Fiction

New Starting Time: 12:00 For space reasons, we are limited to a certain number of attendees, so please update your RSVP if you can't come. If you are new, come and say hello, as we know that suddenly going quiet for 45 minutes and staring at that blank page can be intimidating when it's your first time. We have a lot of long-term regulars who will be happy to help you feel welcome. In between sessions, we have a Telegram chat: https://t.me/joinchat/ERW3pxD5kfELGeWs9SUhjw For more information, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://shutupwrite.com/).

Please reserve your spot here: [Link 🌻](https://gyms.vertical-life.info/urban-apes-fhain/events/course/787669/) You‘re new to Berlin or already here for a while and want to practice yoga with others in a relaxed atmosphere? Or looking for a cool place to get to know new people and have the option to go bouldering together or hangout after the class for a drink? Maybe you‘ll meet some friends along the way! This all-levels yoga class is happening every two weeks at the Bouldering Gym Urban Apes Friedrichshain. We flow together through some yoga, practice specific mobility exercises and after the class you could also decide to try out bouldering together in the gym :) No yoga or climbing experience needed! No flexibility needed! Just come as you are. Poses and Flows are explained and we flow in a relaxed pace, leaving room for play, mistakes, learning and joy :-) Also a good chance to practice English and connect to people with different backgrounds after. The yoga class is 5€ (Booking via link below). If you want to go Bouldering too, you can check in via USC and Wellpass for free or pay the regular entrance fee. We recommend arriving 15 min before the class starts, so you have enough time to check in and change. [Book your spot here ☀️](https://gyms.vertical-life.info/urban-apes-fhain/events/course/787669/)

Come along, grab a coffee, shut up, and write! We will do at least two sessions of each 45 minutes of writing and two breaks. We will start the first writing session at 10:45. For space reasons we only allow a limited number of attendees, so please update your RSVP if you can't come. We'll probably be grouped around the large table in the back room's center. In the summer, also outside. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Hey everybody, Moving to Berlin is an adventure, but let’s be real—the bureaucracy is a headache and making friends in a city this big can feel like a full-time job. Whether you’ve been here for three days or three years, the **Expat Stammtisch** is your home base to meet cool people. 🍻 We have a reserved area just for us. Grab a drink, find a spot, and join any conversation. **Ready to join?** See you at the bar!

### Imagined Gardens: Surrealism, watercolours and a lot of magic Inspired by the lush energy of spring, we’ll reimagine nature in unexpected ways: flowers that whisper secrets, fruits that transform, creatures that bloom, and gardens where anything can happen. What if plants could walk, dance, or speak? What if insects grew like fruit on branches? What strange and beautiful worlds are waiting in your imagination? Through a series of playful exercises and creative games, we’ll unlock new ideas and ways of seeing. Then, step by step, you’ll learn watercolour techniques to bring your imagined garden to life as a unique illustration. The workshop includes **four classes**, but you’re also welcome to join individual sessions (when available). **When:** Tuesday 2 · 9 · 23 · 30 June \| 18:00\- 19:30 h (important: NO class on 16.06) **Where:** Friedrichshain, Berlin **Price:** 85€ for the whole month (4 classes) Single class 25€ / Paypal & Bank Transfer **Booking:** Please register via the form [HERE](https://forms.gle/H5HnTA9aLGuhnpJe8). Please note: Clicking on 'Attend' on Meetup doesn't reserve you a spot. The only way to register is through the form. **Material:** You will need a watercolour set, watercolour paper (or sketchbook) and brushes. If you need suggestions about the material, get in touch. If you need some recommendations, this might help: **[Quick Material Guide](https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRDE95Ia5D/?img_index=2)** Come slow down, get your hands moving, and reconnect with nature 🌿 ✨ No previous painting experience needed. Gentle guidance provided throughout. See you!! Lu and the BAC You can find my work [HERE](https://www.instagram.com/lujancordaro/) and all updated classes [HERE ](https://www.instagram.com/berlin.art.club/)

Explore tango in both roles in a relaxed and welcoming space. Every Thuesday. all infos on insta, fb, tiktok: **queerkultural** Tango is a great digital detox activity that brings us back in the physical realm of the senses and in contact with others. Dance beyond gender conventions, improve your skills, or take vour first steps. Come as vou are. Connect how vou feel. 19:00-20:00 intermediate & open level class for dancers 19:00 learn Tango as a beginner, drop in, no experience needed 20:00 practice, talk, share tipps, with or without partner USC or 10-15 Eur

