Postcards From Berlin...

Cue in Rema's "Holiday" even if I went for work. I got high, don’t ask me how

I had another blog post slated for Week 2 but I just got back from a conference in Berlin and I want to tell you about it while I’m still excited. This gist starts with the audacity of Igbo men because why did somebody’s uncle trail me from the Lagos airport to Frankfurt telling me how he wants to show me a good time? Apparently, he’s a big man in oil and gas (no, seriously, google Dutch International Station ltd) with a house full of staff and 2 non-fatal kidnapping experiences (yes they kidnapped him twice).

This letter is a stream of consciousness detailing the most memorable things I experienced/learned/saw in Berlin. Enjoy

Day 1

Somebody tell these conference organisers that Africans from Africa eat savoury foods more than sweet foods. Because why is this “Venison Goulash” tasting like fried cranberries with one tinko-sized piece of venison buried in the mess?

I know the food looks nice in the picture, but I did not like anything on that plate. Serves me right for being adventurous with food in Berlin, they offered me crispy chicken salad and I turned up my nose.

Day 2

Hotels have evolved yunno? In 2014 I marvelled at the concept of key cards and now they are used to activate elevators, lobby doors or even log bills. Talk about “least privilege”. P.s. I’ve seen this before now, I’m just fascinated by its common adoption. As a young woman who travels often, it gives me comfort to know that the hotels I’m staying at care about my privacy.

Day 3

We used a Cat-o-meter today to describe how we were feeling and I loved it! For my next training, I’ll use it as an ice-breaker.

On the ride back to the hotel, two things struck me; driving through tunnels makes me anxious (this is weird because I love underground train rides), and the cemeteries here are more like parks with greenery and park benches. If “rest in peace” was a place, it’ll be the cemetery/park I saw.

Day 4

I got high in Berlin, don’t ask me how. This resulted in a fantastic no-cheese cheeseburger landing in my belly. If you’re ever in Berlin, you should try the one close to the metro station in the city centre. There’s also a kebab shop across the road from it.

Day 5

Fibreglass bears are used for ads by companies. Most of them have social justice messages on them but they cost about €1000 each if a company adopts them.
Also, brass cobblestones are used to memorialise people who died in the holocaust (name, date of birth, where they were killed or deported to). They’re called “Stolpersteine (cobblestones)”.

Day 6

This artist translated a breakup text from her boyfriend to stenography (shorthand) and made it into art, how hurt do you have to be to pour the pain into art? I’m proud of the artist sha, feelings shouldn’t get in the way of your bag. I call the piece “Breakfast Immortalised”.

By the time you read this, I’ll be on my flight back to Lagos I hope I’ve been able to take you on the journey with me. I have a lot to say about the people I met on this trip but this letter would be too long if I wrote it all here. I danced to In Da Ghetto yesterday and for those 2:45 minutes, enjoyment was the only thing that mattered so add it to your gym playlist this Friday.

This letter is dedicated to Veronica, Milena, Calama and Paulina they made this trip the most memorable for me.

In case you missed the last letter:

XX

Gist Curator