Honors in Berlin, Germany

A Brief Guide to Berlin

Many thanks to the UW’s EUC Center for Excellence and IES Berlin and International Studies, European Studies Honors student, Sam Lim

http://www.ies-berlin.de/2006/joomla/index.php

Getting to the Apartments from the Airport/Train Station

The apartment address is: Adalbertstraße 58-65, Melchiorstraße 27-34

10179 Berlin

Nearest U-Bahn Station: U8 Heinrich-Heine-Straße

Getting to the Apartments from Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL)

Option 1: Bus TXL à U8

Take Bus TXL (direction: Mollstr./Prenzlauer Allee) to S+U Alexanderplatz Bhf/Memhardstr. This ride should take you about 37 minutes. After you exit, walk towards the large Alexanderplatz station, which should take you about 3 minutes. If you have trouble finding Alexanderplatz, just ask someone as everyone knows about Alexanderplatz. Once you enter the station, follow the signs that point towards the U-Bahn and head underground. Take the U8 (direction: S+U Hermannstraße) two stops to U Heinrich-Heine-Straße. This ride should be about 3 minutes. After you exit, follow the signs that say “Ausgang” (German for “exit”). You will come out of the station on Heinrich-Heine-Straße. Walk towards the closest intersection, where Heinrich-Heine-Straße meets Köpenicker Straße. Turn right onto Köpenicker Straße and walk a long block until Michaelkirchstraße. Take a right on Michaelkirchstrße and continue straight until you reach Melchiorstraße. Take a left here and head down one block. The apartments will be on your right hand side with Adalberstraße straight ahead.

Total travel time: 1 hour

Option 2: Bus X9 à S41 à U8

Take Bus X9 (direction: S+U Zoologischer Garten) to S+U Jungfernheide Bhf. The ride should take about 7 minutes. Look for the blue S+U Jungfernheide Bhf entrance sign and head into the station (or underground if there are stairs/escalator). Take the S41 (direction: Ringbahn S41) four stops to S+U Gesundbrunnen Bhf. The ride on the S-Bahn should take about 9 minutes. After you exit, follow the signs that point you towards the blue U8 line. Take the U8 (direction: Hermannstraße) seven stops to U Heinrich-Heine-Straße. After you exit, follow the signs that say “Ausgang” (German for “exit”). You will come out of the station on Heinrich-Heine-Straße. Walk towards the closest intersection, where Heinrich-Heine-Straße meets Köpenicker Straße. Turn right onto Köpenicker Straße and walk a long block until Michaelkirchstraße. Take a right on Michaelkirchstrße and continue straight until you reach Melchiorstraße. Take a left here and head down one block. The apartments will be on your right hand side with Adalberstraße straight ahead.

Total travel time: 57 min.

Option 3: Taxi

If you’re not quite comfortable yet with taking public transportation in Berlin, you can write down the apartment address and hand it to the taxi driver. The trip will cost you around € 25 - € 35 from Tegel to the apartments. If he/she does not know where it is, tell him/her that it is “in der Nähe von U-Bahn Heinrich-Heine-Straße” or write that down along with the address.

Getting to the Apartments from Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (SXF)

Option 1: S45 à U8

From Schönefeld Airport Terminal, walk to S Flughafen Berlin-Schönefeld Bhf. Take the S45 (direction: S+U Hermannstr.) nine stops to S+U Hermannstraße. This ride on the S-Bahn will take you about 24 minutes. At S+U Hermannstraße, take the U8 (direction: U Osloer Straße or S+U Wittenau) seven stops to U Heinrich-Heine-Straße. After you exit, follow the signs that say “Ausgang” (German for “exit”). You will come out of the station on Heinrich-Heine-Straße. Walk towards the closest intersection, where Heinrich-Heine-Straße meets Köpenicker Straße. Turn right onto Köpenicker Straße and walk a long block until Michaelkirchstraße. Take a right on Michaelkirchstrße and continue straight until you reach Melchiorstraße. Take a left here and head down one block. The apartments will be on your right hand side with Adalberstraße straight ahead.

Total travel time: 1 hour 3 minutes

Option 2: S9 à Bus 140

From Schönefeld Airport Terminal, walk to S Flughafen Berlin-Schönefeld Bhf. Take the S9 (direction: S Spandau Bhf) eleven stops to S Ostbahnhof. This ride on the S-Bahn will take you about 31 minutes. At S Ostbahnhof, take Bus 140 (direction: S+U Tempelhof) to Bethaniendamm. This should take about 4 minutes. Walk toward the intersection of Bethaniendamm and Adalbertstraße. Take a left on Adalbertstraße and walk a block until Melchiorstraße. The apartments will be on your left hand side at the corner of Adalbertstraße and Melchiorstraße.

Total travel time: 56 minutes

Option 3: Taxi

If you’re not quite comfortable yet with taking public transportation in Berlin, you can write down the apartment address and hand it to the taxi driver. The trip will cost you around € 25 - € 30 from Schönefeld to the apartments. If he/she does not know where it is, tell him/her that it is “in der Nähe von U-Bahn Heinrich-Heine-Straße” or write that down along with the address.

Getting to the Apartments from Berlin Ostbahnhof (Train Station)

Directions from Schonefeld airport (if you are flying in from other parts of Europe).

1. Take the Airport Express bus to Bahnahof Zoologischer Garten station. Take SBahn to apartments (see directions above and/or links below).

Helpful websites: www.bvg.de and www.s-bahn-berlin.de

City map:

http://www.berlin.de/stadtplan/_html/index.html

Airport information:

www.berlin-airport.de

More Apartment Information:

Your apartments are available beginning Saturday morning, July 2. We will meet Manuela at the apartments on Saturday afternoon(we will arrive in Berlin from Istanbul in the early afternoon). We will get you settled in, hand over keys, review housing agreement, etc.

ARWOBAU Gmbh is our apartment rental agency. Each apartment will have two rooms, three beds, and a separate living area, kitchen, and bathroom. Linen is provided (sheets, pillow, comforter). You will have pots, pans, coffee machine, teakettle, utensils, cups, plates, etc. No microwaves, however. The apartments also come with cleaning supplies such as vacuum, broom, sponges, etc. Almost everything you need is provided so please pack light! Just your clothes, and good walking shoes.

Note: You will need to bring or buy a towel.

You can buy anything you need in Berlin. There are many stores, flea markets, groceries, etc. near by. Groceries and other basic necessities are not expensive.

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Traveling by Train

Traveling by train in Germany is easy and straightforward. There is one company that runs the entire train system, Deutsche Bahn, and their website is www.bahn.de. They have an English website. The Friedrichstraße train station has a good Deutsche Bahn office where you can buy train tickets, but you can also buy tickets in Berlin Ostbahnhof or Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Check out the website for special deals, as traveling by rail can get pretty pricey if you’re not careful. Traveling by train is one of the places where German stereotypes ring true: trains are almost always punctual, and if you’re ten seconds late, you may have already missed your ride!

Berlin Public Transportation

Please Note: **The program will be providing you with UBahn Passes (zone A,B,C passes plus one city)**

Berlin public transportation includes the following: S-Bahn, U-Bahn, Tram or Strassenbahn and Bus. The S- and U-Bahn are the “subway” system. The U-Bahn is generally underground, and the S-Bahn is generally above-ground, but this is not always the case. The Tram or Strassenbahn is a network of trolleys that runs through parts of East Berlin. Buses are also ubiquitous around Berlin.

The public transportation system operates on a quasi-honor system in that you do not have to show anyone your ticket when you get on or off the train or tram. You do have to show your ticket on the bus, so you must get on the bus at the front door. It doesn’t matter what door you get on an S-Bahn, U-Bahn, or Tram. You can purchase tickets at machines on the platform of any train station or tram stop; major bus stops will also have machines. If there are no machines in the vicinity of the tram or bus stop, almost every bus or tram will have a machine on it, so you can buy a ticket after boarding. The only time someone will check your ticket as you board is if you are riding one of the night buses after the regular transportation system stops running.

Because there are no regular ticket stiles or checks, BVG (the Berlin public transportation company) officials do random spot checks. They often do not wear a uniform in order to prevent people from jumping off the train as soon as they see an official, and they will get on at one stop and ask everyone to take out their ticket (Fahrschein). They will get off at the next stop, along with anyone who did not have a ticket. Riding without a ticket is called “riding black” (schwarzfahren) and those who are caught doing so are charged a fee of 40 € and could be charged a crime.

Visitors may also be interested in the following tickets:

Day ticket (Tageskarte)
Valid until 3 a.m. the day after validation, you can transfer as often as you wish, travel round-trip, or interrupt your trip as you like; €6,10 for zone AB and € 6,30 for zone ABC
7-day-ticket (€ 25,40 for zone AB )
Welcome Card (€ 24 for all zones, valid for 72 hours after validation for one adult and up to three children 6-14 years. Up to 50% reduction on entry fees at numerous cultural and tourist attractions such as museums, stage performances, and city tours in Berlin & Potsdam).

www.bvg.de

Bikes

If you wish to take your bike with you, you must buy an Ermäßigtes (reduced) ticket along with your ticket. If you have a monthly ticket, you will need to buy an extra monthly bike ticket or a single ticket each time you take a bike. If you are caught without a ticket for your bike it will cost you as much money as if you were riding without a ticket and, if neither you nor your bike has a ticket, get ready for a hefty fee of € 80!

Bike ticket (per month): € 8,00 (AB); € 15,00 (ABC)

Service

The S- and U-Bahn: daily from about 4 a.m. to 1 a.m., and on weekends until about
1:30 a.m.
Busses and Trams (street cars): daily until around midnight, Saturdays until around
1 a.m.
Nachtlinien: night busses and subways run on certain main routes on an hourly or half-hourly schedule.

For more information, visit the VBB (Verkehrsgemeinschaft Berlin-Brandenburg) information center inside S-Bahnhof Alexanderplatz or the VBB-Pavilion outside Bahnhof Zoo.

www.bvg.de

Safety on Public Transportation

Most U/S-Bahn stations are equipped with electronic information and emergency devices labeled "SOS/Notruf/Information" and illustrated with a large red bell.

If you require emergency assistance push the "SOS" Button.
The information button allows you to speak directly with one of the station's masters.
When using public transportation at night, always ride in the first compartment of U- or S-Bahn trains and choose a seat right behind the driver's cabin. In case of an emergency you can alert the driver.
Similarly, if you must ride on a bus after dark, take a seat where the driver can see you (e.g. on a double-decker bus ride on the first level).
Please be aware that no smoking is allowed in the U-Bahn stations and in most train stations; this is strictly enforced and you will be made to pay €15 when caught.
For Visitors:
Though it's tempting to ride without a ticket (schwarzfahren), be warned that plainclothes inspectors frequently cruise the lines, handing-out on-the-spot fines of € 40 for those without a valid ticket or pass.

Related Resources

http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att.net/stadt.htm (German Urban Public Transport)

Communications

Post Offices

(Postämter near the center of the city)

Regular Service	Late Service (Spätschalter)
S-Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse: daily: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Chaussestrasse 25: Mon. - Fri.: 8:30 a.m. - 7 :00 p.m. Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Rathausstr. 5 (near Alexanderplatz) Mon. - Fri.: 8:30 a.m. - 7 :00 p.m. Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.	S-Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse: daily: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Joachimstaler Straße 7: (near Bahnhof Zoo) daily: 8:00 a.m. - midnight

Deutsche Post Service Number: 0180 23333 www.deutschepost.de

Postage

	Costs
within Germany & Europe
Standard Letter (size 235mmm125mmm5mm and up to 20 grams)	€0,70
Postcard	€0,65
To the U.S. (Airmail)
Standard Letter (size 235mmm125mmm5mm and up to 20 grams)	€1,70
"Kompakt Brief" (size 235mmm125mmm10mm and up to 50 grams)	€2,00
Postcard	€1,00

Telephone

Area Codes (Vorwahl)

City (Berlin): 030 (from outside Germany: dial 30 only)
Country: 49 (from U.S. dial 011+49)

To call U.S.: 001 (+area code) (+number)

Information (Auskunft)

National: 118 33
International: 118 34

Phone Booths (Telefonzellen)

calling from a public telephone is more expensive than from a private phone!
phone cards (Telefonkarten) at various values (minimum: € 5) are for sale at post offices and newspaper stands
coin telephones are harder to find, minimum deposit is 15 Cent

Phone Cards

ReiseBank Prepaid Telephone Cards

These cards can be purchased starting at € 6. They are available at all ReiseBank branches including: Ostbahnhof, Bahnhof Zoo, and Bahnhof Friedrichstraße

"Go Bananas" Prepaid Telephone Cards

These cards can be purchased for €5, 10 or 25, and the cost per minute for a phone call to the U.S. is between €0,03 and 0,05 (0,25 for calls from mobiles). They are available at various places; one place in particular is WEGERT photo shop at Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse. You can also purchase the cards, and find more information online at www.gobananas.de

Call by Call

When making long-distance calls, that is, to places more than 50 km away, it's worth it to use the so-called call-by-call services. Check out www.teltarif.de for the most current rates. Codes do change, so check this site often. An up-to-date list can also be found daily in the Berliner Zeitung.
Call-by call services (examples): Within the City: 01051, Long Distance (USA): 01015; To a Mobil: 0190 029 or 0190 076
Tip: When you dial one of these codes, an automated voice should come on telling you how many cents per minute your call will cost. If this voice does not come on, hang up! It could mean that the specific code does not work at that moment and if you follow through with the call, you could be charged a lot more than expected.

