Suggestion for humus lovers: Yafo Berlin

There are, obviously, tons of places in Berlin where you can get yourself some real‘ good Humus (bad as well, I might add, but to find those places we leave up to you).  This being said, at Yafo Berlin you can enjoy delicious Humus AND a very cozy environment. This certainly invites for a long and extensive humus feast. Prices lie above the usual Berlin humus price, but in return you get some top-notch quality for your money. One humus plate is probably enough for two people, if each has another main course to go with it (we learned this the hard way, struggeling to finish our own). As far as the humus dish is concerned, we highly (!) recommend their „Yafo über alles“: Humus garnished with slow roasted cauliflower, matbucha, zchug and tahini.

Where? Gormannstraße 17B,10119 Berlin.
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday Noon - 3am.
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How to handle reverse culture shock

Wether you are reading this as a future or current FU-BESTer – in your preparations for your stay abroad, you have probably thought about culture shock in one way or another. This being said, have you also heard of reverse culture shock? Similar to culture shock, it is the feeling of not belonging – only this time, once you return home. Whilst you have gained new knowledge and new experiences abroad, your home has remained the same, which can lead to you feeling bored, helpless, secluded, lonely, etc. We have searched the internet for some useful information and tips on how to prevent or combat reverse culture shock. We have also asked previous FU-BESTers on how they handle reverse culture shock, so that we can share some first hand experience with you.

When we asked former FU-BESTers for their experience with reverse culture shock, what we noticed is that many tips revolve around activities that encourage you to dive back into the culture you fell in love with. For instance, watching movies in German, seizing every opportunity to speak German, eating all the foods you enjoyed whilst staying abroad and so on and so forth. Based on these voices, we have put together the following compilation of online articles that we consider most useful:

The Abroad Guide: How to deal with reverse culture shock after studying abroad

College Tourist: 7 Ways to Cope with Re-Entry Shock

Intentional Expat: 5 Tips from an Expat Therapist for Coping with Reverse Culture Shock

GoOverseas: Dealing with Post Study Abroad Depression

We also recommend Episode 51 of “The Thoughtful Travelpodcast”. Listen to host Amanda Kendle talk about her own experience and share her thoughts with her three guests Cait Flanders, who was hit by reverse culture shock after taking a two months road trip, Mike Campell, who considers his reverse culture shock experience to be life changing and Matt Treglia, who, after life abroad, has found it difficult to readjust to his life back home. Also available on Spotify. 

Tips on how you might be able to leave your international bubble

Get off social media once in a while

Of course, it is important to stay connected to your family and friends, because they are curious about your life abroad and also want to make sure that you are okay. The good thing about social media is that we are so connected, sometimes we don’t even notice that we are away from our loved ones. This being said, when it takes us away from our life abroad too much, it can also become a problem. So, instead of liking pictures of the family dog every 5 seconds or be on a constant chat with your best friend at home, try to live more in the moment of your abroad experience.

 Join local sports classes

Sports is an excellent way to connect with all different sorts of people. The best way to get to know people fast are team sports, because you have to interact so much. The wide selection of sports classes that Freie Universität offers is a quick and comparatively cheap option to get active and meet fellow students from all different sorts of study fields. You do not have to rely on Freie Universität alone, but can also check out university sports classes at Humboldt Universität or Technische Universität Berlin. Another possibility is to take part in the numerous university sports events that are offered regularly by Freie Universität Berlin.

Go to a bar event

In a bar, it is obviously more likely to get to know people outside your „abroad cluster“, when you and your friends do not close yourselves off and reminisce about the great weekend you just had two weeks ago. To avoid the tendency of being exclusive, what about trying out a bar event, like a pub quiz or bingo night, which are generally more inclusive and you tend to get to know people more quickly. We recommend to check your favorite bar for events.

Or check out:

  • Bar Madame Claude (Kreuzberg), Lübbener Str. 19, 10997 Berlin – every Wednesday – no entry fee – Music Quiz “Guess the Song” (advantage: advanced German skills are not necessarily required). For updated program dates see their bar calendar.
  • Irish Pub Celtic Cottage (Steglitz), Markelstr. 13, 12163 Berlin – every Monday – 1€ entry fee – Irish Pub Quiz.
  • Bar Interface (Moabit), Perleberger Str. 17, 10559 Berlin – changing events.

Use meet up groups

Our modern world fortunately gives us the opportunity to connect with all different sorts of people with minimum effort and time constraints. In order to find likeminded people for all different sorts of activities and interests, you can take advantage of meet up groups that you can find online. What about joining a “Speak German while chilling in Berlin group” for instance?

Join a tandem

An easy way to improve your German and meet Germans at the same time is to join a tandem. The idea of a tandem is to meet with a German native speaker, preferably, at least once or twice a week. In casual conversations you both get the opportunity to practice the respective language. It is also a perfect way to leave the international bubble and maybe make a German lifelong friend.

