First Opinions

Coming to Berlin for the first time, I had a decent amount of preconceived notions of what to expect and encounter. Arriving in East Berlin, and a fairly nice part at that, helped reinforce my opinion of the city being fitting the picture of what some Americans consider 'old world'. I didn't notice anything too distracting or neon and no huge leaps in technology or modernity. What truly changed my notion  was my first trip to Wittenburg station and seeing the Kaufhaus in West Berlin. This single handedly changed my opinion of what Berlin could be like. In my mind, it was mini Michigan Ave, which is the main commercial street of downtown Chicago. The shops were mostly high end and very commercialized. It was entirely unlike anything I had seen up to that point, and was the turning point in my opinion of what to expect in Berlin.
This experience brought to light the inconsistency of certain expectancies other Americans and I may have coming to a foreign country. We almost naturally expect the cities to be lacking in modernity and commercialism compared to our native states. It was frankly satisfying to realize how misinformed these preconceptions can be and how truly accomplished a city like Berlin is. While inside the Kaufhaus, it was an exceptional example of commercialized shopping in Europe. Every store was a famous designer outlet and the malls modernity was visible from every angle. Prices were high, food was a degree of quality unmet anywhere else previously seen, and the overall look of the mall seemed more complete and established than anywhere I had seen in America. It's the places such as this that help break down the walls of what one can expect in a city like Berlin that has had such a troublesome past.
Berlin's western side is truly a sight to behold, even from the perspective of someone who is used to seeing such commercialism in everyday life. That being said, the trip back to East Berlin is a reminder of the stark contrast between the two. It's humbling to make the train ride from a huge media-sponsored area to a less commercialized and more small business run area. It brings to light the fact that Berlin is somewhat of a two-faced city. One side embracing the culture of the west and allowing the movement forward into modernity to spur, and one side content with its more mellow and rather historical character. I certainly will not expect to see a Kaufhaus type mall anywhere in East Berlin.