This Session I am taking a course called Sexual Education and Reform in Europe, and this week we have been on Study Tour in Berlin. We have spent the past week exploring and meeting with individuals who work in the sex or sex education industry.
The first day we went to the East Side Gallery and got to see the Berlin Wall. It was amazing to see such a historic landmark in person, and the art on the wall was thought-provoking and beautiful. One of the most terrifying and inspiring aspects of the wall was how relevant its artwork was to current social and political issues. I have attached images above capturing some of my favorites.
We also went on a queer walking tour of the city, met with a drag queen, and went to the German version of Planned Parenthood. However, one of the coolest things we did was go to a feminist, eco-friendly, vegan, queer sex shop. It was nice to go to a sex shop that was welcoming and not scary or gross. We learned about the way that sex shops contribute to adult sex education. Some of our more fun activities included going to Museum Island which is a cluster of art museums in downtown Berlin. After walking home from dinner during a free night, some of my classmates and I found a volleyball court where we could rent a ball and play. We may have been the only Americans there, but that did not scare us off! We had a great time running around and playing, and stayed until they closed.
Overall, Berlin has been a fun city to visit, it has such a rich history and a variety of recreational activities. I hope to come back for more exploring, but for now, I am so grateful for the experiences I have had. I am also a bit bummed that this is my last Study Tour with DIS. It has been a great summer and I cannot believe that I have only one week left.