 Volunteer

Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet new people, practice your German, and provide help to those in need. Obviously it is also a commitment and people will be depending on you so you should make sure that you have at least two hours per week that you can dedicate to volunteer work.

Try couch surfing

Couch surfing has become way more than just a cheap way to travel. The couch surfing community understands itself as an open and vibrant travel community, where everyone is able to learn from each other and dive deep into the culture of their hosts. The idea of couch surfing is that instead of using hotels, hostels, etc. when travelling, coach surfers look for locals who offer their couch/spare bed room for one or two nights and at best, have time to spend some time with their guests to show them around the city or join them for dinner, etc.

Of course, leaving your bubble requires an active part on your side. For sure,  this is not always easy or convinient, but certainly pays off at the end.

Share a meal at La Lucha

Let us start by saying that it is probably a good idea to reserve a table at La Lucha, as it seems to get extremely busy. The high demand is justified though, as La Lucha adds a very interesting and, more importantly, very delicious twist to Mexican staples.

Large corn tortilla with baby corn, baby zucchini, shimeji mushrooms and chilie poblano

What seems to become a trend right now – La Lucha orientates itself toward authentic flavors, but takes them up a notch. For example, what would you say about ‚blue corn tortilla with smoked ricotta, melted gouda, crispy parmesan and figs‘? We’d say „yes, please!!“ Modern cuisine might often have the problem that it wants to be too modern, too pretty and too visual and then forgets all about the flavour. As far as we are concerned, this certainly is not the problem here. The food tastes as good as it looks, if not better.

Guacamole; Tacos with miso glazed sweet potato, cucumber & celery salsa fresca, peanuts and habanero; Blue corn tortilla with smoked ricotta, melted gouda, crispy parmesan and figs

We also especially like the restaurant’s belief in sharing food. To encourage this, every order is served as soon as it is ready, without a schedule in mind. We thus recommend to order a bunch of smaller meals and then share everything once it is on the table (have we mentioned the blue tortillas!? Because they are amazing).

In Spanish, La Lucha means “the struggle.” Mexicans are passionate and hard working people, and they use the term La Lucha in a positive way, to refer to their drive to achieve what they believe in. We share the drive and passion of the Mexican people, and strive everyday to bring you an honest, delicious and authentic Mexican experience. La Lucha is our struggle to bring Berlin a taste of the real Mexico.

Where? Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39–41, 10999 Berlin.
Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 6pm – 10pm, Friday & Saturday
6pm - 11pm

Feel like a royal at Schloss Glienicke

Berlin is not only great, because of its bustling city center, but there are also numerous scenic day trip options, many only a short S-Bahn journey away.

What about starting your exploration of Berlin’s surrounding area at the royal grounds of Schloss Glienicke, for example? Standing on the castle’s premises, you might feel a bit as if you were transported into an Italian movie set. And not without reason – in 1823, when Prince Carl von Preußen returned from his trip to Italy, he was fascinated by the Italian culture and architecture and therefore fulfilled his dream of an Italian replica of the buildings that he had seen in Italy. The castle with its mediterranean character became his summer home. What remains today is the castle, a „casino“, an orangerie, a big lion fountain and the royal garden.

 

Once you’re done strolling around the royal premises and you still feel like walking, you can take the path close by that leads you along the Havel up to the Pfaueninsel and the Wannsee. For some food and refreshments, you might like to take a little pit stop  at the restaurant „Wirtshaus Moorlake“ which is situated along the way.

Suggested hiking trail
View across the Havel
Illustrations by artist Christoph Niemann at the S-Bahn underpass ‚Wannsee‘
Where? Schloss Glienicke, Königstraße 36, 14109 Berlin  (you can take the S-Bahn to "Wannsee" and then continue with the bus 316 for a 12 minute ride to "Schloss Glienicke").
Opening Hours: The premises can be visited all year round. If you also like to see the inside of the castle, opening hours are as follows:
January - February: Closed
March: Open Saturday-Sunday, 10am-4pm
April - October: Open Tuesday - Sunday 10am-5:30pm
November - December: Open Saturday-Sunday, 10am-4pm
Admission:  6€ (5€ reduced) for the castle

 

Discover a new spin on Vietnamese food at Con Tho in Kreuzberg

Right opposite the Volkspark Hasenheide (*rabbit-heath*) in Kreuzberg, you find the restaurant Con Tho, which is Vietnamese for rabbit. Coincidence? We don’t think so. If you like Vietnamese food, but are a bit bored of the same old standard menu, Con Tho offers a different take on the typical Vietnamese cuisine. It’s a fusion of local ingredients and typical Vietnamese staples. Appetizers are sorted by small and medium dishes (recommendable are the black rolls or the in coconut water simmered tofu with garlic-mayonnaise sauce). For the main course you need to decide between Com Tam (different rice dishes served in a hot stone bowl), Banh Xeo (different variations of a riceflower crepe) and a Hue Bowl (different interpretations of lemongrass soup). Also recommendable are their own creations of lemonade and tea. As far as we are concerned, it’s almost impossible to make a choice that you’ll regret. Seating situation in the warmer months is perfect due to the nice outside terrace. As long as temperature is on the chilly side, you’ll find a cosy spot inside between bamboo sticks and big lampions. Consider making a reservation, if you come to prime time dinner times (8pm onwards), because it gets crowded quickly.

