are spent coaxing our British tech to speak German. Life as we knew in Scotland has been turned on its head and we now have to make sense of a new everyday where everything is new. We are fumbling about trying to make sense of the onslaught of new experiences …

are complicated. There are two Berlins, they know about each other. Contemporary Fairy tales are told. If you work hard you will get to go to University, get a good job, meet someone you like and live happily ever after. On the other hand if you dont work hard you …

are somewhat difficult to navigate. In Scotland being polite shows that you are being considerate to others and this drives social behaviour. Not to do so is considered rude and it is considered shameful to be impolite. In Germany being efficient overrules any consideration on politeness. It is seeen as …

are the first steps towards getting settled here. In Germany official documents are stamoed and signed. The only time I can think of this happeneing in scotland is when you check out a library book. I am new to this legitimacy through stempeling. I am still apalled that I had …

are somewhat anxious ones. Is the suitcase too heavy, do we have enough jumpers and how can you really fit all of your life into a suitcase? Just a few of the questions that have been buzzing in my brain like angry wasps. The short version is we made it …

are filled with friends, packing, repairs to the flat and trying to pass useful things onto our friends. All of our furniture is in storage until we find a more permnent Berlin abode. The suitcase is packed and we are enjoying the last few days here. The selling of the …

are a whirlpool of emotions... we feel angry we feel frustrated we feel dissapointed we feel exhausted we feel a sense of betrayal we feel a huge sense of loss of familiarity of place The feeling of excitement is in homeopathic quantity I fully relaise the privileged positon that we …

are hard... we will phone we will come back to visit we hope you will visit us We will write we will miss Edinburgh we are full of sadness to be at this point now we are also full of hope for the future we hope Independence is going to …

are yet another way to exploit workers in the UK. The shift towards a service based industry is at an advanced stage. The lucky few are abe to command a high salary but the less fortunate majority have to scrabble for scraps. Having heard my profession described as vocational. Therefore …

are tempered with a growing sense of excitement. The fear hits like a wave of icy water and the excitement feels like wee bubbles floating around. Despite this feartie feeling we have decided the three of us that we are going to leave and go to Berlin. Arriving at this …