Neukölln

I have finally emerged from the jet lag fog and have taken the first notes of the world around me. I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation, as well as a young child debuting on stage amidst very bright stage lights. I am in culture shock and I am humbled by this. I always thought myself at one with the world, foreseeing that I would be instantaneously comfortable anywhere. This has not been the case.

We set up housing for Berlin prior to arrival and did absolutely no research beforehand. We are renting a room in a flat with an artist we literally passed in the sky from Iceland. She is there now on an artists retreat of some sort. I really do not like Neukölln. It is "decorated" with graffiti that resembles vandalism more than art.

I think I missed history class the day the teacher discussed the Turkish population in Germany. I am culturally shocked by the multitudes of Turkish people here. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a racist bone in my body. It is just a reminder to not hold any expectations. I was expecting a native German population. You know, blue-eyed, blond-haired folks like me. This is not the Germany I was expecting.

Little did I know that Turks are the largest ethnic minority here. Upon doing some research, Turks originally came to Germany in the 1960's since there was vast unemployment in Turkey and a labor shortage in Germany. Thus, many Turkish came to Germany to make money and find a new life, most probably with the idea that they would return to Turkey to make this new life, with the money they had made.

At second glance, the Turkish population here is just as much German as the native German population is.

Read more about the Türkisch in Germany here: Turks in Germany. Quite an interesting story they have.

I am definitely excited to be in such an ethnically diverse place!