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EXBERLINER MAGAZINE

CULTURE

The Best of Berlin in May

Exberliner, Berlin's leading English-language magazine, this month gets ready for its movie close-up in Babelsberg, fights for inner peace and squats the city.

The Best of Berlin in May
Photo: DPA

Behind the scenes

Ever wondered where The Pianist, Sonnenallee and Inglorious Basterds were filmed? Or where Germany’s favourite soap opera, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, takes place? Founded in 1911, Potsdam‘s Studio Babelsberg boasts a rich history of cinematic successes. The studios initially rose to fame with classics like Der blaue Engel, starring Marlene Dietrich, and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Now, Filmpark Babelsberg offers numerous cinema- themed attractions. Many of these are geared towards kids, but the park also hopes to appeal to cinephiles by offering insight into what goes on ‘behind the scenes’. Visitors can catch an animal show demonstrating how our furry friends are trained for film work, take a tour of the submarine set used for the film Hostile Waters, or amble along the “Straße der Giganten”, the park’s main boulevard lined with film and TV characters like King Kong and the Sandman. One of the Filmpark’s highlights is the stunt show, an action-packed display of flying motorcycles and men on fire. For a more mellow cinematic experience, head to the “Atelier die Traumwerker” to witness the creation of sets, costumes and makeup. With prices ranging from €13 (for children) to €20 (for adults), it’s best to make a day of it.

Filmpark Babelsberg | August-Bebel-Str. 26-53, Potsdam, S-Bhf Babelsberg, Tel 0331 7212 750, Mon-Sat 10-18, www.filmparkbabelsberg.de

Fighting for (inner) peace

Yoga’s definitely become too mainstream and you just can’t get your body around the pilates… but you still want to relax, tone your torso and improve your health? How about some Taijiquan (or “tai chi chuan”), the ancient Chinese martial art, which combines meditation and fighting techniques. It’s a discipline that attracts a variety of characters – lissom types in stylish sweats, the computer geek who never made the football team, and the butch girl you know could kick your ass. Those who are tired of female-dominated yoga classes can rejoice: with a 2/3 majority, you’ll find plenty of male company in Hannover-born Nabil Ranné’s class at the Kulturbrauerei. Nabil has practised taijiquan for 13 years and started teaching at the Kulturbrauerei’s Kampfkunstschule Madang last February. His small classes (about 10 students) provide a friendly and intimate atmosphere in the lofty studio space. Nabil practises Chen taijiquan, a style named after the family who created it. In his classes, taught in both English and German, he teaches the taijiquan forms. The ambitious can try to master “yilu”, the first form (it comprises 83 sequences), and “erlu”, the second form (which has 72). These consist of slow, concentrated movements that improve body strength while having a calming effect on the practitioner; more advanced students can use them for self-defense. Nabil says taijiquan functions as a “mirror of your own life”: your taijiquan skills will develop as your life progresses. Classes run once a week; they cost €30 a month for members of the Chen Stil Taijiquan Netzwerk Deutschland and €35 for everyone else.

Chen Stil Taijiquan | Kampfkunstschule Madang in der Kulturbrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36-39, Hof 4/building 9.2, Prenzlauer Berg, U-Bhf Eberswalder Str., Tue 8-9:15, Tel 0179 2990 416, www.ctnd.de

SAVE BERLIN!

Diversity. Biodiversity. Sustainability. YAWN. (And well you might.) Such words start to swim before your eyes in a blurry pool of well-meaning meaningless. But wait! Pray read on! There are people on Planet Berlin who care for our urban environment! Who think deeply about why Berlin is special, what makes it different, and consider ways to maintain a high living quality on an economic (cheap) and sustainable (long-term) basis. Welcome to the happy-hippy spray-painted Lohmühle Trailer! When it takes up temporary residency in front of the Natural History Museum, this online blog station will be bedecked with anti-gentrification and other protest slogans – you will be able to write your own, and furthermore add comments about your ideas for keeping Berlin cool on the Lohmühle Laptops. For one day only, the city’s uninvolved, apolitical expats can connect to their habitat and contribute, in however small a way, their VISION of Berlin. It might even provide an amusing twist to the end of a night out, open all hours as it is. Friday night a “Themensalon” kicks off with talks about sustainability by clever people who will tell us how we should power the city, what we should eat and where we should live. SAVE BERLIN… and see you at the caravan, painting sheets and chatting squats!

DISAPPEARING DIVERSITY | Wagenburg Lohmühle, May 14-15, 14:00, Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstr. 43, Mitte, U-Bhf Naturkundemuseum, www.lohmuehle-berlin.de. Themensalon, May 14, 21:00, Akademie der Künste, Pariser Platz 43, Mitte, U-Bhf Brandenburger Tor, Tel 030 4737 2308, www.experimentcity.net

For members

STUDYING IN GERMANY

What’s it like to study abroad in Berlin?

