Andrew Bulkeley

5 days ago | 20percent.berlin | Andrew Bulkeley

Dear 20 Percent,I’m no good at these big commemoration thingies. Of course I’m glad the war ended 80 years ago and of course Berlin played a central role but I’m just not sure why I should have headed out to some memorial rather than my neighborhood ice cream store yesterday — it’s not like I can personally thank someone involved in the battle or buy them an ice cream. Am I being insensitive? I don’t know. I just don’t feel it — though I feel the historic importance generally.

1 week ago | 20percent.berlin | Andrew Bulkeley

Dear 20 Percent,We’ve been reminding you to do your shopping the day before a workday holiday since before we started this newsletter but over the past two years I’ve been thinking it isn’t as imperative as it used to be. And yesterday I realized why. It’s because Berlin (German?) grocery stores acknowledged customer service (gasp!). They — 1— started staying open longer and — 2 — started constantly restocking shelves the day before a holiday.

2 weeks ago | 20percent.berlin | Andrew Bulkeley

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -33:39Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Broken Republik, the book we should have written. Discussion about this episodeA podcast by the founders of 20 Percent Berlin. Two veteran journalists talk about the burning issues in Germany's capital. Did we mention we're both veteran journalists? A podcast by the founders of 20 Percent Berlin. Two veteran journalists talk about the burning issues in Germany's capital.

2 weeks ago | 20percent.berlin | Andrew Bulkeley

Hey 20 Percent!Maurice and I were interviewed for Jazz Radio yesterday (we’ll let you know when it airs) and the question of whether we enjoy living in Berlin came up — and I laughed inside. Maybe, I thought. Because this whole German thing is an accident based on a decision by 14-year-old me. I had to pick a language in 7th grade. The counselor said Spanish would be my best bet but I figured everyone took Spanish — even my Mexican friends.

3 weeks ago | 20percent.berlin | Andrew Bulkeley

Dear 20 Percent,Spring is traditionally my favorite time in Germany. Not because of the warming weather or the Spargel. Or even the cutesy strawberry stands on every corner. No, it’s because of the Jesus holidays. It seems like every other Friday is off because one-third of the holy trinity did something worth celebrating. For most of my time in Germany I got the days off but in the last few years my new sources of income actually necessitate working on those days (hello, 20percent.berlin).