It’s our 10th day in country, and I’ve sent my loves off to work and school for the day. I’m enjoying the quiet, along with a latte from my neighborhood coffee shop.
Isn’t it adorable? Just a three-minute walk from our front door. So dangerous…
My days are a bit unstructured right now, but I’m surprisingly okay with that after the busy-ness of last year. I need some space to figure out what I want this tour to look like for me.
One thing I’m very clear on: I’m not going to work while I’m here. Nick has a big job this time around—he’ll be the Spokesperson for the Embassy—and between his one-hour commute each way and frequent evening events, he’ll be gone a good 11 or 12 hours on most weekdays.
Household help is also considerably more expensive here. Not quite U.S. prices, but closer to $25 an hour. So yours truly is going to have to learn how to cook and tackle the cleaning and laundry. I may still bring someone in once a week for ironing, though. Nick and I both hate it, and some things are simply worth paying someone else to do!
As for what I do want to do… I definitely want to host lots of visitors and plan at least one trip a month. We have to take advantage of being smack in the middle of Central Europe! Beyond that, I’ll probably settle into some combination of language classes, volunteering, and hobbies. I’ll keep you posted on what I discover in the coming months.
The first few weeks in a new country are always a time of deep observation, which I absolutely love. There’s something fascinating about being a fly on the wall in a new environment—watching what’s happening around you, noticing the little differences, and putting them into context with places I’ve lived before. Sometimes it’s Oh, that’s just like in Almaty! and other times it’s Huh, I’ve never seen that before! Germany has already given me plenty of both.
So, in the spirit of observing, comparing, and the occasional head-scratching moment, I thought I’d write a post about some of the things I’m noticing around here—the good, the challenging, and the perplexing.
It seems I have a habit of doing a post like this, as I found numerous examples in the Novakistan archives: Manila, Lima, Lilongwe, Mumbai, Almaty Part 1, and Almaty Part 2. Aren’t first impressions interesting?
The Good
- Public Transit: Berlin is a public transit dream! Between the U-Bahn (metro), S-Bahn (fast train), trams, buses, Uber, and biking, I wouldn’t ever need to get in a car. Our apartment is perfectly positioned to access it, too—just two minutes of walking and I’m on board. It’s honestly my favorite way to live. And it feels so very European. :)
- Produce: Produce can be hit or miss in a lot of the places we’ve lived. I’ve been absolutely wowed by the quality and variety here. Now I’m curious to see if everything is available year-round or if they really stick to what’s in season.
- The Embassy: The U.S. Embassy in Berlin is the fanciest one I’ve ever seen. It’s smack in the center of town, has beautiful artwork throughout, is light-filled, and looks more like a corporate office than your typical embassy. It should be a very nice place for Nick to spend so many hours. I don’t know how much time I’ll spend there given how far it is from our house, but it’s definitely a treat to visit.
The Challenging
- The Graffiti: There is graffiti all over Berlin. It gives buildings, bridges, and train cars a very gritty feel. I’m sure there’s a lot of history behind Berlin’s graffiti culture, and I’m looking forward to learning more about it. That said, I can’t help feeling a little sad when I see a beautiful or historic building covered in graffiti. I suspect this is one of those things I’ll come to understand better with time.
- Minimal Street Interaction: I derive a lot of joy from random encounters with strangers. In the U.S., you’re likely to get a big smile and a friendly greeting as I hold the door for you. In Minnesota, we’d probably even have a quick discussion about the weather! :) Here, the social norms are quite different. People generally seem more reserved, and casual interactions with strangers are less common. From what I’ve observed, it does not feel culturally appropriate to smile and say good morning to strangers. It reminds me a lot of Peru and Kazakhstan in this respect, and it was something I had to adjust to in those places as well. It’s not my inherent nature, but I’ll adapt and be respectful of the cultural norms here.
- No Air Conditioning, Ice, or Free Tap Water: These three things are pretty much a given in any restaurant you visit in the States. Here, not so much. Granted, I knew this coming in, but it’s still hard to get used to. I hate paying for water with every meal. Water should be free! And who likes lukewarm tea, soda, or sparkling water? It’s just not as appealing or refreshing. And the lack of air conditioning is definitely going to take some getting used to, especially with the rising temperatures of European summers. Our apartment, for example, is around 1,300 square feet and has no central air conditioning. There are fans in all three bedrooms, and the Embassy was kind enough to give us two portable A.C. units that we rig up using the windows. We’ll adapt, sure, but I have a feeling those 85+ degree days are going to test us!
While my list is definitely not done, that seems like a good place to stop for today. Come back tomorrow for Part Two, when I’ll tackle the things that perplex me about life in Berlin.