Where? Hasenheide 16, Berlin, Germany 10967
Opening Hours: Mon&Wed-Sun 12-22PM / Tuesday closed 
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Eat through a burrito baby at Burrito Baby

This little joint in Neukölln has not been named Burrito Baby for nothing. Upon ordering one of their burritos, be ready for being handed an almost toddler sized one. Seating is scarce, which makes it especially nice during the summer months, because you can sit outside. This being said, we still recommend coming here, no matter the season, simply for the following dishes: one of their well-filled burittos or their ‚House Nachos‘. Find their full menu here.

Taco, Mexikanisches Essen, Taco Kawaii

Where? Pflügerstr.11, 12047 Berlin, Neukölln
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday 5pm-10:30am, Saturday-Sunday 3pm-10:30pm.

 

Watch peacocks at Peacock Island

Although it’s been a couple of years since we have been to the Pfaueninsel – Peacock Island, we have still fond memories of this trip. Close to Berlin Wannsee, it is the perfect day adventure for a sunny weekend. The Pfaueninsel has a very idyllic, almost enchanted vibe to it and as soon as one stepps foot on the ground of the island, one immidiately forgets that just an hour ago they were paving their way through busy streets in the city.  The island certainly does its name justice and you’ll find several free-ranging peacocks walking around that give this place it’s fairytale atmosphere.

The island was rediscovered by Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia, who used it as a romantic venue for secret meetups with his mistress. Between 1794 and 1797, he had a little summer palace built on the island. Although many buildings in Berlin were damaged during the Second World War, the little palace on Peacock Island survived unscathed and so still remains in its original form today. Since 1990 the entire island has been a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Where? Peacock Island, Nikolskoer way, 14109 Berlin (it is best to take the S-Bahn to 'Wannsee'. From there it is a short walk or bus ride, Bus 218 or 316, up to the small ferry that takes you to the island).
When? Nov-Feb 10am-4pm, March 9am-6pm, April 9am-7pm, May-August: 9am-8pm, Sept 9am-7pm, Oct 9am-6pm.
Admission: 4€ (reduced 3€)

 

Make Berlin your active playground

(This account is written by a person who really likes sports) There are tons of sports opportunities in Berlin. The easiest way to take advantage of all of them (or let’s say a lot of them) is to have ‚the golden ticket‘, when it comes to doing sports in Berlin. Over the last year, I became a huge fan of the Urban Sports Club. A sports membership that allows you access to numerous gyms, yoga studios, swimming pools and other sports venues. I usually get bored easily and like to do a variety of different things. I love being flexible, not only of what kind of sports I do, but also when and where. Most venues do not require a sign-up in advance (a few exceptions apply), which gives you maximum flexibility.

How it works: as soon as you sign up online, you download an app. The app lists all USC partners in and around Berlin. You can filter by activity, venue, time, radius and area or just scroll through all the listings. Once you have found an activity, all that is left for you to do is to show up at the place and log in via a QR code. Done.

During a normal week, I would do a high intensity training with a group outside or inside, visit a standard gym and do weights, and go to a late-night yoga class. Granted, most standard gyms provide all these options under one roof. I guess it depends on what you are looking for and what is most important to you. I personally don’t always like the atmosphere in gyms and also don’t like to be bound to just one place. Especially, when it comes to yoga, I much rather go to a good smelling yoga studio than a sweaty gym (there are some pretty cool yoga locations in Berlin, especially in Kreuzberg).

Also good to know: you can pause and cancel your membership monthly.

(Although this reads like a paid ad, it’s not. I am just a big fan of the concept).

Drink your whiskey sour at Keith Bar

If you are like us and have discovered your love for whiskey pretty late in life, you hopefully have friends that quickly point you into the right direction when it comes to finding the perfect place for you new craving. If not. Listen up. Keith Bar is a rusty little bar in Neukölln, specilaizing in – and we quote „good whisky. And good music. And good food pop-ups. And good performances. And good art. And good cocktails. And good times with friends. And good beers…“. The bar is cozy and dark (the lighting mainly comes from candle light, as is common for so many bars in Berlin) with vintage wood furniture. Prices are quite reasonable and we never had to fight for a table – yet.

Where? Schillerpromenade 2, 12049 Berlin, Neukölln
Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday 6pm-2am, Friday-Saturday 6pm-3am.
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