My Ordinary Adventures in Berlin: What I Noticed, What I Captured, What I Kept by Cilia Trendelenburg

Alternative, quirky, unconventional. These are all terms stereotypically used to describe Berlin. And yes, indeed, they are accurate. To an extent. Like any other city, Berlin also depicts a very ordinary place filled with ordinary groups of individuals. It is important to point out that the meaning behind the word ordinary varies according to each person, their environment & their culture.

For instance, growing up in a suburban part of Berlin, I’ve been exposed to a rather conservative and most definitely less multi-cultural crowd of people, an environment often associated with Berlin. It’s important to point out that Berlin- like many other cities - takes on multiple personalities depending on its Kietz (neighborhood) .

Hence, my ordinary Berlin might be completely different from another Berliners’ ordinary. It’s a subjective matter.

From late night Späti adventures to wandering through the streets of Berlin to S- and U-Bahn commutes, I present you with a visual representation of the strangers, friends, objects & environments I encountered, noticed, and captured in the city.

The man on the left reminds me of my friend’s dad. He has the same critical expression, one that I encounter quite frequently when making eye-contact with strangers in Berlin.

I approached this man from the opposite side of the street. He stuck out to me. His actions felt so ritualistic. I came to wonder: how many times had he walked passed this cross-walk before? His presence felt immensely robotic.

This shot bluntly depicts many typical Berlin standards: bikers, one with a caravan at the front, construction with clear German road indications, expressive graffiti art, and, most importantly, our familiar next-door neighbour Lidl.

I swear, the way this guy is looking at me could not better represent many of my daily interactions with strangers in the city.

Hausbesetzung - freedom of expression.

Döner macht schöner, which translates to Kebab makes you more beautiful, is one of those traditional Berlin phrases I always say to myself as I am about to indulge my kebab…

Beers, conversation, and laughter - a representation of a typical Späti evening with friends.

A 5 year old riding the S-Bahn themselves would be alarming to some. To others, especially Germans, this independence embodies an integral part of growing up.

Zum verschenken, which means to give away - an abandoned pizza box accompanied by clothes and a pot.

Reminiscence and comfort. This image makes me recall my childhood. It reminds me of patiently waiting in the car, waiting for my mother to return back from the grocery store.

It is quite interesting how one’s perspective of an ordinary situation, place, gesture evolves and changes shape over time.

When I walk around Berlin, buildings, streets and characters that in the past felt foreign , now - through frequent exposure - they’ve become ordinary.