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We live in Berlin. We live in the city which influenced the world. We live in a place where we could explore so much history, politics and art. I feel curiosity and hunger to learn about this metropolis and its culture. That’s why when a friend of mine told me that I could apply for a Free visit of the German parliament I was really enthusiastic.

There is an Free online booking website which allows you to register and chose a date for your visit. I strongly recommend that you go to this emblematic building and explore its interior and its famous dome.

The dom-roof terrace of the Reichstag Building offer spectacular views of the parliamentary and government district and Berlin’s sights.

https://visite.bundestag.de/BAPWeb/pages/createBookingRequest.jsf?lang=en

To book your visit to the dome, you will need to provide your first name, your family name and your date of birth. It’s a really easy and fast but you usually need to do that in advance.

The Reichstag building is a historical edifice, constructed in1894 which will really surprise you with its interior design, its history, its beautiful architecture and its unique dome.  

Berlin from above

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No doubt !!! The Victory column is one of the best place to take your visitors. That’s what I actually did when my friend Neli came to visit me here in Berlin. I was thinking about a list of to do things.  But then it click to me that I could take her to the Victory Column as the view from there is just breathtaking.

For a really cheap and affordable price you could climb 67m high and admire a stunning view. The way up is challenging as you have to go through spiral staircases but my friend and I could honestly say that it wasn’t that hard as benches were provided at every 50 stares. So don’t worry. The view is really worthy the climbing.

The Victory Column is located at a roundabout in the middle of Tiergarten park looking towards the Brandenburg Gate. The centric location gives the opportunity to contemplate a unique 360⁰ view of our lovely Berlin.

A curiosity that I learned was that the US Presidential, Barack Obama chose the Victory Column as the alternative spot to the Brandenburg Gate for his speech to 200,000 Berliners on July 24, 2008.

 

Check this place out and get ready your cameras! It offers a magnificent view!

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Talking about Neue Wache in the previous post reminded me of Käthe (Schmidt) Kollwitz. She was the artist who created the masterpiece sculpture of Nueu Wache which keeps inspiring Berlin visitors over the years.

I learned about this strong woman Käthe Kollwitz when I visited the EPHRAIM-PALAIS and the current exhibition taking place there: “Berlin – Stadt der Frauen” (Berlin the city of women).

Even 150 years ago Berlin was a place where many things were possible when elsewhere they seemed impossible – especially for women. The exhibition tells the story of 20 very emblematic woman who lived in Berlin. The exponents describe what these women experienced and how they have thereby helped shape the history of the city.

I was deeply impressed by the strong spirit and the uniqueness of each one of these ladies. I discovered that Berlin was not only the scene of increasing social participation of women, but also their motor. One reason for this was the fact that in 1866 Wilhelm Adolf Lette founded here the Association for the Promotion of earning capacity of the female gender. He created training programs specifically for women: a work that for nearly 30 years was successfully led by his daughter Anna Schepeler-Lette after his death and now still persists for 150 years.

In the exhibition you can learn about the life of women in the political, entrepreneurial, creative and innovative sector (Elly Beinhorn, Katharina Heinroth, Emilie Winkelmann, etc)

It was really inspiring to meet all these incredible ladies and their stories.

Neue Wache

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My friend Neli and me walked around Berlin looking forward discovering the hidden corners of this charmy city. Our visit at Gendarmenmarkt was combined with a stopover to the nearby Neue Wache. I visited Berlin 3 years ago and since then I never forget this small but special building.

 

The Neue Wache really touched me and stayed with me all these years because of the deep meaning that represents. The sculpture which rains in the middle of the empty building is called Pietà „Mother and her Dead Son“. It’s admiring and thrilling to see this woman holding her treasure in her helpless hands. You can feel the deep pain, the grief and even the tears of this mother. How? Just above her there is a hole in the ceiling of the building, which allows the rain to fell on the sculpture and make the impression of a crying woman. The famous Berlin artist Käthe Kollwitz touched many hearts with this masterpiece.

 

The Neue Wache is the Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Dictatorship. Really moving venue which will make you remember each one of the victims and their families.

The most beautiful square of Berlin – Gendarmenmarkt

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One of my best friends Neli was visiting me this week. She came for a short 2 days visit which brought lots of happiness and laughter. I wanted to show Neli the taste of Berlin and I decided to take her to a walking surprise tour. After getting off the bus I made her walk throw the little streets and then suddenly in front of us appeared the most beautiful squares of Berlin – Gendarmenmarkt

We were impressed by the stunning architecture and the spirit of the 3 emblematic buildings standing there: The German Cathedral, the French Cathedral and in the middle the Schinkel’s Konzerthaus (concert hall). This trio brings really romantic and unique atmosphere. The area is full with glamourous restaurants and coffee shops.

The square exists since 1700 and invites every visitor to seat down and contemplate the stunning buildings, the kids chasing pidgins, the art students painting, the people chatting and having coffee while seating on the stairs of the concert hall and the surrounding benches.

