I feel badly that I have neglected the blog for the past few weeks, but it has truly been one insane month filled with exams, internship, goodbyes as well as new “hellos.” Yes, one of the wonderful things about this semester is that you never quite stop meeting new people – and it seems that every one of them has a different perspective on Berlin, and there’s nothing I love more than sharing “my” Berlin with others.
The first two weeks of July were the last two weeks of the semester. In one of my earlier blog posts I described the academic system here, and how it requires more self-motivation and initiative on the part of the student. Well, this proved to be more applicable than ever during the exam period. For one of my classes at the Humboldt University, I had to take an exam (Klausur) that covered all the lecture material, and I mean – all of it. Thankfully one other IES student was taking the same class so we met before the exam to study together. And I can say, although I am not expecting the top grade, that I feel proud about my progress this semester. This class had definitely been a challenge, and I am happy to have had it.
Aside from that, my Arabic and German exams went well, too. And although I came up skidding to the finish line, I did turn in my essay for my Migration and Racism seminar on time.
On the last day of the semester, I attended a panel discussion on the recent developments in Turkey. Germany is home to a lot of people of Turkish descent, so it was fascinating to hear German people’s opinions about the topic. And I must say that they do differ from those often reported in American media.
I am so relieved that the semester is over but that I still have a few weeks left in this wonderful city. More about July in the next blog post!
Marta Misiulaityte
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">Marta is a Sociology and German double major at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, but has a hard time staying within the boundaries of these two disciplines just the way she cannot stay in any one place for a long time. The thirst for knowledge and adventures is her biggest drive; over the course of her college career she has taken classes ranging from film studies to psychology, and she just spent a semester studying Arabic in Jordan. Originally from Lithuania, Marta has been fortunate enough to call many places her home. When she is not devouring books, she coordinates and leads campus tours, serves as a proctor in a first-year student dorm, works at the Admissions office as well as helping out at the Registrar’s office at Bowdoin. In her free time, she can be found either taking photographs or swing dancing. She can’t wait to check out the Berlin lindy hop scene!</span></p>
