And So It Begins...

To those of you who know me personally, welcome to my blog. To those of you who do not, I assume you clicked here by mistake, but since you’re here, let’s make the best of it. This is the first installment in a series of ten that will detail my experience living abroad in Berlin as a student. This first post will attempt to capture the impending doom of international travel in an amusing fashion.

Before I begin, I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Isabella, and I’m originally from San Francisco. I go to school in Boston, where I study History (voluntarily) and Gender Studies (an irreparable course-planning fluke). I enjoy reading (mostly paperback, though I do have a curious habit of buying hardcover editions the day before their softer cousins find themselves in my local bookstore), listening to music of all kinds, and, most importantly for someone planning to study abroad, people-watching.

Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, let me describe the situation of my pre-departure planning, which is, for lack of a suitable alternative, chaotic. My hope with this detailed outline of my situation is to inject a bit of humor into the planning process as well as provide some helpful tips for future students to arm themselves with in preparation for their own adventures.

Tip 1: On Maximizing Suitcase Space When You Have Little to Begin With

It is my opinion that packing for a long trip is essentially a game of emotional chess against yourself. “Will I really need this parka? What if there’s an unseasonal snow storm? Should I bring my Riverside Shakespeare?” The truth, like always, is harsh: you will not need this parka nor should Shakespeare accompany you abroad. Chances are, he’ll find you wherever you happen to be staying.

The key to packing effectively is to embrace a kind of ruthless minimalism while leaving room for inevitable impulse buys abroad. This is the first time I plan to roll my clothes into my suitcase, which figures more as a blow to my pride as a professed seasoned traveler than cleverly taking a leaf out of Marie Kondo’s book. In terms of fashion, I’m choosing to stick with versatile, mix-and-match pieces and accepting the universal truth that I can survive with fewer shoes. I’m bringing two pairs of boots, a pair of loafers, and my slippers, which is the lightest I’ve ever packed when it comes to footwear. It’s also important to not forget the weirdly specific things without which survival is impossible—like a portable charger, adapter plugs, and other technological items that necessitate my father to involve himself in my packing process. 

Tip 2: On Familiarizing Yourself With the Possibility of Not Being Understood

For those of you traveling to a location where your first language is not widely spoken, nor perhaps your second or third, I salute you. On explaining my destination to my grandmother, she replied that I did not speak German. I acknowledged that she was correct in this observation. She then asked how I was to go about daily life in Berlin, seeing that I would not be understood. I tactfully assured her of my ability to learn basic phrases thanks to an app called Duolingo as well as the fact that my program orientation would include fifteen hours of mandatory language instruction. Seeing she was not completely satisfied with this answer, I helpfully added that I would be taking a German language class taught by university professors. Mercifully, I was saved from further explanation when my uncle interrupted us by offering a complex and large assortment of nuts.

I offer a takeaway from this exchange: language immersion is a rare opportunity for most students. There is nothing more valuable than being able to converse with someone in the language you are trying to learn, as well as being surrounded by it on all sides. Metro timetables, public service announcements, and traffic signs are parts of city living that require some level of comprehension. Call me a thrill seeker if you so desire, but I prefer to be thrown into the deep end (linguistically speaking). 

But if you seek to be a tad more prepared, I do have some recommendations: starting with an app is a sensible first step. If you have friends who speak whatever language you’re trying to learn, there is truly no time like the present to use this to your advantage. I’d also recommend having a translation app somewhere handy in case the situation calls for reinforcements. If you do make a mistake, rest assured that you are not the first nor will you be the last. There is no shame in learning.