
Upon arriving in my neighborhood, I was fairly disappointed. I was hoping to find a gentrified area with all the comforts of home in close vicinity. What I found instead was a working-class area that was mostly immigrants. The longer I have stayed here the more comfortable I have become. The topics we have been reading about such as
gentrification, immigration, and german identity seem all the more tangible here. I've noticed that about a block away on a perpendicular street that young people are renovating a couple of buildings, as seen
here. I have found that races and classes are split up building by building. Here is an example of a
turkish building. Apparently the sattelite dishes are indicative of this. My building however has one turkish family and is comprised mostly of young white people that tend to be artists or musicians. After reading on the influx of Vietnamese, I began to notice elements of their presence as well.
Here is a sign of their influence, they will buy a doner stand and add noodles to the menu rather than change the menu entirely.
Above is an image of my street in
Neukolln. To the left is a
sign indicating that a new islamic center will be constructed soon at this site. Further ahead to the left is a large auto repair garage and to the
right is a park.

A Turkish youth club around the corner from my flat. Apparently it provides break-dancing lessons. One of the more interesting buildings I've seen. The photo below is on the same street. I wanted to capture them coming towards me, but was not prepared, so I got them moving away, and I think it may have turned out better this way.
1 Kommentar:
Hi, I'm a student about to go to Berlin and I've arranged accommodation in the Neukölln neighborhood. I have been reading up on it and your blog came up. Do you think that it's an okay neighborhood to live in? Everything I've read about it suggests that it is a ghetto, or becoming one. If you have a moment I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Maria(chaquitamaria at hotmail dot com)
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