Ward: Living, eating, speaking like a Berliner

Photo Credit: Nick Wensel takes a shortcut between buildings to get to the Berlin Cathedral
by Brittany Ward October 26, 2016

Visiting Germany has been a dream of Wensel’s since he was a kid and learned of his German ancestry. He started learning German at the age of 14, and his passion grew when he took German in high school.

“It really started to become intertwined with my identity,” Wensel said.

Wensel chose to study abroad in Berlin with the Deutsch in Deutschland (DID) Program, a partner program between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the DID Institute. It is the most comprehensive, yet “bang for the buck” program, allowing for optimal emersion in the Germany culture.

After a flight delay in Chicago, a plane cancellation in Munich, and a detour to Frankfurt, Wensel finally arrived at Tegel Airport, exhausted and surrounded by chaos. Within minutes of collecting his suitcase, his host mom whisked him off to take the intricate public transportation system toward his new home for the next four months.

Fast-forward two months into the study abroad program: the honeymoon phase of being abroad is over, and a large turning point is on the horizon. Wensel had recently passed his C1 exam—just one test away from native level proficiency in speaking, reading and writing—but was still finding it difficult to assimilate into the community. However, after getting more involved with German politics, going to local cafés and talking with German people, the sense of belonging began to blossom.

Wensel enveloped himself with every ounce of culture Berlin had to offer. Discovering a new café and conversing with Berliners became a daily ritual after school. He visited museums, landmarks, and cafes, and he ate at many restaurants and the famous street wiener venders. To Wensel’s surprise there were a lot of amazing Japanese restaurants in the middle of Berlin where he lived. He never thought he would learn to properly use chopsticks or eat authentic Ramen for the first time in Germany.

And then there was Eisbein, which he slipped into the trash when his host mom left the apartment. “Eisbein is a leg of pork that is surrounded by sickly gelatin. The pork is cooked in a pot for hours so the meat is hard on the outside and really soft in the middle. I think that will always stay in my memory as one of the strangest things I’ve ever eaten in my entire life.”

The last day of class was bittersweet. Berlin now felt like home, the program had ended and it was time to travel around Europe for the next month before returning to Nebraska. The DID program had exceeded his expectations; he passed the highest-level language test and considered Berlin home.

“The reality is that Germany and Germans are incredible, their world and culture is unique,” Wensel said, “It was a real privilege for me to be there, to experience a city that will always be mine.”

Photo above: On his first Saturday in Berlin, Nick Wensel takes a shortcut between buildings to get to the Berlin Cathedral. Photo courtesy Brittany Ward.