No doubt this is one of the places you should visit in Berlin

Fotos vom 1. Stammtisch im April

Liebe DeutschAkademie-Freunde,
hier ein paar Momentaufnahmen vom gestrigen Stammtisch im Hofbräu am Alexanderplatz. Vielen Dank für euer zahlreiches Erscheinen! Wir hoffen, dass ihr einen schönen Abend mit vielen neuen Bekanntschaften hattet und freuen uns auf das nächste Mal 🙂
Euer DeutschAkademie-Team

Kulturprogramm im April

Liebe Teilnehmer,
passend zum Frühlingsanfang möchten wir im April mit euch den Botanischen Garten und die dazugehörigen Gewächshäuser in Dahlem besuchen. Wenn ihr Lust habt, euch von der Pflanzenpracht und Exoten aus aller Welt verzaubern zu lassen, meldet euch einfach ab sofort in unserem Büro an. Wir freuen uns auf euch 🙂
Euer DeutschAkademie-Team

 

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Citizen of the world

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Each one of us is a unique citizen of the world. You are exclusive and irreplaceable.

That’s how I define you and each person I meet. I love getting to know people as they always achieve to surprise me. Their life is original, their background is unique and their story is creative.

My story starts in Bulgaria.  Small but really beautiful country situated on Eastern Europe, famous for being the country of the Roses. I spent my childhood there. My summer holidays were enjoyed in the library where my grandmother was working and in her flower garden. When I became 12 my parents decided to move to Spain. Just 3000 kilometers away, “just round the corner”. I would never imagine that I will grow up in a different country than Bulgaria. But life is a story book full with surprise chapters.

And that’s how my Spanish chapter started. We moved to Valencia, a very sunny city, on the coast of Mediterranean see. This was the city which saw me growing up and following my dreams. There I started studying Aeronautical Engineering. There I lived university years full with great friendships, laughter moments and not that laughter exam moments. There I decided to be brave and to move abroad, but this time without my parents. And that’s how after 11 Spanish years my new international adventure began.

The challenge was accepted. I flew to Leeds, a lovely university city in the middle of the United Kingdom. My Erasmus stay there brought me lifetime friendships with people all around the world: Italy, Canada, Australia, Germany, Venezuela, Poland, and many more. This cultural avalanche changed me forever and persuaded me to study my Masters in London.

My British chapter was even more colorful mix of nationalities. I could easily have a dinner citing on a table with 10 people and everyone would be coming from different corners of the world. After finishing my masters and struggled to find a graduate job I finally found myself working in a Helicopter engineering company. Two years later on a Christmas dinner party organized by my Church I met an incredible person who changed my life forever. He was coming from Germany and of course he had a long international experience like me. Two and a half months later he asked me to marry him and so we did. One beautiful autumn day in London I was walking down the aisle towards my one and only, surrounded by my international friends and family.

4 months later I am living my German chapter in this unique city called Berlin. I am loving it since the first moment I arrived. A city full with history, art, fashion, freedom and lots of human stories. I love going to DeutschAkademie because every time I start a new course there I find myself sinking into international ocean of people who soon I can call friends. I am excited about discovering Berlin and its unique people.

We are the heritage of the world. You, me and the people around us. There is nothing more inspiring than getting to know someone’s story.

Be inspired. Start with the person next to you!

1. Stammtisch im April

Liebe Teilnehmer,
wir hoffen, dass ihr die kursfreie Woche und das Frühlingswetter genossen habt und nun erholt in die April-Kurse starten könnt. Wie gewohnt, treffen wir uns am Donnerstag wieder zu unserem Stammtisch. Wir freuen uns auf viele neue Bekanntschaften, mit denen wir auf Deutsch sprechen, gut essen und mit dem ein oder anderen Bier anstoßen können. Um 20:00 Uhr treffen wir uns im Hofbräu am Alexanderplatz. Eine Anmeldung ist nicht erforderlich. Kommt einfach vorbei und verbringt einen deutsch-bayrischen Abend mit der DeutschAkademie!
Euer DeutschAkademie-Team

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(Almost) Summertime Grillin’

With warm weather on the horizon, Germany comes alive with people. It’s hard to believe what a difference a few degrees make, but now the prospect of flip-flops and sun seems just a bit more plausible. Additionally, in our textbook, we had just covered the section where we learned about lebensmittel, (groceries). These two coincidences seemed as good a reason as any to celebrate food so I headed out to a friends house in Bavaria for a BBQ.

As with many BBQs, I was asked to bring something to share along with whatever meat I wanted to grill. Upon arrival, I saw that many had brought meat wrapped around a stick that I was informed is called, fackeln. Additionally, there were (of course) a variety of bratwurst and something else on a stick called fettstecken, which I later learned was actually pork belly. Some of the bratwurst had an herb inside called barlauch, but which Americans may know as ramps. I learned that this herb grows wild, and was invited to go one weekend for a “barlauch picking” hike.

Other than the variety of foods that people brought, this BBQ was just like any other back home. Everyone chatting and eating and grilling did make me a bit homesick …but I was also reminded of how people everywhere are in some ways the same. Gathering around a grill in the sun, and eating and sharing food is a tradition that is universal. So find a BBQ this summer and discover how our differences are really not so different after all.