May 22, 2012
Julia Lipkins' multimedia project for The Local explores the lives of immigrants in Germany's capital.
Beirut, Lebanon
Born and raised in Palestinian refugee camp, Nasser Ayyade left Lebanon to start a family and business in Berlin.
"My two-year-old speaks more German than I do," says Ayyade, the proprietor and sole full-time employee of Ad-Duha Fleischerie. In 2005, the federal government passed The Immigration Act, which requires immigrants from non-EU countries to participate in a 600-hour language and integration course. Ayyade enrolled in an introductory German class upon his arrival in 2006, but he says he learned the language from interacting with customers.
