Author: nina

A photo posted by Nina Mehta (@ninamehta) on May 27, 2016 at 11:22am PDT

First a WW2 Bunker 2, then a pre-Berghain club, now an art gallery

The hungry tech scene in Germany’s hipster capital is at odds with a data-mining culture.  In a predominately cash-based, privacy conscious, offline society: is there room for technology to thrive? It’s understandable for Germany to be sensitive to controlling surveillance systems.

“German concern for privacy rights, a powerful force in a country where folk memories of the Gestapo and Stasi are still strong, against the onward march of modern technology. ” No pixels, please, we’re German, The Economist

In my day-to-day activities I find my peers avoiding tech services that to me seem like the basics: paypal, online shopping, sharing your given name on Facebook. But many of the big Berlin startups seem like copies of existing American companies:

• MyTaxi like Uber
• Zalando like Amazon
• Foodora like Postmates
• Dawanda like Etsy
• EyeEm like 500px

I can’t make much sense of making local copies of companies going global. I’m a bit confused how these digital services are will thrive and see great adoption with what seems like the current generations aversion to technology. Programmer turned fashion designed and cofounder of ElektroCouture, Lisa Lang, inspired me to think beyond digital services. She showed me one of her projects that included reprogramming old sewing machines with software, to produce remarkable new materials.

Of course then I realized, the answer isn’t software, it’s machines! I would love to see more innovators building software and digital systems into where Germans already excel: mechanical hardware. All the machines and old tools are not obsolete, they’re available for what Berlin has done better than anyone: renovation.

The 90s brought Berliners the belief of possibility. The wall came down and I hear again and again, “everything was possible then”. Before this whole spirit gets lost, instead of copying something American, Berlin should be Berlin. Then it was repurposing empty warehouses and vacant parking garages. Today it’s making something new with vacant machines. They can make something new, relevant, meaningful, and most importantly their own.

• wide leg trousers
• high-waisted denim
• choker necklaces
• sweatshirts tied around your waist
• denim overalls
• berry colored lipstick
• platform sneakers
• fanny packs
• doc martins
• flannel
• 1-piece unitard anything
• bald women
• bangs
• septum piercing
• toe rings
• half pony tail
• leather jacket
• ripped 20-denier tights
• keith haring
• wide brim hats
• side boob muscle tanks
• torn jeans
• anklets
• xxxxxxl  bomber jackets
• women baseball hats
• beanies
• mini backpacks
• halter crop top
• using the term “lipstick lesbian”
• bodycon everything

still waiting on

• hair crimping
• scrunchies
• acid washed jeans
• clogs
• cargo pants
• drawstring maxi skirts (update: found!)
• babydoll dresses

This is hard to talk about, but I expected Berlin to be more progressive and less racist.

Before I came here, I was told things have come a long way since World War II. And they probably have, but I expected more. I find daily subtle insensitivity  towards East Berliners, West Berliners, Eastern Europeans, Spanish, Mexicans, Blacks and Chinese** people. This kind of thing is hard to pick up if you’re on a short holiday or mostly interacting with expats.

In discussions with friends, when I hear culturally insensitive language I try to pause the conversation to discuss. In many of these experiences I find people laugh it off or suggest it’s not a serious problem. This is most concerning issue for me. And it’s true that Americans are hyper-sensitive about these (and many) kinds of things, so there’s room to meet in the middle.

We too from the United States too have a dark history of genocide, slavery, and ongoing racism against newcomers. However, as a nation of immigrants we are getting better at accepting different perspectives and sensitivity around language, especially people in cities. The difference is that in North American cities, when someone acknowledges there’s insensitive language in the room the offender usually acknowledges, apologizes and works not to make the mistake again. Whereas here, I find the issue is often ignored, diminished, or dismissed completely.

Ghosting from a party is only hurtful to ghosts

In Berlin it’s fairly rude when I don’t greet and bid farewell to every individual in the group. Apologies for everyone I didn’t greet with a hug upon arrival and for all the times I left without discussion. I’m really working on it, but it takes time to change behavior.

