5 Things I Learned in the Baumhaus ‘Open Greeting Zone.’ – by Lucie Heath
When is the last time you walked up to a complete stranger and introduced yourself? Just walked right up and said hello for no other reason than wanting to learn a little bit about them and wanting for them to learn a little bit about you?
Last Sunday, the people at the Baumhaus tried to shatter existing social boundaries by creating an ‘Open Greeting Zone’ at their social networking event at art loft berlin. As attendees enjoyed an evening of food, drinks and music the idea was that people should attempt to continually spark conversations with strangers and expect the same in return. Excited about the prospect of connecting with some new people, I myself headed over to Wedding for a celebration of spring, sustainability and social engagement. Here’s 5 things I learned at the Baumhaus Sunday Afternoon event:
1. People are friendly, if you just try.
Since moving to Berlin I have found it surprising how many people say they find living in this city a lonely experience. Visiting Berlin the city seems so inviting – a place where you can attend one event or party and leave with an entire new group of friends. Yet when you live here the reality can be different.
It often feels difficult to make connections with people that last longer than one night, especially when everyone seems to be living here for such a short period of time.
However my night spent in the Baumhaus Open Greeting Zone proved to me that some people do actually live in Berlin for longer than six months and that if you make a little bit of effort, it is not impossible to engage with and get to know them. Over the course of the evening I had some nice conversations with people of a variety of ages and nationalities, and even left with some new Facebook friends and plans to meet again. Had it not been for the Open Greeting Zone I am sure I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of meeting with as many interesting people and would have probably spent my entire evening talking to people I already knew. So maybe it’s not completely impossible to make some long lasting connections in Berlin, you just have to be brave enough to go up and say hallo!
2. Nothing breaks down social barriers like a magic trick (and cocktails).
Saying that, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous when I first arrived at the Baumhaus event. As stupid as it may seem, introducing yourself to a group of strangers is often quite an intimidating experience and as much as everyone wanted to participate in the Open Greeting Zone, you could tell some people were unsure about how to dive right in.
The atmosphere started to change however when Baumhaus cofounder Scott announced he would be performing a ‘magic trick’ and asked everyone to gather around him next to the performance area. After splitting the group into three and making everyone close their eyes, Scott then proceeded to conduct us like an orchestra, asking each group to make different noises, the result being a pretty weird and wonderful beat. Forcing us to close our eyes and make some silly noises together was a great way to help shed insecurities and loosen up the crowd. That plus a few of the delicious ‘Bookish’ cocktails provided by Sarah from the Wedding Space and suddenly the Open Greeting Zone wasn’t so intimidating anymore.
3. It’s amazing what you can achieve with some good people and a good idea. Since the art loft berlin is conveniently located right next-door, partygoers were also welcome to go on a tour of the Baumhaus where we could see for ourselves how construction was coming along on the site. Alongside this, the team also used the event to launch their new crowdfunding campaign and premiered a video that they had made that included information about the project and interviews with volunteers, neighbors and activists alike.
What strikes me most about the entire Baumhaus project is how much founders Scott and Karen have managed to achieve with the help of volunteers, interns and people willing to donate their skills pro bono. Almost everything I saw that night, including the video, scale models and construction work, was made possible because people were willing to donate their time and effort to help with the realization of an idea that they believed in. The Baumhaus is a testament to the power of collective action and it is inspiring to see how many people are motivated by a desire to help create positive change in their local Kiez and beyond.
4. Food waste tastes delicious.
Keeping within the spirit of the event, guests were treated to food provided by another great Berlin sustainability initiative, The Real Junk Food Project. The Real Junk Food Project Berlin is part of a wider global network of groups who collect would-be-wasted food from supermarkets and other places to open cafes, create pop-up restaurants and cater events.
The Real Junk Food volunteers provided event goers with a banquet of leftovers that included aubergine rolls, spinach spread, artichoke leaves and dip, pomegranate salad, veggie soup and freshly squeezed juice. I really couldn’t say enough good things about the volunteers who worked tirelessly all day to make sure everyone had enough to eat and showcased a variety of creative ways in which scraps can be transformed into delicious food again. This bring me on to the final thing I learned at the Baumhaus Sunday Afternoon event…
5. There are so many innovative people and local initiatives in Berlin.
The ultimate goal of the Baumhaus project is to create a space where changemakers can meet, interact and exchange ideas. Giving this, it was fitting that last Sunday’s event acted as a platform for local initiatives to promote their ideas and connect with potential collaborators. Aside from littering the art loft with posters and flyers from different organizations, the Baumhaus team also encouraged people to get up and give a one-minute pitch to the crowd about their ideas.
Polly & Bob, Wedding Wandler and Himmelbeet were just three of the organizations that I found out about over the course of the evening. What I love most about these initiatives is how grounded they are in their local community while still promoting ideas that can change the ways we interact in wider society as a whole. For me, I think the number one thing I have taken away from my interactions with the Baumhaus and those associated with it, is the strength that lies within local communities and the power of collaborative efforts. So imagine what we could achieve together if we just got over ourselves, walked over and said hello.
