My name is Anne Eloi, and I participated in the Bioscience Breakthroughs in Germany program. During my study abroad experience in Berlin, one of the things that touched me the most was Germany’s culture of remembrance. Before the trip, I knew Berlin had a lot of history, but being there helped me understand that remembrance is not just about learning what happened in the past. It is also about choosing not to ignore it.

One thing our guide explained is that remembrance in Germany happens in different ways. Some memorials are large and visible, while others are small and easy to miss if you are not paying attention. That stood out to me because it showed that memory does not have to exist in only one form. It can be a museum, a monument, a wall, a church, or even a small stone on the ground.

The stumbling stones were one of the most powerful examples for me. They are small plaques placed in front of buildings where victims of the Holocaust once lived. At first, they seem simple, but when you stop and read the names, they become deeply personal. They remind you that history was not only made of numbers or events. It was made of real people, with real homes, families, and lives. That made me pause.

I felt something similar when seeing places connected to the Berlin Wall and the churches and memorial spaces that carried the weight of history. Berlin does not hide the painful parts of its past. Instead, the city makes space for people to remember, reflect, and ask questions. That honestly made me think “wow,” because it felt like an example for the world. Every country has painful histories, but not every place is willing to face them openly.

This experience taught me that learning about others is also a way of learning about yourself. Even when people’s history may not look exactly like yours, their stories can still make you reflect on your own values, your own responsibilities, and the kind of world you want to help build. Being in Berlin reminded me that remembrance is not passive. It is active. It asks us to pay attention, to honor people’s lives, and to think about how the past should shape the way we treat each other today.