A tug of shame bugs me in conversations concerning Berlin. Who wouldn’t be embarrassed if you had been in Germany for almost two years but had never set foot in the capital. But now, this is true no more. Thanks to my friends Omar and Billy who sought my generous umzug service. After ten of hours in and out of the autobahn, three stops, and driving through six German states, I felt worthy of proclaiming, ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’

So what have I been doing since I arrived here three months ago? Well, for the first three weeks I really just allowed myself to get acclimatized to my new surroundings here in Bonn. I rode the strassenbahn around town, complained about the weather, went to a couple of Christmas markets, ate my first wurst and drank warm glühwein. Then I celebrated the holidays, Christmas here, and New Year’s in Paris.

Soon after the festivities ended it was time for me to start my internship which I was thankfully able to secure before arriving in Germany. I am now in the middle of a four month contract with the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). Interning here has really been a great experience, and opened up my eyes to how Germans do business. I have had the pleasure of working in two different departments doing completely different task and truly enjoy the work.

Check out Young Germany’s new German learning Podcast, as we speak to young people about the financial crisis.

Podcast: Interview Finanzkrise
Download the podcast on the main YG website here:

http://tinyurl.com/c2r8pc

VfL Wolfsburg are not a much-liked club among fans in the league. They are financed by Volkswagen, are based in a city with about as much appeal as a VW Sharan and they draw scorn through their pitiful away support. But they have never attracted too much attention as they have tended to finish mid-table since being promoted to the Bundesliga in 1997.

That however has changed emphatically this season, as the “Wolves” are the best team in the second half of the season, notching up the most goals in the league. And following this weekend’s 3-0 away win against Bielefeld they have moved within one point of league leaders Hertha BSC Berlin and look a very good bet for the title. The team coached and managed by former Bayern München coach Felix Magath are playing exciting, attacking football with their very own “magic triangle”: The Bosnia and Herzegovina internationals Zvjezdan Misimovic and Edin Dzeko, as well as Brazilian striker Grafite.

Grafite in particular personifies Wolfburg’s success. He has scored 18 goals in just 16 league games this season. In addition, he has managed 4 goals in 3 German cup games and 3 goals in 3 UEFA Cup games. You don’t need to be a mathematician to figure out that he averages more than a goal a game.

The powerful 29-year-old Brazilian was bought from Le Mans for 7.5 million euros last season. He scored 11 league goals in his debut season, but it is this season where he has really come into his own. Alongside Dzeko, he has become a weapon 007 himself would be proud of. His Bosnian strike partner has netted 13 goals too, as well as providing 8 assists. Taking those two lethal strikers out of the game is close to impossible. At 189 cm and 193 cm respectively they cause trouble through their physical presence alone. Grafite has an Adriano-esque quality about him. With his imposing physique he barges his way through defenses, using raw power combined with speed and guile. Dzeko is more slight and impresses through intelligent positioning, quick dribbling and his two-footedness.

The two up front are assisted by the man with the most assists in the league: Zvjezdan Misimovic. Wolfsburg’s number 10 has set up 14 goals this season, as well as chipping in with 6 goals himself.

They are a potent attacking trio and on Saturday they traveled to Bielefeld where they underlined their championship credentials by running out 3-0 winners. Wolfsburg took control early on and were rewarded in the 19th minute when Christian Gentner opened the scoring. Bielefeld reacted and pushed on and had Swiss international keeper Diego Benaglio to thank as he pulled off a couple of brilliant saves to keep a clean sheet. Then Grafite put Wolfsburg 2-0 up in the 58th minute and Dejagah rounded off their afternoon with a third goal in the 87th minute. The win puts Wolfsburg in second place with Bayern, just one point off Hertha BSC Berlin who lost 2-0 away to Stuttgart.

Stuttgart also looked impressive as they bounced back from their previous week’s 4-0 defeat in Bremen. In the 47th minute Jens Lehman kicked the ball far up-field towards German international striker Mario Gomez. He out-jumped Simunic and nodded the ball into the path of Cacau, who hit a bouncing shot past Drobny. Just three minutes later Sami Khedira converted a Thomas “the Hammer” Hitzlsperger cross and headed home. Berlin tried to come back, but could not find a way past the Stuttgart defense and crashed to their third defeat since the winter break.

Meanwhile Bayern Munich were another beneficiary of the Berlin slip-up, as they took three points at home against bottom-placed Karlsruhe. José Ernesto Sosa scored his first goal for the club, but on the whole this was a disappointing performance by the German giants. Bayern were even lucky not to concede a late equalizer as Rensig misjudged a corner and was left punching air. Luckily for him Ze Roberto was perfectly positioned on the line and cleared Stindel’s header away to safety. Bayern travel away to Wolfburg next weekend in what could be a strong indicator of where the Bundesliga title will be headed.

Bundesliga news in German: http://blog.magazine-deutschland.de

Match day 25 results:
Borussia Mönchengladbach – VfL Bochum 0:1
Borussia Dortmund – Werder Bremen 1:0
Arminia Bielefeld – VfL Wolfsburg 0:3
1899 Hoffenheim – Hannover 96 2:2
Bayer Leverkusen – Eintracht Frankfurt 1:1
VfB Stuttgart – Hertha BSC Berlin 2:0
Bayern München – Karlsruher SC 1:0
Energie Cottbus – 1. FC Köln 0:2
FC Schalke 04 – Hamburger SV 1:2

Table
1 Hertha BSC Berlin 49 P
2 Bayern München 48 P
3 VfL Wolfsburg  48 P
4 Hamburger SV 48 P
5 1899 Hoffenheim 44 P
6 VfB Stuttgart 42 P
7 Bayer Leverkusen 38 P
8 FC Schalke 04 37 P
9 Borussia Dortmund 37 P
10 Werder Bremen 32 P
11 1. FC Köln 32 P
12 Eintracht Frankfurt 26 P
13 Hannover 96 26 P
14 VfL Bochum 25 P
15 Arminia Bielefeld 24 P
16 Borussia Mönchengladbach 22 P
17 Energie Cottbus 20 P
18 Karlsruher SC 17 P

I have now been in Germany for about three months, and I quickly learned that settling in, and figuring how to make a life for myself here is harder than I ever imagined. I suppose part of the reason I assumed, unjustly that this move wouldn’t be so hard is that I have done this all before. Meaning right after I graduated university I packed up my life into two big suitcases and moved to China, where I was able to make a life for myself. Complete with a small apartment, paying job, great friends, and amazing vacation time.

Friedrich and Voronin celebrate

Flicking through the papers you might be forgiven for thinking it’s April Fools Day: Michael Jackson is doing a concert comeback series and Hertha BSC Berlin are four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. If you had made either prediction at the beginning of the season you’d have been a good candidate for a tight-fitting white jacket. Yet whereas the King of Pop topped the charts less than two decades ago and an avoiding bankruptcy comeback attempt was actually imaginable – Berlin topping and even winning the league never even entered the realms of consciousness.

It’s a strange and exciting season. Five clubs are separated by just four points at the top and none of the top teams seem to be able to put together decent run. Title favorites Bayern Munich are languishing in 5th position after a 0-0 draw in Bremen, whilst unfancied Hertha Berlin went back to top the league after their home win against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

On paper, the top game of the weekend was Bremen vs. Bayern. Normally this would have been a top-of-the-table clash. But with Bremen having a terrible season and Bayern with just one league win since the winter break it was the clash of two clubs desperate for a win to turn their fortunes around.