Calling the States

from post office: get phone booth assigned at counter; pay after call
from international phone booth (with ‘international’ sign) dial 001+area code+number
as credit card or calling card calls: Access codes vary from country to country.
MCI World Phone Calling Card: from Germany dial: 0800-888-8000
For other phone companies please contact your phone company’s customer service number.
AT&T International Helpline: 1-800-222-0300
Sprint Prepaid Customer Service (for phone card access numbers): 1-800-431-4138

AT & T Holding GmbH	MCI International Deutschland GmbH	Sprint Telecommunication GmbH
Eschersheimer Landstr. 14 60322 Frankfurt Tel. (069) 15 30 61 00 www.att.com	Rüsterstr. 13 60325 Frankfurt Tel.(069) 97 26 60 www.mci.com	Lyoner Str. 36 60528 Frankfurt Tel. (069) 66 53 90 www.sprint.com

CAUTION: calls to the U.S. using the German phone company are considerably more expensive than calls from the U.S. to Germany.

Cell Phones

From “SAM’S TIPS”

Cell Phones

Cell phone communication in Germany is extremely easy and very useful, especially if you plan on exploring the city and want to meet up with friends later. All incoming calls in Germany are free of charge (kostenlos in German), even calls from outside the country, which is very useful if your family in the US has a cheap international calling plan or SkypeOut. You’ll see the various cell phone brands around the city, but some basic ones are:

· Vodafone

· O₂

· T-Punkt

· E-Plus

I would recommend that, if multiple people in the group want to get cell phones, everyone should get them from the same carrier—you will have cheaper rates to call each other (around € 0,19 per minute while SMS is around € 0,15 per message sent/received). From my experience, the best company for short term plans and phones is Vodafone (Verizon’s parent company).

For those who are planning on just getting a cell phone for the few weeks there, you can get a phone for € 14,95 (including € 5 for starting minutes). It’s a nifty phone that is about the same size as a regular cell, but much lighter. The plan on these phones is pay-as-you-go (a.k.a. CallYa Comfort), so you don’t have to worry about contracts. If you want this phone, you may have to ask specifically for their € 14,95 pay-as-you-go phone as they no longer advertise this phone in most stores. I’d recommend having a German speaker with you so they don’t try to convince you that don’t have this—they should.

If you plan on using your German number again in the future or if you brought a GSM-enabled and tri-band (or quad-band) phone with you, you can opt for the Vodafone SIM card, which if you buy in any cell phone shop outside of the airport, will cost you around € 20 (including around € 10 for starting minutes). Airport cell phone shops tend to charge more for SIM cards (around € 25 for the same product). The calling plan for these cells is also pay-as-you-go.

To add funds for additional minutes, you can go to any Vodafone store (see my list of main locations below) or to any department store (like Karstadt), gas station, or convenient store. Additional minutes usually come on cards or receipts of € 5, € 15, or € 25 (they have higher amounts too if you want them), and you call the number on the card to activate the additional minutes.

If you go directly to a Vodafone store, you can give them your cell number, pay for the amount you want, and they’ll activate it automatically for you (saves you not having to call and listen to instructions in German for how to activate your additional minutes—although there is an option to change it to English after you’ve listened to it in German). All phones, whether you buy the cell phone or the SIM card, come with a four-digit pin number, which you’ll need every time you turn your phone back on, so keep that in mind before you discard any paperwork.

Vodafone locations

Here are a few of the easier places to find a Vodafone store:

· U-Bhf Alexanderplatz—the store is located on the first floor of Alexanderplatz station, directly across from Galleria shopping mall and the large square with old Soviet fountains that spray water in McDonald golden arch shapes (that is Alexanderplatz). If you’re coming up from the U-Bahn platforms, go straight up the rounded-stairs (away from McDonald’s) and you’ll see the red Vodafone store just past the large entrance. If you’re coming down from the S-Bahn platforms, you’ll see them at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the platforms (either 3/4 or 5/6).

· U-Bhf Friedrichstraße—the store is located in the main station of Friedrichstraße (there’s several parts to the station) and is in the middle of the station past all the food stands and shopping stalls. Look for the red Vodafone sign near a corner on your left-hand side if you’re entering the station from Friedrichstraße (the street).

Fax machines

Fax machines can be found in most of the copy shops and at the main post offices (which are the most expensive).

Computer Facilities and Internet

Wireless LAN (WIFI) in Berlin

Go to

http://wlan.lycos.de to download "WLAN Sniffer". It is a free program that "sniffs out" the nearest hotspots to your location.

You can also check out these websites for hotspots:

www.cafespots.de/wlan-hotspots/berlin.htm

www.hotspots-in-deutschland.de

www.hotspot-locations.de

http://mobileaccess.de/wlan

Internet Cafés in Central Berlin (Mitte)

Free at:	With cost (about €3/hour)
Universitätsbibliothek Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Universitätsbibliothek Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1/3 10117 Berlin	Kaufhof Alexanderplatz (2nd or 3rd floor)
Phillip-Schaeffer-Bibliothek Brunnenstr. 181 Reservations: Tel.: 28 30 63 31 Mon. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.	Das KulturKaufhaus Dussmann Friedrichstr. 90
Vostok Reisen (Travel Agency) Weinbergsweg 2 (next to the youth hostel) (Rosenthaler Platz)	Alpha Cafe Ecke Dunker Str/Stargarder Str. (Prenzlauer Berg) Open everyday 2 p.m. to 12 a.m.
	Easy Everything Alexanderplatz (near TGI Fridays) & Kurfürstendamm 224 (close to Bahnhof Zoo) Always open! Directions at: http://www.easyeverything.com/map/index_deu.html

* We will be working with the local phone company to provide wireless access spots in the apartment building. We do not know at this point if every apartment will have wireless. More information forthcoming…

Cycling

Rental Bicycles (Fahrradverleih)

Mountain Bike-Shop-Mitte
Oranienburger Straße 16
10117 Berlin (Mitte)
Tel. 280 84 32
Mon. – Fri. 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
They have daily, weekly and weekend rates and require a deposit of € 30.

Fahrrad Frank
Torstrasse 220/ Ecke Chausseestrasse
10115 Berlin (Mitte)
Tel. 28 59 97 50
They have daily and weekly rates and require a deposit of € 100 or ID.

Fahrradservice Kohnke
Friedrichstrasse 133
10117 Berlin
Tel. 447 6666
Web: www.fahrrad-countrybar.de.vu
Mon. -Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
They have daily, weekly, and monthly rates. You can also buy used bikes there.

Important Cycling Laws

All driving rules also apply to cyclists.
If you are caught disobeying traffic laws, even common violations like riding on a sidewalk or in a pedestrian zone, or crossing an intersection against the red bicycle, you will receive an on-the-spot fine.
Fines for going through a red light or endangering pedestrians or other traffic can be more than 60€.
It is illegal to use a bicycle path on the left-hand side of a road (i.e. against the flow of traffic; the keep-right law applies for cyclists even when the road and bicycle path are separated.
The maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 50 mg per 100 ml. You can be fined for riding a bicycle while over this limit.
BMX bikes are only allowed to be ridden on the street when they are equipped with the same parts and to the same legal qualifications as other bikes. (see below: Does my bike pass German legal regulations?)

Does my bike pass German legal regulations?

Reflectors and Lights

1 forward facing white front-reflector (ein weißer Frontreflektor).
2 yellow wheel reflectors for both front and back wheels, or white reflective stripes on the tires (zwei gelbe Speichenrückstrahler oder weiße reflektierende Streifen an den Reifen).
2 yellow pedal reflectors facing forward and backward. (zwei gelbe Pedalrückstrahler).
1 red rear-reflector (ein roter Rückstrahler)
1 firmly mounted head light (ein Scheinwerfer) If your bike is under 11 kilogram, (about 24 lbs.) you can use a battery operated light, available for about 14 €. If your bike is heavier, you are required to have a dynamo generator. (eine Lichtmaschine mit Dynamo). The Dynamo should always be attached to the back of the bike.
1 red taillight (eine rote Schlussleuchte)

Other essentials

2 independently functioning brakes, i.e. front and back pedal brakes, or two hand brakes (Vorder- und Rücktrittbremse oder zwei Handbremsen).
1 bell (eine Klingel)

Safety Tips for Biking in Berlin

Be especially careful while cycling on a main road when you see cars coming out of driveways, gas stations, side roads, and while passing cars signaling right turns onto side roads. Expect that they either do not see you, are ignoring you, or are underestimating your speed. Always be ready to brake.
Though not required by law, for your own safety, wear a helmet.
We advise you to get insurance (available for instance from ADFC – the German cyclists‘ association, see following contact information) that covers damages that you are liable for if you are responsible for an accident. If you do not have insurance, it can be very expensive if people are injured and/ or cars are damaged.

Helpful addresses

ADFC- Landesgeschäftsstelle Berlin
Brunnenstr. 28 10119 Berlin-Mitte
Tel. 44 84 724
Email: kontakt@adfc-berlin.de
Web: www.adfc-berlin.de
Opening Hours: Mon.-Fri. 12pm-8pm; Sa. 10am-4pm

Before renting a car or buying a bike, please become aware of the various traffic signs and traffic rules.

Berlin Student Life in Contrast to the American Student Life

Campus

In contrast to most colleges in the U.S., German universities do not have a campus system and do not offer guaranteed housing.

The few student dorms that exist do not provide enough rooms for the entire student population. Students arrange their own housing, usually in "WGs", Wohngemeinschaften, shared apartments with other students throughout the city (e.g. Prenzlauer Berg, Mitte, Kreuzberg,
Friedrichshain - areas with active nightlife, lots of cafes and movie theaters.

All university buildings, study related services, student dorms, libraries, computer labs, copy shops, etc. are scattered all over the city. You need to organize your day well, especially if you are taking university classes.
Opening hours of computer labs and libraries are shorter than in the U.S.; on Sundays all labs and libraries are closed.

Dining

There are no meal plans at German universities. Student cafeterias (Mensa, pl. Mensen) serve lunch, snacks and sandwiches but no dinner. They are closed on weekends.

Student Discounts

State maintained opera houses, theaters and museums as well as many private theaters and cinemas allow students concessionary tickets on a student identity card. Community Education Centers (Volkshochschulen) and other educational establishment as well as swimming pools, skating rings, gyms and other institutions also offer student special rates for courses and lectures.

Students

German students usually graduate from the Gymnasium at the age of 18 or 19. Many go abroad for a year or do a full-year internship before starting university. Men have to do national service or community service (Zivildienst – a community service carried out as an alternative to compulsory military service). Some students have to wait one year or two until they are granted a place in their favorite university or department. These are some reasons why the average student starts university only at the age of about 20, 21 or even at an older age. It is not uncommon for the German university student to be in his late 20s or early 30s and have a family.

