Ana Rowley, International Internship Program: Berlin Summer 2023
When I was deciding if I should study abroad this summer, I was not sure what to expect in the long term. I had heard stories of people having life-changing experiences and how their trip continues to influence their life. A part of me did want that for myself because I have been looking for a source of guidance for what to do after my undergraduate career. At first, when I arrived in Berlin, I was looking for something to click and have the answer to what I should do. That thing never really came, and soon I forgot about that expectation and just began to enjoy my time in Germany. When I came back to the US, I realized that, for me personally, the life-changing part is how I reflected on and mentally processed the trip afterward.
Traveling to Berlin changed the way I thought and approached my academic and professional career. I have always been extremely dedicated to my academics and saw school as the most important thing in my life. But, being in a city that had a culture that stressed work-life balance and thoroughly enjoying life rubbed off on me. I saw in real-time what life could be like if you value your own time and relationships as much as your work. For example, people left work right at 5 PM and would work remotely on Fridays. There were people of all ages at flea markets, lakes, and restaurants after 5 pm every day. Many of my coworkers stressed the importance of not taking on too much work and taking the necessary time off to recover from illnesses or stress. It was such a nice change of pace to be surrounded by people who genuinely supported me. When I came back to the United States, I realized that I really missed that carefree “vibe” that existed in Berlin. I continue to see people in the US struggle to have a strong work-life balance because of the need to dedicate so much of their time to work in order to stay competitive. In the future, I would love to return to a similar work environment that exists in Berlin. Maybe that would manifest by going back and living in Berlin, but also just knowing what I am looking for in a city will help me be happier in the long run.
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