Cultural Shock and Ambivalence

There is a theory that explain cultural shock by dividing it into different phases and argue that one can only truly integrate into a new country by going through these phases, hence, experiencing cultural shock.

When I first moved to Amsterdam, almost 4 years ago, I was definetely in my "honeymoon" with the city. I loved its canals and international athmosphere, the safety I felt walking around the city and I most of loved the famous dutch "Freedom".

When I first moved to Amsterdam, almost 4 years ago, I was definitely in my "honeymoon" with the city. I loved its canals and international atmosphere, the safety I felt walking around the city and I most of loved the famous dutch "Freedom".

I've also experienced hostility and felt homesick so many times. And when I was just in-sync I moved  out. not back to Brazil, but to Germany.


I didn't stay in Berlin long enough to go thru every phase, I believe me and this city are still having our honeymoon. But it is almost time to back to the Netherlands, or home. My second home... and I'm feeling very ambivalent, maybe for the first time.


I miss Amsterdam a lot, my friends and boyfriend, my flat, the food... However, I adore Berlin just as much and I'm afraid to leave behind everything I've just started building.


I wonder how it is going to be on my re-entry phase and if I will re adapt easily to the Dutch culture.


(to be continued...)

Paris will always be Paris but Berlin will never be Berlin.

That is my favorite Berlin quote. It really illustrates that this city is constantly changing, adapting to new realities and keeps reinventing itself, time after time.

Berlin is definitely not a beautiful city. It is cool! It's young, accepting and full of contrasts. "Berlin is poor, but sexy!" Says Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor.

From its artists and artists wannabes, punks and biological shops  on the East, to trendy sky-scrappers, fancy restaurants and yuppies on the West. Two cities in one can still be noticed and each one has it's charm.

Bar-hopping around Simon-Dach Strasse or shopping at Kurfürstendamm platz. After living here for 4 months now, I have my favorites in every neighborhood.

Discovering Berlin and it's people has been a real pleasure. I'm must admit that It was not even on the top of my list before moving here and my decision to come here was made by opportunities, but today I must say that I'm proud of slowly becoming one of them:

Ich bin ein Berliner(...or a jelly donut. It doesn't matter)!

German Efficiency

Germans are efficient, or at least that's the image they have abroad, we all know. Ze German like discipline and punctuality. You gotta respect the rules in Germany and boy, they have some rules! Rules even for mess!

U-bahn Party is a good example of it. The Germans like to send around e-mails, text messages, facebook messages and etc to organise hijacking one of the trains and making a party at it. I found an youtube video illustrating that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cx8bfgVJ

Another example of German efficiency was the snowball fight organised in one of the parks in Berlin this winter. check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPQXjgE9jks

No doubt they are organised and thumbs up for them for making the best of a situation the whole Europe have  been endlessly complaining about.

Lazing around

I've been living in berlin for 5 months now and since then, I've been thru countless exciting experiences, learned a lot, but also spent hours and hours being just lazy in bed watching movies.

For my own sake, I've chosen to watch feel good chick flicks or comedies as it has been a bit difficult to watch meanful movies as my living conditions are already depressive enough. I live in a student dorm on the 16th floor of an ex-comunist block that smells like chinese food.

I'll share with you now some of the titles I've watched and my personal opinion, so if ever have a lazy moment and a computer available, you can go to http://www.ovguide.com and check it out.

(Grading from1 to 5, bearing in mind the genre.)

- The Hangover: It is funny, in an american way. Nothing special, just entertaining. 3

- Couples Retreat: Unecessary. Couldn't really reckon the humor.  -1

- The proposal: Cute main actor, some few funny moments. Entertaining 3

- The Ugly Truth: It is funny. Not special 3

- The Invention of Lying: British humor. Not my couple of tea. Didn't finish it.

- 500 days of Summer: Great movie. Lovely sound track and bearing in mind it is a cult chick flick, it has even an original script. Recommended. 5

- Whatever Works: Not the best of Woody. Not as good as Seinfeld. Entertaining and intelligent humor though... I recommend it. 5

- Julie & Julia: I enjoyed it. not meaningful but very entertaining and makes you hungry! 4

- I Love you Man: American Humor. I wouldn't pay to watch it or watch it again, I did though enjoy a few scenes. Sort of funny.

- Bride Wars: Ultimate chick flick. It is not original or funny. It is just a chick flick. not special. 2

- Goods: Totally unecessary. I couldnt make it to the first 10 minutes. BAD movie! Bad!

- My One and Only: It is ok.A bit too long for its genre, has some good scenes but nothing really special. 3

- He's just not that into you: Good movie to watch with the girls. It is just entertaining. Over-reacted in many ways, nevertheless funny. 4

- New in Town: It is not horrible, but I wouldn't watch it again. Maybe just too many cliches.

- 17 again: Teen movie. Brought me back in time to the days I could just hang around whole afternoons watching movies (wait, I'm sort of doing it now anyways... )

- Yes Man: Unecessary. Jim Carrey Is Definitely not my cup of tea. 1

- The Rebound: Among all the cliches at least this time it is an older & sucessful woman with an young and loving boy. It is sweet. 3


Another movies, not that feel good, that I've watched lately:

- Funny People: Nothing extraordinary, but good. Some really good scenes, some not so good. Overal good.  4

- Berlin is in Germany: Very good movie. About the GDR and how westerns and easterns are percieved among each other in Germany. Recommended. 5

- Berlin Calling: Great sound track. Reminds me of "One Flew over The cuckoos nest". good movie. 5

- Goodfellas: Based on a true story, it is a good gangster movie. Recommended. 5

- Leon: Natalie Portman at age of 13 already kicking ass. Great acting. Good movie 4

- Requiem for a dream: Unecessary. Maybe 10 years ago it was percieved as original and schocking, today the impression I got was that it was highly sensationalist without any real meaning and not making sense. 2

- Das Leben Der Andere: Great german movie. Great Story and actor. Show the Stasi as it is. Recommened. 6

- The Reader: Great movie. Highly recommended. Great actors and the story is also really good.  6

- I hate valentine's day: Cliche & Unecessary, unless you also dig the very very O-M-G very hot mr. Darcy. 2

Getting over with it

There is a reason people write introductions at the end. It is is difficult to write something that open up or represent the whole, without even getting started.

Anyway, Let's leave the Intro to the end then and go to what it really matters.

I decided to start writing a blog to share the ventures and adventures of living abroad. New places, restaurants, movies and books, and the experiences i have with other cultures.

A little bit of everything, to anyonewho might be interested.

See you later!