In contrast to the U.S., German students specialize in particular academic areas right from the beginning. That means a student in his 3rd year at university is usually on the "Hauptstudium" level (comparable to graduate school).
Students at a German university are not under continuous guidance neither in regards to academic affairs nor social life. There is much more freedom but also responsibility for one's studies.
The majority of students work approximately 20 hours per week in addition to the work load at the university. That means, most students are extremely busy all day: working, studying, commuting to and from classes and libraries, attending to their daily household chores like shopping (restricted opening hours in Germany!), cooking and cleaning. But they also love to party and always enjoy a cup of strong coffee or beer in a café.
German students tend to be highly politicized. They love to philosophize and to discuss things. In order to be able to integrate you should familiarize yourself with current literature on German and U.S. history, politics, and social trends.
Humboldt University has a student population of about 34,000 students and a lot of students find it difficult to get to know their fellow students. Nevertheless, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know other students. The most important advice we can give you is: Just talk to other university students and take advantage of Humboldt University's International Students Office's (ORBIS; http://www2.hu-berlin.de/aia/orbis.htm) excellent offerings.

Culture

Tourist Information Office Locations

In Ostbahnhof train station
At the Brandenburger Tor
On the Budapester Str. side of the Europa Center

City Program Magazines

For addresses of the countless number of cultural facilities, consult the program magazines Zitty or Tip which are also the best places to check for the current schedule of events. Both magazines come out on alternating weeks and include listings of films, plays, concerts, walks, festivals, lectures, etc. as well as radio and television programs.)

www.zitty.de and www.tip.de

Program magazines for free like "030" are available in most cafés and movie theaters.

Berlin Websites

www.timeout.com - features the contents of the published "Time Out" guide to Berlin as well as an updated events section for current happenings in the city.

www.berlin.de - the Berlin tourist board's homepage

www.berlin-hidden-places.de - the best kept secrets of the city.

www.berlinfo.com - English language information

Tip: Cultural life in Berlin is extremely varied. So are the prices. Whenever you go to a play, a movie, a concert, or a museum, bring your student ID and ask about discounts.

Newspapers & Magazines

Regional Daily Papers

Berliner Zeitung www.berlinonline.de

Tagesspiegel www.tagesspiegel.de

National Press

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung www.faz.de

Süddeutsche www.sueddeutsche.de

Die Zeit www.zeit.de

Magazines

Der Spiegel www.spiegel.de

Focus www.focus.de

Festivals and Annual Events

**Occurring while you’ll be in Berlin**

TBA

Movies (Kinos)

Most movie theaters reduce prices on two days a week (Kinotag), Tuesdays and Wednesday or Wednesdays and Thursdays. In addition some theaters reduce prices on Monday, called Blue Monday (Blauer Montag).

You can find the current movie program at

www.berlinien.de

Foreign films are normally dubbed, but fortunately you can find some films in their original version or with German subtitles at:

Odeon, Hauptstr. 116, 19827 Berlin-Schöneberg - shows only English language films
Babylon, Dresdener Str. 126, 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg
Blow up, Immanuelkirchstr. 14, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg
CinemaxX, Potsdamer Platz
UFA-ARTHOUSE die Kurbel, Giesebrechtstr. 4, Berlin-Charlottenburg
Village Cinemas, Schönhauser Allee, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg - shows one or two films in their original language

Abbreviations:

OF=Originalfassung (original version)

OV=Originalversion (original version)

OmU=Original mit Untertiteln (with subtitles)

Museums & Art Galleries

* Please Note: the program will provide you with an annual student museum pass. You must bring proof of student status (w/your museum pass), i.e. UW student ID.*

Berlin offers a variety of museums. Visit the city's famous Museumsinsel (museum island) in historic district Mitte or the National Gallery near Potsdamer Platz. Some state museums are open until 10 p.m. on Thursdays, with free admission after 6 p.m.
The following is only a selection of some of the most famous museums of Berlin:

Museumsinsel (Museum Island)

Berlin's first and oldest museum complex, dating back to the 1830s, now includes the following museums: Altes Museum for classical antiquities, Alte Nationalgalerie - Picture Gallery, Bode Museum, Museum of Antiquities and Byzantine Art (closed, will re-open in 2004), Neues Museum - Egyptian and pre and early History, Pergamon Museum - collection of classical antiquities.

How to get there:
U Bahn to Friedrichstrasse or S Bahn Hackescher Markt or Friedrichstrasse or Bus: 100,157, 348
Pergamon Museum

Bodestr. 1-3, 10178 Berlin-Mitte, S Hackescher Markt
Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, Thu 10am-10pm
Admission: 6 €, 3 € reduced
phone: 030 - 20 90 55 66
English available: Audio Tape Tour

One of the world’s best-known archaeological museums and famous for the superbly preserved Gate of Ishtar, the Hellenistic Pergamon altar and other architectural and artistic wonders of the ancient Greek, Roman and Babylonian world. The number one highlight remains the white carved marble Pergamon Altar, which dates from 180-160 BC.

Kulturforum

The alternative West Berlin Museum area developed in the 1960´s when Berlin’s older art institutions lay hidden behind the Wall, is situated in the Potsdamer Platz area. This complex includes the Neue Nationalgalerie (National Gallery), Gemälde Galerie (Picture Gallery completed in 1998), Kunstbibliothek (Art Library), Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings), Staatsbibliothek (State Library).

How to get there:
U and S-Bahn to Potsdamer Platz or S-Bahn Lehrter Stadtbahnhof or Bus: 129, 142, 148, 248, 341, 348

Neue Nationalgalerie

Potsdamer Str. 50, 10785 Berlin -Tiergarten
U1 Kurfüstenstrasse, U+S Potsdamer Platz, or a 15 minute walk from the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Potsdamer Platz
Open: Tue-Fri 10am-8pm, Thu opened until 10pm, Sat/Sun 10am-6pm
Admission: 6 €, 3 € reduced
Tel: 030 - 20 90 55 66
English available: brochures, guided tours

Designed in the 1960s by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who returned to Berlin from exile for this commission, to create a modern temple of art in steel and glass. The Museum today houses 20th century German and international painting, a vast and thorough journey through the great masterpieces and grand masters of the past century.

Hamburger Bahnhof

Invalidenstr. 50-51, 10557 Berlin-Tiergarten, S3, S5, S9 Lehrter Stadtbahnhof
Open: Tue-Fri 10am-6pm, Thu until 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
Admission: 6 €, 3 € reduced
Tel: 030 - 3 97 83 40

The Museum-in-former-railway-station is a must for its exterior light installation by Dan Flavin and permanent exhibition which includes works by Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys (including a video archive of his performances) and Amselm Kiefer. Excellent art bookshop. Look out for events and performances.

Schloß Charlottenburg

Luisenplatz und Spandauer Damm, 14059 Berlin-Charlottenburg, U2 Sophie-Charlotte-Platz/U7
Open: Tue-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
Admission: 7 €, 5 € reduced (combined admission) or single admissions possible.
Tel: 030 - 32 09 11
English available: Guided Tour in English has to be arranged. Give two weeks notice.

Built in 1695 for Queen Sophie Charlotte, you can see the living quarters of Frederick the Great (1740-1786) including his personal painting collection. There are classics from Romantic Caspar David Friedrich and the Schinkel Pavilion packed with paintings drawings and more from the multi-faceted Schinkel himself.

New Jewish Museum - Jüdisches Museum

Lindenstrasse 9-14, 10969 Berlin
Open : daily 10am-8pm
Admission: 5 €, 2,50 € concs.
phone: 030 - 25 99 33 00
English available: Guided Tours in English Mon-Sun 1.30 to 3.00 pm
Other languages available: French, Italian

The most visited museum in Germany at present. This is arguably Polish-born architect Daniel Libeskind´s most powerful contribution - a lasting, timeless monument to Jewish history and life in Berlin and Germany.

Brücke Museum

Bussardsteig 9, 14195 Berlin-Zehlendorf, Oskar-Helene-Heim
Open: Wed-Mon 11am - 5pm
Admission: 4 €, 2 € concs.
Tel: 030 - 8 31 20 29
English available: brochures, Tour available 35 €, book two weeks in advance

Paintings from the pre-expressionist exponents of the Brücke (bridge) Movement which was coined in 1905 in Dresden. You can combine a walk around Dahlem or in the Grunewald forest area, as the museum is situated on its outskirts.

Deustche Guggenheim

Unter den Linden 13/15, 10117 Berlin
Open: daily 11am-8pm
Thurs.- until 10pm
Mon.- free
Admission: 3 €, 2 € concs.
Tel: 030- 20 20 93 0

Theaters in Berlin

Berlin has so many theaters and operas that you could go to a different one every day. This wide variety gives you the chance to find out which kind of theaters you like best.

www.theater-berlin.info lists all theaters, concert halls, opera houses in Berlin.

Theaters (a selection)

Four of Berlin's best theaters are in central Berlin:

Deutsches Theater (a classical theater with some of the best German actors!)
Maxim Gorki Theater (critical theater)
Volksbühne (sometimes "shock theater")
Berliner Ensemble

Opera Houses

Berlin's four opera houses are:

Staatsoper)
Komische Oper
Deutsche Oper
Neuköllner Oper

Discounts

Students usually can receive discounts, and another way to get cheap tickets is through Heckticket (sells last minute tickets) which is located on Alexanderplatz and Zoologischer Garten.

Multicultural Berlin

Berlin’s population is about 3.8 million of which, about 440,000 people are not of German origin. One can see that Berlin is a thriving “Multi-Culti” city that offers many people from varying backgrounds opportunities to be themselves in a safe environment. Berliners are very tolerant and open to other cultures and this is reflected in the shops, restaurants and organizations that exist.

Clubs

The Humboldt University has an international student club called “Orbis” which organizes activities, events and offers assistance to foreign students of all origins.

www2.hu-berlin.de/aia/orbis.htm

The Technical University has many individual international student clubs/unions ranging from African to Indonesian. Check this website for info:

www.tu-berlin.de/asv/vereinigungen.html
The Free University’s international club organizes films, dinners and many other activities to get all students in Berlin from around the world involved with one another in order to provide support and understanding. Not just for FU students!

www.internationalerclub.de

Events

YAAM (Young and African Market)

African and Caribbean food stands offering specialties provoke an international atmosphere and make the "YAAM", on Sundays from 2p.m.-10p.m. an attractive place to relax, create and improve ideas and is an ideal meeting point for living together multi-culturally in Berlin. Music, food and sports allow for diversity to flourish at this favorite Berlin spot. YAAM is outside across the street from Ostbahnhof until September, in winter and fall; one must check the website for events.

Stralauer Platz 35 S

Friedrichshain - Bhf.Ostbhf

www.yaam.de

Turkish Market

Every Tuesday and Friday afternoon at the Maybachufer, one can be transported from Berlin to a bustling market in the Mideast. The Turkish market offers a variety of food, clothing, jewelry and other goods at low prices. The special flair and cheap prices of this market makes it one of Berlin’s most interesting places. Be sure to bring patience and be prepared rub elbows with Turkish women with large shopping carts who can be a bit pushy at times….but don’t worry, it’s all part of the market’s charm.

Maybachufer, Kreuzberg

Tuesdays and Fridays starting around 10am

Resources

DJELI- Berlin’s African magazine. Out of print for the moment but, their website offers many resources for Afro-Shops, restaurants and events.

www.djeli.de

Asian Shop guide - A local put together this online list of Asian grocery and good stores.

http://www.govb.de/govbweb/material/asiashops.php
Lateinamerika in Berlin - A website with everything over Latin American culture in Berlin. Clubs, restaurants, groceries and shops are listed.

www.lateinamerika-in-berlin.de

Jewish Life in Berlin

Institutions

Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin Centrum Judaicum on Oranienburger Strasse

Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin (Jewish Community of Berlin)
Web: www.jg-berlin.org/site/index.php
Jüdischer Kulturverein, Oranienburger Strasse 26, Berlin- Mitte, Tel. (+49-30)- 282 66 69
Zentralrat der Juden, Tucholskystrasse 8, Berlin-Mitte, Tel. (+49-30)- 282 87 14
Jüdischer Studentenverband Berlin, Joachimstaler Strasse 13, 10719 Berlin, Tel: (+49-30) - 8819185
Web: www.jotesbe.de
E-mail: jsb-mail@web.de
Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin Centrum Judaicum, Oranienburger Strasse 29, Berlin- Mitte
Web: www.cjudaicum.de

Culture

Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Lindenstrasse 9-14, Berlin-Kreuzberg
Web: www.jmberlin.de

Memorial

Foundation for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Web: www.stiftung-denkmal.de/en/

Internet Resources

www.milch-und-honig.com

www.berlin-judentum.de

www.juedisches-berlin.de

www.juedisches-archiv-chfrank.de

www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/sehenswertes/e_sw_juden_willkommen.html

GLBT Berlin

Berlin is home to a thriving gay scene and is considered the gay-capital of Germany. It is estimated that up to 500,000 gays and lesbians call Berlin their home. Berlin's mayor since June 2001, Klaus Wowereit, also happens to be the first openly-gay mayor elected to a German city.

