expat life Berlin Archives | WelcomeBerlin https://welcomeberlin.net/tag/expat-life-berlin/ Integrate into Berlin's economy and culture Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:20:27 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://welcomeberlin.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ico2-150x150.png expat life Berlin Archives | WelcomeBerlin https://welcomeberlin.net/tag/expat-life-berlin/ 32 32 How to Make Friends in Berlin. A Guide for Newcomers https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/how-to-make-friends-in-berlin/ https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/how-to-make-friends-in-berlin/#respond Sun, 05 Oct 2025 15:08:42 +0000 https://welcomeberlin.net/?p=25955 Article by Hélène Isabelle Belaunde— You may have heard that, much like dating, Berlin has a mixed reputation when it comes to building and maintaining long-term friendships. Common complaints include widespread flakiness and inconvenient geography, among other issues. But is it really hard to make friends? How can you find your tribe as a newcomer? […]

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Expats socializing and making friends in Berlin

Article by Hélène Isabelle Belaunde— You may have heard that, much like dating, Berlin has a mixed reputation when it comes to building and maintaining long-term friendships. Common complaints include widespread flakiness and inconvenient geography, among other issues. But is it really hard to make friends? How can you find your tribe as a newcomer? Let’s dive in.

How to Make Friends in Berlin. A Guide for Newcomers

1. Intro

Comedy Therapy is an event that puts a fun twist on the classic stand-up show. Before it starts, members of the audience write their life problems on pieces of paper; a duo of comedians proceed to read them out loud and offer their two cents. (In other words: prepare to get roasted.) I attended my first show recently and had a jolly good time.

In between peculiar dating woes and complaints about work, one story left a strong impression. To paraphrase the patient:

“I made a new buddy on Bumble Friends. We met several times, and I thought we had fun, but one day they just ghosted me. I feel bad now.”

Cue the entire room going, “Awww,” along with a sizable portion of the audience nodding with weary expressions. Clearly, the story had struck a nerve.

2. Making Friends in Berlin: Is it Really That Hard?

Berlin is full of awesome people, but it does present a few challenges that are worth being aware of. The city offers an unfathomable number of distractions: Parties, exhibits, workshops, seminars, you name it. Everything is vibrant, weird, attention-grabbing, and FOMO-inducing.

As a result, (nearly) everyone seems to have the agenda of a Prime Minister: Per the 2-2-2 rule that I just made up, if you want to meet more than two people, it’ll take a Doodle to find a two-hour time slot exactly two months from now.

So be patient, and don’t hesitate to use WhatsApp polls. (Yes, really.) Another issue is that, for many, Berlin is less a home than a phase. People come and go, leaving after a couple of years to put down roots in a town where the sun is more than just a fever dream. (Bureaucracy is partly to blame for this: Many Berliners are forced to leave due to visa issues.) The city’s sheer size also hinders socialization. When it takes thirty to forty-five minutes getting from A to B, people are more hesitant to leave their cozy nests —especially during the harsh winters.

Perhaps more problematically, there seems to be a tendency toward flakiness. This is hard to measure (someone should do a study), but it does feel like the city’s social climate encourages unreliable behavior. Plans are cancelled at the last minute, messages go unanswered, budding friends are ghosted. Not everyone does this, but it’s far from uncommon. I’m not sure whether this is a Berlin thing, as opposed to a big city thing. My advice is to avoid flakiness yourself and filter for people who are more reliable, at least when it comes to close friendships.

Despite these challenges, making friends doesn’t need to be hard. It depends on your approach, social style, circumstances, and luck. People who are highly sociable won’t have much trouble, while the shy and reserved may need more time; still others get lucky and become best friends for life with their first housemates. It’s also worth noting that, according to relationship science, making friends is harder as an adult, period. People get busy with their careers, their relationships, their kids. To find your mates, it’s important to be both intentional and patient.

The fact remains that there’s plenty of kind, awesome, fun people in Berlin who are ready to make space for new and exciting connections. Your job is to find the ones you click with. Let’s get started.

3. Making Friends 101: The Traditional Route

How do strong, healthy friendships form? According to researchers, through repeated exposure. Best case scenario, you meet (almost) daily in a familiar setting, which allows you to discover each other organically. Classic examples are college, the workplace, or your flatshare. This is by far the easiest route and how most people start building their friend group in Berlin; I found my first buddies through my job and long-term WG.

Of course, this involves a certain amount of luck: Sometimes, you just won’t bond with your colleagues or housemates. You could also be a freelancer or live by yourself —or both. Which brings us to the next point.

4. Find Your Tribe Through Common Interests

Do you enjoy writing short stories in your spare time? Spend your weekends hiking? Or have you always wanted to try out stained glass art? One of the amazing things about Berlin is that no matter how niche your interests, there’s a community out there for you. Focus on groups that meet at least once a week. Joining an association is ideal because these are more likely to have a stable group of members, unlike the rotating cast of attendees common in many Meetups. A former flatmate of mine met most of this friend group (and life partner) through his Frisbee association. For my friend’s boyfriend, it was through bouldering, which is well-known for its kind and supportive community. I’ve found wonderful people through my theater association.

