Berlin: a "la la dreamland"

Wow…Berlin.  Such an amazing and gorgeous city!  Having just arrived ten days ago, I am still so pleasantly surprised at the level of peace, joy and happiness in my soul right now.  To have found a city that allows a person to just be so care-free; to be whoever they are or want to be; to be creative; and to feel at home so easily…it’s just such a wonderful discovery. 

I spent my first five days in what I’ve been calling a “la la dreamland” of jet-lag, culture shock (good culture shock!), friends, wandering and fun.  The last five days have been similar, but I seem to have come out of that initial haze of a dreamland and slowly, each day, I allow myself to realize that that “dreamland” is rather a wonderful land of reality.  Sometimes, it really seems like a true piece of heaven!  Not even knowing if I believe in the religious heaven I heard about so much growing up Catholic, this heaven of mine is simply a peaceful, serene, quiet land of freedom and happiness here on earth.  In my eyes…much better to find a heaven now than in the possible after life!

A butterfly in the clouds...just like me ;)

I think because my spirit was so stomped out and so stressed this last year and a half, that now it’s all I can do to appreciate every little beautiful thing that is a possibility in this life...I started really soaking the beauty of life up back in June.  And now Berlin has already proven itself to be a city full of possibility for someone in my position seeking the unknown and tranquil freedom.  It is a city full of people from different places who have come here for many reasons…but so many have come here for the culture and laid back environment.   The easy, peaceful feeling of this city is magnificent for exercising your creative outlets…which currently for me is my writing and photography.  As Rob told me on my first night here…”dude, this is a great city to write a book!” (something I have thought, dreamed and pondered about for the last twelve years and to which I am dedicating energy during these months...[yay!!]).

Jogging photo safari: a family rests amongst the trees

Each day I spend in this new city is an adventure in itself.  Whether I am out biking with a friend or walking around the amazing and gorgeous Tempelhofer Park (a retired airport that the city voted to make into a public space a few years ago…simply amazing!); or getting lost on a jog…first I accidentally went into a beautiful cemetery thinking it was a path to the canal; the next jog I accidentally jogged 7 ½ miles(!) along the canal that I had finally found (I typically make myself run for 30 minutes and then call it quits); or playing Texas Hold’em with a table full of Germans; or going to relax by the lake where some people choose to lay topless or naked (I had my bikini on!); or sitting with my friend Rob, someone I’ve known for ten years now, and having amazing life conversations; or just relaxing outside on the balcony of my current home (I have three places to stay the next six weeks, each for two weeks at a time), surrounded by trees and the sound of birds and the beautiful weather…it is all such a wonderful adventure!

Taking off from the runway with Emory at the old airport

And, I must say, that I am so lucky to have a family of friends here with whom to share this experience.  I mentioned in my last post that during the difficult goodbyes back home, I find comfort knowing that I carry those loved ones with me wherever I go and I know they are cheering me on from afar and waiting with open arms upon my return.  The other consoling factor during my goodbye earlier this month was knowing that I have so many wonderful people here in Berlin, waiting with open arms on this side of the big pond!  A few friends from my first year living in Germany (Marburg) back in 2003-4 and a handful of friends I made at the 2010 Sardinian wedding of one of my DC housemates who grew up in Berlin.  People that I only spent 3-6 days with a few years ago, but who encouraged me then to move to this city and have been ready and waiting for me to arrive ever since!  It’s a wonderful thing about life, meeting people in so many different moments and experiencing some of life with them, perhaps briefly at first; but then, life being life…you find yourself having the chance to meet them again down the road and really live life together for a while….it’s just such a special gift from the universe!

In my glory...a biking photo safari at Tempelhofer Park!

I really do feel so alive in moments like this; surrounded by good people and the adventure of a new city and a new chapter…a new start! When I have so much to discover around me with the language and the culture and the history of a new place; just exploring the streets and the neighborhoods and the tastes of the food and the music, etc…it is exhilarating and it allows you to discover so much about yourself too!  It makes me feel as though I am actively living my life rather than life living me.  Such a great feeling that I truly cherish.