Publications

Monthly Gay Publications (available for free in many bars, cafes, etc.)

Siegessäule

Sergej

Guides to the Gay Scene

Siegessäule Kompass

Lesbisches Berlin

Homopolis: Das schwule Berlin

GLBT at Humboldt University

Center for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies

https://www.gender.hu-berlin.de/en/

Mutvilla is Humboldt University's student GLBT group. Their website,

www.mutvilla.de, highlights the group's events, such as film evenings, breakfasts, parties and other get-togethers, as well as contact information for students interested in joining.

GLBT Groups in Berlin

http://www.lsvd.de - Lesben- und Schwulenverband Deutschland

http://www.berlin.lsvd.de/cms/ - Landesverband Berlin-Brandenburg im Lesben- und Schwulenverband Deutschland

www.mann-o-meter.de -Mann-o-Meter is one of Berlin's largest gay information centers.

www.schwulenberatungberlin.de - Gay Counseling Center Berlin; offers services in counseling and support for gay men with psychosocial problems and people living with HIV and AIDS

www.mancheck-berlin.de - health, HIV prevention/ education project provided by Schwulenberatung Berlin;

stadt.gay-web.de/yachad/ - the site for Yachad, a Jewish GLBT group in Berlin.

www.vorspiel-berlin.de - Vorspiel Berlin is a "Sportverein" (sport club) for gays and lesbians, offering classes in a number of sports, including aerobics, basketball, mountain biking and Tai Chi.

www.lesbenberatung-berlin.de/html/ver_start.htm - Lesbenberatung e.V. offers information, as well as personal support and advice for lesbians at Kulmer Str. 20a, in Kreuzberg, as well as online counseling.

www.aha-berlin.de - AHA Berlin e.V., gay and lesbian group in Kreuzberg

www.sonntags-club.de - Sonntags-Club e.V. - offers information, support, advice & counseling for lesbians, gays, bi-and transsexuals
Sonntags-Club e.V., Greifenhagener Str. 28, 10437 Berlin (Nähe S/U-Bahn Schönhauser Allee)

www.ivtf.de/ - Interessenvereinigung Transidentischer Frauen (support group for transgender people in Berlin)

http://tgnb.de/ - Transgender Network Berlin

Additional GLBT Links

www.siegessaeule.de -Berlin's oldest monthly gay magazine, here online.

www.rfu.de/rainbowcity/ - the website for Radio Rainbow, a radio program broadcasted every Saturday from 1-2 pm on station 92.6. Listen to the program online or get the latest program info at their website.

www.schwulesmuseum.de - the homepage for the Schwules Museum (Gay Museum), a unique museum located at Mehringdamm 61 in Kreuzberg.

Shopping in Berlin

Business Hours (Geschäftszeiten)

Mon. - Fri. 9.00 a.m.(or 10 a.m.) - 8 p.m.

Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (or 8 p.m.)

Supermarkets usually open at 8 a.m.
Smaller stores usually close earlier.
Bakeries open as early as 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m.
On Sundays, all stores are closed, except some bakeries, flower shops, and souvenir shops which open for a couple of hours.
After hours stores (Spätverkauf) are often located in train-stations, i.e. Bahnhof Zoo and Ostbahnhof. The stores open late and on Sundays, but are usually expensive.

Groceries

The major supermarket chains are ALDI, EDEKA, EXTRA, KAISER'S, LIDL, PENNYMARKT, PLUS, REICHELT, SPAR, ULLRICH, NORMA.

ALDI, NORMA, PENNY, and LIDL are the cheapest, though they are often overfilled and have a smaller selection.

Health food can be found in the "Reformhaus" (traditional), which has a good selection of herbs and dry foods, or in the "Bio-Laden" (alternative), which offers more fresh foods, like organic vegetables (very expensive), breads, and dairy products.

Remember to bring:

a backpack or a bag to pack the groceries in (yourself), or be ready to pay for a plastic bag there
a €1 coin for the grocery cart
patience - it can be a very hectic experience

Health foods can be found in the "Reformhaus" (traditional), which has a good selection of herbs and dry foods, or in the "Bio-Laden" (alternative) which offers more fresh foods, like organic vegetables (very expensive), breads, and dairy products.

Markets

Farmers' Markets
Many neighborhoods have a farmers' market (Wochenmarkt). Check the website

http://www.berlin.de/senwiarbfrau/markt/index.html for a full listing of markets.

Some of the most popular are:

Winterfeldmarkt (Schöneberg), Wed 8.00-14.00 & Sat 8.00-16.00

Turkish markets (Türkischer Markt):

Maybachufer (Neukölln) Tues. and Fri. afternoons
near Müllerstraße (Wedding) Wed & Sat

Markthallen
Berlin also has some famous old market halls. Hours are similar to grocery stores’.

near Alexanderplatz (Mitte)
Ackerstraße near Invalidenstraße (Mitte)
Marheinekeplatz and Eisenbahnstraße (both Kreuzberg)
Arminiusstraße (Moabit)

Flea Markets
Flea Markets range from schicki antique/art markets (pricey) to junk yards with piles to rummage trough (cheap). Be prepared to bargain, the sellers expect it. The most popular market is the one on Strasse des 17. Juni (S-Bahnhof Tiergarten). A full listing is available in every issue of the TIP city magazine and at

http://www.berlin.de/senwiarbfrau/markt/index.html

www.zweitehand.de is a great website for various used goods in Berlin (great for used bikes)

Pfand System - Can and Bottle Deposits

Cans and "Einwegpflaschen" (bottles not made for recycling) are sold with a deposit (Pfand) of up to 25 cents per can or bottle. In most stores you will pay the deposit and the cashier will give you either a deposit chip or a receipt that proves you have paid the deposit. As there is no single system yet, you must bring the cans or bottles back to the store you bought them from. Some stores have a machine to return bottles. You will receive a receipt which you can redeem at the check-out counter.

Books and Writing Supplies

If the book you are looking for is not available at the bookstore, please don’t hesitate to order it because it only takes one to two days (ebertundweber bookstore, Falckensteinstr. 44, 10997 Berlin, Kreuzberg). Or you can try

www.amazon.de, where you can order both German and American books with no delivery charge.

In Mitte you can find Dussmann Kulturkaufhaus. Dussmann offers three floors of books, CD's and movies - best of all, Dussmann has later hours than most stores in Berlin (weekdays until 10p.m. and Saturdays until 8p.m.) Also on Friedrichstrasse is Hugendubel, one of Germany's largest bookstore chains. Both Dussmann and Hugendubel have online-ordering services from their websites.

A Selection of Book Stores

Akademische Buchhandlung
Markgrafenstraße 36
(Gendarmenmarkt)
10117 Berlin
Tel. 204 41 52
(U6: Franzöische Strasse)

Berliner Universitätsbuchhandlung am Alex
Spandauer Straße 2
10178 Berlin
Tel. 240 94 31
(S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt)

www.unibuch-mitte.de

Dussmann
Friedrichstrasse 90
10117 Berlin
Tel. 202 50
(U6/ S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse)

www.kulturkauf.de

Hugendubel
Friedrichstrasse 83
Tel. 206 35 100
(U6 Französische Strasse)

www.hugendubel.de

Buchexpress GmbH
(English, American books)
Unter den Eichen 97
12203 Berlin-Zehlendorf
Tel. 831 40 04

eberundweber

Falckensteinstraße 44
10997 Berlin

(U1 Schlesisches Tor)

Tel. 69565193

www.ebertundweber.de/kontakt.php

Fair Exchange
(German and English second-hand books)
Dieffenbachstr. 58
10967 Berlin
Tel. 694 46 75
(U7: Südstern)

East of Eden
(Second-hand English and German books, poetry readings, events)
Schreiner Str. 10
10247 Berlin

www.east-of-eden.de

Saint Georges English Bookshop
(New & Second hand English books)
Wörtherstraße 27
10405 Berlin - Prenzlauer Berg
Tel: 179 83 33
(U2 Senefelderplatz, M2 Marienburger

St.)

Writing supplies can be found

in the major department stores
stationary shops (Schreibwarenladen), for example the McPaper chain stores
some newspaper and tobacco stores (Tabakladen)
Humboldt courtyard (at the beginning of the HUB semester).

Where to Develop Film

You can get your film / digital photos developed at most "Drogerien", department stores and some supermarkets, or at specialty photography stores.
Going to a Drogerie like Rossmann or Schlecker is the cheapest way to go.

Food

University Cafeterias and Cafes

* *The program will provide you with a lunch card—approx 30 euro**

The cheapest way to eat is at the Humboldt University, which has 2 main cafeterias (Mensa, plural: Mensen): Hauptmensa in the main building (Hauptgebäude) and Mensa Nord at Reinhardtstraße.
The Mensa offers at least 2 meals and one stew (Eintopf), one of them usually vegetarian.
In order to be able to eat at a Mensa you have to buy a „Chipkarte" for € 1,55. Usually it can be purchased at the register next to the beverages. Without a Humboldt ID, you will be charged the non-student rate. You can add money to the card at a machine (Kartenaufwerter) in the cafeteria.
In the wing opposite the main cafeteria, the main building of the Humboldt University also houses a cafeteria „Säulenmensa", where small snacks are served from at least 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. The Mensa der Musikhochschule on Charlottenstraße near Gendarmenmarkt also offers lunch at Mensa prices. Prices vary from €1,20 to €3,05.

Mensa	Opening Hours
Mensa Süd HUB temporary tent, court yard	Mon. - Fri. 11:15 a.m. - 02:30 p.m.
Mensa Nord Hessische Str. Mensa, Caféteria Mensa	Mensa: Mon. - Fri.: 11:15 a.m. - 02:30 p.m. Cafeteria: Mon. - Fri.: 08:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m.
"Die Säule" Snack Bar HUB-main building, ground floor, east wing	Mon. - Th.: 08:00 a.m. - 07:00 p.m. Fri. : 08:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m.
Versorgungszentrum der Charité Schumannstr. 20/21 Snack-Bar, Grill-Bar, Großer Saal	Snack-Bar: Mon. - Fri.: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Grill-Bar: Mon. - Fri.: 11:30 a.m. - 02:30 p.m. Großer Saal: Mon. - Fri.: 08:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - 03:30 p.m.
Caféteria "Wiwi-Mensa" Spandauer Str. 1	Mon. - Fri. 08:15 a.m. - 03:15 p.m.
Imbiß "Bauernmensa" Invalidenstr. 42 (Hauptgebäude)	Mon. - Fri. 08:00 a.m. - 03:00 p.m.
Imbiß Physik/Elektrotechnik Invalidenstr. 110	Mon. - Fri. 08:00 a.m. - 03:30 p.

Restaurants, Cafes, Kneipen

Berlin offers an abundance of restaurants, coffee houses, and pubs (Kneipen), where you can eat anything from soup and sandwiches (Eintopf und belegte Brötchen) to elaborate dinners from practically any ethnic cuisine you can imagine. Many places offer lunch specials (Mittagstisch) at reasonable prices.

Among the many ethnic restaurants, the Turkish, Greek, Italian, and Chinese are generally the cheapest, and Indian food is reasonable. Thai, Japanese and Mexican cuisine is rare and relatively expensive. Most vegetarian restaurants tend to serve some kind of "Nouvelle Cuisine", which makes them pretty costly, too.

Döner Kebabs

The best bargains can be found at German as well as ethnic fast food places (Imbiss), but they usually don't have seating. "Döner Kebap" is a favorite fast food. They are nothing like the Döner Kebabs you find elsewhere in Europe, or even in Germany. In Berlin you can choose between three sauces - try mixing them for interesting combinations! (Garlic and hot sauce is especially good.) You find these Turkish fast food places on nearly every corner of Berlin, but the best one is rumored to be Schlemmerbuffett, Torstrasse 25 (at Rosenthaler Platz). dada FaLafel at the corner of Oranienburger- and Linienstrasse is a favorite Falafel stand.

