{"id":10811,"date":"2024-10-21T09:13:31","date_gmt":"2024-10-20T23:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/?p=10811"},"modified":"2024-10-21T09:13:31","modified_gmt":"2024-10-20T23:13:31","slug":"berlin-life-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2024\/10\/21\/berlin-life-changing\/","title":{"rendered":"Berlin: Life Changing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mercedes \u2013 Berlin School of Economics and Law, Germany<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Semester 2, 2022<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bachelor of Business and Law (Honours)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hi, I\u2019m Mercedes! In this blog post, I\u2019m going to take you through my exchange journey as well as some general tips for living in Berlin and advice for your own exchange.<\/p>\n

I had the best time. Living in Berlin and going on exchange was life changing for me. It was challenging and rewarding, it pushed me out of my comfort zone and was a once in a lifetime experience.<\/p>\n

My Journey<\/strong><\/h3>\n

My first day in Berlin was rough.<\/p>\n

After three flights from Brisbane via Singapore and Munich, my suitcase came along the conveyor belt\u2026 broken. Following an expensive taxi to my student accommodation, I made sure nothing was missing from my suitcase, then set off to buy an Aldi sim card. Tip \u2013 you\u2019ll need an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) to set one up (I personally used an n26 account which was free).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
RIP suitcase<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

I arrived during the Summer and fell in love with Berlin – watching sunsets over Tempelhof (the old airport), visiting Mauerpark on Sundays and experiencing the nightlife. When Winter arrived, I was very excited for the Christmas markets and to watch the fresh snow fall from my balcony.<\/p>\n

Top three things I love about Berlin<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Their transport system. Many locals complain about it, however, compared to Brisbane\u2019s train system, the U-bahn and S-Bahn trains are like a dream come true. I found it very easy to get around the city.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Sp\u00e4ti <\/em>(pronounced shpeh-tee) – the convenience stores that rule Berlin. They sell cheap snacks and drinks. Most stay open till late and are open on Sundays which is unusual for Germany.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. There is always something happening. The city \u2018stays awake\u2019 until late. I often found myself comparing Berlin to Brisbane, thinking \u201cWow, I can believe on a weeknight there are so many people out and about<\/em>\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n