Job Discussion Forums

[johncoan]

Berlin is arguably the most exciting city in Europe, but jobs are scarce. Sadly.

[scot47]

I am in Germany at the moment spending some of my petrodollars.

Whether you like it or not, they won the Peace !

An amazing country with few signs of the social disintegration to be seen in the English-speaking World.

[scot47]

Looking around Potsdamer Platz in Berlin I am reminded of the words of the 'Nationlhymne der DDR'

'Auferstanden aus Ruinen
Und der Zukunft zugewandt.....'

[Soupman]

Vacations are invariably too short to allow a balanced view of a country. Read any newspaper, though, to see how Germany is hardly without problems, e.g. massive unemployment. Whilst published unemployment figures continue to fall, economists point to the lack of �consumption� (how much people spend), which is explained by hundreds of thousands of �employed� Germans forced to work in �400/month mini jobs.

It�s incredible that over two decades on after reunification, all Germans still pay a �Solidarity Tax� to support the old East Germany. The former DDR can only improve (it cannot get worse), but for the rest of Germany, unemployment and an aging population to support do not bode well for the entire nation.

Yet, just as my Stein is half full, Scot47 is partly right. Germany is a nice place, at the moment. Even I would consider retiring there, albeit only as a 100% self-sufficient pensioner.

Scot47, it�s not a loaded question, but I am curious. Why don�t you yourself consider retiring, at least part time, to Germany?

[Adventurer]

I was in Germany for three years 2002-2005.

After acquiring a freelance employment contract, I went down to government office (#1) to get a residency permit, office (#2) to get a work permit, office (#3) to get a tax payer ID. That was it !

Berlin IS a happenin' city!
-Lots of contemporary art!
-Budding live music scene.
-Excellent public trans.
-Most locals are pretty Reasonable.
-Lots of expats.

Major cons:
-Weather.
-You will pretty-much be living check to check even on a full time salary (if you want your own apt).

All in all - it ain't Oz, but if ESL salaries were higher in Germany, I might be there right now!

[scot47]

Too old and too many medical "issues". I will stay in my island paradise on the Clyde Estuary.

[artemisia]

On life in (a few parts of) Europe

As much as I love Berlin and think it�s a vibrant, exciting city, the last time I was there a few years ago, I got tired of the constant pestering from other people (mostly not Germans) on the streets, trains, and at train stations especially. You get �performers� daily who get on and off the S-Bahns at nearly every stop, play (some instrument) full blast and then go around looking for money. I can�t think of a German city I�ve been to where I�ve not had to shake off pesterers/ followers along the street (Do you speak German? Do you speak English?) and, especially in Berlin, the organised groups trying to shake you down for something.

Quite a few places I travelled in Europe were like this, too (chronic in Italy). I didn�t notice it to the same extent in Spain (Barcelona) or Switzerland but then I didn�t spend lots of time there. Maybe it�s always been like this, but it seemed worse to me last time. I think it�s probably more the experience of a traveller than someone living/ working in a city.

But for me Berlin is still THE place ....

[scot47]

Simple solution - Carry a Browning.

[yoga2012]

I'm in Berlin now vacationing! It's a nice place and I'm staying in the west part for this week. Haven't been too impressed with the weather.

I love the walkways and bike trails. It's pedestrian friendly and not as expensive as other cities in Germany I was told.

[artemisia]

Poor weather or no, I'm envious. If you don't know Berlin and are interested in galleries, I'd suggest a visit to Hamburger Bahnhof.