What's it like to live/work in Berlin?

3stripe · Post by **3stripe** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:17 am

I've visited a couple of time and I love it.

Wondering what it's like to live there?

Would it be hard for a non-German speaker to get a job there? (I'm a web designer)

I know that apartments are cheap to rent but that's about it...

Android · Post by **Android** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:18 am

I'm very interested in moving there as well.

I have a lot of experience with mobile phone content.

sorgenkind · Post by **sorgenkind** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:06 am

so far I know its not a problem at all if you don't speak german, there are so many non germans in berlin...

Der geile Ami · Post by **Der geile Ami** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:23 pm

Berlin has a very high unemployment rate. Do not expect ot come here and find work. However, if you can show that you can survive from outside money (web development might work, living off family, already established as a dj/artist/etc), then you have a chance. I just showed up and didnt leave. It took a few years before I found a job that could put me into the system. The main concern is that outsiders will latch onto an already overworked social system.

You do not need to speak german to absolutely survive, but it puzzles me how anyone here lasts longer than a year without learning anything.

It's a great city for living (parks, transportation, neighborhoods, etc) but do keep in mind there is no sun from october to april.

3stripe · Post by **3stripe** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:45 pm

no sun? i live in glasgow, we only have 2 seasons here: luke-warm, and cold

i would definitely secure a job before heading over. although in theory i could do freelance web dev stuff, it would be pretty risky.

and of course, i would make an attempt to learn the language in advance, and as soon as i got there. that goes without saying.

http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/ind ... owforum=84 is a good forum i found for english speakers in Berlin/Germany.

emoke · Post by **emoke** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:50 pm

better than Disneyland?

Thomas D and Jack Thomas · Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:33 pm

Imagine young, cool people with 2 days unshaven faces and designer jeans, dancing to sexy minimal music.

Der geile Ami · Post by **Der geile Ami** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:13 pm

Thomas D and Jack Thomas wrote:Imagine young, cool people with 2 days unshaven faces and designer jeans, dancing to sexy minimal music.

thats actually not the best representation of the city. While that aspect is certainly flourishing, its all the other things that make berlin so intersting for me after almost 5 years. There is a big flea market culture, the old school east germans are funny, the police are chill, the taxi drivers nice, the streets wide (which is not the easiest for europe). The music scene is too diverse to call berlin a minimal town, with the goth, punk, and brit pop scenes doing so well. Even rockabilly has a wide audience.

I guess people wear designer jeans (unless a torn pair of levis 501s counts, i dont), but fashion also covers a wide spectrum. Fucked up and multicolor haircuts are also quite common on seemingly normal people.