I noticed something magical in myself today. I realized that I’m more European than I’d realized. Being back in Europe, after a long two year absence, made me realize that I missed being surrounded by buildings that date back 300 years and in a city that holds a long history. Every corner of Berlin seems to have a story to tell; whether it’s a 600-year-old palace where the princess of Germany lived or an area that was once divided in two by a wall.

Today was dedicated to sightseeing and going back to my German roots. This inevitably meant a lot of walking. As my feet were literary about to fall off yesterday, today’s priority was comfort. I planned my outfit around my pair of black, comfortable, Keds. As a petite girl, who doesn’t have the longest legs, it’s hard for me to wear flat shoes and, yet, look taller than I actually am. In order to accomplish my “taller look,” I have to wear a pair of pants that aren’t too tight around my thighs, but still nicely fit, and don’t drag the dirt off the floor. In other words: the perfect pair of jeans. Every girl should have, at least, one. I got mine from Levis; I matched it with a blue and white blouse with vertical stripes that emphasized my waist. If I’m not wearing heels, I tend to wear stripes to make me look taller and slimmer.

As predicted, I spent the whole day exploring the city by foot. I was struck the most by a memorial for hundreds of people that attempted to cross the border from East Berlin to the West. Every cross had a name, date of birth and death, followed by a short description of how they died. Many were young, ambitious adults who sought for a brighter future, as well as individuals who risked their lives to be with their families. The wall stood for 28 years, until it was finally demolished on November 9, 1989. It’s hard to believe that this was an event in history that took place only 20 years ago. As my family and I walked along the path, where the wall once stood, my father told us stories of when he was a student in Berlin and what it was like to see the wall and live with it. Because my parents have first-hand experience of what it was like having a wall separate the city, I felt much more emotional for the people who were murdered trying to cross the border to a better life.

Sightseeing was much more efficient thanks to my comfortable Keds and jeans. I had no complaints about walking. I’m so used to relying on my car in LA, I thought I wouldn’t make it past a 12-hour day of walking. Living in a busy city like LA sometimes makes me forget about my roots and heritage, it’s so easy to be accustomed to the Californian lifestyle. Coming back to Germany and seeing so much of my country’s history is like a flash of reality. I’m glad that I still have some European in me.

Love always,
Mia