Here are a few examples of popular activities for building friendships:

—Theater/Improv
—Public Speaking
—Bouldering
—Co-working/Freelance meetups
—Clubbing/Music scene
—Volunteering
—German Classes

 

The last one is my personal favorite: If you have the money and time, German classes are a great way to make friends. You’re all a bunch of foreigners lost in the city, learning one of the most difficult languages known to humanity (okay, maybe not—but it sure feels like it). As fellow newbies navigating the challenges of Anmeldungs and Steuererklärungs, you have so much in common that friendships practically forge themselves. I met one of my dearest and most beloved friends in German class, nine years ago, and am deeply grateful for it.

To find groups, use well-known platforms like meetup.com, eventbrite.com, luma.com, and the good old-fashioned Google search: “theater association+berlin”, “german class+berlin”, etc. Note that Meetups are hit and miss, since attendees can change weekly. This is why I prefer associations with stable membership groups.

5. What Are The Best Friendship Apps?

Yes, friendship apps are absolutely a thing, and they’re increasingly popular. I’ll highlight three of them:

Bumble Friends

A companion to the well-known dating app. One of my former colleagues, who hails from Bavaria, downloaded it shortly after moving to Berlin and matched with a lovely woman who later connected her to her entire friend group. They seem to spend an awful lot of time vacationing in Greece, bless their souls.

Timeleft

With Timeleft, rather than meeting people one-on-one, you attend dinners with a group of five strangers every Wednesday, selected for you by the algorithm. At the end of the night, you can choose the individuals you’d like to see again, thus “matching” with them (à la speed dating). So, if it doesn’t work out, no hard feelings.

Thursday

Okay, this isn’t technically a friendship app… But hear me out!

Thursday is a singles dating event that takes place on, you guessed it, Thursday. It’s also an amazing place to meet new friends. I attended an event in late August. The vibe was excellent, and I met two lovely women; we gathered last weekend to play backgammon. Plus, you get a few allies to support you on your dating journey. If you’re single, I strongly recommend you attend.

6. Turning First Encounters Into Lasting Connections

Let’s say you’ve struck gold at a writing event, bouldering session, or during a night out, and had a great conversation with someone you vibe with. Now what?

The golden rule is as follows: Make plans to meet them immediately. I’m talking in the next few days, even the very next day, not “hey was sure nice to meet you perhaps we can meet soon and stuff?”, which is basically the equivalent of “farewell, stranger, forever and ever until the end of time”.

You may genuinely like each other, but you’ve met exactly once, and you both have lives; if there’s no shared setting where you can interact daily, it’s crucial to go the extra mile. Arrange to meet at least once a week so you can get to know each other. Forget coffee and do things: Attend an exhibit you normally wouldn’t see, watch reality TV and make fun of it, learn Go and struggle at it. Start curating your gallery of inside jokes.

7. Helpful Mindsets To Adopt On Your Friendship Journey

Building friendships can feel frustrating at times, especially when promising connections don’t pan out. Here’s a few ideas to make the process easier:

Don’t take things personally

As discussed previously, flakiness is not uncommon in Berlin. If you get ghosted, breadcrumbed, or whatever the new fancy word is these days, take a deep breath, remember that it happens to everyone, and move on. Your real friends won’t ditch you.

Be proactive

So many friendships never got the chance to begin because both people worried that the other didn’t like them. Learn to reach out first instead of waiting. Better yet, be the organizer: throw the events that bring people together.

Consider acting more sociable than you’re comfortable with

If you’re reserved and prefer staying home over going out, I’d recommend acting more sociable than you usually do, at least at the beginning. If your goal is to make a few intimate friends, the more events you attend and/or projects you participate in, the faster you’ll get there.

Don’t hang out with people you don’t really like

It’s tempting, when you’re new to a city, to start hanging out with people you feel merely “okay” about because they happen to be available. However, this means investing a lot of time and energy you could otherwise be spending looking for your tribe. It also means they’re investing time and energy into someone who’s not a good fit. If you’re really not clicking with them, the best thing to do (for both your sakes) is gently let them go.

Master the art of micro-connections

Small talk is underrated. At its core, it means telling someone that you want to connect with them, even briefly. Trust me, as someone who has engaged in her fair share of small talk in the elevator: Most people enjoy it when you reach out. (Yes, even Berliners!) Chat with your neighbors in the staircase; tell that person on the bus they have beautiful shoes. Fostering micro-connections can help put you in the “I’m open to making friends” vibe, which increases your chances of success.

Conclusion: Finding your Tribe in Berlin

Berlin is home to some of the most wonderful, self-aware, quirky people you will ever meet. While the city can seem harsh, remember that everyone desires connection. It may require some time and effort, but you’ll find your people. And that’s when Berlin starts getting really fun.

