#1 The freelance struggle. When I decided to move to Berlin and enter the world of freelance I knew it wouldn’t be an easy gig. Away from the (relative) safety of a fixed salary with paid holidays and the luxury (!) of being paid for sick days, life is a whole lot tougher. Obviously these workers’ […]
Tag: Berlin
Berlin holds its first African literary festival
Deutsche Welle, 25 April 2018 Berlin’s first literature festival with and by African writers, “Writing in Migration” explores these authors’ trans-cultural experiences. Ahead of the event, DW spoke to three authors taking part in its program Migration, identity and storytelling will be in the spotlight at a groundbreaking new literature festival by African writers. Around […]
Berlin Irish campaign to repeal Eighth Amendment
The Irish Times, April 9 2018 Banner at the warehouse hidden inside a bare industrial estate between Berlin’s diverse Neukölln and Treptow areas. Photograph: Rachel Loxton If it wasn’t for a giant banner of a pair of knickers on the wall, it would look like a typical Friday night at a Berlin club. The poster, […]
The Shocking (and healthy) truth about bread
The Debrief, March 12, 2018 (picture: Studio Pop) © Studio Pop Spoiler: It Isn’t The Enemy There are few situations that can’t be helped with toasted bread and a generous helping of butter. It’s what I eat to cheer myself up when I’m ill or hungover, when I’m in need of a late night snack that’s […]
Mogwai’s Barry Burns on beers, babies and Berlin
The Herald Arts Magazine, December 9 2017. HOME. Mogwai’s Barry Burns is unsure where it is. He enjoys the easygoing way of life in Berlin where people still smoke in bars and swig beer on trains or while walking down the street. But Burns, who is a multi-instrumentalist for the postrockers, also loves the Glasgow […]
Shifting political contours in Germany
Cable Magazine Scotland, November 1 2017 The German elections in September saw Angela Merkel win a fourth term as German Chancellor. However, her victory was somewhat overshadowed by the shifting political terrain in Germany. Writing from Berlin, Rachel Loxton reflects upon the mood of the election and casts an eye across the issues facing German politics. As […]
Magical things I’ve seen in Berlin
I was inspired to write this after spotting a gorgeous piece of artwork by Mari Andrew. Mari captures everyday life and emotions in her drawings, from being homesick to feeling broken hearted, alienated or alone to joyful moments; like buying a new scarf and how seeing a flock of birds in the sky can make you feel hopeful. […]
The politics of language
There’s a chapter in an English as a foreign language text book called: ‘How to avoid saying no directly’. I burst out laughing when I saw it. Is there anything more stereotypically British? I came across it at the language school I work at, where we regularly teach the art of small talk to students. […]
German Election special: The main players
One of the many things I’ve learned since moving to Germany is that politics doesn’t start and end with the UK. Obviously world politics has always been interesting – and is a hyped-up crazy spectacle right now – but I feel the UK is fairly inward looking. It always frustrated me that the newspaper industry in Scotland, […]
February 17 2017: Helping refugees in Berlin – it’s no joke, but a Scots comedian is doing his bit
Positively Scottish, February 17 2017 For tens of thousands of refugees who have fled war-torn countries, settling into life in a European city like Berlin is not easy. But Scottish comedian and former DJ Neil Numb is hoping to give them something to laugh about. The 43-year-old from Edinburgh has teamed up with charity arts […]
December 20 2015: Look, no Hans … How Scots comedians are stealing the limelight in Berlin’s stand-up scene
The Sunday Herald, December 20 2015 Scots have been the punchline of jokes in Germany for decades thanks to the tired old tight-fisted stereotype.
