I found this site at just the right time. I was feeling serious guilt about not loving Berlin and thinking maybe something was wrong with ME.
Things I hate about Berlin:
1) People: They think their way is the only way, they are right and you are wrong. Berliners (maybe Germans) don't make suggestions, they give instructions. They're also nosy as hell and always want to tell you what to do, "don't ride your bike on the sidewalk," "you can't cross now," "don't let the dog pee on the trees," "Can you speak quieter."
2) Coolness and the Glorification of Poverty: I find nothing cool about areas like Xberg and Neukolln. I find them overcrowded, absolutely filthy, horrible people in all service positions and overrun with 20 something year olds (oh and men in their 30-40s still trying to act like they're 20). I enjoy Friedrichshain, Mitte and Prenzlauerberg but I don't dare say it out loud because people scoff because they're too...clean, have some adults there? And my "friends" would never journey over the river to see that there is more than freaking Kottbusser Tor.
3)Dating: Instead of explaining I will tell a short story. I dated a guy for a few months. Nasty breakup because I "never listened to him" meaning never followed his suggestions (see point #1). Then on my birthday I receive an email....an invoice! An itemized list of all of the things he paid for while dating. But this kind gentlemen offered me two payment options 5 months or 7 months and also wished me a happy bday.
I have a work contract until July 2017 and then I'm out!
This is Germany, there are actually several reasons to ask for 'gifts' back de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenkung but still don't give him anything!
OMGF, I can't believe that there's rules and regulations governing the exchange of gifts between people. Just goes to show you that these people don't have souls or morals or ethics - they're stuffed with paper that's scribbled with rules. This is the saddest thing I've seen in a while.
Also, regarding your point #1 - this too is sad. If you ever want to observer Zee German in its natural habitat, hop on over to r/Germany on reddit. You'll find gems like a foreigner asking where they can exchange a jar of coins for bills and you'll get dozens of Germans calling the foreigner stupid and spoiled for not paying in exact change at every opportunity. That a much more wicked stuff. Also, this is how I get my kicks everyday. Crossing on red lights, paying with 50 euro bills, or just taking them for a ride during a talk ("No, zat ist vrong, zer ist a law...", "Oh my jolly friend, they changed the law, are you not aware of that" - watch the guy furiously google that poop because of the shame of the possibility of being wrong...). These folks have SERIOUS issues.
What is /r.Berlin not sure what you mean by that, I'm curious
Wtf you can ask gift back?!? What kind of people, what kind of people finds it normal?? This is the strangest thing I heard these days. Ok, if it's expensive jewellery or car etc. it's OK but dinner/lunch money? Germans are really cheap and stingy, disgusting.
I hate the people, I hate the dub on every tv channel, I hate that every person I talked with was angry, I hate the man at the tax refund..etc. The shopping is ok, but with the lack of help it's not wort it. One man even turned around when I was going to ask for directions. I will never come back!!! Never!!!!
All the Berliners who hate Auslanders (foreigners), will dirty their nappies when we all leave, because then they will be in the same boat as when the Wall was up, jobless and spying on each other. One side of me hates these people with a passion, but the other side.has compassion and empathy for them, or is it pity I feel.
They have no spark, no positivity, enthusiasm or optimism, they are stuck in some kind of weird time-warp of self-imposed misery. Even the black Africans treat them like a joke by openly selling drugs in one-time family parks.
Berlin reminds me of Lord Of The Flies, with no adult supervision of a bunch of boring brats, with no imagination whatsoever. There is nothing cool about Berlin, except the cheap beer and drugs that destroys 90% of the populations minds.
