On March 12th 2020 I arrived in Berlin and the very next day Europe began to shut down. Traveling stopped everywhere and everything closed. My first reaction? Total freak out.
I asked myself the following
What the hell am I doing in Berlin if I can’t SEE Berlin?
Should I go home or stay and wait this out here?
Can I even afford to stay here?
What if I catch a flight to the U.S and catch the virus?
As you have noticed I decided to stay, what ultimately made my decision was when my father asked me on the phone “if you could be anywhere in the world during a pandemic where would you want to be?” and I said Berlin.
Germany is one of the countries with the most cases but with very few deaths. The lockdown lasted for a month and it wasn’t strict. We did not have a curfew and we did not need an excuse to be outside. The Germans had nothing but good things to say about their leader Chancellor Angela Markel and obeyed her instructions to keep a distance and wear a mask. We aren’t allowed to gather in groups larger that 2 people unless we are living with them.
I’m required to wear a mask when walking into stores and public transportation. Hair dressers are open and some museums are opening up. I have recently read that Europe is on track to open up traveling within the E.U in mid June which means I might be able to resume my original plan to continue exploring Europe.
Staying in Berlin was the best decision I ever made. Now, the question is…where can I go next?