Integrate... NOW!

What with all this talk about integration these days in Germany, what better way to get to know your Berlin neighbour than host a cheeky little house party? Sure, doing the requisite pasta salad is a bit tedious by now and cleaning up afterwards is also a drag but.... it's all part of doing your bit for Völkerverständigung (now there's a compound noun for you). You never know, it could be even more fun than a TV debate on integration.

What's more, now that it's hit October those dark and dreary days are closing in - that's the sort of lazy soup that Berlin nightlife so thrives upon. And just around the corner: daylight saving comes to an end. Another bonus! Even more night time for your buck. Now there really is NO excuse.

Time to update the music collection and invite everyone over. Oh, and this track is a perfect way to get your guests in the mood. Everybody now: ich bin Ausländer, leider zum Glück!

After you sir!

Some enterprising young man has gone around my local area writing messages to the locals. The one above means "Yuppies out".

This sort of thing has quite a history in Berlin. I don't think there is any other place in the world where the locals dislike the people who've moved in to the city SO much and make a point of telling them about it SO regularly. From what I can tell it's nothing racial or personal. They just really don't want their local area to be infiltrated by people from outside. They are concerned that it changes the fabric of their "kiez", that it turns it into a ...


It's all a bit of a shame really. I always thought that all the different people in this city was the best thing about the place. Tolerance and acceptance of others - not really liking anyone, sure - but letting everyone do their thing. I'm from a long way away... and I'm not going anywhere. Not for the moment at least.