According to the TIP magazine, Berlin's top 10 Döner stands are:
Hasir, Maaßenstrasse 10, Schöneberg
Oregano, Oranienstrasse 19a, Kreuzberg
Troja-Imbiss, Prinzenallee 27, Wedding
Schlemmerbuffett, Torstrasse 25, Mitte
Yeni Misir Carsisi, Adalbertstrasse 96, Kreuzberg
Talas Bistro, Karl-Marx-Strasse 5, Neukölln
Hisar, Am U-Bahnhof Yorckstrasse, Schöneberg
Civan, Clayallee 352, Zehlendorf
Aras, Beusselstrasse 75, Moabit
Bosporus-Grill, Wilmersdorfer Strasse 105, Charlottenburg

Kosher Food

Shopping

Schalom, Wielandstrasse 43, Berlin-Charlottenburg
Koscher Deli, Goethestrasse61, Berlin-Charlottenburg
Kolbo, Auguststrasse 77/78, Berlin-Mitte
Pläzl, Passauer Strasse 4, Berlin-Charlottenburg

Restaurants & Cafes

Arche Noah, Fasanenstrasse 79/80, Berlin-Charlottenburg (Kosher Food)
Beth Café, Tucholskystrasse 40, Berlin-Mitte ('kosher-style' food)
Café Oren, Oranienburger Strasse 28, Berlin-Mitte ('kosher-style' food)
Salomon Bagels, Alte Potsdamer Strasse, Berlin-Tiergarten (Potsdamer Platz Arkaden)

Tips on Tipping

German wait staff aren't as dependent on tips as wait staff in the United States, therefore it is not expected that you tip as much as we tend to in the U.S., except in some very fancy restaurants. Most Germans just give a bit extra when they pay their bill, often by rounding up to the next €. So if your bill costs €4.50, you have a €10 bill, and want to give the waiter or waitress €5, hand her the bill and say "€5 bitte". They will keep the five and give you five back. If you have a €5 bill and don't want change back, you can hand them the bill and say "Danke" or "Es stimmt so."

Religious Communities in Berlin

Services in English

The American Church in Berlin

Worship Service: Luther Church, Bülowstrasse 71-72, 14169 Berlin
Tel. 813 2021
Sundays 11.00 a.m.
Confessional Affiliation: Ecumenical
Office: Onkel-Tom-Straße 93, 14169 Berlin (Zehlendorf)

American Catholic Community

Worship Service: Hüttenweg 46
Tel. 891 6019
Sundays 10.00 a.m.
Confessional Affiliation: Catholic
Language: English

Christian Faith Fellowship

Worship Service: Hauptstraße 134, 10827 Berlin (Schöneberg)
Sundays 10.00 a.m.
Confessional Affiliation: Charismatic
Language: English, German

Jewish Community in Berlin

Synagoge
Contact
Phone: (+49-30) 880 28 - 147( or -169; -124)
Fax: (+49-30) 880 28-182

Fraenkelufer 10–12 (konservativ),

10999 Berlin

Kabbalat Schabbat – 19 Uhr, Schabbat Schacharit – 9.30 Uhr

Synagoge in der Rykestrasse 53, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauerberg (liberal-konservativ)
Kabbalat Schabbat – Winter 18 Uhr, Sommer 19 Uhr
Schabbat Schacharit – 9.30 Uhr

Synagoge in der Pestalozzistrasse 14, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Tel. (+49-30) - 313 84 11, (liberaler Ritus mit Orgel und gemischtem Chor)
Kabbalat Schabbat – Winter 18 Uhr, Sommer 19 Uhr
Schabbat Schacharit – 9.30 Uhr

Synagoge Joachimstaler Strasse 14, 10719 Berlin-Charlottenburg (streng orthodox)
Kabbalat Schabbat – Winter bei Sonnenuntergang, Sommer 19.30
Schabbat Schacharit – 9.30 Uhr, täglicher Minjan

Neue Synagoge Oranienburger Strasse 28-30, 3. Stock, 10117 Berlin-Mitte (egalitärer Gottesdienst)
Web: www.or-synagoge.de
Email: contact@or-synagoge.de
Kabbalat Schabbat – Winter 18 Uhr, Sommer 19 Uhr
Schabbat Schacharit – 10 Uhr

„Sukkat Schalom“ (liberal), Hüttenweg 46, 14195 Berlin
Web: www.huettenweg.de
Email: info@huettenweg.de
Kabbalat Schabbat – 20.30 Uhr
Schabbat Schacharit – einmal im Monat 9.30 Uhr

Chabad Lubawitsch Berlin (orthodox), Münstersche Str. 6, 10709 Berlin
Fon 212 808 30, Fax 212 808 31
Web: www.chabadberlin.de
Email: Bchabad@aol.com

Student Communities

Evangelische Studierendengemeinde Berlin ESG
(Student Community of the Protestant church in Berlin)

Worship Service: Bordigstrasse 5, 10115 Berlin
Sundays 7 p.m.
Language: German
Web: www.esgberlin.de
Email: buero@esgberlin.de

Katholische Studentengemeinde "Maria Sedes Sapientiae"
(Student Community of the Catholic Church in Berlin)

Worship Service: Hildegard-Jadamowitz-Str. 25, 10243 Berlin (U-Bhf. Frankfurter Tor)
Wednesdays 7 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m.
Language: German
Web: www2.rz.hu-berlin.de/ksg
Email:mss@ksg-berlin.de

Katholische Studentinnen- und Studentengemeinde St. Thomas Morus (KSG)
(Student Community of the Catholic Church in Berlin)

Worship Service: Klopstockstrasse 31, 10557 Berlin
Saturdays 6 p.m.
Language: German
Web: www.userpage.fu-berlin.de/ksg/
Email: ksg@zedat.fu-berlin.de

Islamic

Islamische Förderation in Berlin - Vakif Moschee e.V.
(Islamic Federation in Berlin - Vakif Mosque)

Boppstrasse 4, 10967 Berlin
Tel. 692 3872
Web: www.islamische-foederation.de
Email: webmaster@islamische-foederation

Zen Buddhism

ZEN Vereinigung Berlin, e.V. (ZEN Association Berlin)
ZEN-Temple Berlin Schôgôzan Zenkôji

Rheinstrasse 45, Eingang C, 12161 Berlin
Tel. 851 2073
Web: www.zen-vereinigung-berlin.de

Health and Safety

E-Warden System: A Service from the Department of State in Germany

All Americans in Germany are invited to join a new public service of the American Embassy in Germany. This new service allows you to receive up-to-date public announcements and travel warnings that may have a direct impact on your safety and security.

To join the e-warden system send a blank e-mail to GermanyACS@State.govwith the word "subscribe" in the subject line. You can unsubscribe to this e-mail service at any time. For more information visit www.usembassy.de/services/securitynotice.htm

Safety in Berlin

Berlin is a very safe and tolerant city. It is not considered particularly dangerous to walk the streets at night, though remember to exercise common sense, and that, as in any city, there is always safety in numbers.

Pickpockets

Pickpocketing is the most common crime that is reported in Berlin. Like in any city, such petty theft usually takes place in crowded areas. There is reportedly a lot of pocket-picking on the subway lines U 6, 7, 8 and on the 100 + 200-buses which go all the way from Prenzlauer Berg to Bahnhof Zoo, as they are not only popular with locals but also with tourists. If you do have something stolen, you will need to register the details with the local police station.

Reporting theft to the police is simple:

Go to the nearest police station
Bring your passport
If you are not very fluent in German yet, it might be a good idea to take some notes in German beforehand (what happened, when / where and how it happened).

Places to take extra care

Every city has certain areas, or “crime pockets,” where muggings and petty crime constitute a regular hazard to unsuspecting passers-by. In Berlin, some of the most highly reported places are the areas around train stations and markets.
Some areas that are worth avoiding, especially at night, are parts of Sonnenallee in Neukölln, the area around Kottbuser Tor in Kreuzberg, Görlitzer Bahnhof, Koloniestrasse in Wedding and the Rollbergviertel in Neukölln.

Racial issues

Racial attacks are very rare in Berlin. There is a risk of encountering extremists in parts of eastern districts like Lichtenberg, Mahrzahn and Hohenschönhausen. This doesn’t mean that it is unsafe to go to these districts, but please exercise caution, especially around the train stations. Remember that at train stations, there is always an SOS emergency phone service to get in touch with station workers or police if you feel uncomfortable or in danger.

Anti-Gewalt-Projekt der Berliner Polizei

http://www.berlin.de/polizei/praevention/gewalt/anti_gewalt_projekt.html

It should be noted that despite some anti-foreigner publicity and frequent demonstrations, Berlin is a safe place to live. Statistically, the crime rate per one hundred thousand residents ranks only fourth in Germany and is less than twenty percent that of L.A. Nonetheless, one should be observant and cautious whenever in public, and use the same common sense considerations as in any other major cosmopolitan city.

Homophobia

Gay students are advised to avoid train station Ostkreuz due to incidents motivated by culturally- conditioned homophobia.

· Mann-O-Meter, an efficient and helpful drop-in center for gay and bisexual men also offers an Antigay Violence Hotline (Schwules Überfalltelefon). The hotline number is 216 33 36 and can be reached daily between 5 and 7 pm.

www.mann-o-meter.de

· Lesbenberatung e.V. offers information, as well as personal support and advice for lesbians at Kulmer Str. 20a, in Kreuzberg, as well as online counseling at

www.das-beratungsnetz.de

Safety with Respect to Independent Travel

Trains in Germany are very safe. However, around big train stations and on night trains, you should take some precautions. Never leave your luggage, especially the bag that holds your money, tickets and documents, unaccompanied. If you travel at night, lock your compartment if possible, especially if you are traveling through Eastern Europe.

Please inform yourself about basic safety precautions of the places you are going to before you leave.

Terrorism is a problem in many countries today, though it is highly unlikely to be targeted by terrorists. Still, it is recommended to be observant of your surroundings and of people acting suspiciously. Avoid drawing unnecessary attention to yourself in public places by speaking loudly in English. Never carry luggage or packages for others!

Useful tips and links

A great way of traveling within Germany is by train. The train network of the German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) is very extensive so that you can get almost anywhere by train.
DB has many different specials, you can find an overview here
For traveling to Leipzig Interconnex is much cheaper than DB.
For travel across Europe (and sometimes even within Germany) the so-called "Billigflieger" are the cheapest way. This website lets you check out all the different flight companies and destinations.
Taking the bus is often cheaper than train, for example to visit Hamburg. The biggest bus company is Berlin Linien Bus
Another popular option is sharing a ride, mitfahrgelegenheit.de has tons of offers.