Author: Hélène Isabelle Belaunde —Hélène is a French-Peruvian freelance writer who has lived in Hong Kong, Lima, and Taiwan before calling Berlin her home nine years ago. A language enthusiast, she writes in French, English, and German, with a special focus on wellness, psychology, and marketing. In her free time, she enjoys creating fantasy and playing villains on stage. See her portfolio here

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]]> https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/how-to-make-friends-in-berlin/feed/ 0 From Comfort Zone to Cash Flow. The Berlin Immigrant Entrepreneur’s Mental Reset https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/berlin-immigrant-entrepreneur-mental-reset/ https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/berlin-immigrant-entrepreneur-mental-reset/#respond Sat, 06 Sep 2025 13:06:30 +0000 https://welcomeberlin.net/?p=23410 Boris walked out of his corporate job on a Tuesday, without a plan, with a final severance check and a deep sense of burnout. By Thursday, the silence in his apartment was deafening. His idea —to help other burned-out professionals navigate career transitions— was born from his own panic, sketched out on a napkin at […]

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Immigrant entrepreneur in Berlin embracing a mental reset for success

Boris walked out of his corporate job on a Tuesday, without a plan, with a final severance check and a deep sense of burnout. By Thursday, the silence in his apartment was deafening. His idea —to help other burned-out professionals navigate career transitions— was born from his own panic, sketched out on a napkin at 3 AM. The first twelve months were a blur of shaky client calls, rejected proposals, and the terrifying dip into his savings. He didn’t find a ready-made market. What he found was a problem he understood and a few other desperate people willing to trust him to solve it.

This is the entrepreneur’s real advantage:  It’s about what happens when your identity is stripped away and survival mode kicks in. When you’re forced to build something from nothing, you tap into a resilience you didn’t know you had. You have no choice but to tolerate profound uncertainty and practice the fundamental entrepreneurial skill: Making decisions with incomplete information. The transformation isn’t magical but a forced evolution. The question is whether you’ll recognize that choosing to start from zero already made you an entrepreneur.

1. The Employee Mentality Trap, or What You're Really Leaving Behind

What

Top achievers argue that employee mentality is fundamentally about trading time for money and seeking security through dependence. But for expats, this mindset carries additional weight: The belief that success requires institutional validation from employers, governments, or established systems.

In your home country, you understood the rules. You knew which companies offered the best benefits, which career paths led to promotion, which credentials mattered. Berlin strips away these familiar frameworks. The German job market operates on different principles. Your degree might not translate. Your professional network exists primarily on LinkedIn rather than local coffee shops.
This disruption terrifies employees and energizes entrepreneurs. Employees see barriers; entrepreneurs see arbitrage opportunities.

The Mindset Audit

—Did I solve a problem today, or did I wait for someone to solve it for me?
—Did I create value, or did I simply execute tasks assigned by others?
—When I encountered friction (language barriers, bureaucratic delays, cultural confusion), did I see obstacles or opportunities?

Your answers reveal whether you’re thinking like someone who owns outcomes or someone who rents their time.

2. The Strategic No: A Framework for Opportunity Selection

Unconventional

Top performers built their wealth by saying no to conventional paths and yes to overlooked opportunities. For Berlin expats, this principle becomes crucial because your outsider status creates unique market visibility. That is, you see gaps that locals consider normal. Do you?

The Berlin Expat's Strategic No Framework

Say No to:

—Jobs that require you to become German rather than leverage your foreignness.
—Business ideas that depend on deep local cultural knowledge you don’t possess.
—Opportunities that compete directly with established German companies on their turf.
—Ventures that require extensive regulatory navigation before generating revenue.

Say Yes to:

—Problems you experienced as a newcomer that other expats definitely face.
—Services that bridge your home country market with German opportunities.
—Business models that benefit from your multilingual capabilities.
—Solutions that turn your outsider perspective into insider knowledge for others.

Boris’s bureaucracy service succeeded because he said no to competing with German law firms and yes to serving a market they ignored: English-speaking expats who needed hand-holding, not legal advice.

3. Network Leverage: Relationship Capital Theory

What is it about

High performers demonstrate that modern entrepreneurship isn’t about what you know but rather about who trusts you and who you can serve. For expats in Berlin, this principle becomes exponentially more powerful because you exist in multiple networks simultaneously.

Your Network Multiplication Factor

Home Country Network: People who knew you before Berlin. They trust your judgment and might need German market access, European business presence, or outsourced services at Berlin rates.

Expat Network: Fellow immigrants who share your challenges. They understand your solutions viscerally because they’ve lived the problems you’re solving.

German Network: Locals who value your international perspective. They offer market access, regulatory guidance, and cultural bridge-building you can’t get elsewhere.

