1. I have never before been calm at the airport. Airport is synonymous with rush, chaos, discomfort. I believe it is distinctly a quality of the European continent to casually fly. I forget
CategoryStudent Life
Photo Story: Istanbul in a Day
The Student Action & Youth Leadership Conference in Istanbul, Turkey brought together people from all over the world to the only city in the world that stretches on two continents – Europe and Asia. Although the busy schedule at the conference left us with little time to go out and explore the city, I had firmly
Student profiles: Nicholas Lecchi
Please state your full name. Nicholas Sebastiano Lecchi. Where are you from? Rockville, Maryland in the United States. And where is your family from? My father is from Milan, Italy. And I think my mother is from Seveso in Italy, but I can’t be sure. Do you speak Italian? Very little. Enough to swear in
A Palestinian Journey: A Student Discovers New Freedoms
This piece was originally published by Al-Fanar Media on March 18, 2015. Republished with their kind permission. I am a Palestinian student, 20 years old. I was born in Jerusalem, but I have been there only twice. I grew up in the Al-Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. Originally, I am from Gaza, but I
A Day at the Café Cinema
It’s a rainy Monday in January. I have just finished my dentist appointment. Still under the influence of mild pain, I take the M1 to Hackescher Markt, one of the most hip areas in Mitte, to do some soul-writing and reflecting on the last year before I meet a friend for what was supposed to
Arrival in Berlin: Ready but not Ready for Freedom
Berlin makes me feel like a small child. Actually, a big child. I look of-age, with my grandpa’s brown leather coat, my light-brown heeled oxfords, my black beanie, black hair, and black eyeliner, but I am completely incapable of being an adult. At least, a European adult. Being in Berlin has made it clear that
Berlinale: Institution or Art
It’s February in Berlin and that means it’s time to go to the movies. With the number of film festivals happening this month, your options for venues are virtually limitless. Whether the attractively dinky Boddinale, the online VELOBerlin, or the respectable Berlin Independent Film Festival, any film buff or curious viewer can get their fill
Nights Beyond Techno
When you live in Berlin, there are a few things you simply can’t avoid. The Rewe jingle, for instance, or small children in large snowsuits, well behaved dogs waiting patiently for their owners or, Techno. Techno seems to me like an acquired taste, like olives, or anchovies. The things that you really don’t like, but