Learning a new language is never easy but you just have to keep on learning few words and phrases every day. That’s the way I am hoping to learn Deutsch which is one of the hardest language to master. My classes at Speakeasy language school is definitely helping me but living in a city that speaks the language makes it much easier to get in the rhythm. I have been learning 3 to 4 hours from Monday to Thursday but I’ve been slacking and not practicing over the weekend.
I know I have to pick up the pace and do a lot of self-practice by speaking with the locals. So, I turned to the dating app. What better way to meet the locals than by going on a date!
That’s one long word. Try saying it…
Also, it’s like killing two birds with one stone. I get to to meet someone new in a new neighborhood and practice my Deutsch as well.
Talking about the dating scene, well, this is definitely Samantha’s kinda town. I am on these dating apps and the amount of request to meetup I’ve been getting is amazing. Since, I’ve been on a three month dry spell in India, this is a great feeling!
What I’ve learned in just a week is that most want to meetup for a hookup and are not interested in friendship or dating. It’s kinda becoming a repeating theme in major cities. San Francisco was the same. The number of people who are in an open relationship is also so high which can be frustrating. The only positive thing about Berlin as compared to San Francisco is that they love that I’m not white like them. Choosing Berlin was definitely a good idea in that regard.
While I’m enjoying Samantha’s phase, there is that Charlotte’s little voice who would prefer I meet someone nice to settle down with. That’s definitely on the back of my mind but I know if that’s meant to happen it will happen. I did have a date “date,” so that’s a good sign. I am sure I can write a separate 50 shades of grey book on various adventures by the end of this month but I better stick to writing about my travel adventures. We can keep the gory details to share over a cup of tea 🙂
I’ve to say that the best way to explore a city is by going on these dates or meetups in different parts of the city. This gives one a good excuse to discover something new that’s not in any travel guidebook, checkout the architecture and apartment decor, have a meal at a local cafe, and get the real vibe of the neighborhood.
Here are some of the neighborhoods I’ve been to so far. I’ll list them by their nearest train stop because that’s how I’ve been navigating to meet my dates. Hopefully by the end of the month, I should have the top picks.
Kreuzberg definitely is on the top of my list but it deserves its own separate write up so we’ll just wait for the next article.
Nollendorfplatz – This area is gay central. What I like about this area is the outdoor cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs. Great way to relax, have coffee with a pastry and watch people passing by. The immediate surrounding near the station has some beautiful buildings and a small park. Definitely has a very easy going and colorful neighborhood vibe. Lot of leather and fetish gear shops around for those with a kinky side. Outside that radius, the architecture is more blah and uninspiring. The apartments I’ve been to were pretty spacious. As the rents are rising, I’m sure the landlords will rent them as separate units. Most of the buildings have indoor courtyard which is pretty cool. Also, you can easily walk to Wittenbergplatz to get your shopping fix or to admire the Kaiser William Memorial church.
My favorite is the Saturday farmers market near Nollendorfplatz, which has everything from fresh produce, desserts, clothing, jewelry and other handmade items.
Kurfürstendamm – The area around this station is definitely going through some gentrification. On one side you’ll find ethnic grocery stores and on another side going towards Potsdamer Platz, has cute cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Looks like these old apartment buildings have pretty spacious rooms and the indoor courtyard seems to be a common theme. And, a mere five minutes walk, gets you to the beautiful Gleisdreieck Park.
Gleisdreieck – This area seems to be fairly new. It’s a beautiful park and green space that is lined with modern buildings and cafes around the park. Used to be the railway area around the traffic junction and a wasteland at the end of the Second World War. Reminded me of the upcoming modern SoMa district in San Francisco. This area is definitely attracting a lot of foreign investment. Since they are new, modern and expensive, of course, you get less square footage.
