How to be a Hamburger

Moving to Hamburg, or trying to understand it beyond familiar clichés, can be both disorienting and rewarding. How to Be a Hamburger is a thoughtful, practical, and lightly humorous guide to life in Germany’s most understated city, written for internationals, newcomers, and curious locals alike. Combining neighbourhood guides, cultural observations, and personal experience, Hannah Teslin explores what it means to arrive in Hamburg and gradually find a sense of belonging. The book explores everyday Hamburger Lingo, local habits, and city life, while offering insider perspectives on Hamburg’s neighbourhoods, cafés, and more. Rather than a checklist or a traditional travel guide, How to Be a Hamburger offers an insider’s view of the city as it is lived. It reflects on the small moments that shape daily life, its reserve, humour, and quiet warmth – through the lens of someone who came from abroad and chose to stay. A companion for anyone building a life in Hamburg, or for readers interested in seeing the city from a fresh, international perspective.