Shay Bar Or (age 29)

Where do you work?

I am a MA student of psychology. In addition, I give language lessons (German/Hebrew).

Why did you come to Berlin?

I came to Berlin in 2007 after having fallen in love with the city as a tourist short time before. There is something very tempting about Berlin which I can't really put in words. The diversity of opportunities is overwhelming, you can afford more than in other attractive cities of the world and it is a very open-minded city.

Who or what helped you through the first time in Berlin?

I've made a big effort spend a lot time among locals to master the German language as soon as possible. After only several months, I had a pretty large circle of German friends which is vital for successful social integration.

Where have you informed yourself about the city?

Just a little bit on the internet.

How do you feel about your life in Berlin?

Most of all, I find it very convenient and student-friendly.

What surprised you about Berlin?

The open-mindedness. You can be anything you want and no one takes offense to it.

What is the difference between Berlin and your home country?

I used to live in Tel Aviv and I actually see a lot of parallels between the cities. But you can definitely say, Berlin doesn't have such a wonderful Mediterranean beach like Tel Aviv, but this city is the affordable alternative.

If you could give a new Berliner a tip, what would it be?

Try to uninhibitedly get in contact with Berliners and maintain it. It is particularly crucial in the beginning because only this way you will learn the language properly and resist the temptation to speak other languages – language is the name of the game.