Posted December 10, 2024 by UTS Think Global Germany

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – Global Short Program

Schloss Friedrichsfelde
Tierpark Berlin

Prior to this year, I had never left Australia. The furthest from home I had ever been able to travel was the border between New South Wales and South Australia. However, with the support of Global Short Programs, I was given the opportunity to cross the world to study for four weeks in Berlin. After a twenty-four-hour flight, I spent another six hours on the Intercity Express from Munich to Berlin – half of which was one of Deutsche Bahn’s infamous three-hour delays, when our driver dropped out all passengers at Leipzig Central Station and turned the train around, stating that he had begun feeling unwell and did not want to continue driving. Where some may see this as an incredibly frustrating inconvenience, I was nothing but joyful. After all, I had travelled to experience another culture, and there is nothing more German than public transport delays. Finally arriving in Berlin, I picked up the keys to my 10th floor apartment along the Spree River and looked out over the city that would be my new home filled with excitement.

It took some time to adjust to the new culture, such as no shops open on Sundays, beer sold in every corner shop, and only a few businesses accepting cash. Another early hurdle to overcome was the new geography, with Berlin’s latitude leading to summertime sunsets after 10:30pm, and sunrises at 4am. Thankfully German engineering solved this problem long ago, by fitting all windows with the most effective block-out blinds I’ve ever encountered. Another hurdle was the language barrier, with my German skills limited to the standard dialect I’d spent the previous two years studying, rather than the slang-filled and grammatically confusing dialect of Berlinisch.

I never felt homesick while I was overseas. Although I was always acutely aware that I wasn’t at home, the quiet urban atmosphere of Berlin, especially in the former East, reminded me so strongly of Sydney that I never felt out of place. If only Sydney’s public transport network were so expansive!

The language intensive that I was able to join thanks to Global Short Programs led to all the highlights of my trip. I met so many new friends from so many different countries, across every continent except Antarctica. Algeria, Vietnam, Ghana, Colombia, Serbia, and the United States were all among the nationalities of the friends I made through this Global Short Program. Travelling with my friends to an avant-garde musical gig, to the Video Game Museum, to the Tierpark zoo, and to Schlachtensee for a day on the beach at the end of our stay, were all the best and most memorable parts of this unforgettable journey. I cannot thank the Global Short Programs team enough for the opportunity that they granted me through their courses.