Eric in Berlin

Living Abroad

BERLINEric in

Every month we interview someone about their experiences of living, travelling or working abroad. This month we are talking to Eric Gilbert from the United States about his time in Berlin, Germany.

interview by Victoria Bitzer

Eric, why did you go to Berlin?

Basically, I met a lovely German girl called Dora in Croatia and she suggested I go back to Germany with her.

What did you expect it to be like?

I’d been to Berlin once before. On that occasion I hitchhiked from Munich to meet a friend in Berlin. I ended up getting a ride with this guy whose driving skills consisted of doing 200 kph on a major highway. I think he got us to Berlin in a quarter of the time it would have taken normally.

What were your first impressions?

That Berlin has a lot of character. Of course, it isn’t folkloric like Munich. My first thought was that it was a bit like an enormous museum - a fascinating and dynamic museum.

Where did you stay?

The first time in Berlin I was passing by and I stayed in a hotel; the second time, I stayed with Dora.

What job did you do?

site where you can buy and sell things. I was a technical support (IT) agent. The second time I just did some language courses.

How did you get the job?

It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t that hard either. For the first job I simply e-mailed my CV to the company and a week later got a response. Knowing a little of the language helps, of course. Teaching English is always a possibility for native English speakers.

What were the best things about Berlin?

I think just walking around the city. The contrasts are vivid and fascinating. Other good things about the city are that it isn’t expensive. It’s also what I’d call a spontaneous city, with street festivals just springing up out of nowhere.

What were the worst things about being there?

Summer is too short; and winter is too cold. It’s not a good place to spend winter if you’re not in love. Oh yeah, and there are too many smokers.

How were the people different?

Overall, they are pretty friendly, especially the East Germans who are very open-minded. Germans are also very environmentallyconscious, and they will tell you off if you don’t recycle your trash. Once, I washed the dishes in a bowl of water. I finished and was about to throw the water down the drain when my girlfriend screamed, “No! Put the water in the bathroom and use it to flush the toilet”. And so I did.

What was the funniest thing that happened to you there?

Everyone thought it was really funny that I was living in a street called “Carionweg”, which literally means “Road of Meat”, and I am a vegetarian.

Did you have any problems with the language?

Yes. In general, Berliners are very patient when speaking with foreigners. Once, I remember being at a restaurant. The waiter came to our table and asked politely what we would like to eat; and I replied by saying “keine Vorspielen, bitte”, which means “no foreplay, please”. Everyone looked at me in horror, and then started laughing. Apparently, I should have said “Vorspeiser”, which means “starter” or “entrée”.

Would you go back?

I would definitely go back because I felt really good in Berlin. It is a comfortable city, and I have lots of fond memories from it.

What advice would you give to somebody who is thinking of going to Berlin?

G L O S S A R Y

to hitchhike vb to stand by the side of the road and to try to convince a driver to stop so you can go somewhere for free to end up phr vb to eventually arrive in a place a highway n US a large road with many lines of traffic. A “motorway” in British English folkloric adj traditional - as if it were from a fairy story to pass by phr vb to stay in a place for a very short period before continuing on your journey to your final destination an auction site n e-Bay is a place (an auction site) where you can sell your possessions or buy things IT abbr information technology - computing, etc a CV abbr a curriculum vitae - a document with information about your education, profession, etc a street festival n a party in the street with music, dancing, theatre, etc to spring up out of nowhere exp to suddenly appear pretty friendly exp quite friendly open-minded adj someone who listens to other people’s opinions and comments environmentally- conscious n with an understanding of nature, the air around us, pollution, etc to tell off phr vb to speak angrily to someone trash n US old bits of paper and plastic that you throw away. “Rubbish” in British English to wash the dishes exp to clean the plates after eating the drain n the hole and tube in the kitchen sink where water goes down foreplay n kissing and touching before having sex a starter / entrée n food you eat before the main dish to keep an open mind exp to be ready to accept new ideas or different customs