“The city will always pursue you” The wooden porch, the bird feeder in the crabapple tree, the screen door with holes in it, a warped tupperware container filled with cough syrup and cayenne pepper that I, age seven, stir carefully with a wooden spoon. “Are you making potions?” my dad asks as I spritz the
Found Fragments of a “Language and Thinking” Notebook
This past May, I moved out of my first non-dorm housing in Berlin. Behind a dense pile of important documents that had been pressed tightly (carelessly?) against my bedroom wall, I rediscovered my Language and Thinking notebook, about half-filled and bound in red Bard College Berlin cardstock. I also found the course reader, stuffed with
Pride Aesthetics: A Foray into Christopher Street Day
Attending the annual Berlin Christopher Street Day Parade this past weekend marked my second experience with the increasingly global phenomenon of LGBT Pride. My first experience took place in my home city, Boston, USA, in the summer after I graduated high school. I remember the anticipation leading up to this first exposure to LGBT cultural
Dispatches from a Dead Language
When I started to learn Latin, I saw it everywhere. Location played a big role in this — Latin seems woven into the regional character of Italy, where I undertook a summer course in the language in a three-week intensive program at the University of Bologna. Bologna was sweltering, the streets in the center of
Happy Summer Break!
A message from Marga Hattingh, the blog editor: From Pankow to puppets to puppies, poems to podcasts to horoscopes to reflective articles, Die Bärliner has travelled far and wide this last academic year. We’re sad to see you go for the summer… which is why we’ll be sticking around. In your inbox. Probably every week.
Puppies Cure Stress! A Look Back at De-Stress Fest
The BCB Student Life team held a De-Stress Fest on Wednesday, April 25th, to reduce anxiety on campus with some relaxing bonding activities, all while celebrating the spring weather. These activities included petting puppies, drinking pink lemonade, baking, decorating cookies, and barbecuing on the patio of the Student Centre. Six dogs were present at the
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (To Study Abroad)
Giving birth to your study abroad year is going to be a long and difficult process. It’s best to get any expectations of an easy transition out of your head and, instead, mentally prepare yourself to push. If you thought selecting a destination that matches with your degree program’s requirements and turning in all the
Body, Mind, and Soul Week (podcast)
This past February and March, the Peer Advisors held a week-long series of activities aimed at improving mental health on the BCB campus. The “Body, Mind and Soul Week” included a hike, a dance party in the factory, and a workshop on mindfulness to name just a few of the events. In this podcast, we