University of Florida - Berlin 2008 Study-Abroad Photojournalism Program

 
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by Harrison Diamond


McLean Redinbaugh
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Australian Boxer Guides Pub Tours

McLean Redinbaugh has spent years traveling the world outside his native Australia. Of all the places he has called home, ‘Mac’ feels that Berlin is where “you’ve got more freedom of expression than anywhere else I’ve been.”

After arriving in February 2008, Mac started to make his mark on the formerly divided city. Working for Fat Tire Bike Tours based out of Alexanderplatz, he is a guide for their popular Insomniac Pub Crawls. Taking anywhere between eight and 50 patrons out on each crawl, Mac must keep the group out of trouble and in the position to get properly intoxicated. Still, whether he is bringing 30+ people into the bigger clubs of Berlin-Mitte or pouring shots of Absinthe down a dozen Americans’ throats under the U-Bahn tracks in Prenzlauerberg, Mac is sure he has the third best job in the world – after Hugh Hefner and Playboy photographers’ assistants.

Mac’s life, however, does not solely revolve around abusing his liver, for his other passion is boxing. Taking up fighting from an early age, the 29-year-old trains with his artist girlfriend, Lynsey, at a gym at the end of the East Side Gallery that he describes as a bit “Master Racey.” He is set on owning his own gym upon returning to Australia, after training in Thailand. Ideally, he will take over one to avoid the delays and costs of a new startup. “Even if you’re trying to avoid the incredibly complex machines…your setup cost is still massive…all that time that you spend…is time you’re paying for a property that you’re not making any money from.” By taking over a failing location, he hopes to bring his own perspective to running a successful training gym and cut out the wasted time and money.