Catarina Pinto

After graduating, I moved to Berlin for a three-month photography internship. I was both scared and happy about it and thought it would be supereasy. Everybody would be super-friendly, I would make friends instantly, and I wouldn’t miss my friends and family back in Portugal. I would love my job…

Nothing worked out the way I wanted to. I was lonely, no matter how often I talked to my friends and family, no matter if I was in a bus full of people or alone at home. I disliked my job, the cold, moody Berlin weather, and pretty much everything else. I decided to quit, after two and a half weeks. I don’t regret it at all, and to this day, I still think it was the best decision I could ever make.

Ultimately, this experience made me grow and realize that life isn’t all unicorns and rainbows. I am thankful for that. And I can always try again. This is the only self-portrait I took in Berlin.