Digital Network: Online communities, social media connections, and professional platforms where your Berlin-based, internationally-minded perspective provides unique value.

—Most expats treat these as separate networks. Entrepreneurs treat them as an integrated system where value flows multidirectionally.

Network Activation Exercise

List five people from each network category. For each person, identify:

—One problem they’ve mentioned recently.
—One way your Berlin experience could solve or address that problem.
—One connection you could make between them and someone in a different network category.

This exercise reveals business opportunities hiding in relationship intersections.

4. The Education Investment: Knowledge Arbitrage Model

The Model

Top performers have built multiple seven-figure businesses by identifying knowledge gaps in markets and positioning themselves as the bridge. For Berlin entrepreneurs, this model works exceptionally well because you’re constantly learning things that others need to know.

The Berlin Learning Loop

—Week 1-4: You struggle with apartment hunting, visa applications, tax registration.
—Week 5-8: You develop systems and shortcuts for these processes.
—Week 9-12: You recognize that other expats face identical challenges.
—Week 13+: You monetize your learning curve by helping others avoid your mistakes.

Although knowledge arbitrage requires disciplined learning, not just accidental experience.

The Entrepreneur's Learning Protocol

  • Document every friction point you encounter in Berlin.
  • Research solutions systematically, not just until your personal problem disappears.
  • Test multiple approaches to find optimal processes.
  • Create systems that others can follow.
  • Build relationships with service providers who can handle scale.

 

Boris didn’t just figure out his own visa paperwork. He mapped the entire process, identified common error patterns, and built relationships with immigration lawyers who needed English-speaking clients. His knowledge became a business because he learned strategically, not just reactively. Learn more about the operational realities of starting a company in Berlin, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

5. Target Audience Precision: The Expat Advantage

Traditional marketing advice tells entrepreneurs to identify their ideal customer avatar. Expat entrepreneurs have an unfair advantage: You are your ideal customer, or you were six months ago.

The Mirror Customer Method

  • Who were you before you solved the problem you now solve for others?
  • What specific phrases did you use when searching for solutions?
  • Which solutions did you try that didn’t work, and why?
  • What would have convinced you to pay for the right solution immediately?
  • Who did you trust for recommendations during your problem-solving process?

 

Your answers create marketing copy that resonates because it’s autobiographical, not theoretical.

Berlin Market Segmentation for Expats

—Tier 1: Immediate Arrivals (0-6 months)

-Problems: Housing, bureaucracy, basic services.
-Mindset: Survival mode, willing to pay for speed and certainty.
-Marketing channels: Facebook groups, Reddit, WhatsApp communities.

—Tier 2: Settling Settlers (6-18 months)

-Problems: Career development, social integration, optimization.
-Mindset: Growth mode, seeking efficiency and network expansion.
-Marketing channels: LinkedIn, Meetup groups, professional associations.

—Tier 3: Established Expats (18+ months)

-Problems: Advanced services, investment opportunities, giving back.
-Mindset: Contribution mode, interested in mentoring and system improvement.
-Marketing channels: Industry events, speaking opportunities, referral networks.

Each tier requires different messaging, pricing, and service delivery models.

6. The Cash Flow Mindset: Revenue-First Philosophy

This philosophy centers on one principle: Revenue solves most business problems, and revenue comes from obsessive focus on serving customers who can pay. For immigrant entrepreneurs, this mindset becomes survival strategy.

Revenue-First Decision Making

—Will this activity directly generate revenue within 30 days?
—Does this customer have demonstrated ability and willingness to pay?
—Can I deliver this service profitably with my current resources?
—Will this work scale beyond my personal time investment?

The Berlin Bootstrap Model

-Month 1: Identify one problem you can solve for five expats who will each pay €100.
-Month 2: Deliver the service manually, document the process, collect testimonials.
-Month 3: Scale to 20 customers at €150 each, hire first contractor.
-Month 6: Systematize delivery, develop premium offerings, explore B2B opportunities.
-Month 12: Evaluate expansion to other German cities or additional services.


This model works because it prioritizes cash flow over perfection, market feedback over business plan assumptions, and rapid iteration over extensive planning.

7. The Mental Migration: Rewiring Employee Programming

The deepest challenge is unlearning employee habits that feel like virtues but function as limitations, rather than learning entrepreneurial skills.

Employee Virtues That Become Entrepreneurial Limitations

Following Instructions → Creating Systems
Employees excel at following processes. Entrepreneurs must create processes that others can follow.
Avoiding Risk → Managing Risk
Employees minimize risk through compliance. Entrepreneurs optimize risk through calculated betting.
Seeking Approval → Taking Ownership
Employees need permission to act. Entrepreneurs need results to survive.
Trading Time for Money → Building Assets
Employees rent their hours. Entrepreneurs build systems that generate revenue without their constant presence.
Competing for Positions → Creating Markets
Employees compete for existing jobs. Entrepreneurs invent new categories of value creation.

