Berlin and English Speaking Community
When I first stepped into the Multi-Kulti city of Berlin - to be frank - I was not impressed. The grey sky, cold wind, and the judging side-eye of other passengers in a bus added to the not-too-welcoming atmosphere of the city. I thought I had sufficient German skills, but then I stood before the immigration officers, unable to comprehend - and, needless to say, answer - any of their questions in German.
As I’m going through the first three months in Berlin, I remembered losing my debit card. Not because I dropped it, but because someone stole my card and the PIN code to access my bank account, even before it arrived at my mailbox. I tried to report it to the police, and they shouted at me because they couldn’t understand my German.
Yes, a very “welcoming” experience to this city of Freedom, indeed.
Long story short, I have stayed and grown up in this city for a good 9 years now. Not because I was strong and had the grit, but because I found a community. I remembered the first community that I attended in Berlin was a church. However, what made me stay is the people and the community. And this is how I found my place.
It was my first time living abroad, far from my family, friends, and my safe zone. I was alone and feeling lonely. I was so melancholic. I was not ready to live here. The force to return home is strong. But because of this community, again, I (surprisingly) managed to stay.
As a foreigner, or someone who has just moved to a foreign place, you may have been in the same shoes. Not that someone stole your card… But you may have difficulties settling into the city. It could be because of the people, the culture, or (obviously) the language. Whatever your situation, it is very crucial to find a community that you can call a place of your own. A place to share. A place that supports you. A place that makes you feel at home.
Finding Your Place
Finding your place may not be the easiest. But to start, I recommend you look for an English-speaking community, or in the best case: an English-speaking church. I’m telling you this not because I’m a Christian, but because the church is a radically inclusive community. If you have just arrived in Berlin and you speak English, you may want to find an international church and join their English Sunday service to see how open and inclusive they are.
When I came to Berlin, the IREC Berlin is the first community and church that I joined, and I felt surprised by how inclusive they are. Many of their members came from around the globe. South African, Chinese, Indonesian, Singaporean, European, just to name a few.
What makes them even more inclusive is the way they build their community. The teachings in this church always invited us to open up our lives for the people around us, and to always think less about ourselves. I experienced it many times that despite having struggles of their own, the members are still trying to support and comfort me at my lowest points.
Lastly, I can feel the inclusivity when we were taught that Christians’ lives are not a survival of the fittest. Rather, a more vulnerable one, where people share and open about their struggles to strengthen one another.
I’m not trying to glorify weaknesses; that’s not the point. But I want to point out that if you long for this kind of inclusive and open community, this might be a new place for you in Berlin.
However, if you think going to a Sunday service is too “cult”. The IREC Berlin has an even more inclusive event: The Third Place. The event is held at their members’ houses, where we eat dinner, play games, and share lives in such a fun setting on Friday at 7:00 PM (bi-weekly). They do it because they believe in the ‘third’ place, besides their family (first) and their workplace (second), in which people spend most of their lifetime. If you want to join, you can send them a message via Instagram: @irec.berlin.