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Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 7:30pm On May 04, 2020 |
janettee: Oh they’re are worse and very rude. It also depends on who you meet. It is the way Berlin is in general. Poor customer service everywhere. It’s not easy. Just pray you meet a good person 10 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by jesmond3945: 7:30pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston:I like your last statement which means you must always wear your emotional armour anytime you leave your house, be prepared for slights and microagression. 10 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by darfay: 7:34pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: I must commend you for this thread. I really admire your brutal honesty. God bless you bro 10 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 7:38pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: To be honest, I was kind of sceptic about this thread because I get irritated by threads that are not entirely honest about life as a black person in Germany. But honestly, this thread is amazing and in my opinion the most realistic one I've stumbled upon, so thanks janettee. You can either choose to live in your bubble world and ignore the things said so far or be very realistic. I grew up in Germany and speak the language fluently, better than English and far better than Yoruba. There's nothing about the German culture that I do not understand or is entirely foreign to me, yet I still do experience racism. My youngest brother knows nothing other than Germany and still does experience racism. Black people born here do experience racism. 'Turkish people' who have been here for generations still experience racism. It's not just integration, in fact assimilate and you will experience racism. You can try to ignore the minor ones, the micro aggressions etc, but what a lot of us experience is structural racism as well, racism in schools, universities, work places, when trying to get an apartment etc. Therefore you can be that super nice black dude that is so much more different than other blacks, so responsible, never aggressive, doesn't think racism exist, and like Germans will say: 'He's so well integrated, these are the kind of foreigners we want! '. You can be that kind of foreigner, but duuuude, be rest assured you're not wanted here and let the Bundestagswahlen speak for itself, not that one white German, who's assuring you you're 'good enough ' 43 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Hadampson(m): 7:39pm On May 04, 2020 |
GreatSage: NO If you have someone living legally in Germany, he/she can get you a sponsorship letter. You don't need block fund once you have the sponsorship letter. 1 Like |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 7:50pm On May 04, 2020 |
Salarys: Tribalism and racism can both have the same effect. The only difference is that racism is worse and here’s why.... A Yoruba person may not like igbos and deny them opportunities, while giving it to his own person. But igbos also have the power to fight back and create their own. One group is not superior to the other. They will keep fighting and there’ll be no winner. A white person or white people have the economic, institutional, financial power to control other races. The white race is also more in number than any other race. That is why they were the slave owners. They control the world. Their passport holds more power, so does their currency. A white person can live in Nigeria and not have papers, yet own companies. But a Nigerian has to pay €10,000 into a blocked account just to get a visa to study. Can a Yoruba do that to the Igbos? If I go to a Yoruba shop to buy food and they don’t sell to me, I go to another shop. If I go to Germany and they deny me because of I’m black, I go to Spain, the same, France, UK, Canada, where will I go? And those are the profitable places that have the power to make my life better. You also may not know which part of Nigeria someone is from until they speak or tell you. Hence they can easily escape tribalism. But being black is obvious. They can see color. You don’t have to say anything. Seeing you alone already disqualifies you. Which means your existence is a problem to some people. You can be bilingual and escape tribalism. Even if you’re mixed race, you still face racism. However they can both have similar psychological and physical effects on someone. Tribalism and racism can both get you killed. Except that racism is on a broader spectrum that affects you based on your skin color. 71 Likes 9 Shares |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by janettee(f): 7:51pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: I think they intentionally employ such people there, haha. 1 Like |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Elektra008(f): 7:51pm On May 04, 2020 |
Thank you for the thread op, if you can, please post pictures too. Following... 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Salarys: 7:54pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: Thank you. I get the bigger picture now. 3 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 7:57pm On May 04, 2020 |
fieryy: You hit the nail on the head. I love this. 14 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 8:00pm On May 04, 2020 |
Elektra008: I will post pictures with time. Don’t worry you will see many pictures as the Coronavirus lockdown is lifted. I don’t want to go around taking pictures of buildings, you can easily find those on google and it won’t give you a feel of Berlin. If you don’t capture the madness and coolness of Berlin with activity, people will not get the full image. 16 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 8:08pm On May 04, 2020 |