8. The Berlin Advantage: Why This City Rewards Entrepreneurial Thinking

Unique To Berlin

—Low Cost of Experimentation: (Still relatively) Affordable living costs mean you can test business ideas without excessive financial pressure.
—International Talent Pool: Access to multilingual, culturally diverse team members and customers.
—Government Support: Various grants and programs specifically designed for international entrepreneurs.
—Failure Tolerance: German business culture increasingly values entrepreneurial risk-taking and learning from failure.
—Market Access: Berlin serves as gateway to both European Union markets and growing Eastern European opportunities.

But these advantages only benefit entrepreneurs who recognize them as advantages. Employees see Berlin’s complexity as obstacles. Entrepreneurs see the same complexity as market inefficiencies waiting to be solved.

9. The 90-Day Mental Migration Plan

Days 1-30: Awareness Phase

—Complete daily mindset audits.
—Document every problem you encounter as a potential business opportunity.
—Join three different expat communities and observe recurring complaints.
—Connect with five people from each network category.

Days 31-60: Exploration Phase

—Test one small service offering with existing network.
—Interview 20 potential customers about their biggest frustrations.
—Research three successful Berlin-based expat entrepreneurs.
—Say no to at least three “opportunities” that don’t fit your strategic framework.

Days 61-90: Action Phase

—Launch minimum viable service with paying customers.
—Document processes for replication and scaling.
—Build relationship with local service providers for referrals and partnerships.
—Plan month four expansion based on customer feedback and demand patterns.

10. The Immigrant Entrepreneur's Creed

Core

You didn’t move to Berlin to remain the same person with a different address. What you wanted was to become someone capable of creating opportunities rather than waiting for them to be offered.

The employee mentality that served you in your home country —following established paths, seeking institutional validation, minimizing risk through compliance— becomes dead weight in Berlin’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. But the immigrant experience that brought you here —tolerance for uncertainty, ability to navigate unfamiliar systems, comfort with being misunderstood initially— represents perfect entrepreneurial training.

Berlin doesn’t need another employee who happens to speak your native language. Berlin needs entrepreneurs who can spot opportunities that others miss, serve markets that others ignore, and build bridges between communities that others keep separate.

Conclusion

The question isn’t whether you have what it takes to become an entrepreneur in Berlin. The question is whether you’ll recognize that moving here already proved you do.

Your comfort zone ended the day you bought your plane ticket. Your cash flow begins the day you stop looking for another job and start solving problems that people will pay you to fix.

Welcome to Berlin. Now build something.

Author: Christian Dittmann —Graphic Designer, Writer, Musician, Entrepreneur, Expat in Berlin.

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]]> https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/berlin-immigrant-entrepreneur-mental-reset/feed/ 0 When Things Go Wrong. Your Berlin Emergency Handbook https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/berlin-emergency-handbook/ https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/berlin-emergency-handbook/#respond Sun, 17 Aug 2025 18:48:46 +0000 https://welcomeberlin.net/?p=21151 Moving to Berlin means stepping into a city that refuses to be tamed, where the U-Bahn smells like wet concrete and last night’s Döner, where there are unwritten rules of Sunday silence. But there’s another kind of knowledge that sits quietly in the background until the moment you need it most: Knowing what to do […]

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Cover of "Berlin Emergency Handbook – Essential Guide for Expats" showing a red cross symbol and a photo of the Berlin skyline.

Moving to Berlin means stepping into a city that refuses to be tamed, where the U-Bahn smells like wet concrete and last night’s Döner, where there are unwritten rules of Sunday silence.

But there’s another kind of knowledge that sits quietly in the background until the moment you need it most: Knowing what to do when things go wrong. You need the numbers, the shortcuts and the hacks for when the city shows its teeth.

When Things Go Wrong. Your Berlin Emergency Handbook

1. Emergencies come unexpected

Emergency situations don’t announce themselves politely or wait for convenient timing. They arrive suddenly. A kitchen fire while you’re cooking dinner, a bicycle accident on Unter den Linden, or the sinking realization that your wallet has vanished somewhere between Hackescher Markt and home. In these moments, knowing the right numbers to call and understanding how Berlin’s emergency systems work can transform panic into purposeful action.

2. The Universal Lifeline: 112

Before diving into specific scenarios, memorize this number: 112. This is Europe’s universal emergency number, and in Berlin, it connects you to both fire services (Feuerwehr) and emergency medical services (Rettungsdienst). Unlike systems in other countries, 112 operators in Berlin are trained to handle multiple emergency types and will route your call appropriately.
When you call 112, speak slowly and clearly. Many operators understand English, but don’t assume this. Learn these essential German phrases:

  • “Ich brauche Hilfe” (I need help)
  • “Es ist ein Notfall” (It’s an emergency)
  • “Ich spreche kein Deutsch” (I don’t speak German)

The operator will ask for your location first. Berlin addresses follow a specific pattern: Street name, house number,  postal code and district (Bezirk). If you’re unsure of your exact address, describe nearby landmarks, the distinctive dome of a church, a major intersection, or a recognizable business.

