Waking Up In Berlin: A Photo Essay

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The windows of this U-bahn train is decorated with a pattern featuring the Brandenburg Gate

Considering that I have a full time job and that everything is closed on Sunday, my Saturdays tend to be quite hectic. When I am not visiting Copenhagen or hosting my boyfriend in Berlin for the weekend, Saturday mornings are my chance to play catchup with errands, shopping, and occasional pampering. Today was a welcomed change of pace. I met up with fellow Berlin-based travel bloggers, Adam from travelsofadam.com and Cheryl from cherylhoward.com for some brunching and shop-talk. Here are a few pictures from my day out in the big city!

Helenekilde Badehotel: A Charming Seaside Retreat

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Frost on a window, brutal yet beautiful

Winter recently took an uninvited turn for the worse in Northern Europe. Until last week, the weather, for the most part, was mild and pleasant, then suddenly the situation escalated to damp and freezing. With no prospect of acceptable temperatures until Spring, the cold seemed to be magnified. The drabness coupled with a hard crash landing back into reality after my amazing Christmas holiday left me destined for winter depression.

Berlin, Germany: Places of Remembrance

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Jews are no longer allowed to work as independent craftsmen November 12, 1938

January 27th is recognized around the world as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, 67 years ago, the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by Soviet Troops. From 1942 to 1944, trains from all over Nazi-occupied Europe drove millions of Jews, Roma, Sinti, Poles and other religious and political opponents to the their imprisonment and eventual death. 

One area in Berlin was especially devastated by the Holocaust. Before Hitler came to power the small Bavarian Quarter in Schöneberg was home to more than 16,000 Jews. In the 1920's this area was known as the "Jewish Switzerland" because it was home to many doctors, lawyers and intellectuals, including Albert Einstein. By 1944, 6,000 of these men and women met their death after their deportation to concentration camps. 

Things I Took For Granted: Heat and Hot Water

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I live in an igloo, you like it?

You know, I really do not like to complain about living in Germany. I rarely “miss” America or go on and on about how great things are back home, I typically just chalk things up to being different and do not assign value statements such as better or worse. This weekend shit just got real and my opinion of Berlin and the German way of doing certain things is at an all time low.

My Travels Plans for 2012...so far

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Osaka, Japan on the left and St. Petersburg, Russia on the right

Well 2012 hasn't even started yet and I am already excited about my travel for the next year. Living in Germany, I get five weeks of vacation, this is perfect because it allows me to cultivate my healthy travel habit.

Berlin State of Mind

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Recently on twitter I posted this picture along with the tweet "This happens in your city, right? " Judging from the popularity of the tweet,  it doesn't. Outside of Berlin, astronauts are rarely seen at intersections on Sunday afternoons. Living in Berlin you are introduced to a new version of normal, one that is broader, full of color and for some reason more authentic.

Below is a collection of photos that depict my enhanced normality, all captured with my trusty vintage iphone 3G :) Enjoy!

F.A.Q with a Black Expat In Germany

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Photo by Okello Dunkley

Occasionally I get an email, comment or tweet asking how I landed in Germany. There are tons of Americans who want to live abroad and they are just dying to know my secret to being a black expat living in Germany. Some are genuinely curious and others are outright intrusive, either way I need to invest in a frequently asked questions section. #lightbulbmoment 

Nein, Ich bin Dein Vater!!

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"Nein, Ich bin Dein Vater!" is the German translation of Darth Vader's epic movie line. I am a bit of a movie nerd so I instantly noticed how the movie experience here in good ol' Europe differed from back home in the States. Aside from calling it "The Cinema", here are some more things that I just find/found odd.

Halloweening With Travel-Heads

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I know I have complained about the attention I get as a black expat in Germany but  Halloween is my Christmas. I enjoy dressing up! I take it real serious. Like REAL serious. Months ahead of time I get anxious contemplating what look I will tackle. I love makeup intensive costumes  and  use Youtube as my Halloween Look Bible.