I came here as a jumping off point and to check out the hype. A musician I new in LA (my hometown) was out here originally for touring, but decided to stay for a bit. It was so sad, seeing what was someone I remembered as cheery and good natured appear like he aged 10 years in the past 2. The life has been sucked dry and he couldn't stop talking about the lack of opportunities. Berlin is a city for losers. Nothing quality really comes out of Berlin, its an echo chamber of fail. As a creative here, my impression is that you're basically wasting time and accepting your life as a failed __________ (insert some "artistic" endeavor). Berliners don't really think they can be successful-- they've recognized their mediocrity and surround themselves with similar people as a coping mechanism. Basically if you can't hack it in NYC, LA, London, Tokyo, etc etc (a real city) then move to Berlin in denial about your "under-appreciated" (non-existent) talent ;P
For real though, its been interesting being here for a week. I find the misery amusing vs the endearing stoicism when you go further east into the Balkans or the Baltic States. There at least you can crack the icy surface and fund genuine/warm people. I think Berliners lack a soul, and its entertaining to see how completely fascist and petty they are (everything I've basically expected dealing with Germans in SE Asia and elsewhere with their silly mocking laugh, while wearing poop clothes and making their faces red with beer and sun).
Anyways, I'm off to someplace better. I hope the PR machine of the tourist industry keeps the hype up and sending people here so they will avoid the lesser known cities on the planet. It's been real Berlin. Later!
This City is so boring and depressing.
Just go to expat hangouts. Bars where they have good beer and speak English or any other language. Lots of fun and cool people. If you see someone looking around, smiling, and with a dazed look - it's probably me taking a very needed breath of LIFE from this city. It's really great to walk into a bar like that and be greeted with laughter and feel at home.
I've wasted 5 years of my life trying to "get" Berlin, and I am just more confused than ever. Definitely time to leave them to their misery. The only good thing in Berlin is Mauer Park on Sundays, and what do the German Berliners say, "Oh, it's too crowded and it's too expensive", then they go to a festival with 80,000 other smelly people the next day instead. Mauer Park stalls that sell second hand stuff are so cheap even Indians fly in to make shopping trips there. You can get a whole wardrobe for €20. By the way the € symbol on a Mac is Opt+Shift +2
Get the hell out of here. Everyone leaves here in tears eventually, so might as well make it now. I'm leaving at the end of summer, I've been selling off stuff for the last month or two and I'm almost ready to escape over the Berlin Wall of misery and pessimism.
I too spend an unnecessary amount of time in that city trying to become a "good Berliner" whatever that means, 7 years to be precise and in my opinion there is nothing to get. "Getting Berlin" is just a moot quest, there is nothing to get, it is what it is and it's just the comforting idea Berliners need in order to survive in such a wasteland. That's why they build stores in secret locations, they make parties where no one is invited because if it was all public and in the open, the world collectively would be able to say, "wow, but Berlin IS a piece of crap after all!". After you have left take your time to re-engage in life once again. But remember no one who's lived there for long and after they've left has ever said: "I want to come back to Berlin". Good luck!
Really great website!
I hate everythin as well, especially middle aged people who dont wanna grow up and bevome an adult. Seriously, wtf is wrong with this people , there are no adults in the city??!??
I came for advice indeed, I'm thinking of moving to London. What do you think about London and its people?
Well if you have a well paying job I'd say go for it. Just don't be under any illusions about how life is here, work/life balance isn't great. As for German v British men, I'm a British guy so not sure what to say. I'd say we take life less seriously and have a good sense of humour. There are a lot of arseholes around though! same as anywhere else.
You're British heh:)
Ok, I'm a developer girl so I usually work late everyday anyway. I leave office mostly on 19.00. It's OK for me as I teally have 0 friends?!? I'm a warm person but I just can't someone to make friends.
Anyway, I work until late anyway in any case:) Thanks for the answers.
I had the chance to get a new and better job in London and left Berlin without hesitation. Even if you find the city too stressful and expensive there you will find better opportunities in your career, far better than the ones you will ever find in Berlin. Shortly after I moved to London I got a new and better offer in a different place (where I am at right now). So if you want to prioritize your career London is a good move. In London you can make friends and grow your contact network something that is almost impossible in Berlin.
