed us just how deeply ingrained this history is in the city, where even the most mundane things like advertisements and train stations are connected to the past. Throughout the trip, we went to various historic sites to learn more about these two periods, the factors leading to them, and the consequences, all of which was very sobering but so important to know going forward.
We also focused on current international issues in Europe and the world, with Germany now playing a leading role in the EU. Cybersecurity, defense, and the future of European cooperation were all on the table during our meetings with think-tank researchers and EU policymakers. The way these issues will be dealt with is still unclear, but the discussions really got us thinking!
To get an even better picture of Berlin, we had plenty of opportunities to experience the city’s now-thriving culture. Berlin is a huge city, so we may not have done it all, but we definitely got in a big range of activities. The food was as diverse as Berlin itself, from a nice dinner on the roof of the Bundestag one night to a more down-to-earth (but equally good!) street food tour through the multicultural Kreuzburg neighborhood on another. The museums went so much deeper into the history and culture than we could have gotten from our tours alone. And the art, also largely influenced by history, was phenomenal.
Berlin was such an intense and incredible experience, and I’m so grateful for the chances we got there. That said, I’m also glad to be back home in Stockholm. Vi hörs!
Olivia’s Adventure in Stockholm 