For the last couple of days, on the news feeds of my social media accounts, Halloween jokes have been shared and costumes and make-up presented with a pinch of pride. Growing up in Berlin and never having been anywhere near the United States or Canada, this holiday had always appeared to me as something…let’s just say “rather American”. Even though one can find tons of decorations for this theme, I have never seen…
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Germans and Small Talk
I started watching a vlog by a charming American woman who lives in Munich with her German husband. In her cheerful voice full of positive energy, she talks about living in Germany, explaining different aspects of the daily life here to those from abroad while also addressing habits and the lifestyle in the United States. In one of her videos she talked about how small talk is not really a thing here in Germany…
Being a Local in Berlin
A while ago, I wrote about why traveling to other places can be so much more exciting than one’s own hometown. Today’s subject of my random thinking session after I had finally finished my French revision was what makes the difference between living in a country compared to just visiting it for a few days. When you become a local somewhere you notice that the carefree days of being an explorer of…
What is Education in University?
The first semester is officially over but now that I think about it, I don’t really know if I have learned anything entirely new. I am not so sure about whether there has ever been a moment when I said to myself: “Wow, there is no way I would have known this or that about the German government system or the Cold War or research methodology. had I not been in university.”…
Christmas in Germany
Over the last two days I found out that Russian Orthodox Christians actually don’t care very much about Christmas. I listened to the Russian radio online and noticed that none of the wishes that people sent to each other and had the radio hosts read out loud on air were about Christmas or Christmas Eve, instead everyone was congratulating the rest on the upcoming new year. Some people may wonder, upon reading…
Talking to Strangers
So far I have met many people who had the ability to strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone. Yet, as much as that trait impresses me I am rarely able to adapt it myself. I am not so sure whether I am already German enough to say that I can’t stand small talk or whether this is due to the experience that last time I approached someone at random, that…
Let’s Explore German Culture With Books
A couple of days ago I found an E-Mail in my inbox with the subject line: “Funny Book About German Culture”. As a huge bibliophile I was immediately interested in what this could be about, though at the same time I had an uncomfortable feeling that someone might ask me to promote something. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I don’t want to help other people getting their stuff out there,…
My Childhood Among Berlin’s Muslims:Eid
Yesterday night I came across a very interesting post on a blog I have been reading for quite some time. In her article a young American woman married to a Saudi national, talked about the way she experienced being a Muslim in America vs. being a Muslim in Saudi Arabia. These words brought back memories of my very first years in Berlin where I spent several years living in a district with a…
Berlin for Less
Germany’s capital is a destination for almost every hobby traveler. Whether you like art, historical sightseeing, long walks through the city or just want to enjoy nightlife, Berlin is surely the right place for you. With the right approach, it may even be a city for those on a low budget. City Tours Berlin’s variety of historical monuments is certainly worth exploring. You can do so by joining a free city tour,…
Happiness is not only having a sip of water when you are thirsty but also noticing that while all the other trains arrive in about 20 minutes, yours will be there in only three, even though it is past one in the morning. Had I taken the metro, I would have noticed that the wagons are as full as if it was just regular day time and people were coming from work.…