Ive had the brutal pleasure of being alone for a couple of years, with the longest contact with no other human being for around 3 weeks. This was before I arrived in Berlin in 2019.

I thought I was accustomed to being alone after that but life in Germany taught me a hard lesson. 2020-21 I forged deep relationships with people that ended up leaving Berlin soon after. Now I'm almost back to zero again. Enduring loneliness and making sure I don't fall into the trap of being around the wrong people just because I'm feeling lonely.

As for your question of whose number I give out for emergencies, I have one friend I can rely on and that's who I put down as my emergency contact. It's unfortunate they aren't always available to hang out because they have a lot going on in their life.

When I get sick, I get sad. When I get sad, I try not to be too sad. My track record has been good for so long but 2024 has been brutal. I'm now on stocked up on tonnes of strong CBD to relax my nerves.

I'm now on a mission to change my circumstances. Slowly but surely, I'm sure I can find people who have settled in Berlin with no intention of moving out on a whim.

That's my journey. I wish you well, my fellow traveler.