Our day began on arguably one of the most important streets in Berlin right now: the Sonnenalle located in the Neukölln neighborhood. Both the street and the neighborhood are home to a large Middle Eastern immigrant population, hosting many Syrian, Afghan, and Palestinian migrants. In light of the recent escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, this area has been home to pro-Palestine demonstrations, though Berlin has banned such rallies and the appearance of Palestinian flags in public. While our group did not witness any demonstrations, pro-Palestinian stickers, graffiti, and tapestries lined the Sonnenalle. Some shops even had flags hanging outside despite the ban.
But politics aside, once you stepped foot onto the street, the aroma from Middle Eastern restaurants and pastry shops pulled you in. Our group went to a place called Azzam Restaurant, where we devoured delicious, classic falafel, and halloumi, a squeaky fried cheese.
Our next stop was a pastry shop where the store owner gave us all samples of a spongy rose water sweet treat on our way out. After, we finished our time on the street with Turkish coffee. In classic Berlin fashion, we had to pay for it in cash. I only had a twenty euro bill on me. The owner casually dumped all of his change out to try to give me eighteen euros back, but eventually, we worked it out. I always forget how strong and distinct Turkish coffee is, but it was just the type of caffeine that I needed.
Post-Sonnenallee, we traveled across town to the luxury Kempinski Hotel, located in the heart of Berlin to meet journalists, economists, and students from the Liechtenstein Institute on Self Determination (LISD). While my classmates and I wore business-casual (and I arguably was on the more casual side), the LISD students pulled out the three piece suits. We discussed what each of our groups were doing in the city. As our class was reporting, they were meeting diplomats, ambassadors, and public figures around Berlin and Paris. We all had the opportunity to speak to the guests as we feasted on mozzarella, salmon, and cake. As the lunch came to a close, I reflected on the differences in how each group of students approached the foreign policy topics we discussed. Many LISD students framed questions around specific policy outcomes, while we were more interested in the tangible implications of international relations for people on the ground. I assume this is the nature of the difference between our two groups, but it was interesting to watch this play out.
The most important part of my day came in the evening. After scarfing down burritos at a very aesthetically-pleasing Mexican restaurant in Kreuzberg, we walked to a neighborhood bar to interview Eyal Vex, an Israeli leftist. Vex moved to Berlin with his partner from Israel-Palestine eight years ago. Now, he worries for himself, his family, and his friends, as the conflict continues to escalate. Three years ago, right before the pandemic, he (and a few friends) opened AL Berlin, a cafe/bar/studio that hosted a variety of live musicians, different events, and meetings. A diversity of people headed to AL Berlin, but it largely was a safe haven to the Palestinian community, the Israeli leftist community, and the Middle Eastern queer migrant community. AL Berlin’s events were always widely attended, and they even had a 1,600-person festival that sold out last year. Unfortunately, the place recently closed due to an argument with a neighboring business. Vex wishes that the place was open to serve as a safe haven for Middle Eastern community members to meet and grieve. He plans on opening a new AL Berlin elsewhere, but no place is set-in-stone just yet.
Vex also talked about his experience raising his two kids during the current conflict. He tells me how he used to let his six-year-old daughter travel to school each day by herself. Now, Vex opts to walk with her, fearing for her safety, but prefers to tell her that it’s “to spend time with her.” As he tries to navigate everything going on, he reflects on German history, his own experience, and what could be next for the country.
After leaving the bar we rejoined our Princeton bubble. In a random turn of events, my classmate Annie found out that it was Joshua’s birthday. The task in hand was clear: we had to find a cake. Although we couldn’t get one, we brought him a celebratory bright-pink donut and secretly messaged all of the class to show up where he was located. We ended the night chatting, dancing, and debriefing our very filled days.
