I would like to share a summary of my first impressions of Berlin with you. I have had a great first week. I worked. I walked around the city. I spent time with friends. Here is what I’ve noticed: **People are friendlier than I expected** This is the biggest surprise to me. Having spent weeks here before, I was expecting people to be grumpy, especially during winter. “People don’t smile here” I thought I remembered. This time around however I have had very positive moments with strangers. In coffee shops. On the subway. At work. They actually smiled! And made light conversations! Having had those positive interactions with strangers has definitely made a difference for me. I feel comfortable asking people without having to expect to deal with much negativity. If you had asked me what to look out for when going to Berlin if you’re coming from New York, it would have been ‘the people and their attitude’. Today, I will say that you should not worry about them and instead strike up a fun conversation. **The city changes and grows faster than before** Ever since my first stay it is clear: Berlin is changing. This time around, change and growth have accelerated. The city looks more modern, cleaner, more organized than ever before. Berlin seems richer. Berlin seems more planned. Designed. Berlin used to be “Young”. Now it’s also “Professional”. It feels like it is moving into a bright future now. While it felt it was shedding its skin for two decades, trying to reinvent itself, now it is coming into its own. **Winter in Berlin is cold and beautiful** I was expecting to be turned off by the perpetual overcast sky but I have found the city to be very charming even without the sun for most of the day. It has been really cold and I recommend to bring your warmest coat if you ever are planning to visit in early January. So as long as you’re warm, make sure you go and explore the city. You can take the subway from anywhere to anywhere. **If you like coffee, you’ll love Berlin** I’ve been binging on a lot of coffee since I got here. Pretty much any coffee tends to be stronger more flavorful than what you can get on the streets of New York. And there is little fanfare around coffee. So, even the dedicated coffee shops are not pretentious. They just make good coffee and give it to you for money. So, I’m pretty excited about going out more, getting more coffee with old and new friends. Get a solid caffeine jolt. I am happy to write so many good things because, honestly, I’ve had my troubles with Berlin on prior stays. It was too easy for me to feel lonely and disconnected. Even while having friends close-by. Also, the scale and strangeness of the city has intimidated me before. I worried if I could settle in for a few months. If it would be too different coming from New York. A week in, my concerns are mostly gone. Berlin has space. And interesting people you can talk to. It changes before your eyes. The winter keeps you on your toes. And then, a cup of good coffee will pull it all together for you.