Back to SummaryArden Pennell - Student Profile

“The people that came through here were always, you know”-- she gestured towards the window—“not exactly like everyone else out there!”

Although she was speaking about visitors who came to do research at subversive playwright Bertolt Brecht’s house, the same could be said about students who go to Berlin. They aren’t exactly like everyone else, because Berlin isn’t exactly like every other city. It, too, is subversive; usually a big city equals visibility and checking off a “Top Ten Sites” list by the end of a weekend, but with Berlin, it just means more hidden corners to explore.

A detour through an unassuming courtyard could lead to an underground party where university students from five countries are talking on lumpy sofas. Simply looking down one day, I discovered a tiny plaque the size of an index card embedded in the sidewalk. It commemorated a married couple who had once lived on my block but had been deported to Auschwitz, and I read in the newspaper that it was one of 800 scattered through the city.

I chose to go to Berlin without knowing anything about all that. Its main attraction for me was an accelerated language course for speakers with no prior experience. I found that this was a great way to learn because it meant instant gratification, as every day’s lesson was soon used, whether for buying groceries or for booking a room for Oktoberfest. By talking as much as possible, (not hard for me), my level eventually rose to the point where people could share their experiences, like the woman at the Brecht house.

I was set on taking advantage of this opportunity. Wolf, the internship coordinator, worked with me to find a place that fit my interests, and at the Berlin Office of Urban Development, I researched World War II-related monuments and translated important materials. I was very lonely at first and missed my close friends in California, but this was an unavoidable part of being abroad, and eventually I got used to having a smaller group of friends, both American and German. This kind of distance, which can begin as loneliness, also morphs into liberation, as one becomes increasingly willing to try new things, such as watching new sports while enjoying a range of new German beverages.

I ended my stay with a stack of notes and newspaper clippings that would later become an honors thesis; it included pieces that the Berlin center staff saved for me. They are a helpful, caring group who really want the students to learn and explore their interests.

…because they are luckier, gifted with many opportunities through the fascinating city itself, the internship option, and even their classes, which include cultural visits and trips. With a wide field like this, any interest one arrives with can be expanded upon, from art to physics to soccer. It’s not always easy to speak a strange new language and be far away, but it is always interesting, and much of the time it’s also really exciting.