AWC Berlin Activities
There are many clubs and associations in Berlin that offer social activities, we at AWC Berlin target our activities to those that fulfill our Club’s purpose which is to enrich the lives of American families in Berlin, to facilitate cultural understanding with our host country, and to affect positive change for our members and women in Berlin and around the world.
With events slated on both a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis, and in the daytime, evening and weekend, our members have extensive access to new and old pursuits, all in the company of like-minded women.
All our activities are run by volunteers. Please contact the email address given below for more details or check the Calendar.
For photos and reports of AWC Berlin activities – go to the AWC Berlin Facebook page or click here AWC Berlin Photos.
Weekly
Pilates in English
Our weekly Pilates class meets Wednesdays 1-2pm at a private home in Charlottenburg. For all levels, you are welcome to come and try, though we advise booking ahead as space is limited.
German Conversations
Lead by AWC German members, our group meets once or twice weekly to have conversations in German.
Monthly
General Meetings
president@awcberlin.org
Open to members and guests, the AWC Berlin General Meeting takes place monthly. The meeting features club updates, activities sign-ups, a guest speaker, and socializing.
Beading Group
beading@awcberlin.org
Calling all Beaders and Jewelry Makers, old pros and newcomers alike. We meet monthly at members’ homes to bead together, go on bead buying excursions at shops and fairs, even set up online shops for those who are interested in selling their jewelry. We’d also like to plan a trip to Jablonec, the centuries-old center of Czech glass beadmaking, with an overnight in Prague..and anything else bead-related that members are up for.
Book Club
Book Club meets monthly to discuss books by women or for women, by German authors or about Germany. The reading list is chosen by the group and each month, the discussion is led by a volunteer. It alternates between taking place one month in the evening and the next during the day time. This accommodates members’ different schedules and also allows for bi-monthly participation.
Blog “The Berlin Americana”
Our blog shares musings in the voice of an American woman living here – or an “Americana”. If you would like to contribute, please email our blog editor at BerlinAmericana@awcberlin.org
Culture Club
Culture Club is a monthly activity having anything to do with “culture”. We visit museums and galleries, attend performances or do walking Culture Club reflects the wide range of artistic and cultural interests of our members.
Dining Club
dining@awcberlin.org
Monthly dinner out with partners.
Evening Events
Monthly evening “girls night out” at our favorite places: dinners at favorite restaurants, cocktails at swanky bars, or a movie at the Art House – all in the name of good conversations. If you have suggestions, please email.
Kaffee Klatsch
president@awcberlin.org
You are
invited to our monthly Round-table over Coffee – open to members and guests. Come meet each other, share your stories and tips about Berlin and learn about the Club. Just a casual, easy coffee together.
Outdoors Berlin
outdoors@awcberlin.org
Monthly outdoor outings in and around Berlin. Activities may include kayaking, biking, nature photography, fishing classes, horseback riding, geocaching, XC skiing, swimming, exploring natural hotsprings, hiking, sailing, maybe even a multi-day ski trip in the winter. Activities are scheduled on Fridays, cost is kept reasonable and train time would not exceed 90 minutes each way so people could be home by 6 PM. Children and partners would be invited although we would usually want to keep the group size around 6-8 participants. In winter, we might have to get creative – maybe attend exhibits or films showcasing the great outdoors.
Bi-Monthly
Women’s Salon
We invite authors, artists, and scholars to come talk about their work and their life in Berlin. It’s typically an intimate event, hosted in someone’s home and followed by a shared meal.
Creative Pursuits Workshops
creativepursuits@awcberlin.org
We get together to learn new creative skills. The format is flexible but it might start with a member offering a “how to” workshop (eg. photography, creative writing, scrapbooking, baking, etc.), after which members with shared interests may decide to continue to meet to pursue their creativity together. Currently, there is interest for a photography group and a scrap-booking group. If you have ideas for workshops or groups to start, please email creativepursuits@awcberlin.org.
The Better Me! Workshops
We get together to learn new skills. You could call it a Self-Development group. Skills and informational workshops are varied and range from leadership skills to public speaking to parenting to organizing your closet, styling your wardrobe or color studies. If there is interest, a peer coaching group can also be started, moderated by a Club member, with experience in coaching and change management.
Weekend Biking Group
Discover our beloved city and surroundings on bicycles. This group meets on the weekend to include families. The day normally includes a bike tour, lunch and then return either by bike or U/S-Bahn.
Quarterly
Excursions
On a quarterly basis, we go on day excursions to discover the surrounding areas of Berlin and Brandenburg.
Speakers Series
On a quarterly basis, our Speakers Series brings you speakers on different topics relevant to Americans living abroad – for example, US tax and banking issues, investment strategies for American expats, women and investments, citizenship and voting, elections 2016, etc.
Free for members, these events are open to the public for a small donation to our charity.
Special Events
The AWC Berlin organizes topical events such our panel on Women & Leadership: the Path Forward and our panel on Refugees Integration through Education. These are usually open to the public and features Berlin-based expert speakers.
The AWC Berlin celebrates American holidays with get-togethers of the membership, eg. Thanksgiving Luncheon, Christmas Cookie & Ornament Exchange, July 4th Brunch.
Ongoing
Community Service
communityservice@awcberlin.org
The AWC Berlin supports the Ronald McDonald House Berlin by cooking for the families once a quarter. We have tutored refugee children at the John F. Kennedy School and are now beginning an initiative to support pregnant refugee women.
Youth Development
Through our network organization, FAWCO (www.fawco.org) the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, AWC Berlin is able to offer the following programs to our own members’ children:
- Cultural Volunteers Program – is designed to foster cultural awareness and volunteerism among youths. The program is hosted by a different FAWCO club each year. Teens (15 – 18 years old) will be hosted by one of the host club’s families and will experience a new culture while volunteering with local charities, working side-by-side with local teens.. Participants will be able to receive community service credits required by their International Baccalaureate program.
- The FAWCO Youth Ambassador program is for teens taking a gap year between high school and college. High school graduates often spend a year exploring the world, discovering themselves along the way. The FAWCO global family is in a unique position to support members’ children in this endeavor. The FYA program offers our young adults a chance to experience new cultures, learn about the world, and do hands-on volunteer work while contributing to our member clubs
- Americana – Program that seeks to ground American expatriate children in the history and traditions of American life and culture. For children ages 6-12.
Community Service
communityservice@awcberlin.org
The AWC Berlin has had a long term relationship with the Ronald McDonald House in Berlin. Our members volunteer in varying capacities: weekly grocery shopping, photography for special events, quarterly dinners for families. The Club also holds charity events to fundraise for the House.
The AWC Berlin participates in events hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars such as the annual Memorial Day service.
The AWC Berlin actively participates in One Billion Rising – a global movement to end violence against women. Members have danced at the Brandenburg Gate and performed in the Berlin productions of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. The Club was a fiscal sponsor of V-Day 2013 in Berlin.
Philanthropy
The AWC Berlin supports the FAWCO’s Target Project on Human Rights for Women as well as the Ronald McDonald House Berlin. We hold charity events to raise funds for both.