Need a mid-week pick-me-up? Join us for **Sip Happens!** this week at Electric Social, where good beer and great games come together for a fun and fantastic social night! Whether you're a board game pro or just looking for a chill night out and a fun way to socialize, there's something for everyone. Grab a beer (or cider, or wine, or even a tea!), **pick (or bring) a game,** and meet some new friends as we roll dice, play cards, and laugh the night away. From classics like Catan and Scrabble to party favorites like Cards Against Humanity, we’ve got it all. Coming straight from work? No problem...the kitchen serves awesome food as well! 😉 So, round up your mates or come solo—either way, you’ll leave with new friends and fun memories. Cheers to making midweek nights something to look forward to! 🍺🎉 We always have several organisers there (male and female), so come say hello to us! We care to make sure that everyones enjoys themselves and we have **no tolerance for bad behaviour or creepiness.** **Follow us on Insta:** @siphappens.berlin **Join us on Telegram:** t.me/siphappens_berlin **👉 Other important notes:** \- 🍸 The locations we visit are bars and clubs\, they are businesses and we are able to keep these events free ONLY if people buy drinks\. Please respect the locations and the event by making purchases \- 🦹‍♂️ Remember to keep an eye on your belongings and prioritize your own well\-being\. We are not responsible for any lost items or personal issues\. \- 📷 By attending our events\, you consent to being photographed or filmed\. Photos and videos taken during the events may be shared on our social media\. If you do not wish to appear in the photos or if you appear in a photo that we post that you would like removed\, please send us a private message as soon as possible on Instagram \(@siphappens\.berlin\)

Who is in the mood for some quiet togetherness while catching up on their reading? Let’s enjoy literature or non-fiction together and come to our Reading in Companionable Silence meeting. Nathania will welcome members and there is time to socialize and to order some food or a beverage - ca. 30 min. Then we read for an hour in silence. After that - time to exchange impressions, suggestions, ask questions and generally have a good time. There might be a break in the middle in order to allow for more drinks, a bathroom break etc. Only RSVP if you really intend to come and are sure that you can make it. Please don’t waste our hosts‘s time and energy by reserving a spot and then dropping out at short notice.

This week we are discussing **Christopher Isherwood:** The Berlin Stories. Update 13.6.26: Please note that at today's meeting, we decided to focus only on the first novel from *Berlin Stories*, *Mr. Norris Changes Trains*. The second part will be back on the voting list and can be discussed in the near future. We look forward to seeing you! If you have book suggestions, would like to vote on our next reads, or join us for additional activities, please ask someone at the meeting to add you to our WhatsApp group. Just a heads up: **The cafe only accepts card payments for amounts over €10**, so you may want to bring some cash for smaller orders. **Also, if you're unable to attend, please update your RSVP so that someone from the waiting list can take your spot.**

We'll come together at a cosy cafe to discuss G. Gospodinov's novel Time Shelter. Before RSVPing yes, ask yourself- Do I have a copy of the book? Can I be there at that place and time? Looking forward to our discussion! :) Also if you would like to join our Whatsapp group to vote on books, please talk to Sneha at the meeting. :)

**Narrative Identity: Culture, War, Memory, and the Search for One’s Own Life** Narrative identity means that human beings understand themselves through stories. A person does not only live from one moment to the next. They try to make sense of their life by asking: Who am I? Where do I come from? What has shaped me? What do my experiences mean? In this way, identity is not only something we have; it is also something we create and understand through a life story. This life story is never completely private. It is shaped by family, language, education, religion, culture, history, social relationships, and collective memory. People need words, symbols, traditions, and examples in order to understand themselves. A culture gives individuals the material from which they can build a meaningful narrative about their own lives. However, this process becomes difficult when cultural transmission is broken. Many societies have experienced war, colonialism, revolution, dictatorship, displacement, exile, migration, or political violence. These historical events do not only destroy cities and institutions. They can also interrupt memories, weaken traditions, divide families, and create silence between generations. As a result, people may inherit fragments of culture without fully understanding them. This problem is not limited to Europe after the World Wars. It can also be seen in many other countries and regions, such as Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Korea, Bosnia, Rwanda, and many others. Each case is different, but they all raise a similar question: How can people form a stable sense of self when the stories, values, and memories that should help them understand their lives have been damaged or divided by history? In such situations, identity can become fragmented. A person may feel caught between different narratives: family memory, national history, religion, political ideology, exile, trauma, and personal experience. Sometimes people are expected to accept an official story about who they are, while their own feelings and memories do not fit into that story. This can create alienation: the feeling that one’s own life is not fully one’s own. Narrative identity is therefore connected to the overcoming of alienation. A person begins to overcome alienation when they can understand their experiences as part of their own life story. Pain, fear, loss, migration, silence, shame, hope, and resistance are not only private emotions. They can become meaningful parts of a narrative when they are expressed, understood, and connected to a wider historical context. Art can play an important role in this process. Literature, music, film, painting, theatre, poetry, and other forms of artistic expression can give shape to experiences that are difficult to explain directly. Art can make hidden memories visible, give voice to trauma, and create a space where personal and collective history can be reinterpreted. Through art, individuals may find new ways to tell their own stories and reconnect with themselves, others, and their culture. This discussion invites a critical exploration of identity as a personal, social, cultural, and historical reality. Narrative identity is not simply about remembering the past. It is about understanding one’s life within history and finding a way to appropriate that life as one’s own. In societies shaped by war, displacement, and cultural rupture, the search for narrative identity becomes a search for meaning, and belonging. *** 📅 Event Details 🗓️ Date: Saturday, 27 Juni 2026 ⏰ Time: 14:00 📍 Location: Hardenbergstraße 10, 10623 Berlin 📱 WhatsApp: For prep materials and directions (Group Chat) [Group Chat Bio KI](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ba8ZAaH2Yuk6FGmD3LLO7H)