Helplines

Important Contact Information

From the U.S. pre-dial: 01149-30
From European countries pre-dial: 0049-30
From outside Berlin within Germany pre-dial: 030

To call a mobile phone:

From the U.S. pre-dial: 01149 + your number without the first "0"
From European countries pre-dial: 0049 + your number without the first "0"

Emergencies, Medical Issues, Counseling

Police (Polizei), 110

Ambulance/Medical Emergency (Krankenwagen/Notarzt), 112

Fire Department (Feuerwehr), 112

Doctors on Duty (Bereitschaftsärzte) - non-stop, 31 00 31

Dentists on Duty (Bereitschaftszahnärzte) - nights/weekends, 89 00 43 33

Pharmacies on Duty (Bereitschaftsapotheken) - nights/weekends, 310031

Hospitals:
Hospital Charité (Faculty of Humboldt University), Tel. 450 50
Medical Emergency (Erste Hilfe) Schumannstr. 20 -21, 10117 Berlin-Mitte

Campus Virchow-Klinikum (Faculty of Humboldt University), Tel. 45055-2000 (surgical), Tel. 45055-3534 (internal), Tel. 450 15 66128 (pediatrics)
Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin-Wedding

Krankenhaus Prenzlauer Berg, Tel. 42 42 0
Fröbelstrasse 15, 10405 Berlin

Americanline Hot (Crisis hotline & a free of charge), 0177/8 14 15 10
referral service - psychological, medical, social, legal)

Drug Emergency Hotline (Drogennotdienst), 192 37

Poison Control Center (Giftnotruf), 192 40

Poison Information Center (Giftinformationszentrale) - non-stop, 45 05 35 55

DRK Ambulance Service (Krankentransport), 85 00 55

Women's Help-Line, 216 88 88

LARA - Krisen- und Beratungszentrum für vergewaltigte Frauen (Crisis and Counseling Centre for Raped Women)
Tempelhofer Ufer 14
Tel.: 216 88 88
(provides free and anonymous help regardless of when the act of violence occurred. If necessary, they can also arrange for therapy and medical and legal information.)

www.lara-berlin.de

Help-Line International (non-stop kirchliche Telefonseelsorge)- 0800 111 0 111 and (English) 4401 0607

Psychosocial Crisis Emergency Center (daily 4 p.m.-midnight), 422 64 60
(Psychosozialer Krisendienst Friedrichshain, Lichtenberg, Mitte)

Crisis Intervention Center, (Kriseninterventionszentrum im Krankenhaus Moabit),
Tel. 39 76 20 40

Crisis Emergency Call (nightly, 6 p.m.-midnight), 98 69 43 15
(Nächtlicher Krisennotdienst der Caritas in Hohenschönhausen)

Neuhland Crisis Hotline for Troubled Youth (Mo-Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m.), 873 0111

www.neuhland.de

"Dick & Dünn" - Eating Disorder Consultation, Tel. 854 4994
(Ess-Sucht - Bulimie - Magersucht: Beratung und Selbsthilfe)

www.dick-und-duenn-berlin.de Email: dick-und-duenn@freenet.de

U.S. Embassy Berlin (U.S. Botschaft),238 51 74
Neustädtische Kirchstraße 4-5 www.usembassy.de

U.S. Consulate Berlin (U.S. Konsulat), 832 92 33
Clayallee 170

Criminal Police (Consultation), 6993 7999

Central Berlin Police Stations: Central Phone Number 46 44 0

Brunnenstraße 175, Mitte
Jägerstraße 48, Mitte
Wedekindstraße 10, Friedrichshain
Friesenstraße 16, Kreuzberg
Platz der Luftbrücke 4, Tempelhof
Hauptstraße 45, Schöneberg
Kurfürstendamm 142, Wilmersdorf

Other Useful Phone Numbers

Airport Tegel (Flughafen), 0180 50 00 186

www.berlin-airport.de

Airport Tempelhof (Flughafen), 0180 50 00 186

www.berlin-airport.de
Airport Schönefeld (Flughafen), 0180 50 00 186

www.berlin-airport.de
BVG Kundenservice (Information about public transportation in Berlin), 19449

www.bvg.de
Deutsche Bahn (Trains: Information, Prices, Reservation), 11 861

www.bahn.de
Foreign Representative of the Berlin Senate (Ausländerbeauftragte des Senats),
Tel. 90 17 23 51, consultation: 90 17 23 51
Potsdamer Str. 65, 10785 Berlin
Information (Auskunft) - National: 118 33; International: 118 34
Lost Property Office (Fundbüro), Tel. 7560
Platz der Luftbrücke 6
Monday 7:30 a.m. – 2:30p.m.
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday: 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. - noon

What to do if…

…you have lost your passport?

Please report the loss/theft of your passport immediately to the nearest police station. Bring your student ID or drivers license and a copy of your lost passport.
At your embassy/ consulate you have to apply for a new passport.
Bring two passport sized photos, the police report, a proof of your identity (a copy of your lost passport, and if possible of your birth certificate).
The U.S. Consulate (American Citizen Service Section, Clayallee 170) charges $ 60.

…if you have lost something?

You can report the loss to the municipal lost & found office at Platz der Luftbrücke 6 beside Tempelhof airport (tel. 6995) It is open Mon from 7.30 am to 2.30 pm, Tue from 8.30 am to 4.00 pm, Thu from 1 pm to 7.00 pm, and on Fri from 7.30 am till noon.
If you have lost something on public transportation, contact the BVG lost & found office (Tel. 2562 3040) at Potsdamer Straße 180/182 (U7 – Kleistpark), open Mon to Thu from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.; Fri from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm.
Deutsche Bahn lost & found service (Tel. 01805-990599).

Disability Services

Many of Berlin's transportation facilities are now wheelchair accessible, though careful planning is still required.

Students who are chronically sick or disabled should not feel that this will hinder them from studying abroad.
There are of course, certain precautions that study abroad students with chronic sickness or disabilities need to make. Here are some tips and online resources for students planning to study in Berlin.

Before you go...

Importing Medicine to German (Einfuhr von Arzneimitteln)

Students with serious chronic illnesses, for which they will not be able to receive the correct medication in Berlin, must follow these pre-departure steps in order to be able to receive their medication from home once abroad:

You need an official document from your doctor.
First, you must visit your doctor before leaving your home country. The doctor must write an official document stating which medications and how much of each you will need while abroad. This, of course, can all be written in English.
You need an import permit for your medication.
Second, in order to get an import permit (Einfuhrgenehmigung), you must send this document (by fax or mail) to the Landesamt für Arbeitsschutz, Gesundheitsschutz und technische Sicherheit Berlin (State Office for Occupational Safety, Health and Technical Security in Berlin), to the attention of Dr. Richter, the Pharmaceutical Advisor (see addresses below). All communication can also be done in English. She will decide whether or not you will be allowed to receive your medication in Berlin. If her response is positive, you will receive an import permit.
Send a letter and the import permit to the customs office.
Third, you must write a letter (also can be in English) to the customs office (Zollamt) informing them of your situation and including this import permit (see addresses below). The customs office will then know in advance about the arrival of your medication. If you fail to notify the customs office, you will not receive the medication.

Addresses

To get the import permit contact:

Landesamt für Arbeitsschutz, Gesundheitsschutz und technische Sicherheit Berlin - LAGetSi -
Alt-Friedrichsfelde 60
10315 Berlin
Telefon (030) 90 21 - 0
Telefon: (030) 9021 (intern: 921) 5529
Telefax: (030) 9021 (intern: 921) 5303
Web:www.berlin.de/LAGetSi/Kontakt/index.html
E-mail: post@lagetsi.verwalt-berlin.de
Office Hours:
Monday- Wednesday: 8.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.
Thursday: 8.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Friday: 8.00 a.m. - 3.00 p.m.
Contact Person:
Ms. Dr. Richter, Pharmaceutical Advisor
E-mail: Christine.Regel@LAGetSi.Verwalt-Berlin.de

Customs

Zoll-Infocenter
Hansaallee 141
60320 Frankfurt am Main
Telefon: 069/469976-00
Telefax: 069/469976-99
E-Mail: info@zoll-infocenter.de
Monday - Thursday: 07:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 07:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Customs in Berlin

Hauptzollamt Berlin
Tel: (0 30) 6 90 09-01
Mehringdamm 129C
10965 Berlin

22 Health and Safety Tips for Students with Disabilities Studying Abroad

Below are some suggested tips to consider when planning for participation in an international exchange. There may be other tips based on individual disabilities, preferences, mode of travel or destination country. (Taken from the SAFETI On-Line Newsletter)

If you use a wheelchair, bring extra tire tubes and repair tools, and consider using tubeless tires (contact a local medical supply or bike repair shop).
If you use an electric wheelchair, consider bringing a manual wheelchair for use in non-accessible places. Another possibility is to bring a portable, removable motor that can be easily installed on a manual wheelchair.
For electric recharging of equipment batteries, be sure to bring the necessary adapters and converters (check at a local electrical or medical supply store.)
Bring backup prosthetics, braces, etc. for any adaptive equipment you feel is critical.
If you usually use crutches, consider bringing a manual chair for extended day trips.
Envision difficult access situations before you depart and create strategies or backup plans for dealing with them.
If you use a hearing aid, bring extra batteries.
If you are Deaf, bring notepads and pencils for ease of communication.
If you use a guide dog, look into quarantine and other regulations for the dog prior to departure.
Bring a first aid kit that includes pain reliever, pepto bismol, sterile syringes or any other medication you may need.
Be prepared to share and inform others about your specific needs. Know key phrases in the language of the country for any important medication, equipment, transferring commands, etc. you may need such as "Can you please help me get down this curb?", "No sugar please, I am diabetic," or "Is there a freight elevator available?"
Contact disability-related organizations in the country prior to departing or upon arrival. (Contact NCDE for organization contact information.)
Drink plenty of water (bottled or boiled, if necessary) to avoid dehydration, especially if taking medication. For hot climates, bring a spray water bottle to help keep your body temperature down. For cold climates, bring a thermos to keep hot drinks in.
Bring extra prescription medication in their original containers, and a letter from your doctor in the language of the country indicating the reason for the prescription. Plan for medicine refrigeration if needed.
Make sure your travel and medical insurance covers pre-existing conditions.
Just because you can peel it, doesn't necessarily mean it is safe to eat. Educate yourself about preparing and eating foods and water safely.
Be open and creative with bathroom needs - possibly bring an extra pair of pants in your daily pack for emergency situations.
Talk with others who have traveled to the same country to gather information on disability access and attitudes.
Research with your doctor the recommended travel immunizations, and find out if immunizations can be taken safely together with other medications or conditions.
Bring egg crate pads for sitting or sleeping if concerned about pressure sores (Especially on long airplane or bus rides).
If you are blind, have someone orient you to the community - describing dangers such as large potholes or manhole covers missing in streets.
If you predict professional support needs may arise overseas, know where you can contact a in the language of the country Doctor, Psychologist or Nurse who speaks a language you know.

Drugs & Alcohol

Drugs

The possession of even small quantities of any controlled substance (e.g. cannabis, marijuana, etc.) for personal consumption is illegal. If you are caught, you must make a court appearance and can result in heavy fines, imprisonment, as well as deportation.

As an American you are subject to all German laws, including drug laws. In case a student in our program is arrested, we can do little more than inform the parents and the Embassy. The Embassy can only ensure that the student receives equal treatment under the terms of the local law and procedure. Obviously the protection of American law and legal procedures do not apply.

Remember: No one can help you if you're caught with illegal drugs! The American Embassy is likely to congratulate German Authorities for aiding international anti-drug efforts.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/livingabroad_drugs.html (Travel Warning on Drugs Abroad)

Alcohol

In Germany it is legal to purchase and consume alcohol and cigarettes from the age of 16 on. Although Germany has a more liberal attitude towards drinking in comparison to the USA, heavy drinking and drunken behavior is frowned upon. Please be aware of your limits and the fact that some alcohol is stronger than at home. Also remember that you are an easy target for assault or robbery when you have been drinking heavily.

Tobacco

There is a large black market for cigarettes controlled by various mafia groups. The sale, as well as the purchase, of these untaxed cigarettes is illegal.

Libraries & Research Institutions in Berlin

An Introduction to Libraries in Berlin

Berlin has public libraries in every district, as well as university libraries at each of the city's three universities (HUB = Humboldt University, TU=Technische Universität, FU=Freie Universität) and two main academic state libraries (Staatsbibliotheken), one in each part of the city. There is a yearly fee of 10 € for the public libraries and a yearly fee of 25 € for the Staatsbibliotheken. Unfortunately there are no day passes issued.
Please note, the opening hours of computer labs and libraries are shorter than in the U.S.; on Sundays all labs and libraries are closed.
To many students, the Staatsbibliothek West is one of the best libraries, because it has the most resources and the system there is closest to the American one. In this library there is CD-ROM and microfiche.
We can also recommend the Amerika-Gedenk-Bibliothek, where you have easy access to books.
A couple of little hints and tips:

Bring a one-Euro and a two-Euro piece with you for the lockers at the entrance (you get the coin back). Jackets, bags, food and drinks, etc. are not allowed in the actual library area.
You are allowed to take a book out for 4 weeks at a time, but you can get an extension on it two times, if no one else has requested the book.
If you should happen to forget to bring your book back on time, you have to pay a late-fee.
If you need to make photocopies, you’ll either need some change or you have to buy a card for the machine (about €5).

