Why is it so difficult to stay informed? To sift the essential from the vast cacophony of background noise? To consume just enough without smartphones and 24-hour news cycles taking over your life? In part, the devices that improve — and often plague — our lives are deliberately designed to be addictive. We’re hooked on that constant ‘refresh’ hit: another follower, new likes, some new non...
One of my old friends is going native. I went to the beach with her and her sister long before kindergarten was on the horizon, and we attended the same high school in our tiny hometown. You can imagine my dismay when I sent my fellow Deutschland expat an article I’d seen, called How to Avoid Getting Scolded by a German. Her response? “I’ve been scolded many times, but even worse — I’m...
It’s easier to get into North Korea than it is to rent a flat in Berlin. I can say that with great confidence, having done both. In Canada, renting a flat was simply a matter of replying to a few ads, viewing a few places, and filing out an application. The landlord might ask your permission to do a credit check — at their expense — but that was it. It doesn’t work that way in Berlin. When it...