A visitor at you2016 Berlin

When I shared with the teenager in the house my intention to visit You2016 Berlin this year, the announcement was received with irony and a discouraging speech followed: I am far beyond the average age of the participants, there is nothing of interest for me, all the beginner teenagers will have a lot of fun of me. Etc. Etc. But it is hard to discourage me when I have an aim, in this case, my curiosity to understand the market for this age segment plus, eventually, got more glimpses into the YouTube mania in Germany. Somehow, I succeeded to have a look at the fair, but gave up the YouTube part, as I decided it was already too much for me. As for the audience, no one forbade me or made fun of me and surprisingly, there were new more than one mother with baby too.

The ICC Hall, plus the yard, were full with activities and teenagers jumping back and forth in all directions. Expect loud music - party mood - and some shootings at the Mädchen stand. Knowing something about the passion of teenagers nowadays for as much make-up as possible, I was expecting more beauty companies, but it wasn't the case. Instead, henna tattoos made by Indian ladies were beautiful. One day, I will got one too.

There were a lot of competitions with various prizes, and those areas were usually very crowded. Maybe too enthusiastic too.

Some competitions were more serious, like the Battle of Schools, aimed to display the best graffiti work.

As in the case of make-up, fashion was underrepresented. At the sports area, there were more shoes and sport suits options.

The manga fans had a small corner with colourful and exotic items.

Japanese sports praticed by German experts were neighbouring some serious boxing matches, with bells and hard hits. Even for a couple of seconds, it was my first boxing game. Not sure if I would fancy to repeat the experience though. 

A big hall was dedicated to jobs offers for teenagers. Army, Police, Customs, insurance companies, were some of the options. Bundeswehr - Army Forces - invited the youngsters to have a look inside a PA 200 Tornado.

Outside, teens are fighting paintball or shoot some laser weapons. Indoors, some basketball training was going on. I left with a lot of ideas of what I should keep in mind for a growing up boy. As a once in a lifetime experience, it was useful. And not all the teenagers are really mean actually. 

Histerically laughing about teenagers

What else can you do when you have at least one piece of wild teenager in the house? Sometimes I am worried that something wrong happens with the brain between certain ages but hopefully everything is erased with one click. Except for those having care of them, who are supposed to be the victims of their confusing personality. As a survivor of the life with a teenager, I may agree with a friend of mine that in the old good times they were so right to send the kids away from families during this age, for acquiring an apprentiship, or getting an education, or whatever reason. 

Jan Weiler wrote previously about teenagers - Pubertiere (Tiere means animals in German, so you do not need advanced linguistic skills for understanding the getting the meaning of the  title - how he calls them, so this recent book is a follow up. Kind of update saying 'hey, I survived life with 2 - TWO! for Gd's sake - teenagers'. Altough reading this book will not change anything from the usual drama of the co-habitation with such a creature, at least it makes you laugh. Laugh therapy is good. The most efficient weapon against the tyrans. If not used with the German humour - to add a lot of sarcasm and self-admiration abot how smart you are when you make the joke - you may not get it in many cases, but as for now the book is available in German anyway - including audio version - so if you read it it means that you know more than the basic 'ich bin, du bist...' kind of training. (PS. The der, die, das thing you will never get it...never). 

Why you have to read this book: because you will feel less lonely, more relaxed, ready for a new day with the teenager under the same roof, and more convinced than ever that the dictatorship should be fought against. Wherever you are on this planet, there are many other parents too trying to understand the secret language of their teenies and to order more Energy drinks instead of the old times lemonade because, this is how it works. 

The optimistic me hopes that it is not always the same and at least my sweet little boy will be always respectful and cute and never, but never ever, a wild teenage-animal. At least now, I do have a lot of experience about what to expect. And believe me, be ready to expect the worse.