Dutch2: As a student? No. You cannot be another country as a student and get a job in Germany. Except you want to come for internship. If you’re a graduate, you can look for a job in Germany and if they employ you, you can relocate on a work visa. 5 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 8:11pm On May 04, 2020 |
Germany, here we come Nice thread @op. Very well balanced. I have an unique qweshion though. What do Germans eat? |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Jamestown123: 8:25pm On May 04, 2020 |
janettee: |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 8:32pm On May 04, 2020 |
jesmond3945: I live my life and do what I do. I avoid making friends with people who are racist and I stay away from any environment I’m not wanted. For example: if I’m looking for a flat and the landlord is racist, I look somewhere else. Why would I want to live with a racist anyway? The thing is, the racists are mostly scared. If you challenge them, they run away. When I sit in the train and a white person is looking at me angrily, I look back angrily or I ask them what their problem is. Immediately you confront them, they become scared and look away or they change seats. Also avoid popular racist areas. Leave them to their madness. In Berlin they’re in the east side “Marzahn, Hellersdorf” those are skin head racist areas. Avoid living there. Also for every white person who hates you, there are other white people who love you. Focus on the ones who love you. You’ll mostly hear things like “you’re so aggressive, you’re rude, you’re threatening, you’re violent” ....blah blah blah white tears. All of that is what they say when they cannot control you. Don’t mind them, stand your ground. Also know that not every incident is racist. Some could just be misunderstanding or a bad joke. Germans don’t really know how to communicate with black people and what not to say. That is because some of them never had close contact with a black person. They may not be racist, but ignorant. In that case, you teach them. Also don’t walk around thinking about racism or looking for racism in everything. It can leave you depressed and feeling unwanted. Live your life, make friends, party, have fun, any day you face a racist incident, just look at it as having a bad day. You can react or ignore it, it’s up to you. But be aware. That’s how I live my life. 58 Likes 6 Shares |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by GreatSage: 8:41pm On May 04, 2020 |
Hadampson:Thanks so much bro, I do appreciate ur sincerity. Can a student who has zero knowledge of German, get a student job within a month of arrival? Concerning the sponsorship letter can it gotten from anyone who isn't related to the immigrant in as much as the sponsor is a legal resident? |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 8:49pm On May 04, 2020 |
sassysure: They mostly eat everything but they can’t cook everything. Their bread is hard like a rock and they love it. I hate that strong bread and buy the soft sliced bread. They eat lots of meat, sausages, pasta, pizza. Oh and they don’t cook with spices. I always tell my friends when we’re having a get together “pls don’t make chicken, I will make it”. Their chicken is plain white chicken with no spices. The only thing they add is salt and a pinch of dry pepper. The day they saw me cooking chicken they were screaming. THAT’S A LOT OF SPICES!!! But they loved the taste. I saw my flat mate cooking rice with chicken breast and he poured milk into it. I almost threw up. They also eat in small portions. So you better eat before you go to their house for lunch or you’ll stay hungry. They can eat 2 slices of bread with one egg and call it breakfast. They rather drink a lot of beer and wine. One thing is for sure, Germans love to enjoy themselves. They love eating out in restaurants. They also love international cuisines because their own food is blah blah. So if you can cook, they will love to be your friend. They are always hungry and love to eat. In general, they eat most things we eat but they cook them differently. 35 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by lion501: 9:06pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: Keep up the good work bro!!! But when someone who got a good job and probably has a PR or is even a citizen invites you to Germany is it 100% guarantee you get the visa? |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Hadampson(m): 9:19pm On May 04, 2020 |
GreatSage:It depends on the city, if it's a big city you can get a job. As for small city, it's under MAYBE There are jobs in Germany but you must know German and that is a plus to big cities though as you may get job with very low german language. |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Hadampson(m): 9:20pm On May 04, 2020 |
GreatSage: Yes 2 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by evergreen9: 9:33pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: what's the healthcare like in Germany? I remember seeing a video on the general German thread here on Nairaland, the video was about racism in the German healthcare. I would like to know if the Germans discriminate when it comes to administering health care to Africans or non-Caucasians residing in Germany. 1 Like |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 9:43pm On May 04, 2020 |
lion501: Nothing is 100% guaranteed. But if they have a job that pays well enough to sustain the person they’re are inviting, then yes. If they earn at least €1,500 a month, that is considered enough money to invite someone. If the person they’re inviting can take care of him/herself, they’d have to prove that to the embassy. For example: you can be a student and invite your mom for your graduation. If she can take care of herself, you just need to send her an invitation letter. You don’t have to prove you can take care of her. All they have to do is go to the Bürgeramt and get some forms to fill and show their documents. I know lots of students who invited their mom and dad or spouses. Students can invite their close family/relatives. Someone with a permanent residence or German passport can invite anybody. Even a refugee whose Asylum application was approved, can invite their immediate family over. As long as they meet the requirements. 12 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 9:55pm On May 04, 2020 |