3. When Crime Enters Your Life. Police (110)

The number 110 connects you directly to Berlin police (Polizei). This is your line for crimes in progress, accidents involving injuries, or any situation where someone’s immediate safety is threatened.

For theft and burglary: Berlin sees its share of pickpocketing, particularly in tourist areas and public transport. If you’re robbed, call 110 immediately if you feel unsafe or if the perpetrator is still nearby. For pickpocketing discovered after the fact, you can file a report (Anzeige) at any police station or online through the Berlin Police website.

For domestic disputes or violence: Berlin police take domestic violence seriously. Don’t hesitate to call 110 if you witness or experience threatening behavior. The operator can dispatch officers who speak multiple languages if needed. Also, contact the Weisser Ring in Berlin, a nationwide victim support organization  that provides free, confidential assistance to crime victims. Dial the 116 006.

For accidents: Call 110 for traffic accidents with injuries, even minor ones. German law requires police involvement in many accident scenarios, and you’ll need their report for insurance purposes.

After calling, stay on the line until help arrives. German emergency responders are efficient, but Berlin traffic can slow response times. Use this waiting period to gather important information —license plates, descriptions of people involved, or photos of damage (if it’s safe to do so).

4. Medical Emergencies Beyond the Ambulance

For life-threatening medical emergencies: 112 summons an ambulance (Krankenwagen). But Berlin’s medical emergency system includes several layers designed to provide appropriate care efficiently.

For urgent but non-life-threatening issues: Call 116 117, the number for Germany’s on-call medical service (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst). This service operates evenings, weekends, and holidays when regular doctors’ offices are closed. They can provide telephone consultation, direct you to an appropriate facility, or dispatch a house-call doctor.

For dental emergencies: Berlin’s dental emergency service operates through rotating clinics. Call 030 89 00 43 33 to find which dental clinic is handling emergencies on any given day.

For poison emergencies: Berlin’s Poison Information Center operates 24/7 at 030 19 240. They provide immediate guidance for accidental poisoning, drug overdoses, or exposure to harmful substances.

Understanding which service to call can save precious time. A severe allergic reaction demands 112, while a painful tooth at midnight calls for the dental emergency line.

5. Fire Safety: More Than Just Flames

Berlin’s fire department (Feuerwehr) responds to more than burning buildings. Call 112 for any fire, no matter how small it seems. Apartment fires can spread rapidly through Berlin’s older buildings, many of which have wooden components and shared ventilation systems.

But fire services also handle gas leaks, elevator rescues, and situations where people are trapped. If you smell gas in your building, don’t turn on lights or electrical devices, call 112 from outside the building if possible.

Carbon monoxide concerns: Many Berlin apartments use gas heating. If you experience dizziness, nausea, or confusion along with others in your household, consider carbon monoxide poisoning. Leave the area immediately and call 112.

6. When Death Arrives. The Notarzt System

Confronting death —whether sudden or expected— brings unique challenges in a foreign country. In Berlin, any death outside a hospital requires police involvement to rule out foul play, regardless of circumstances.

For expected deaths: If someone dies at home under hospice care or after a long illness, call 112. The operator will dispatch both police and a Notarzt (emergency physician) to officially pronounce death and complete necessary documentation.

For unexpected deaths: Call 112 immediately. Don’t touch anything or attempt to move the person. Berlin police are trained to handle these situations with sensitivity while following required procedures.

After official response: The deceased will be transported to a morgue (Leichenhalle). Family members can contact funeral homes (Bestattungsinstitut) to arrange services. Berlin has funeral directors who specialize in helping international residents navigate German burial customs and requirements.

7. The Power of Preparation

Emergency preparedness in Berlin goes beyond memorizing phone numbers. Keep a written list of essential contacts in German and your native language. Include your address written clearly in German, your insurance information, and any medical conditions or medications.

Download the NINA app (Notfall-Informations- und Nachrichten-App), Germany’s official emergency warning system. This app sends alerts about severe weather, major incidents, or public safety threats in your area.

Consider taking a basic German emergency language course or keeping a translation app readily accessible. While many emergency responders speak English, critical seconds matter in genuine emergencies.

8. Building Your Safety Network

Beyond official emergency services, Berlin offers community resources that newcomers often overlook. Many neighborhoods have active community groups on platforms like Nebenan or Nextdoor where residents share safety information and look out for each other.

—Join local Facebook groups specific to your district. Residents often share real-time information about incidents, police activity, or safety concerns before official channels communicate them.

—Build relationships with neighbors, especially if you live in an older building where emergencies might affect multiple units. Know who lives next door and how to reach them if needed.