Major Differences between the American and German Library Systems

In many libraries, card catalogs and microfiche instead of computers are used to find literature.
There are different types of libraries and different lending procedures. In most large libraries you cannot simply take a book from the shelf and borrow it, but you have to search for the book you want in the catalogs and fill out a form giving the index of the book. If the book is in the building, you can usually pick it up some hours later or the next day.
The University Library (UB) is the largest library at Humboldt University with books and periodicals covering all disciplines. The UB publishes a small brochure explaining procedures. Rare and specialized books not in stock can be ordered from other libraries on inter-library loan, but you often have to wait a long time.
Large numbers of copies of standard works from various disciplines are available in the Lehrmittelsammlung in the building opposite the UB but you have to be quick or they will all be on loan as well.
Departmental Libraries are usually located in or near the department and stock literature specifically related to the respective discipline. As a rule they are reference libraries and books can only be borrowed over the weekend, if at all. You should go on a guided tour here, too. An overview of the complete stock of all the departmental libraries can usually be found on computer in the central UB.
www.ub.hu-berlin.de

Berlin's Most Important Libraries

Universitätsbibliothek (UB) der HUB

(currently located at)
Hessische Straße 1-2
10115 Berlin
Tel. 20 93 32 12

www.ub.hu-berlin.de

Universitätsbibliothek der Technischen Universität (TU)
Straße des 17. Juni 135
main building, third floor
10623 Berlin
(U-Ernst-Reuter-Platz)
Tel. 31 42 29 56

www.ub.tu-berlin.de
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin
(Cost € 25/year)
Tel. 266-0
The Staatsbibliothek has two main locations:
Haus Unter den Linden 8, 10117 Berlin, near Humboldt University and
Haus Potsdamer Strasse, Potsdamer Str. 33, 10785 Berlin, (U / S -Potsdamer Platz)

www.sbb.spk-berlin.de/

Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität (FU)
Garystr. 39
14195 Berlin
(U-Thielplatz)
Tel. 838 42 73

http://www.ub.fu-berlin.de/
Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin (has two main locations)
Haus Amerika-Gedenk-Bibliothek (AGB)
Blücherplatz 1
10961 Berlin
(U-Hallesches Tor)
Tel. 90 226-105
and
Haus Berliner Stadtbibliothek
Breite Str. 32 - 34
10178 Berlin
(next to Alexanderplatz / Nikolaiviertel)
Tel. 90 226-401
http://www.zlb.de/index.html

Research Centers in Berlin

Besides city and University libraries, there are hundreds of cultural institutes and research and information centers in Berlin. These centers often have free information, or even small libraries for public use, some by appointment only (nach Absprache). Here are some centers in Berlin that may be of particular interest.

Amerika-Haus Berlin
Hardenbergstraße 22-24, 10623 Berlin (Charlottenburg) Tel. 310 00 10
Öffnungszeiten: nach Absprache
Bibliothek (englische Bücher) und Videothek: INFO USA
Thematischer Schwerpunkt der Arbeit: Das Amerika-Haus Berlin ist das Informations- und Kulturzentrum der USA in Berlin. Es ist zugleich Informationsquelle und Diskussionsforum für politische, wirtschaftliche, gesellschaftliche und kulturelle Themen des deutsch-amerikanischen Dialogs.
Bertolt-Brecht-Archiv im Brecht-Haus
Chaussee-Str. 125, 10115 Berlin (Mitte)
Tel. 28 30 570 0
by appointment

www.lfbrecht.de
Entwicklungspolitisches Bildungs- und Informationszentrum (EPIZ)
Georgenkirchstraße 70, 10249 Berlin (Friedrichshain)
Tel. 240 63 210
Öffnungszeiten: 9.00-16.00 Uhr
Beratungs-, Informations- und Bibliotheksbesuche nach Vereinbarung
Präsenzbibliothek
Thematische Schwerpunkte der Arbeit: Nord-Süd-Beziehungen, Entwicklungshilfe, Informationen zu den verschiedenen Entwicklungsländern

www.epiz-berlin.de
Europäische Akademie Berlin e.V.
Bismarckallee 46/48, 14193 Berlin (Wilmersdorf)
Tel. 895 951 0
Sprechzeiten: Mo, Die 9.00 - 16.00, Do 9.00 - 19.00 Uhr, Fr 9.00 - 15.00
Spezialbibliothek zu Fragen der Europäischen Integration/ UN/UNESCO
Präsenzbibliothek
Thematische Schwerpunkte der Arbeit: Europäische Einigung/ Europa im Unterricht/ Internationale Politik

www.eab-berlin.de
Heimatmuseum Friedrichshain
Marchlewskistraße 6, 10243 Berlin (Friedrichshain) Tel. 249 68 75
Di + Do 11.00 - 18.00 / Sa 13.00 - 18.00
Heimatmuseum Neukölln
Ganghoferstr. 3, 12043 Berlin (Neukölln) Tel. 68 09 34 96
Mi 12.00 - 20.00 / Do-So 10.00 - 17.00

www.museum-neukoelln.de
Kreuzberg Museum für Stadtentwicklung und Sozialgeschichte
Adalbertstraße 95, 10999 Berlin (Kreuzberg)
Nutzung des Archivs nach telefonischer Anmeldung unter 25 88 62 33

www.kreuzbergmuseum.de
Lila Archiv e.V.
Choriner Straße 9, 10119 Berlin (Mitte) Tel. 4 48 57 13
Sprechzeiten: Mo - Fr, nach telefonischer oder schriftlicher Vereinbarung
Archivalien zur Stellung der Geschlechter in der Gesellschaft
Kostenlose Nutzung Mo - Fr 8.00 - 15.00 und nach Absprache
Thematische Schwerpunkte der Arbeit: Frauen in der Politik, Zwanziger Jahre, DDR, Osteuropa, Bundesrepublik Deutschland Tel.Ost und West)

http://www.miss-marples.net/lila_archiv.htm

Mitte Museum von Berlin
Mitte Museum am Gesundbrunnen
Pankstr. 47, 13357 Berlin
Tel. 030/4606019-0
Fax 030/4606019-29
E-Mail: mittemuseum@gmx.de

http://www.mittemuseum.de
Mo, Tu,Su: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Thu: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Mitte Museum am Festungsgraben
Palais am Festungsgraben
Am Festungsgraben 1, 10117 Berlin
Tel. 030/2084000
Fax 030/53656675
E-Mail: mittemuseum@gmx.de

http://www.mittemuseum.de
Wed, Fri, Sa, Su 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Prenzlauer Berg Museum für Heimatgeschichte und Stadtkultur
Danziger Straße 101, 10405 Berlin (Prenzlauer Berg) Tel. 42 40 10 97
Öffnungszeiten: telefonisch nachfragen
Nutzung des Archivs und der Bibliothek nach vorheriger Anmeldung einschließlich Nutzerbetreuung
Statistisches Bundesamt
i-Punkt Berlin
Otto-Braun-Strasse 70/72 (Eingang Karl-Marx-Allee)
10178 Berlin
Tel. 01888-644 9430
Präsenzbibliothek, Mo-Do 11.00 - 17.00 Uhr
deutsche und europäische Statistik, Deutsche Historische Statistik, Statistische Jahrbücher der DDR

www.destatis.de
Stiftung "Neue Synagoge Berlin- Centrum Judaicum"
Oranienburger Str. 28-30, 10117 Berlin Tel.Mitte) Tel. 2801 250
Mo - Do 9.00 - 13.00, Fr 9.00 - 12.00 Uhr und nach Vereinbarung
Nutzung des Dokumentationszentrums und Archivs/Darüber hinaus befindet sich im gleichen Haus die Zweigstelle der Bibliothek der Jüdischen Gemeinde zu Berlin.

www.cjudaicum.de
Süd-Ost-Europa-Kultur e.V. (Verein zur Förderung deutsch-südosteuropäischer Kulturbeziehungen)
Großbeerenstraße 88, 10963 Berlin (Kreuzberg), Tel. 251 01 28
Mo, Di, Do, Fr 10.00-12.00 Uhr und nach Vereinbarung
Nutzung der kleinen Bibliothek für alle Interessierten nach Absprache

www.suedost-ev.de
Türkische Gemeinde zu Berlin e.V.
Adalbertstr. 4, 10999 Berlin (Kreuzberg) Tel. 615 59 67
Öffnungszeiten: Mo-Sa 13.00-18.00 Uhr
Nutzung von: Archiv, Bücherei, Dokumentationen, Sammlungen

Places to Stay (Before or After the Program)

Jugendherbergen / Youth Hostels

District Berlin-Mitte

Heart of Gold Hostel Berlin
Johannisstraße 11
S2, S25 - Friedrichstraße
Tel.: 29000 3300
Fax: /
Internet: www.heartofgold-hostel.de
E-mail: bridge@heartofgold-hostel.de
Preise: ab € 14 / dorms starting at € 14

Club House Hostel
Kalkscheunenstraße 4-5
S2, S25 – Friedrichstraße
Tel.: 2809 79 79
Fax: 2809 79 77
Internet: www.clubhouse-berlin.de
E-mail: info@clubhouse-berlin.de
Preise: ab € 14 / dorms starting at € 14
Backpacker Hostel
Chausseestraße 102
U6 – Zinnowitzerstraße
S1, S2 – Nordbahnhof
Tel.: 283 90965
Fax: /
Internet: www.backpacker.de
E-mail: info@backpacker.de
Preise: ab € 15 / dorms starting at € 15
Hostel Adler
Friedrichstraße 124
U6 – Oranienburger Tor
Tel.: 28 29 352
Fax: 28 08 057
Internet: www.hostel-adler.com
E-mail: adlerberlin@aol.com
Preise: ab € 29 / starting at € 29
A&O Hostels Berlin
Location: Berlin-Mitte
YOUTH HOSTEL & HOTEL
Koepenicker Strasse 127 - 129
10179 Berlin
Internet: www.aohostels.com
E-mail: hostel@web.de
Circus Hostel @ Rosa Luxemburg Straße
Rosa Luxemburg Straße 39
U2 – Rosa- Luxemburg Platz
Tel.: 283 91433
Fax: 283 91484
Internet: www.circus-berlin.de
E-mail: info@circus-berlin.de
Preise: € 14 - € 33

class=Section42> Circus Hostel @ Weinbergsweg
Weinbergsweg 1a
U8 – Rosenthaler Platz
Tel.: 283 91433
Fax: 283 91484
Internet: www.circus-berlin.de
E-mail: info@circus-berlin.de
Preise: € 14 - € 30

District Berlin-Friedrichshain

Hostel „Sunflower“
Helsingforser Straße 17
U, S – Bahn – Warschauer Straße
Tel.: 44044250
Internet: www.sunflower-hostel.de
E-mail : hostel@sunflower-hostel.de
Preise: ab € 13 / starting at € 13

Globetrotter Hostel ODYSSEE
Grünberger Straße 23
S – Bahn – Warschauer Straße
Tel.: 29 0000 81
Fax: 29 77 81 20
Internet: www.globetrotterhostel.de
E-mail: hostel@web.de
Preise: € 18 - € 36
A&O Hostels Berlin
Location: Friedrichshain
Boxhagener Straße 73
U5 – Frankfurter Allee
Tel.: 29 77 81 0
Fax: 29 77 81 20
Internet: www.aohostels.com
E-mail: hostel@web.de
Preise: Übernachtung in der „Backies“ – Etage für € 10 / spend the night on the backpackers' floor for € 10
Hostel Generator Berlin
Storkower Straße 160
Internet: www.generatorhostels.com
Tel: 0049(0)30-417 2400
Fax: 0049(0)30-417 24080

District Berlin-Charlottenburg

A&O Hostels Berlin
Location: Am Zoo
Joachimstaler Str. 1-3
10623 Berlin
Internet: www.aohostels.com
E-mail: hostel@web.de

District Berlin-Schöneberg

Jugendgästehaus des CVJM Berlin (YMCA youth guest house Berlin)
Einemstraße 10
U1 – Nollendorfplatz
Tel.: 264 9100 Fax: 26 49 10-99
Internet: www.cvjm-berlin.de
E-mail: jgh@CVJM-Berlin.de
Preise: ab € 21 ( Übernachtung mit Frühstück) / starting at € 21 (includes breakfast)

Studentenhotel Berlin
Meiniger Straße 10
U4 – Rathaus Schöneberg
U7 – Eisenacherstraße
Tel.: 666 36 100
Fax: 666 36 222
Internet: www.hostel-studentenhotel.de
E-mail: welcome@meininger-hostels.de
Preise: € 12,50 - € 33

class=Section47>

Hotels

EZ = Einzelzimmer (single room); DZ = Doppelzimmer (double); ab = starting from

District Berlin-Mitte

Hotel Amelie
Reinhardt-Str. 21, 10117 Berlin
S & U- Friedrichstrasse
Internet: http://www.allhotels-inn.com/show.php?id=637
Preise: EZ ab 70 EUR; DZ ab 95 EUR