+1 to that.
Tech scene in Berlin is crap and very unprofessional. Except bunch of big companies, nobody knows how to produce software. London is great for developers, even startups are very professional. Berlin startups are poor, unprofessional and full of crap.
My priority is to be happy indeed. I'm a good looking 28 year old girl and single for 2 years, teally sick of it. No friends, no boyfriend, no love, no human touch my inside died. Believe me, I'm at the point saying: fornicate career development I just dont wanna be alone anymore.
In you're so afraid of dating in Berlin (I get it) the dating pool in London is a lot more more diverse than the one in Berlin where you will find 80% immature narcissists 15% of ketamine addicts and maybe a 5% potential partners. In London you will find people from all across England and the world with a wide variety of personalities. Germans come in only one flavor: german. But in London you will find (real) artists, jocks, geeks, extroverted, introverted... you get the idea. The same happens in other real cities, not just London. Yes, the London dating scene is full of hacks and whatnot but you might find someone you'll truly like. Something that's not so likely in Berlin. London is uber expensive and stressful, don't disregard that by the way. London can drain you financially and mentally, in a different way than Berlin though.
Heh thanks for the tips!
Problem here is that, I really met no men suitable for me?!? Where are decent, adult men? All I met was 30 year old adolescents, guys dont want any responsibility, dont wanna start a family.
Im a romantic and old fashioned girl.
Instead of London, Im thinking of more "serious" cities like Zurich, Munich or London. I'll do more boyfriend hunt:) , if not goodbye sh.t Berlin!
By the way, I have a weird story as well. I met a cute guy, an Eastern European. He's not good looking as German dudes, but warm, chatty and lovely. Ok, he brought bunch of small gifts to my office chocolate, flowers, stuffed animals. 2 weeks ago he asked me out after flirting for long and it was a lovely dinner. Last week he went to vacation with his girlfriend?!??! He told me:I'm going to short vacation with my gf and I was like wtf??!! What girlfriend??!? I'm still shocked. He grew up in Berlin...believe me this city's people are not normal!!!!
Absolutely agree about the Feminazis and their mindless complaining about mythical wage-gaps.
Don't take my word for it, have a look what these women have to say about the Unicorn-like wage-gap (below).
I had two girlfriends in Berlin and they both left me emotionally traumatized. I've been single for two years now and I've finally clawed back my self-confidence.
Everyone eventually leaves Berlin in tears.
www.wsj.com/articles/the-wage-gap-myth-that-wont-die-1443654408
time.com/3222543/5-feminist-myths-that-will-not-die/
blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/07/the-gender-pay-gap-is-a-myth/
blog.independent.org/2015/10/08/the-gender-wage-gap-a-myth-that-still-just-wont-die/
dailycaller.com/2015/08/31/study-busts-gender-pay-gap-myths-as-young-women-earn-more-than-men/
www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/04/16/its-time-that-we-end-the-equal-pay-myth/
Is Potsdam as bad as Berlin? Certainly there are less urine and nicer surroundings. Are people any different?
Yes - they're even bigger rednecks than Berliners.
See, Berlin got totalled during WW2. So it's filled with people from the surrounding country side. That's why Berliners piss everywhere or blow their noses on the street. Imagine if a city like New York was composed of 80% of people straight from homosexual Alabama.
People told me they LOVE Berlin, and I might move. Now I am scared reading this. Are not germans super polite? Omg.
No one here will tell you what to do. Go to Berlin spend some weeks preferably in Summer and have your return ticket ready, there is no harm in that, visit Prague while you're at it. If you really like it then stay, but you've been warned, there are 749 good reasons here already. Don't expect to be welcome in the city.
