Submitted by Zachary Shulman on the 2019 fall semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
At the time of my writing this, I am only about 24 hours into my trip to Berlin, Germany, but next week’s blog post will include reflections from the entire vacation. For the time being though, I would just like to reflect on the trip so far and what it means for my semester going forward.
To begin, I should point out that this travel adventure is unlike any I have ever embarked on in my life. At the same time that I am unburdened by the typical social pressure of these types of excursions outside of the host country, I am solely responsible for my itinerary, budget, and problem-solving. Fortunately, Berlin has no shortage of things to do and see; I also pride myself in my frugality. But problem-solving? Well, I suppose that depends on the problem. Certain problems like travel delays (which I had) and language barriers (which are a dime a dozen in Europe) are easily workable. Travel delays are not typically crippling to one’s experience, and mine was a simple 30-minute bus delay coming into the city. In terms of the language barrier, only certain individuals grow impatient when you can’t quite understand them; restaurant employees and ticket salesmen are used to misunderstanding tourists.
Far and above the worst problem I have ever dealt with during a study abroad program involved money. When I studied in Rome, my ATM card was dysfunctional for the first week, stripping me of my access to any of my money. I had a similar issue in the beginning of my semester in Denmark with my credit card. Both of those issues eventually straightened out, but not after days of headache. I assumed that my money problems were all, but gone by this point in the semester.
Then, just as I was getting comfortable, my ATM card stopped working. On top of that, my credit card was only selectively working, but that didn’t matter much in a city much more cash-oriented than Copenhagen. I was running out of options, and there was no way to contact my bank and solve the problem. I plunked myself down at a nearby Dunkin Donuts (thankfully, they took card), completely defeated with no idea what to do. I was inches away from hitting the panic button when I realized something. That just wasn’t an option.
I had no safety nets, no friends nearby to help me, and no one to call and have my problem fixed. I was in a brand-new city, with almost no access to money, and it was daunting. But in any situation where the obstacle seems insurmountable, your response to it boils down to choices. If I had chosen to sit in that Dunkin Donuts, with free Wi-Fi and a charging station, I would have spoiled one of my few days in this city, and perhaps not identified the solution I eventually did. Instead, I took out my notebook and wrote down every positive thing I could think of regarding this trip; a safe place to sleep, the ability to purchase food, etc. Then I compiled a list of all of the places I want to visit in Berlin and divided it by those that cost money and those that do not. To my delight, more than half of the items on that list did not cost any money, and I spent the day focused on them.
This is what being a traveler is all about. You will never go on a trip without having to put up with some problems. Sometimes those problems will be minor and easily fixable, and sometimes they will force you to dramatically change the course of your trip. In those moments, it is crucial to keep your head, focus on the positives, and work your way to a solution. Find a way to learn from what happened, and most of all, enjoy yourself.