9. Emergency Numbers Checklist

Save these numbers in your phone and write them down somewhere accessible:

♦️ Fire, medical emergencies, rescue services
—112

♦️ Police
—110

♦️ Weisser Ring Berlin (assistance to crime victims)
—116 006

♦️ Berlin Crisis Service (mental health)
—030 390 63 00
—030 390 63 10

♦️ Medical on-call service (non-emergency)
—116 117

♦️ Dental emergencies
—030 89 00 43 33

♦️ Poison Information Center
—030 19 240

keep this always at hand

✅ Your insurance company’s emergency number.
✅ Your insurance card.
✅ The number of your embassy or consulate.
✅ The number of a trusted local contact who speaks German.

10. Stay Calm Under Pressure

Living in the city means accepting that emergencies will happen. To you, around you, or in your community. The goal isn’t to live in fear but to transform uncertainty into confidence through preparation and knowledge.

Berlin’s emergency services are professional and generally efficient, but they work within a system that has its own logic and procedures. Understanding this system —knowing which number to call, what information to provide, and how to navigate the response— turns you from a helpless bystander into someone who can act decisively when others need help.

Conclusion

Every long-term Berlin resident has stories of emergencies that taught them something new about the city or themselves.

These experiences, difficult as they may be, often mark the transition from visitor to resident, this means the moment when Berlin truly becomes home, complete with all the responsibilities and connections that home entails.

Keep these numbers close. Learn the basic phrases. Trust the system, but more importantly, trust your instincts. Berlin will take care of you when things go wrong, but only if you know how to let it.

Author: Robin —Rogue intern, wannabe DJ, bitcoin hedonist and digital nomad. For the past 10 years, he has been swearing he’ll leave Berlin for an island in Southeast Asia.

 
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]]> https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/berlin-emergency-handbook/feed/ 0 Thriving in Transition: Part 2 – Rebuild Your Comfort Zone https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/rebuild-comfort-zone-berlin-expat/ https://welcomeberlin.net/blog/rebuild-comfort-zone-berlin-expat/#respond Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:44:46 +0000 https://welcomeberlin.net/?p=17095 Article by Stephen Nock— You’ve left “home,” and you’re settling into Berlin. You’ve surmounted the obstacle course that is securing a contract for a job, an apartment, phone, internet, and registration (Anmeldung). You’ve unpacked the last box and suitcase. By all measures of paperwork and checklists, you’re done. You’ve moved. The phone calls, emails, and […]

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Expat in Berlin rebuilding comfort zone after moving

Article by Stephen Nock— You’ve left “home,” and you’re settling into Berlin. You’ve surmounted the obstacle course that is securing a contract for a job, an apartment, phone, internet, and registration (Anmeldung). You’ve unpacked the last box and suitcase. By all measures of paperwork and checklists, you’re done.

You’ve moved. The phone calls, emails, and texts from loved ones checking in from afar quiet down. But weeks or months after the big day, you’re not feeling quite settled. While moving is widely understood to be stressful, we tend to place less emphasis on the time after the boxes are unpacked. Whether temporary, indefinite, or permanent, a move is a discreet event but settling in takes time. It’s the uncomfortable challenge of creating a home away from home.

With around 170 nationalities (2023) and foreigners making up a whopping 23% of the overall population, Berlin is a city that attracts all varieties of foreigners, each of whom has their own unique emotional needs to feel settled and comfortable.

Thriving in Transition: Part 2 – Rebuild Your Comfort Zone

1. Growth (Normally) Happens Outside the Comfort Zone

Having lived in 3 countries, 7 U.S. states, and equally many apartments in Berlin (I lost count…), I’ve familiarized myself with the process of packing and unpacking suitcases and boxes, as well as unpacking what “home” means to me.

While feeling settled and having a secure base is undoubtedly important for our wellbeing, it’s also essential to acknowledge that challenges help us grow, evolve, and survive. In an ideal world, home is where we feel safe, secure, and cherished; from this home base, we can choose to venture out to be challenged and expand our horizons. Moving to a new country might eliminate the sense of secure base to the extent that we live in discomfort and seek comfort in every direction.

Noticing what you need to rebuild your comfort zone in a new home in a new country gives you a foundation for growing and facing continued challenges, without isolating yourself in restrictive ways.

When you’re settling into a new Berlin Kiez that might not feel like home yet, what can you do to rebuild your sense of comfort and belonging?

2. Honor the Old While Nourishing the New

While settling into your new space and establishing your anchor points in Berlin is important, it’s okay to take time, and feelings of nostalgia are natural. Our brains are more likely to recall the past positively and more likely to be skeptical or see future events negatively. If you notice yourself seeing your future dismally and missing your old life, trust that it’s normal to think the grass might be greener on the other side. While this mental wiring actually helps you survive, it also helps to acknowledge the grass might be greener where you water it.

Cultivate your new living environment with elements that evoke a sense of home for you.

