by Sarah Jones

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Working for TIME

     At 13 Albrechtstrasse, a brick courtyard covered in lush greenery stands behind an iron gate, flanked by a gold call box. At first glance, the building looks like an apartment residence, but upon closer inspection, one can see the single word “TIME” printed next to one of the polished call buttons. This is where the office of Andrew Purvis, Berlin bureau director for TIME Magazine, and office manager and reporter Stephanie Kirchner can be found.
     Kirchner is a 26-year-old student who works part time for the magazine, usually about 25 hours a week. She studies English and German literature and history at Free University, and hopes to use her education and her experience working for the internationally acclaimed magazine to become a full-time journalist one day.
     “I think my dream job would probably be a foreign correspondent somewhere, but I could also imagine doing something else, working for an NGO in Africa somewhere,” Kirchner says. “I love to travel; I really want to do some more world traveling.”
     Although Kirchner has lived in Berlin for four years, she has spent time in cities all over the world, including London, Cologne, and Washington, D.C. However, Berlin is her favorite location.
     “I lived in London for a year to study,” Kirchner says, but Berlin holds a special place in her heart. “I can’t imagine not living in Berlin.”
     The low cost of living and slower-paced atmosphere of Berlin are reasons Kirchner is glad to call Berlin home, while the coexistence of both old and new in the city appeal to her as well. History and modern life come together on every city street, with 16^th century buildings neighboring new construction all over the city.
     “There’s a lot of history around. You just feel it – at every corner you feel the past somehow,” Kirchner explains.