I'm the one on the right :) - Lady Gaga from the Born This Way Video and me

This year my costume was inspired by Lady Gaga in the Born This Way video. Not sure what the look is called but I call it the Skeleton Face. I usually take time to practice but this year, time got away from me. My first attempt at this look was Saturday night. I totally underestimated the effort needed to make me ugly and had to rush in finishing the bottom half of my face. I also didn't have time to do my neck or hands which annoyed me to no end! bah bah bah! The wig was interesting, I am still trying to clean up plastic blond and pink strands off of my floor. It was all worth it though cause it all came together in the end. I already had the shirt and strong shouldered jacket as well as the bow tie. The decision to do this look was a no brainer.

Oktoberfest 2011: Black Girls in Dirndls

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My first trip to Oktoberfest was in 2007. Me being me, I decided to go in style and invested in a traditional Bavarian dress called a dirndl.

Organized Hitchhiking on the Internet

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This past weekend I went to visit my cousin who recently moved to Stuttgart, Germany, joining the ranks of black American expats in Europe. My visit also 'happened' to coincide with the first day of Oktoberfest which was only 220 km away in Munich. (Warning: Bavarian flavored post coming later this week)

After The Lovefest

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Coming home after a wonderful weekend with my family in Stuttgart it seems people are trying to bring me down off of my high.

Ebay is the Devil!

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This past week has been HECK TICK! I wasn't in bed until 2:00 am almost every night this week only to be up shortly there after for work. The one thing that suffered aside from my sleep schedule has been my writing. I was suppose to spend this afternoon catching up on articles and travel website contributions but no. I decided to complicate my life by attempting to sell some of fab clothing on ebay. You see, I am buried in clothing, and one of the pesky side effects of being a fashionista is having way too many clothes to wear. I literally have about 15 skirts and dresses, new with tags that have never been worn in my closet. It's time to get rid of some things and make some money in the process.

Christoper Street Day Parade: Out and About Berlin, Germany

Tweet This past Saturday I joined thousands of people in the streets of Berlin for the Christopher Street Day Parade. The CSD is held in memory of the first big uprising of LGBT people against police assaults that took place in New York's Christopher Street in the district of Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969. It was a great day to be a Berliner, men and women, gay and straight, of just about every nationality were represented. I had an amazing time.

Living in Germany, Can I Really Do This?

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Living in Germany, occasionally I suffer from bouts of homesickness. Missing home varies from day to day but it's usually tied to an unpleasant experience and how hormonal I am. Today was a day when I thought briefly, I should just pack this whole show up and take my ass back to America.

I had to pay a visit to the local Zollamt (tax office) to potentially pay duties on a package I received from the States. I received a notice because my package was from an online retailer and Germany wanted to collect their VAT (value added tax). Fair enough, I went to the office, with my receipts printed out, listing all the items and their value and knew it would be an interesting morning. Because the Zollamt, or any Amt in Germany, is always an interesting and a drawn out experience.

Long story short I am finally called forward after checking in and waiting with all the other schmucks that don't support the German economy.

Black Expat In Germany

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I was going to name this when "When Stupid People Attack" but I should practice what I preach about tolerance, right? This is a video of me recounting a story or two of the locals being a bit too familiar.
I understand I am different because I am a Black expat living in Germany  but please, do not touch me.
Video rant after the break

About Berlin: Karneval der Kulturen ( The Carnival of Cultures) Berlin, Germany

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The great thing about Berlin is that there is always something to do. This Pentacost weekend is sure to be an amazing one, it's time for the annual Karneval der Kulturen in Berlin!!! The carnival aims to celebrate and draw attention to the large international presence in Berlin, 30% of the 3.4 million Berliners are either first or second generation immigrants. Turkish immigrants make up the largest ethic minority but there are people from all over the world that live here, including a sizeable American population.

buppie im berlin: Black American Living Abroad

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'How in the hell did you wind up in Berlin?' Random strangers to long lost friends ask me this question on a regular basis, the abridged version of the story is ' I moved here for work'.

Stuff About Berlin:Getting ready for a night out

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Be sure to follow me on twitter @nicolenewblack