What I’ve learned so far is that around the world, sometimes people leave parties without saying goodbye and it’s understood to be rude. But when you quietly slip away from a party, what is that called?

• United States: Ghosting (formerly Irish Exit)
• Germany: Polish Exit
• Ireland: English Exit
• France: English Exit
• Spain: Swedish Exit (something about the submarines in WWII)
• I forget which country in South America: Chinese Exit

I’ve had what feels like hundreds of conversations about this topic. Except for ghosting, some person from one group is implying something derogatory and untrue about another group. But nearly every time I suggest this is hurtful language for Irish, Polish, English, Swedish, or Chinese people I usually don’t see the “am I bring racist?” light turn on. This is really difficult for me as a non-white minority in a place with a recent history of genocide against people who are different.

Traveling in Europe

The ghosting story is to only illustrate the subtleties of the greater issue. It’s not true about all people in Germany and not even most of my friends. But it’s true about enough people I’ve talked to that I need to say something. My friends and colleagues still recommend I be careful about which neighborhoods I visit in Berlin and to consider traveling to Eastern Europe with someone white.  I’m sure many of you will tell me I would be fine on my own, and I’m sure I would. But we’re still living in a world where it’s something I have to consider, and thankfully friends here are helping me understand.

I lived this experience for living nearly a decade of my life. I lived thirty minutes Martinsville, Indiana: a major hub for Ku Klux Klan white supremacy terrorist group. You just learn where to stop, when to keep driving, and how to tell if someone is not comfortable with who you are. It’s not ok, but it’s the precautions you take in small-town America.

I didn’t expect to have these kinds of feelings and conversations in a rich, diverse, contemporary, supposedly open-minded city like Berlin. I thought a continent with so many countries, borders, thriving cities, and rich education would help further open my mind,  not the opposite.

I’m disappointed in my Berlin experiences so far. I have a diversity of friends and colleagues with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, so let’s consider this a halfway point, not a synthesis of my understanding. I want to keep this conversation going and hope my opinion about racism in Berlin changes over time.

*I struggle to write the term American Indian as the people living there first were neither American, nor Indian, and I identify with being both. But several source say this is the right term to use. 

** I think Chinese might be a catch all term for anyone from East or South East Asia.

It’s hard to argue against a day of rest. We need to recharge and slow down.

Stores, business, and shops are closed on Sundays, originally for religious reasons. This has truly been the hardest lifestyle change. I so desperately want to use Saturday sleep in, do yoga, have a long breakfast and meet some friends after working all week. Unless I do my shopping tasks Monday-Friday I’m stuck. In fact, I prefer to do it on Sunday so I can focus on the week ahead. As a result I either eat more takeout than preferred or tax all my energy on Saturdays dealing with crowds also needing to shop.

What’s interesting is I’m sure the Sunday rest day has also fueled the party culture in Berlin. Clubs stay open from Friday until Tuesday and Sunday is the day for locals. I truly believe the strong intent to stop productivity on Sundays in this music city keeps the party going longer than it would otherwise.

I’m surprised how much this one rule has caused me trouble. Less cooking, less manicures, an inconsistent exercise schedule, less friends over for weekend brunches and weeknight meals, and overall higher stress. I love Berlin but the Blue Law is very hard for this American consumerist.

Living in Berlin reminds me of how much anti-russian brainwashing I watched as a child. I grew up knowing the Russians were the bad guy and always inferior. I’m starting to have relationships where I can understand what life and propaganda was like on the other side. Rewatching old American really makes you question the media’s control on the “free” world.

The Red Slime episode

In the MTV Nickelodeon hit series You Can’t Do that on Television, using the word “Free” was a trigger phrase for red slime after the studio was taken over by Russian Communists in the 1986 episode “Enemies & Paranoia”. Watch from 11:50-13:03 if you don’t believe me! Keep watching for the amazing oreo and slip n slide commercials.

Natasha and Boris

In this minisode of Rocky and Bullwinkle, an 80s children’s cartoon, evil spies Boris and Natasha have to swim home after a message control. Natasha suggests buying a a boat ticket and Boris questions her national pride and insists they should steal the boat tickets. How about that for propaganda!