Life in Berlin (2 months in)

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change..."

-Brené Brown*

A quick sketch of my new street 

Sitting in my new apartment in my PJs on a rare Sunday off, I've been thinking about my time spent in Berlin so far.

I've been in my new city for exactly two months and one week now and, whilst it's amazing, there's been a lot of adjusting to do. I'm onto my second day-job, my second apartment, and making friends hasn't been as smooth and effortless as it was in Italy. I've entered into the world of 50+ hour work weeks and trying to juggle freelancing, day-job working, and socialising has been challenging. I feel as if I am on a constant treadmill of work, taking breaks to sleep and eat and go back to work again.

If Italy was a big squishy warm blanket, then Germany is a hard mattress in a brightly lit room.  Then again, my perception of Italy was seen through a veil of cheap wine and delicious food, surrounded by new friends who were in the same boat as me, all of us stumbling arm-in-arm into drunk weekends with no worries or commitments. Berlin has been testing me, shining a torch into my face and asking whether I REALLY want to be here.

It's been sobering, but the cold grey mist and dark damp roads that glistened when I first arrived have given way for leafy walks in the sun. As the weather warms up I'm adjusting to my new home and realising how much toughening up i've done.

Being vulnerable and taking a risk by moving country has pushed me way out of my comfort zone, but now that the dust is beginning to settle I can see that it's all been worthwhile and that Berlin is just opening up for me now that i've proven that I really want to be here.

*Brené Brown did a great TED talk on the power of vulnerability which you can watch here)