What it felt like to spend New Year’s Eve in Berlin, Germany.
New Year’s Eve in Berlin: A Language-Lover’s Dream
As soon as December 2022 came, I knew I had to go to Germany. I have been learning German since September last year and I had the urge to speak this language with natives.
What better place to go than Berlin, the capital city of German itself? So to Berlin we went!
It wasn’t the first time that my husband and I were visiting this vibrant city. We first saw Berlin in 2021 and immediately fell in love with it.
How incredible it was to hear the German language all the time. I laughed all the time when my husband tried to speak the language.
To say the truth, we both love learning languages. Currently, he is learning Arabic and brushing up his Polish and Spanish skills, so we are on the same wavelength as fas as languages are concerned.
New Year’s Eve in Berlin: Where Did I Speak German?
I mainly spoke German at the restaurant when ordering food. I was quite amazed that my Duolingo lessons were quite efficient in giving me the necessary communication skills.
It was also possible to speak German in shops. Sometimes, the Germans spoke too fast and I had to ask them to repeat but most of the times the conversation was simple so I could understand most of the things that they said to me.
Besides, the place which we rented had a German phrase book. It came in handy when I wanted to order drinks at the German bar where we spent New Year’s Eve.
I also eavesdropped quite a lot just to hear what people were saying. I felt quite happy whenever I understood something or recognised a word or an expression.
My dream is to spend at least a week in Germany so that I can learn the language better. I am sure that I would take advantage of all the opportunities to speak the language!
New Year’s Eve in Germany: What Did I Like the Most?
I absolutely loved the decorations and the electric atmosphere. It really felt like people wanted to celebrate the advent of 2023 and they wanted to do in style.
Many old couples were dressed to kill and it was absolutely amazing to see how formal and elegant they looked. Most of these couples ate in expensive restaurants and we could tell that they were enjoying their meals.
It seems as if New Year’s Eve in Berlin is prepared well in advance. One needed a pre-purchased ticket to go to parties and most of these were sold out.
Restaurants were also asking if we had made a reservation so it was hard to find a decent place where we could dine. Luckily enough, we found a nice, Italian restaurant near the apartment hotel where we were staying!
The food was to die for. And…the waiters spoke Italian. I couldn’t resist the urge to speak Italian with the waiters who had to switch from German to Italian!
It was also funny to note that the people sitting next to us were Polish! It was an international night and I absolutely loved it!
The night was wild and we entered it merrily with a well-deserved fireworks display. The beauty of the atmosphere made up for some of the chaotic scenes we encountered in some areas. There were no major incidents though.
New Year’s Eve in Berlin: Last Thoughts
I really wanted to go to Berlin and I did it! This is what I want 2023 to be about. I want it to be the year in which I listen to my wishes and work hard to make my dreams come true.
Most of my life, I have put people’s wants and desires before mine. This year, I realise that, I have wishes and wants too and it is OK to have them. It is also OK to indulge my whims!
So 2023 be ready!
Further Exploration: New Year’s Eve in Berlin
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About the Author
Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.
Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks six languages fluently, including French, Polish and Italian. She is now learning German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.
Blog Article: I Spent New Year’s Eve in Berlin! What Was it Like? © Learn English With Africa, January 2023