evergreen9: I’ve never experienced racism in healthcare or from any doctor. I’ve always been treated the same way as the Caucasians. German doctors are generally grumpy and have a bad attitude. They are that way towards everyone. They actually had to introduce a platform for patients to report bad doctors. The doctors also speak German even if they understand English, but some are nice and would speak English to you if your German is bad. It also depends on the city. If you live in a city where they don’t get many foreigners, they’re likely to be nasty towards immigrants. That is in every sector. It’s the same in other countries. There would probably be racism, I won’t put it past them. But I never experienced it in healthcare in Germany and I’ve been in hospitals a lot. 5 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by evergreen9: 10:08pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: Thanks for replying, do you have any idea what the lower saxony region is like in terms of standard of living, general perception of non-Germans etc, I intend to study in that region, Clausthal to be precise. |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by jesmond3945: 10:14pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston:nice |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Kenn55: 10:16pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston: Daniel, you are doing a good job. I agree with everything you said except where you say racism is worse than tribalism. In tribalism, people of the same color, same country even similar cultures hate and discriminate against each other based on the fact they speak different language only. In racism, people of different color, different country, different language and different cultures discriminate against others. Now look at the gap here. Everything is different, now compare it with tribalism where everything is the same except language. If people in the same country can hate each other so much, what is the big deal in racism? Having experienced conc tribalism in Nigeria,As someone living abroad, i don't expect love from whites by default. If you are nice, good and fine. Ironically, i have not experienced racism yet One thing i have noticed about racism abroad is that the chances of racists temporarily shunning racism to embrace the one the hate when you show you have something to offer is high. In tribalism, even if you like be the only solution to the problem, as long as your name is okoro or Ayodele etc, you can never get the chance to offer your solution, they would rather die. Look at Obama for instance. He is black, his name is not Jones, Smith etc but a Kenyan native name. However, when the chips are down, in a country of paltry 12% black, he won an election beating his white challenger because he is the better candidate. Obama will never win an election in Osun state for instance as an igbo man or win an election in Abia state as a yoruba man. It does not matter if he was born and bread in Osun or Abia, speaks the language fluently or the most qualified to rescue the state, he will not get support. There are lots of Nigerians abroad that have broken the barrier of racism by merit because they offer value more than their white host. They whites had no choice than to swallow their racism. They won elections even when they are minority, they head top organisations bossing the whites even with their tribal names etc See, even you who have faced racism in Germany stand a better chance of leading a top organisation in Germany or winning an election in Germany when the chips are down more than you winning an election outside your tribe in Nigeria no matter how qualified and capable you are. Bros, if you want to see how rugged tribalism is, just peep into nairaland politics section. I no say make you stay there for long ooo otherwise you won't know when you will join them and become one tribalists, Lol. The hate oozing out from our fellow country men fit boil beans. Racism dey learn work. 38 Likes 6 Shares |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Drenimarcus(m): 10:25pm On May 04, 2020 |
Kenn55: 6 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Savagethe21st(m): 10:26pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston:bro what about politics. Do you know if blacks get succeful in occupying positions there? |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Savagethe21st(m): 10:26pm On May 04, 2020 |
Danielhouston:bro what about politics. Do you know if blacks get successful in occupying positions there? 1 Like |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 10:32pm On May 04, 2020 |
Savagethe21st: Lol, I only know 3 black German politicians 8 Likes |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Savagethe21st(m): 10:46pm On May 04, 2020 |
fieryy:lol not surprising since blacks are the minority. What about their entertainment industry, are blacks doing well there?. Cus i knw blacks esp Nigerians are doing well in British rap scene and in movies too. |
Re: Being Black In Berlin/germany by Nobody: 11:05pm On May 04, 2020 |
I love your contributions and I appreciate them, but please let’s not derail this thread with topics of racism and tribalism. Yes, we know what we need to know by now. Tomorrow I will share more information and stories about Berlin and Germany, that don’t include racism. We’ve touched on racism, it’s enough. We will shall learn more about Germany. 14 Likes 1 Share |
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