A birthday in Berlin.

Never did I expect to spend my 21st birthday in Berlin, Germany. There weren’t streamers, and I didn’t blow out candles, but it was a birthday I won‘t forget.

When midnight came and it was officially May 27 in Berlin, I was showered with “Happy Birthdays” from my fellow study abroaders in the hotel lobby. My professor poured me a glass of wine in a coffee mug (that was all we could find), and we did a birthday cheers.  

That morning I walked to a nearby flower shop to buy myself a birthday bouquet. The man at the flower shop sold it to me for eight euros. I fell in love with the flower shops in Germany and had been waiting for my birthday to go to one. I walked home, bouquet in hand. Once home, I put my bouquet in a small glass and set it next to my bed. 

I spent the rest of the day with Elie, the subject of my photo story. He’s a Syrian student at the Technical University in Berlin. I went to lunch with Elie and his friends at the cafeteria where I accidentally ordered the most expensive meal there: white asparagus with potatoes and Hollandaise sauce. It was delicious, but I laughed along with his friends at the fact that I had ordered it. I photographed Elie at lunch, in his 2 o’clock lecture and shopping at the Arabic grocery store. Elie wished me “Happy Birthday,” and I headed home.

When I got back to the hotel, three girls had bought me gifts: chocolate and a sunflower. It was really sweet of them.   

That night we celebrated my birthday with dessert. About 11 girls, our TA and I went to the KaDeWe, Europe’s second largest department store. The top floor is a dessert floor. We each picked out a dessert. I choose a piece of cake that had pink frosting, strawberries and cream cheese. It was lovely. I ordered a glass of wine (something that began with a P that I couldn't pronounce) and sipped it with my dessert. The KaDeWe closed at 8, so we had to leave, but we sang “Happy Birthday” in the street.

I spent my 21st birthday miles and miles and a six-hour time difference away from home, but I couldn’t have felt more special on my day.

(A photo of my bouquet before it was mine - the one on the left.)

(A photo of the inside of the flower shop.)  

    

Here is a link to the KaDeWe website. If you happen to be in Berlin on your birthday, I recommend getting dessert there!