Hotel Novalis
Novalisstraße 5
S2 – Oranienburger Straße
Tel.: 282 4008; Fax: 283 3781
E-mail: info@hotel-novalis-berlin.de
Preise: EZ ab € 66; DZ ab € 83
Artist Hotel Pension Riverside
Friedrichstraße 106
S2, S25 – Friedrichstraße
Tel.: 28 49 00; Fax: 28 49 049
Internet: www.city-hotels.de
Preise: EZ ab € 71,58; DZ ab € 97,14
Hotel am Scheunenviertel
Oranienburger Straße 38
S2, S25 – Oranienburger Straße
Tel.: 282 21 25; Fax: 282 1115
Preise: EZ ab €65-€85; DZ ab €75-€95
Hotel Albrechtshof
Albrechtstraße 8
U6 – Oranienburger Tor
Tel.: 3 08 86-0; Fax: 3 08 86-100
Internet: www.hotel-albrechtshof.de
E-mail: albrechtshof-hotel@t-online.de
Preise: EZ ab €113-€164; DZ ab €144-€194

Hotel Allegra
Albrechtstraße 17
10117 Berlin
Tel. 30 3 08 86-0; Fax 30 3 08 86-100
Internet: www.hotel-allegra.de
Mail: allegra@albrechtshof-hotels.de
Preise: EZ ab € 81; DZ ab € 101
Hotel Luisenhof
Köpenicker Straße 92
U8 – Heinrich Heine Straße
Tel.: 241 59 06; Fax: 279 29 83
Internet: www.luisenhof.de
E-mail: info@luisenhof.de
Preise: EZ ab € 120; DZ ab € 150
Hotel Hackescher Markt
Große Präsidentenstraße 8
S – Bahnhof Hackescher Markt
Tel.: 28 00 30; Fax: 28 00 31 11
Internet: www.hackescher-markt.com
E-mail: info@hackescher-markt.com
Preise: EZ ab € 120; DZ ab € 145
Hotel Jurine
Schwedter Straße 15
U2 – Senefelder Platz
Tel.: 443 29 90; Fax: 443 299 99
Internet: www.hotel-jurine.de
E-mail: mail@hotel-jurine.de
Preise: EZ € 77 - € 127; DZ € 97 - € 137
Hotel Märkischer Hof
Linienstraße 133
S2, S25 – Oranienburger Straße
Tel.: 2827155; Fax: 2824331
Internet: www.maerkischer-hof-berlin.de
E-mail: service@maerkischer-hof-berlin.de
Preise: EZ € 57 – € 67; DZ € 69 - € 89
Hotel Andechser Hof
Ackerstraße 155
U – Bahn – Rosenthaler Platz
Tel.: 28 09 78 44; Fax: 28 09 78 45
Internet: www.andechserhof.de/hotel/display/
E-mail: info@andechserhof.de
Preise: EZ € 55 - € 75; DZ € 70 - € 110
Park Inn ( Forum Hotel)
Alexanderplatz
U2 – Alexanderplatz
Tel.: 23 89 0
Internet: www.forum-hotel-berlin.com
Preise: EZ € 140 - € 175; DZ € 166 - € 210

Motel One Berlin Mitte
Prinzenstrasse 40 / Moritzplatz
10969 Berlin
Tel.: 70 07 98 00; Fax: 70 07 98 01
Preise: EZ ab € 58; DZ ab € 63

Honigmond Garden Hotel
Invalidenstraße 122
U6 – Oranienburger Tor
Tel.: 28 44 55 77; Fax: 28 44 55 11
Internet: www.honigmond-berlin.de
E-mail: honigmond@t-online.de
Preise: EZ € 45 - € 70; DZ € 65 - € 85

Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus
Ziegelstraße 30

Agon am Alexanderplatz
Mollstrasse 4
10178 Berlin
Tel.: 275 727; Fax: 275 727 57
Preise: EZ ab € 51; DZ ab € 69

S2, S25 - Friedrichstraße
Tel.: 28 467 186; Fax: 28 467 145
Internet: www.hotel-dbh.de
E-mail: hotel-dbh@t-online.de
Preise: EZ € 85 - € 115; DZ € 95 - € 125

Pensionen / B&B

District Berlin-Mitte

Hotel – Pension Kastanienhof
Kastanienallee 65
Tel.: 44 30 50; Fax: 4430 5 - 111
Internet: www.hotel-kastanienhof-berlin.de
E-mail: info@hotel-kastanienhof-berlin.de
Preise: EZ € 73 - € 83; DZ € 98 - € 118

Pension Clairchen
Claire – Waldoff – Straße 2
U6 – Oranienburger Tor
Tel.: 20 45 32 42; Fax: 20 45 32 41
Internet: www.wohn-service.de
E-mail: info@wohn-service.de
Preise: EZ € 42/ € 67; DZ € 60/ € 87
Berlin Apartments & Pension
Chausseestraße 85
U6 - Zinnowitzer Straße
Tel.: 20 45 32 43; Fax: 20 45 32 41
Internet: www.berlin-appartements.com
E-mail: info@wohn-service.de
Preise: EZ € 42/ € 67; DZ € 60/ € 87
City Aparts Berlin
Stuttgarter Platz 10
S – Bahnhof Charlottenburg
Tel.: 3180 3111; Fax: 3180 3112
Internet: www.cityapartsberlin.de
E-mail: webmaster@cityapartsberlin.de
Preise: EZ ab € 54; DZ ab € 108
ABC Appartements Berlin
Rheinsberger Straße 78
U8 – Bernauer Straße
Tel.: 44 37 67 0; Fax: 44 37 67 49
Internet: www.apartments-in-berlin.com/
E-mail: abc.hotel@t-online.de
Preise: EZ ab € 89; DZ ab € 99

class=Section51>

German: A Brief Overview

The best German - English dictionary on the web is LEO (http://dict.leo.org).

The German alphabet has four letters in addition to the 26 letter used in English: ä, ö, ü, ß, which can also be written as ae, oe, ue, and ss, respectively. For example, the city of München (Munich) can also be written as Muenchen. The word for ‘street’ can be written as Straße or Strasse.

Some Difficult Pronunciation

German	Pronunciation (Based on English)
Ch	Aspirated ‘k’
Sch	Sh
Tsch	Ch
V	F
W	V
C	Aspirated ‘s’ (‘ts’ as in ‘its’)
G	Is always hard
J	Y
R	Is rolled in the back of the throat
Kn	The k is not silent!
St	Sht
Ie	E (long e)
Ei	I (long i)
A	A (as in ‘aww’)
E	A (long a)
I	E (long e)
O	O (long o)
U	U (long u, never with a ‘y’ sound)
ä	E (short e as in ‘eh’)
ö	Sounds like the vowel in ‘eww’

In written German, all nouns are capitalized. All nouns also have an article. (You’ve heard of ‘der’, ‘die’, ‘das’, right?)

When writing money, a comma is used rather than a decimal point, and a period is used instead of a comma:
E.g. 4.00 € = 4,00 €; 1,567.3 = 1.567,3
Quotation marks face outwards and enclose the phrase from bottom to top:
E.g. „blah blah“
In addition, when using quotes, punctuation goes outside of the quotation marks:
E.g. „blah blah“, she said.

Some Useful Words and Phrases:

0	Null
1	Eins
2	Zwei / Zwo
3	Drei
4	Vier
5	Fünf
6	Sechs
7	Sieben
8	Acht
9	Neun
10	Zehn
11	Elf
12	Zwölf
13	Dreizehn
20	Zwanzig
21	Einundzwanzig
30	Dreißig
40	Vierzig
50	Fünfzig
60	Sechzig
70	Siebzig
80	Achtzig
90	Neunzig
100	(Ein) Hundert
1000	Tausend

Guten Morgen	Good morning
Guten Tag	Hello (lit. Good Day)
Guten Abend	Good evening
Gute Nacht	Goodnight
Hallo	Hello
Danke / Danke schön	Thank you
Bitte	Please
Bitte / Bitte schön	You’re welcome
Auf wiedersehen	Good-bye
Auf wiederhören	Good-bye (when talking on the phone)
Tschüß / Tschau	Bye
Entschuldigung	Excuse me
Ich weiß nicht.	I don’t know.
Ich verstehe nicht.	I don’t understand.
Ich habe Sie nicht verstanden.	I didn’t understand you.
Sprechen Sie Englisch?	Do you speak English?
Ich spreche kein Deutsch.	I don’t speak German.
Ich heiße…	My name is…
Wie heißen Sie?	What is your name?
Ich komme aus den USA	I come from the United States.
Ich bin Amerikaner / Amerikanerin	I am an American. (+in = female)
Ich komme aus Kanada.	I come from Canada. J
Ich studiere an der Universität von Washington.	I study at the University of Washington.
Ich wohne in Seattle.	I live in Seattle.
Ich bin Student / Studentin	I’m a university student.
Wo ist das WC? / Wo ist die Toilette?	Where is the bathroom?
Ich bin vegetarisch.	I’m a vegetarian.
Wo ist der Bahnhof?	Where is the train station?
Wo ist die Bushaltestelle?	Where is the bus stop?
Luftpost	Airmail
Die Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika	United States of America
Helfen Sie mir bitte!	Please help me!
Es tut mir leid.	I’m sorry.
Wieviel kostet das?	How much does this cost?
das Geld	money
Wo ist ein Geldautomat?	Where is an ATM?
bezahlen	to pay
Ich möchte...	I would like…
Ich möchte Geld wechseln.	I would like to exchange money.
Leitungswasser	Tap water
Wasser ohne Kohlensäure	Uncarbonated water
Ich suche Friedrichstraße.	I’m looking for Friedrichstrasse.
Was ist das?	What is this?
Bitte fahren Sie nach...	Please drive to… (when in a taxi)
Ich möchte ... kaufen.	I would like to buy ...
Ich möchte nach ... gehen / fahren	I would like to go / travel to…
Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch, Donnerstag, Freitag, Samstag / Sonnabend, Sonntag	Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
das Wochenende	weekend
die Woche	week
Januar, Februar, März, April, Mai, Juni, Juli, August, September, Oktober, November, Dezember	12 months of the year (Jan-Dec)
heute	today
morgen	tomorrow
gestern	yesterday
das Frühstück	breakfast
das Mittagessen	lunch
das Abendessen	dinner
die Uhr	hour / clock
Mein ... tut mir weh.	My … hurts.
Flughafen	airport
Uni	short for Universität (university)

Telling Time

Most Germans use time on a 24-hour system, so 1:00 pm is 13:00, written 13.00h. The term “Uhr” refers to hour when telling time, but the word “Stunde” is used for hour when referring to time duration.

Some examples:

Time	German Expression
10:00 am	zehn Uhr
11:30 am	elf Uhr dreißig Minuten
2:07 pm	vierzehn Uhr sieben Minuten
1:39	ein Uhr neununddreißig Minuten
A ½ hour	eine halbe Stunde
A quarter past 3 pm	Viertel nach fünfzehn Uhr
A quarter before 7 am	Viertel vor sieben (Uhr)

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Orientation Packet-updated June 11, 2011

Getting to the Apartments from the Airport/Train Station

Getting to the Apartments from Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL)

Getting to the Apartments from Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (SXF)

Getting to the Apartments from Berlin Ostbahnhof (Train Station)

Traveling by Train

Service

Post Offices

Postage

Telephone

Cell Phones

Vodafone locations

Fax machines

Wireless LAN (WIFI) in Berlin

Cycling

Helpful addresses

Berlin Student Life in Contrast to the American Student Life

Festivals and Annual Events

Museumsinsel (Museum Island)

Publications

GLBT Groups in Berlin

Additional GLBT Links

Shopping in Berlin

Business Hours (Geschäftszeiten)

Groceries

Markets

Pfand System - Can and Bottle Deposits

Books and Writing Supplies

Where to Develop Film

University Cafeterias and Cafes

Döner Kebabs

Kosher Food

Services in English

Islamic

Zen Buddhism

E-Warden System: A Service from the Department of State in Germany

Anti-Gewalt-Projekt der Berliner Polizei

Homophobia

Useful tips and links

Importing Medicine to German (Einfuhr von Arzneimitteln)