It's the first New Year's Eve that I've actually spent in Berlin... and I'm terrified. Images of The Purge flash through my head as people talk about the pandemonium of a Berlin New Year's Eve—dodging fireworks and drunkards, and, more often than not, drunkards with fireworks. If you make it through the night unscathed then you'll know it will be a good year... or so they say. Exaggerations aside, here are a few new New Year's related words for you.

Guten Rutsch! - Good slide into the New Year

How will you be ringing in the new year? Let me know in the comments. As they say in Germany—Einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! Sooo... have a good slide into 2016. I'll see you on the other side.

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Sep 20, 2016

Get to grips with the rules - on the street

Sep 20, 2016

It's been said many a time before - Germans, they like their rules. It might be a stereotype, but after you've been shouted at one too many times for cycling on the pavement or crossing the street when you shouldn't be you realise that there's some basis to the stereotype.

Sep 20, 2016

Oct 18, 2015

The tell-tale signs of Autumn

Oct 18, 2015

With this latest cold snap, one thing is for sure–Autumn is here. But apart from the cold and the sun setting earlier, there are a few other tell-tale signs in nature that autumn has arrived.

Oct 18, 2015

Oct 2, 2015

Day of German Unity

Oct 2, 2015

Tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of German reunification! Whilst the Berlin Wall fell 25 years ago last year, it took a little longer for the two halves of Germany to come back together again.

Oct 2, 2015

Sep 27, 2015

My 6 tips for learning German

Sep 27, 2015

I've been living in Berlin for a year and a half now. If this was any other city in Germany I would probably be fluent by now, but it's Berlin, so I'm not. I've been thinking recently about how I learn German–whilst nothing really beats taking lessons, if you can't afford that then here are a few tips to incorporate into your daily rituals.

Sep 27, 2015

May 11, 2015

The rosy pink cherry blossoms of Berlin

May 11, 2015

Around the corner from my house is a small indistinct park running by the side of the railtracks. Indistinct, except for one time of the year... now. Around April, the path suddenly explodes into a lane of cherry blossoms which feels quite magical as you walk beneath the rose pink petals.

May 11, 2015

Apr 14, 2015

"Still or Fancy water, sir?"

Apr 14, 2015

For me, sparkling water is, and always will be, very fancy. It's the thing you order at a restaurant to impress rather than your normal request of 'just tap water, please'. Imagine my surprise then at finding my world views turned upside down upon arriving in Germany.

Apr 14, 2015

Feb 20, 2015

Surviving a Berlin winter

Feb 20, 2015

It may have been sunny for the last few days but, Berlin, I refuse to be tricked by you. Winter is not over yet. Here's a few tips for surviving the cold.

Feb 20, 2015

Jan 17, 2015

#ThatTowerAgain & 5 other ways to recognise Berlin

Jan 17, 2015

This week the sun has made the occasional welcome appearance. It's on days like this when you look around anew with the sun glinting in your eyes and a little bit of warmth in your heart and think, ok, Berlin is a pretty cool city. Here are 6 things that make the city so recognisable, and so loved.

Jan 17, 2015

Jan 11, 2015

So that was Christmas

Jan 11, 2015

The Berlin streets are awash with Christmas trees, disposed of in heaps at every junction. Overnight they crawl into the street and cause havoc with the morning traffic. While the smell may be overwhelmingly Christmassy, there is one clear message - Christmas is so last year. It's time to move on with 2015.

Jan 11, 2015

Jan 9, 2015

Baby, it's cold outside... bloody freezing, actually.

Jan 9, 2015

After an extended Christmas holiday in London, I'm heading back to the delights of Berlin today. It is with some trepidation that I'm returning to Berlin as I have yet to experience the full brunt of a German winter and, as many of my veteran Berlin friends gleefully tell me, I haven't seen anything yet.

Jan 9, 2015