Better yet, come here in the Fall. Catch a bit of summer - lots of smiley tourists and expats, nice beer gardens, lots of live music, outdoor cinemas etc. Than watch how all of this disappears starting in October and all you have left is: smell of piss, gray buildings, scowling Germans, overcast days with sunlight from 9:30am to 3:30pm (look at this map for a comparison: imgur.com/vYpbh - Europe vs US sunlight hours).
Also yes, Germans are the rudest and meanest people you'll likely ever meet. Don't think you'll find polite Germans in seemingly people-facing positions - some of the rudest Germans work as customer services at the central station in Berlin - who wouldve thought that you need polite people in a central train station in a capital city.
Also, watch out if you have darker skin. Doesnt matter if you're mexican, spanish, latino, american, italian - if you have dark skin, be prepared to be barred from clubs, avoided, etc.
If you have light skin and are American, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, British or any other nationality (surprisingly even Swiss or Austrian) you will also be treated with varying degrees of "sympathy" "the need to educate you" "tsk tsking when your and their culture collide as theirs is superior of course, no question there" "quiet rage when you cross a line usually resulting in the silent treatment for the rest of your life" and other such quirks. Combined they add up to a pretty empty life after you have had time to make and destroy these freindships with your strange foreign ways.
^ I just stopped hanging out with all Germans. If their culture is so exclusive then I don't want to be part of it. I'm already making plans on leaving this place.
Also, ever since I cut contact with all Germans, except the necessary "can I get some coffee" and "thank you", I've become a much happier person.
For me as a German (although not from Berlin thankfully) it's sad to see that people come to Berlin and think that tells them all about German people and culture. Call me naive but I think it does not. Berlin people are special...to me they are all like wannabe Americans (no idea why)- wannabe business (wo)men, wannabe gangsters, wannabe hippies, wannabe superstars...while in reality they are usually just depressed, poor uneducated people who got lost in the past. My advise to non-Germans in Berlin is: Go and see other places. Go to the North, South, East, West and see how different culture can be. Learn about German architecture arts and literature BEFORE the destruction during the war(s). Get away from the major cities and go to the small towns and villages (maybe not just Brandenburg...). I would not say there is too much good in Germanness - Many German people have this thing of having no national identity for whatever reason and that makes them very jealous of people who have...To me it's a nation of people with suppressed issues..but there are still plenty of open-minded nice people out there..So don't make all Germans even. For me, Berlin people are weird and have always been weird, more than people from other places. But I was told this is maybe just because you have so many people here so the amount of everything (good or bad) is higher than somewhere else.
What I hate most about it is the situation with apartments, especially when you look for more than 2 rooms. It's either super expensive or it's something bad about the area...may it be a train, power station, factory, airport or kebab place right next to it. It seems like wherever it could be nice they built something horrible right next to it. If it's not horrible you have like 50 couples interested in 1 apartment and some form of application process as if it was for a job. People are horrible, native Berliners seem to be either "assis" that are constantly drunk and proud of it or people with no manners or no education, or alternatively super conservative and rude. "Don't care" attitude seems to be the only thing that can get you through the day and seems to be the guideline that most Berliners follow. "Internet" is indeed still Neuland if you don't live directly in the city but more at the borders. Not to mention the neverending useless construction works. Also Berlin lost it's identity of being a creative place, now it's more like a city of wannabes of any kind.
I was born in (West-)Berlin but left this town in the mid-90s for a sunny, tropical island. Every year I go back between 14 to 21 days for the reason of family ties. That is very important to me. Usually I am a happy guy in a compulsively unhappy world but Berlin gets me every time: Falling in a circle of deep depression because almost everybody is inept to communicate. The atmosphere is always so hostile--You have to drink a lot there for you mental balance alone.
I am terrified thinking of my upcoming stay.
Culture of Poverty and White Guilt.
Berlin in a nutshell.
Enough said
I don't live ther, I don' t breathe there, I don't love there, I don't go out there!, I don't eat there, i don't feel there, I don't party there, so I have to hate Berlin for just not beinig there!