Picking the right city to study abroad in Germany can be a tricky decision, and there are numerous factors to consider. Freya Jones shares her experience of doing a year abroad in the capital and explains why Berlin could also be the right choice for you.

What's it like to study abroad in Berlin?

Five months after moving to Berlin for my year abroad (a compulsory part of my German degree from the UK) the German capital is certainly a destination I’d recommend. 

Although it’s less “traditionally German” than many other corners of the country, and simultaneously more comparable to the blanket big city experience worldwide, Berlin’s unique history and culture make it a great place to explore – and unsurprisingly very popular with international students. 

Like all capitals, it has its pros and cons, so here’s what stood out to me during my experience so far.

Arrival

You’ve probably heard horror stories about the Berlin housing market, and from experience I can say they’re largely true. Finding an apartment here before moving to the city is notoriously difficult, and more expensive than in other parts of Germany. 

What you should bear in mind, however, is that unlike other German cities, Berlin doesn’t impose fines if you’re unable to secure a registration appointment within two weeks of arrival (three months if you already have a visa). This makes searching for a good WG, Studentenwerk, or other rental far easier post-arrival if your first stop is a homestay or somewhere else temporary. 

Blocks of rental flats in Berlin.

Blocks of rental flats in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Monika Skolimowska

Despite a recent wave of strikes and construction work, transport links in Berlin are still very strong. If you’re enrolled as a student during your year abroad, you’ll be entitled to a discounted pass for city transport, including a number of tram, bus and train options that run all the way to the city’s outskirts and even into Brandenburg (Zone C).

What’s more, direct trains from Berlin’s BER Airport make it more accessible than more remote locations in Germany when you arrive equipped with a year’s worth of luggage.

English

My German tutors in the UK were slightly concerned when I chose Berlin, because they didn’t think I’d have much opportunity to practise my German. Looking back, this worry wasn’t without cause, and if your primary goal is German language improvement, it may be worth considering somewhere more rural or less international. 

Unlike small towns I’ve visited elsewhere in Germany, where many people speak little to no English, it’s everywhere in Berlin. Because the international population is so large, new friends from any country are likely to speak it by default.

However, this can obviously be mitigated by signing up for German-only university classes, as I’ve done as an exchange student at Humboldt University, or finding a German language job. And on the flip side, if you’re here to study a discipline other than German, the ubiquity of English in Berlin has you covered.

READ ALSO: The top German cities for international students in 2024

Cultural Experiences

Unsurprisingly, Berlin offers no end of unique cultural experiences. For new arrivals, there’s plenty to fill your time with, and I’d really recommend “playing the tourist” for a couple of weeks while you settle in. 

Bucket-list locations include the National Gallery and museums on Museuminsel, the Berlin Wall memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the site of the Berlin airlift at Tempelhof. And beyond this, there’s never a shortage of things to do – walks around Tiergarten and the customary Sunday flea markets (Flohmarkt am Mauerpark being the most famous) are popular with visitors and locals alike.

A skateboarder performs tricks on Tempelhofer Feld

A skateboarder performs tricks on a former runway at Berlin’s Tempelhofer Feld, a popular meeting place in Berlin-Neukölln. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Soeder

Something I’ve also really enjoyed after being here for a while is noticing the small details which differentiate the former East and West Berlin sectors, such as different traffic lights and types of transport. While much of the architecture is admittedly stark, grey and not as pretty as other parts of Germany, the way in which present-day Berlin is a visible product of its recent history makes it a fascinating place to live.

READ ALSO: How do I get a student visa for Germany and what does it let me do?

Pros & Cons

Any culture shock inevitably comes with both positives and negatives, and these are a few which particularly struck me after moving to Berlin from the UK. 

Cons: many shops refuse to take card payment and only accept cash; all shops and supermarkets close on Sundays; there’s no guarantee of being let into a club or bar on a night out, and the traffic lights genuinely seem to conspire against drivers and pedestrians alike. (Also, the weather in winter really will destroy your soul, and this is a Brit talking…)

Pros: the quality of food is much better here than in the UK, and cheaper; the cost of alcohol is much lower; public transport is cheaper and more efficient than in London; work-life balance and mental wellbeing are taken very seriously; and finally, there’s a far less visible “class system” than in the UK, possibly due to the greater access and affordability of German universities.  (This is really nice, especially if you’re coming from a UK university where socio-economic prejudice is very common.)

READ ALSO: How to stay in Germany after graduating from a German university

Overall, Berlin has been a vibrant place to spend my exchange semester. Not only has it given me insights into the most significant shifts in recent German history, but it also offers the archetypal experience of living in a bustling, multicultural city. So while it’s distinctly different to anywhere else in Germany you might be considering, the variety of things to see and do in Berlin will keep you engaged for your full year abroad.

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