 

—Tips: What belongings or colors do you have from your previous home? Create space for these alongside depictions or objects that commemorate your new home.If your workspace allows you to display personal decoration, create a “window” into your other home(s). I once had a colleague who missed the Spanish seaside, so we hung a picture in the actual window of our shared space depicting the landscape that he missed.

You might also have the option to play videos from YouTube or One Minute Park to have a portal connecting your new home in Berlin with other places you call home.

3. Ground Your Taste Buds

In some parts of Berlin, it’s easier to find international foods than it is to find German or local cuisine. (Believe it or not, there are foods Berlin is known for other than Kebab and Currywurst!) While settling in, it may help to take an exploratory perspective, to curiously find new favorite places to dine or grocery shop. Food can be comforting, and challenging yourself to “try new things” will help you grow into your new home.

Beyond restaurants offering local and international cuisine, explore the abundant international grocery stores to experience familiar and new tastes. Beyond the everyday supermarkets, which have small but growing selections of international food, Berlin has specialty grocery stores for Asian, South Asian, Latin American, African, and even other European ingredients. Polish, Georgian, Sudanese, you name it, and you can probably find ingredients in Berlin.

 

—Tip: Sharing food is also a great way to create connections and develop community, so consider inviting colleagues or neighbors together to a gathering to share your diverse tastes of home.

Whether protesting or celebrating, Berliners love a reason to get out into the streets and parks, and when people gather, they need nourishment. Events like Karneval der Kulturen (May/June), exhibitions, and food festivals celebrating international cuisine offer opportunities to return to your home palette and explore new tastes. Some neighborhood farmers markets feature stalls with foreign foods and drinks, too.

—Tip: Any place where you find foods that bring you comfort, ask what other venues or events they recommend. In the search for a taste of home, these vendors may know the hidden secrets of where to find more.

4. Know What Comfort and Challenge Mean to You

Growth happens outside our comfort zone, and typically, home represents a space of comfort that we can return to for recovery and nourishment. When you move to Berlin, your new home may feel chaotic, anonymous, or even cold at first (especially in winter!). Even something simple, like navigating the Bürgeramt or figuring out recycling rules, can drain your energy. That’s why intentionally creating your version of comfort in Berlin matters.

Creating a self-awareness of where you want to stay comfortable and where you want to choose challenges outside your comfort zone is key to finding your footing here in Berlin. Are you sticking to your Kiez because it feels manageable? Avoiding German conversations, even when you know more than you think?

 

—Tip: Pay attention to where you might be playing it safe. If you’re the journaling type, journal about how you might be staying in your comfort zone. If you prefer connecting with others, talk to people, whether long-time friends who can relate to your past comforts or new connections who can join you on a walk or a hike to appreciate the challenges of your new environment.

5. Connect with Others

With its nearly 900,000 foreign residents, you may feel lonely, but you’re not the only person experiencing the hardships of settling in. Of course, when you’re out and about, you may notice the folks who project confidence and belonging, but there are arguably thousands of people just like you, wondering where they can find someone to talk to.

Neighborhood community centers (Kieztreffs) or other culture hubs often host gatherings with everything from German classes to yoga to coffee hours, often at low or no cost. Meetups or interest groups may gather in public or private spaces. 

 

—Tip: Search for ways to meet people that connect with common interests or offer different experiences and perspectives. Learning German is notoriously difficult, and in Berlin, it’s not made easier by the abundance of people fluent in English and other languages. 

—Tip: For a relaxed language exchange, look for a Sprachcafé, or for a low-cost option, look to the Volkshochschule for different course options, including languages. Berlin also has plenty of people who read languages other than German. 

—Tip: Bookshops such Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus or other speciality stores will support your knack for the latest releases or an old classic.

6. Missing “Home”? Take Small Steps

When you start to notice the discomfort of being in a foreign home, remember that pain (Schmerz) is different from discomfort (Unbehagen). Even if it feels impossible to find comfort, no matter the reason for your move to Berlin, there are things that you benefit from trying.

Alongside recognizing the challenges you face and choosing to lean into the discomfort, having a supportive network can help you build inner stability while navigating outer change.

If you’re curious to get support tailored to your situation, be sure to check the experts in the WelcomeBerlin Marketplace. Together with my own near-decade navigating the German system as an outsider, I’ve coached dozens of expats through transitions like these, helping them not only understand their rights, but reclaim confidence, clarity, and direction. It helps to have support when living outside your comfort zone.

Author: Stephen Nock —ICF ACC-certified coach, certified yoga instructor, and grew professionally working in tech start-ups in the US and Germany. Find him on the WelcomeBerlin Marketplace.

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Stephen Nock

Stephen Nock is a certified coach based in Berlin, where he moved from the US in 2017. After 12 years working in global tech start-ups, Stephen supports individuals and workplace teams navigating change and uncertainty to get back to calm decision making. In his free time, he enjoys baking, exercising outdoors, and practicing yoga. Contact him to explore team-building and work/life coaching opportunities, whether AVGS-funded or not.

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