I?m in my last week abroad in Germany. Two weeks ago we traveled slightly north to finish out in Berlin! This trip has been such an adventure, and I am so thankful for my experience interacting with so many different people. Munich and Berlin are both epicenters of innovation and business. Through this trip we were able to visit some different local German businesses and learn more about how they seek to grow in an increasingly globalized world. We met a few startup incubators that housed and supported startups along many different stages of their journey. These companies seek to compete, not only with other companies in Germany, but on a global scale, with many United States businesses. We also were able to do a BMW and Volkswagen factory tour, seeing how these large companies produce effectively and efficiently to compete in their marketplaces. Sustainability is valued highly in Germany, and it is seen more as a requirement than an extra step that a business takes. Germans are also very efficient and timely, most notably seen in the way they check you out at the grocery store, but also in many different ways they organize business. There were some differences although, in the way things are done in Berlin compared to in Munich. Berlin has a much larger central city and multicultural influence while Munich is further in the heart of Bavaria. We were able to see and learn about the Berlin wall during our time, and recognize the large influence it has had on Berlin as a whole. Overall, I?ve seen the importance of being a global thinker, no matter your business. Cultural influence is always an important factor to consider. Through this experience, I?ve also been able to see how all people are more alike than they may think! It?s our humanity that ultimately brings us together.
