From Poznan to Berlin!

Week 4 – Personal Realisations – 18^th March 2011

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Berlin. After being in Poznań for three weeks we felt it was time we started to travel, and really make the most of living in central Europe. We set off on the train on Friday evening and it only took 3 hours to get to Berlin. Throughout the weekend we had the opportunity to visit a few museums, take a tour of the city, and experience some of the night life.

As I have never been to Berlin I did not know what to expect, but I have heard countless good reports. Berlin was beyond my expectations. I had an incredible time in this city. The weather was fantastic and there was so much to see. Also, there are a few things that I noticed about Berlin that surprised me.

The first thing that I noticed about Berlin was the cost of living. Just from looking at our accommodation and the price of food it seemed very expensive. I only came to this conclusion as I was comparing the prices to prices in Poznań but when I contrasted with costs in Northern Ireland it was quite similar. This really highlighted for me the economic situation in Poland where the cost of living is a lot less than in Berlin and at home in Northern Ireland.

Berlin Wall

Being in Berlin has made me realise how important languages are. As I learnt the basics of the polish language before leaving for Erasmus, I had few difficulties exploring Poland, asking for directions, or buying thing. Even knowing the fundamentals of a language can be so valuable and rewarding. As I learnt no German before travelling to Berlin I found it difficult communicating in shops or restaurants. This has really made me realise how beneficial it can be to know another language and now I am more determined to work hard at my Polish language. With Northern Ireland society becoming increasingly multicultural everyday it would be excellent for me to develop enough Polish language so that, if a Polish child came into my future classroom I will be able to communicate adequately with them to help them to learn the English language.

Berlin is such a beautiful city with so much history. On our tour I learnt so much that I didn’t already know, and it was fascinating. The history of Germany, the war, Berlin and the Berlin Wall is captivating and I really enjoyed learning about German history.  We also had the opportunity to visit the memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. It is so emotive to hear the number of Jews that were murdered in the past. Looking at, and moving through, the monument gave me the opportunity to contemplate what I had heard. This weekend has really opened my eyes to how fascinating European history is and I just want to learn more and more. I am excited about what else I can learn about Europe, and especially Poland and I enjoy this Erasmus experience.

Until next time,

Jeff