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Thank you AWC!

I read a book which said, “Berlin will slap you in the face, and then kiss you on the forehead.” After four years and a global pandemic, I can say that is a true statement.  While the slaps made me stronger, it was the kisses that kept me here.  One of those kisses is this …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #7

Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year By Alexandra Rosh Hashanah is Hebrew and means beginning of the year. At sunset, families and friends gather to pray and then eat the traditional honey and apples, which symbolize the hope for a sweet new year. Rosh Hashanah not only marks the New Year it also honors the …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #6

Finding My Vietnam in Berlin by My-Linh Kunst The first time I met a Vietnamese here in Berlin, my hair actually stood on end. He was the waiter at our local sushi restaurant. His jarring northern accent was reminiscent to that of the communist soldiers I met in the North on my first trip back …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #5

Ramadan: From April 12/13 to May 12/13 by Robina Lillecrapp As I sit down to write this, I suddenly feel overwhelmed with sadness. Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, will once again be observed in lockdown. How many more events synonymous with family and friends will we have to endure alone? Lockdown disrupts the very …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #4

Color Me Happy by Shweta Gupta My memories of early childhood in India are pretty faint, but I have been told I was not a fan of the annual Holi celebration. I only vaguely recall what I’ve been told—I would hide in a room just to avoid getting covered head to toe in gulal (colored …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #3

Red Envelopes for Chinese New Year by Daphne Chiang-Ratke While I was dusting my bookshelves the other morning, I came across a red envelope that I received from a girlfriend several years ago at a Chinese New Year’s celebration in Berlin. The envelope—with the character 馬 (pronounced Ma, meaning horse) printed on it—is special because …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #2

Chinese New Year with My Family by June Lee The Tale of the Monster Nian A long, long time ago, in a small village in rural China, people were living happily and peacefully. They had very few worries except one: One day each year, a monster named Nian would come out of his nest after …

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Embracing Cultural Diversity #1

El Día de la Candelaria by Silvia Malo Forty days after Jesus was born, he was presented to the temple on what is today known as Día de la Candelaria (in English, Candlemas). And to celebrate such an event, we Mexicans eat tamales. What else is there to do on the second day of February? …

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Day 15 of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

AWC Berlin is participating in 2020’s “16 Days” campaign by posting stories on gender-based violence to inform and inspire action. Follow the series on our blog and social media and let us know what actions you’re taking. Access to Basic Services: One Way to Prevent Gender-Based Violence by Belinda Abraham, AWC Member   I have …

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