Introduction
Bienvenue à Berlin – un écrin de l’histoire mais aussi un écrin vivant et dynamique à la croissance constante. Being a tour guide it is extremely important to always be aware of the transformation that Berlin is going through so that one can always present and deliver enthralling and informative experience to the clients. Of course this is not an easy task given the dynamism of this interesting city, that is why in this guide we will discuss some of the best practices and useful tools that can be used to keep up with the pace.
- Embrace Continuous Learning
The best option in a city such as Berlin which has seamlessly incorporated historical elements with contemporary art, architecture and culture is to keep learning and updating oneself. Take Berlin’s history, growth and culture related workshops, seminars and courses and learn more about the city. It is always useful to find local historians, enthusiasts, and people who understand the changes taking place in a given city much better than anyone else.
1.1: Berlin as a Museum / Gallery
Berlin contains a lot of museums and galleries that gives overview of the city and its art scene which is still constantly changing. Further enhance your knowledge of Berlin history by visiting great establishments such as Pergamon Museum, Berlin Wall Museum and the Brandenburg Gate Museum. Also, visit present day art galleries such as C/O Berlin, KW Institute for Contemporary Art and Museum Berggruen in order to trace current trends of culture.
1.2 go round the region to attend local festivals and events
Be part of Berlin by attending festivals and events in the region. Some of these events include, the Berlinale–Berlin international film festival, Berlin Art Week and Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of cultures). These occasions are a chance to get an overview of the newest tendencies in the sphere of music, films, arts, and performances as well as receiving useful information on the change of the cultural landscape in Berlin.
- Engage with Locals and Expats
Another great way is to share with you some information and tips from locals and foreigners who got all first-hand experience in the changing face of Berlin. Talk to people of different age and origin living in Berlin and listen to what they have to say. These books can shed light on aspects of past history, the present state of affairs and the forecasted trends in the market.
2.1 Cross Joining of Meetup Groups and Networking Formation.
Meetup.com and their like present a wide range of organised interest groups for Berlin relating to history, buildings and architecture, food, city planning and development etc. These are groups where you find people with a common interest and or profession as the city of Berlin. Business and other social gatherings in local business and organizations’ calibration are also effective ways of interacting with the local people besides expatriate professionals.
2.2 BerlinerDistricts
During your visit, try to stay in different areas in Berlin to get a feel of the many various moods and feels of the city. Starting from the bohemian part of Berlin – Kreuzberg, to the luxurious Charlottenburg district – every area has its own story. Consult with the AAC business owners, inhabitants, and shopkeepers in order to describe changes within these communities. Their experiences and views will enrich you and help to understand how Berlin changes its cityscape.
- Implementing Berlin’s Urban Development Projects
Berlin is a city in a rather continuous reconstruction, the development of which is currently taking place today. Remaining current on these projects will enable you to be informed, make adjustments as forecasted and ensure that your clients see the most recent architectural and design experience in the city.
3.1 Continue following official websites of City Planning and Development
Event websites including Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing and Investitionsban offered information on large-scale projects in Berlin. You can follow them in order to learn what new construction, renovation, or sustainable projects are coming up. Visit their web sites frequently to be up to date with the new face of Berlin.
3.2 Debate in an Architecture and Urban Planning Event
Be on the lookout for occasions that have to do with architecture and urban planning space. BDA Bundesstiftung für Baukultur (Federal Foundation for Building Culture) and Deutsches Architektur Zentrum (German Architecture Center) discuss and educate on Berlin’s current urban planning through forums, displays, and seminars at Bauhaus-Archiv. Going to such integral parts you will be acquainted with more and you in turn, will be able to introduce new outlook to your tour groups.
- Utilize Online Resources
Connectivity is another way of catching up with the ever changing Berlin’s skyline and one can.fetch any information from the internet. Here are a few online resources to get you started:
4.1 Main authorized Internet portals of Berlin
Official web sites with information about Berlin tourism should be visited, including visitberlin.de and berlin.de. These sites provide the latest information on places of interest, events and news on the particular city. You should subscribe to their newsletters or follow all the profiles they have on social networking sites to get updates by email.
4.2 Social Media and Blogs
Like and subscribe to social media accounts and regular bloggers from Berlin and specializing in the lifestyle, history and architecture of the city. As @berlinstagram and @berlinmagazine are the accounts that provide remarkable pictures and recommendations. Some travel like Slow Travel Berlin and Finding Berlin submit high-quality articles meant to cover different facets of the city.
4.3 Google Alerts and News Aggregators
Create Google Alert for tags that are related to the topic of Berlin such as urban growth, architecture and cultural happenings. This will also guarantee that you are receiving updates in form of link to news articles and blog posts regularly. Also, it is possible to use news aggregator for getting more local sources to read, for instance, Feedly or Flipboard: with their help, a person can create the list of the interesting blogs and newspapers focused on Berlin.
Conclusion
It is impossible to ever be done since Berlin is experiencing an ongoing process of changing for the better, but it will help you tremendously as a tour guide. What has been discussed above should not be forgotten: pursue education, communicate with the people and foreigners, track the projects of urban constructions, make use of the internet. They involve doing research and being updated in order that you supply your clients with the right expertise with an genuine immersion towards the ever-transforming face of Berlin.
