I swear there is a meaning hiding behind my madness.
The Berlin Seminar is a conference held in the capital of Germany where Fulbright students gather to discuss a variety of topics and share their experiences abroad. This year the theme was Networking, which gave many of us the opportunity to meet not only other German Fulbrighters but also Fulbrighters from other countries, and Fulbrighters who will be leaving for their U.S. experience. It also gave those of us who were in the Marburg language course to reconnect and share our various shenanigans since we left each other in September. For four days and nights we were allowed to celebrate, explore Berlin, and partake in a variety of panels and discussions--together. It was a wonderful experience, to say the least.
Now for those of you who do not know the premise of The Hunger Games Trilogy, I will give you the briefest of summaries about the Games themselves: In the country of Panem, a post-apocalyptic North America, the Hunger Games are held annually as a reminder of the rebellion that almost destroyed the twelve districts. From each district, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 16 are chosen to go to the Capitol and partake in a fight-to-the death match until a lone victor remains. The victor receives an absorbant amount of food and wealth to bring home to his or her district for the rest of his or her life.
Now how does this relate to the Berlin Seminar? Allow me to rephrase my summary:
In the country of Germany, the Berlin Seminar is held annually as a reminder of the impact Fulbright has had on American-German relations for the past sixty years. From each of the 16 states, boys and girls ranging from researchers to PhD students to ETAs are chosen to go to the capital Berlin to partake in a free-for-all conference where participants are fed an absorbant amount of food and free alcohol until they must return to their states until the end of their grant.
Admit it, there's a bit of a resemblance. And if that doesn't convince you, then here's a photo of some statues I found in Berlin. Look familiar?
But there is one moment from the Berlin Seminar that resonates the most with a part of The Hunger Games. In the second novel, there is one moment when all of the tributes join together as a unified group, standing against the Captiol on the last night before they must enter the arena and, consequentially, an unknown future. This moment for me was the final night of our conference when we were all out at a club we had rented out. Everyone from the Marburg group was dancing together, and when the next song came on, we charged onto the stage. And as we were dancing together under the flashing lights and the cheers, I realized something. Here we were, a group of strangers when we first began, from different backgrounds and scattered throughout Germany, together for what was most likely the last time. But it didn't matter what tomorrow would bring, what would happen to us when we were let back out into the arena of life. Because that one moment is infinite in time to me. It was a moment free from worry and anxiety, of questions of what would happen to this group of people who fell together by circumstance. For one fluttering twinkle in time, we were bound by so much more than the title of Fulbright. We were bound by laughter, by joy, by a euphoria of happiness. And we will continue to be bound together in that moment long after we move on from our Fulbright work.
To all of the people I have met as a result of the Fulbright Program, to my Marburgers, my friends, I want to thank you for the irreplaceable memories we have shared together, not only in Berlin but in Marburg, Tübingen, Kassel, Rome and everywhere in between, I will be forever grateful.
And that is no joke.
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