RSVP on Luma: [https://luma.com/oz1a88ms](https://luma.com/oz1a88ms) Silent Reading / Creating Club is a gathering for people who enjoy focusing together in public. Bring a book, a notebook, a sketchpad, knitting needles, whatever you’d like to spend a quiet hour doing. All projects and all participants are welcome. We’re building a community of readers and creators who value depth, presence, and shared silence. The reading and creating isn't the real highlight, though, it’s in the people who return and make it feel like a familiar room. (Please RSVP “yes” only if you can make it, so we can save a seat for you and others on the waitlist.) Our Meeting Point is the **W66 Café**. There’s no entrance fee, but please order at least one item from the café and don’t bring outside food or drinks 🙂 No assignments, expectations, or pressure. Just a shared hour of intentional silence, followed by the opportunity for good conversation. 🕰 Our Agenda **10:30 – 11:00** Arrivals, ordering drinks/food, light social time **11:00 – 12:00** The Great Quiet Hour (Read. Write. Sketch. Code. Think. Sit.) **12:00 – 12:30** Optional socializing: share what you were reading or creating, or simply continue in quiet focus. ## 🏡 House Guidelines To keep this space calm and welcoming for everyone: • Silence during the focus hour (no calls or conversations) • Put cellphones on silent mode • If using technology, please avoid meetings or audio (headphones please!) • Arrive before 11:00 if possible to minimize disruptions

Welcome to **I WRITE**, a gentle space for anyone who wants to write—quietly, freely, and without judgement. We are a Berlin community of writers who gather together weekly to write, talk and recharge after a long week. Some of us journal, some write novels, some do academic writing, many people come without a project in mind and see where the inspiration flow takes them. This is a space to simply show up and write, a safe place to be yourself and to release all your layers onto the paper. There’s no set topic, no feedback circle, and no pressure. Just warm people, a calm atmosphere, and time dedicated to yourself. 🗓️ **Agenda:** * 14:30 - 15:00 **→** 30 min arriving, optional socialising (arrive early, meet other writers) * 15:00 - 16:00 **→** 1 hour of silent writing (headphones welcome, focus encouraged) * 16:00–16:30 **→** 30 mins break + optional chat or solo time (stay and chat or go celebrate the rest of your Saturday) * 16:30–17:30 → 1 more hour of silent writing (for those staying) * 17:30–18:00 → 30 mins of chat, and leaving 🎒 **Bring:** * Something to write with (laptop, notebook, phone, typewriter… anything goes) * Something to drink (there is no cafeteria, unfortunately) * Your current project or a blank page * Yourself, exactly as you are **👉 Responsibility:** * Our location is limited; thus, I am kindly asking you to RSVP only if you are willing to attend. **📍Location:** * We meet at **Heinrich Schulz Library in Charlottenburg**. In the library, go look for the Gruppenraum; I will be waiting for you there. Any trouble finding the room, I will come to meet you outside. * 🚇 U7 **Richard-Wagner-Platz** * 🚌 M45 Bus **U Richard-Wagner-Platz** **About me:** Hi, my name is Anastasia. I started this writing club back in May 2025. Since then, it has been hosted weekly at the Heinrich Schulz Library (who is kind enough to allow us to use this room for free). Over this time, I’ve been privileged to meet some of the most creative and kind minds in Berlin. And I would be happy if you joined us. Whether you're an experienced writer or just at the beginning of your journey, you're welcome. If you know how to hold a pen or how to type, there will always be a space for you. Let's write together!

Welcome, readers! Our June read is ***Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible*** ***Voyage*** **by Alfred Lansing.** A work of nonfiction, and one of the most astonishing survival stories in history, we follow Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew after their ship is crushed by Antarctic ice. Stranded in one of the harshest environments on Earth, the men endure months of isolation, freezing temperatures, and near starvation—yet refuse to give up hope. Lansing brings their ordeal to life through vivid detail and firsthand accounts, capturing both the brutality of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. At its core, the story is a powerful testament to leadership, perseverance, and the unbreakable will to survive against impossible odds. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **all** **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships. At this seminar you will learn: How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships. How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship. How to choose the right people to work with. The three things that make or break any relationship. How to make a good relationship great. All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

This month we’ll be reading Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!

This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.