Girls in Berlin

by annie

It's been a year and a half since I last saw Christine. Since then, she and Jonathan have travelled the globe, inspiring Brian and I to do the same (their blog: http://blogs.bootsnall.com/seeingspain/). Christine and I recently reunited in the Paris airport before heading to Berlin for LadyFest 2009 (http://www.ladyfest.net/). We stayed with her friend, Clara, who welcomed us into an apartment that she had only moved into a week prior to our visit. Super cool girl!

LadyFest focuses on feminist values and "do-it-yourself" power. We attended a workshop on building a wind turbine in the yard of a trailer squat, set amidst a contrast of crumbling, graffitied buildings and posh, modern structures alike. We saw fantastic live music of the all-girl bands "Las Kellies" and "Skilla." We watched a comedy about menstruation and endured a couple of performance arts that didn't necessarily speak to us like the rest of the fest.

In Berlin we capitalized on photobooths, flea markets, vegan eats and five-story thrift stores. We cut our hair and dyed it pink. We marvelled at the similarities to Portland. We embarrassed ourselves on the subway at least once a day by making mistakes that only a tourist could. We visited a section of the Berlin Wall and the memorial to those who died trying to cross it.

I spent one day checking out monuments like the Brandenburg Gates and took a train out to a former concentration camp. It's hard to know what to say about it. After walking around the site, seeing the prison, the execution trench, mass graves and video interviews of former prisoners, I suddenly became extremely ready to leave. According to my map, I made my way towards the nearest exit, only to find it closed. I won't use the word panic, but it felt intensely uncomfortable not being able to leave this place where so many were trapped years before. Lucky for me, it was only a 10 minute walk to an open exit.

Berlin reminded me of Portland with it's bikes, coffee, bio-markets and alternative cultures. It was the perfect place to meet up with a Portland pal and soak up quality girl time. A week was not nearly enough and I look forward to going back again.

In the meantime, Brian is attending a silent 10-day vipassana meditation retreat in Spain. I'm now in Paris with Christine and Jonathan.

Berlin Pics here:

Berlin

Click here to read my post on the UK.

Generosity Defined: 13 nights, 4 hosts and countless strangers in the UK

by annie

Meet Frances, a teacher and mother of two living in Hackney (London). She´s tired from a long week of teaching, yet still finds the energy to make dinner and take me on a walk through the nearby marshes of her neighborhood. Within minutes of meeting each other, we´ve moved beyond small talk. I sleep on a pull-out sofa in their living room. Her young daughter, Ruby, braids my hair and teaches me a game called Shopkeeper. Her older daughter, Ellie, beams with excitement about her upcoming trip to Paris with a friend. They will all be travelling to the States later this summer, and I wish I was there to host them.

Meet Ali, an artist and co-founder of a successful company called motiroti (www.motiroti.com) living in SE London. Born in India, Ali moved with his family to Pakistan when he was 4 years old. He´s turned his passion for art into a meaningful livelihood (how inspiring!). We share genuine conversations over the amazing food he´s prepared: coconut shrimp, dal and molded veggie tarts. He helps me navigate the city, my laundry and personal challenges. I do not feel a stranger in his home. I sleep on a long cushioned bench, which doubles nicely as a couch and a bed. After 5 nights, it´s impossible to leave untouched by the wisdom, joy and love radiating from Ali.

Meet Lizzie, a writer, photographer and interior designer living in Ludham (a small village in Norfolk, England). We met in a travel writing workshop in London, and without hesitation, she invited me to visit her. She´s remodeled an old barnhouse into a beautiful rustic-chic home. She sleeps in the loft so that I can have the bedroom. We pick veggies and berries from her garden for meals. She tours me around the historic town of Norwich and there we visit the cathedral, a garden party showcasing a gypsy band and a cafe housed in a building dating back to 1370. We take a boat ride up the Ant River of the Norfolk Broads and walk along the coast near her home. She refuses my offers to help pay for our activities. I am grateful for the relaxation, exposure to nature and excellent company during my two-day visit.

Meet Bob, a train operator and Cardiff enthusiast living in Cardiff, Wales. He meets me at the bus station and walks me to his flat. He turns on the TV so that I can hear the Welsh language spoken. I sleep on a pull-out sofa in his living room. When I finish my shower the next morning, I find a breakfast table displayed with homemade toast, cereal, rice milk, rooibos tea, juice and several toppings for toast. Another couch-surfer, Rachel, joins us for breakfast. Bob recommends that I take a bus to the St. Faggans open-air museum and provides me with maps of the ciy. He goes out of his way to make me comfortable in his flat and in Cardiff.

Meet Strangers, on the street, on the bus, in internet cafes, in parks, anywhere. Despite their reputation for nasty stranger relations, I encountered the nicest Londoners. One approached me to ask if I was lost, another bought me tea in the park, two offered to put me up for the night, several went out of their way, often enlisting others to help.

It´s quite humbling to be treated so well by strangers and people I've only just met. How fortunate I feel to have spent time, however little, with all these amazing people. They´ve been willing to open their hearts, their doors and their fridges during a time when the next meal or the next bed has been a question mark. I´ve had meaningful conversations with them as if we were old friends. I could go on about the sites I saw, riding the tube, adjusting to a different kind of English language or the weak exchange rate. But it´s the people that made a lasting impression. When I think of the UK, I´ll think of them.

Pictures of my UK adventures can be found here: UK PICS

Want to meet people this way? It's easy to couchsurf anywhere in the world! www.couchsurfing.org