45 HEROESWORLD Join us on a trip through Berlin: TOURISTS EVERYWHERE We’re on the subway. A woman’s voice calls out the next stop: Alexanderplatz. Meghann gestures at the door. We’re getting off here. The sun beats down on us, people and trains zip past us. The ‘Alex’ is not one of Meghann’s favorite places, and she tries to avoid it both in her personal and professional life. Too many tourists, not enough Berlin. “These people hate it when we drive past with our lights and sirens on,” she comments. The Berlin spirit is sorely amiss here: live and let live. “Anyway, it’s time for a cold bottle of mate,” she decides. We head to the nearest späti kiosk and pay more than five euros. Tourist central. Back to the fire station, then. Meghann’s shift is about to start. All her experiences, positive and negative, have brought Meghann here and made her exactly who she is today. She treasures the good memories and discards the bad ones after reflecting on them. Her conclusion: “Giving it your all every day is well worth it.” What used to get her bullied at school has become a source of pure motivation. When men approach her at the gym these days, it’s usually to ask her: “How can I look like you? How do I get as strong as you?” It’s the greatest form of appreciation for the young woman. At work, the muscles she trains at the gym are hidden inside a uniform. Once, a patient patronizingly asked: “Are you going to be able to carry me down the stairs?” Meghann smirked as she lifted him up.
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