Compared to the sunny beaches of San Diego, Berlin is in the middle of the Ice Age. While I hoped that midway through December I would have already weathered the coldest front that Germany offer, I fear that is not so. Like the people of Winterfell, the snowmen of Berlin keep reminding me that the worst is yet to come.
Winter is coming.
“With Christmas looming, I beg Berlin: Let it snow, let it snow.”
Even with the cold front approaching, I look to find fires of hope to help survive the winter months. One of these soul warming items is Gluhwein, which is German mulled wine served warm at all the Christmas markets throughout the city. Christmas cheer and warm wine help my body thaw while making the best of the cold.
The other part of my life that never fails to bring the heat is the public transportation. The second I step onto a train, subway car or bus I get greeted by a wave a warmth. While this is pleasant, it also provides an endless conundrum of having to take off layers to not bake in the bus and having to redress to not freeze in the cold. Dressing for the bus is not one of the difficulties I expected to encounter, yet has proven to be one of my greater challenges.
The one part of Winter I was looking forward to was snow. I find snow stunningly beautiful and have never actually had the chance to live in this winter beauty. I have gone snowboarding and been frolicking in snow for a weekend before but never had it part of my daily life. Sadly, Berlin keeps on teasing me with the possibility of snow. Every time I glance at the weather it is projected to snow a week from today, yet no snow has come.
With Christmas looming, I beg Berlin: Let it snow, let it snow.
I am trying to make the best of the cold, and to limit my mentions of my frozen extremities to once per day. I understood what I was signing up for on this adventure, I just didn’t understand what a winter was before I got here. Apparently, I still don’t even though the temperature has been a steady 32 degrees for weeks — and I hope I never know.
But as they say, winter is coming. I will find my way through it.
Warmest regards,
Chase Knowles
Chase Knowles is a business administration major studying in Berlin Germany for a full academic year. He is an aspiring sports business professional who’s backup career plan is to be a travel blogger.
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 
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