Peter Pan City

Ah, Berlin you sexy, complicated minx.

I say that with love on my lips because Berlin has a lot of different personalities. It’s fun, adventurous, and open-minded but also is a liiiittle bit toxic when it comes to dating. But I’m not going to talk about dating in this blog- I’m focusing on the parts I love about this city, because even though I write about dating, and the complications of trying to find a decent man, a relationship is not my end goal in life. No, my ultimate goal in life is about staying healthy (excluding day seshes on white wine, peppermint shots, and 4am pizzas) and staying happy (pizza being that ultimate source of happiness). Berlin has been doing a stellar job at fulfilling those needs.

Youth is an attitude, not a number.

Berlin has been dubbed "Peter Pan City"- for obvious reasons. It's a city where we aren't expected to grow up and conform to society's ideals. Youth here isn't defined by how many rotations you have done around the sun. It's an attitude, not a number. Which can suck when you're trying to find an emotionally mature man, but today I'm writing about the pros of living in this youthful city- see my other blogs for bad-boy rants.

A city where age does not define how we live our lives: you can still babysit in your 30s, rave in your 40s, skateboard in your 50s- no one bats an eyelid. We aren't expected to change our lifestyle because of the date on our birth cert. I know women in their sixties who still go clubbing, who consider themselves “sexy, not sixty”-it is such a refreshing attitude to be around.

Life here comes with no expectations.

There's no keeping up with the Jones'; no pressure to have the latest car, or blow all your money on the latest fashion trends, there's not a lot of career/job snobbery, or going on over-the-top lavish holidays. We get around by bike or public transport, we get excited at finding treasures in the zu verschenken box on the side of the road, we find alternative ways of making extra cash, and we love camping and going to festivals in the summer.

Life is for living and Berlin caters to that mindset. The lack of judgment means we aren't held back from wanting to try new things. You're never too old to try something new, and at thirty-three I can wholeheartedly agree.

My guidance counsellor in secondary school was a nun in her sixties who told us that we should become either nurses or teachers. At the age of seventeen/eighteen, we were expected to know what career we wanted for the rest of our lives- that was only in 2007! If only Sister Lizzy knew I wrote a book about devious men and sexcapades, she'd be drowning me in holy water trying to wash away my sins.

After I finished university, I left with the mindset and relief, that I would never have to study anything again. But fast forward five years, I started learning German in my mid-twenties and began a (short-lived) career as a kindergarten teacher in my late twenties, and here I am in my early thirties having written a book and started a website. That wasn't planned, but I let life take me there.

Life isn't linear.

There is no rule book to life. Allow yourself to go with whatever feels right. If you don't like your job, sock it off for something you're really passionate about.

If you're lucky, life can be long, for others, it can end up being very short. What is certain is that we aren't getting out of here alive, so try to do the things that make you happy, that fulfill you, that put a smile on your face.

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”

― J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Lulu x