“Berlin Babylon” is the title of the documentary that Hubertus Siegert filmed about Berlin in the second half of the 90’s during its building boom. Its change and modernity have constantly increased, so much that in 2004 the mayor Klaus Wowerei said that Berlin is a “city always sexy”!

Berlin is considered one of the coolest European cities. Museums, art galleries, clubs, shops and art workshops make this city extremely eclectic and creative. Not to mention the evidence of history and dramas of the twentieth century.

It is considered the capital of Europe for its creativity, the districts where new ideas and lifestyles arise everyday, and the clubs that make its nightlife extremely intense. All these elements make Berlin a favorite destination of tourists, young people seeking their fortune, and all kinds of creative artists.

If you are planning to move and start a new life experience, whether it’s for work or entertainment, here’s some information about this fascinating and cosmopolitan German capital.

Claustrophobia vade retro!

One of the first things you notice when you discover the city for the first time is the breadth of its spaces, both physical and mental! In this city you can discover and explore history nonstop.
The efficient public services allow you to reach any part of the city and enjoy wonderful walks without any traffic problems. If you are not a walker, be ready to change your habits because Berlin is much more beautiful by foot than by bus.

“Ja”, “Nein”, “Bitte” … The German language dramas

We are quite sure that most of you have thought: “If I’m an English speaker and I move to Berlin without speaking the German language, it will be fine since it’s a cosmopolitan city?”. It depends on the reasons why you are moving.
You can definitely survive speaking only English, since most of the people in Berlin speak it. But if your goal or hope (which is always the last to die) is to make a career and integrate into Berlin, then you’ll need time and resources (both economic and mental) to learn the German language.
We are talking about a very difficult language to learn, as the grammar rules are completely different from English or Latin languages. But we believe in you and in your ability to spend complete nights in front of many beer mugs until suddenly you will ask for the bill in a language that seconds before seemed unachievable to you.

Culture, culture, culture!

We have already said that culture is the heart of everyday life in Berlin, and by culture we mean a lot of things where arts, education and information play a major role. This makes it possible for anyone to keep themselves informed about their passions and contribute actively to the growth of a culture in constant innovation.
The status of “cultural city par excellence” was born not only thanks to the creative people who live in the German capital, but also thanks to the German state that since the nineties has made financial sources available in order to promote the culture both locally and internationally.

History in the blood

Get ready to “breathe history” at all times. Living in Berlin actually means crossing paths with places that victims and victimizers crossed in one of the darkest moments of the last century. Daily you will pass through places that have been part of the biggest human atrocities and this will remind you of the way current society was founded and how it has developed.
These are the reasons why many people don’t appreciate Berlin, because they consider it too heavy and too historical of an atmosphere. In our opinion this makes it a special and unique city, one which has been able to balance the weight of history with modernity and innovation!

Your glycemia will suddenly rise

“Bäckerei” means “ovens” in German, and it’s good to know that it is almost impossible not to find them in Berlin.
If, before moving, you loved sandwiches with traditional savory foods, be aware that in a few weeks (or days) you’ll also develop a sweet tooth with no exception!
In Berlin you can choose between the small independent local bakeries or the big chains spread around town such as Wiener Feinbäcker, Steinecke, BackFactyory, Cuccis or BackWerk.
It’s good to know to be patient! Unlike the quickness in which your sweet tooth developed you can’t be in a hurry because the well stocked and beautifully delicious windows can create a line that could last for 20 to 30 minutes. Worth your wait!!
The “classic pastries” are the pfannkuche, a stuffed brioche with red fruit jam or the butter croissant, a simple warm and fragrant croissant that screams “eat me, eat me” at first glance.

Bureaucracy? Take a pen and paper, and off you go

Do you imagine German bureaucracy to be perfectly efficient with no delays or confusion? You’ve got it! The bureaucracy in Germany is amazingly functional but the downside is that it always requires a fairly large amount of paperwork and documents to fill out.
So please see the paragraph about the German language, if you still haven’t learned it we recommend you ask for help from someone who knows it well. This will become essential for you to have a native language pal!

“Ich liebe Multikulturalität” / “I love multiculturalism” … Not really!

After what has been said about the “European capital”, it is easy to think about Berlin as a place where the locals live together in harmony among all the foreign communities of the city. Most of you are probably thinking Italian, French, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Spanish and Germans walking hand in hand, saying “I love you all”. But it doesn’t work that way.
Berliners are stunningly outspoken, characterized by what they call Schnauze, that is a lifestyle and an attitude based on a cynical humor and lack of mincing words. People are intolerant but do not maka bit e problems or approach others in a bad way. We are not talking about violence, Berlin is one of the safest cities in Europe, but rather we are speaking of sarcastic episodes or sentences, mostly aimed at tourists. For example, graffiti stating “Sie die verlassen touristichen Sektor”, which means “You are leaving the tourism sector”, or stickers like “Berlin hates U”. But once you become part of the Berlin community, you will be immediately welcomed!

What can we say then? This city is definitely worth living in! If you want to move to Berlin, you just have to log on to goguin.com and start your relocation for free.

Thi entry is also available in: Italian