A multicultural capital considered the most fun place in Europe, a quality of life in solid gold, with rent being two or three times cheaper than in London; it’s not surprising that so many Spanish, French, Italians and even Canadians flood into the German capital…there’s a bit of everything in Berlin. And what’s more, moving there is extremely easy.
1) Speak French…or English
It pains me to say it, but many people hate the German language (for no good reason). Well, the good news is that you can survive perfectly well in Berlin without speaking German, even if that makes certain procedures (searching for apartments and jobs) a little more complicated. If you move over without having learnt the horrors of declensions and irregular verbs, you will find language schools absolutely everywhere. Given the influx of foreigners, you will find all the options imaginable, from part time lessons to crash courses for businessmen. Go for it!
2) Finding the ideal quarter
I’m going to oversimplify things for you: the East is funkier than the West, younger, livelier and cheaper. For students: Friedrichshain, for hippies: Mitter, for the chic middle class and young parents: Prenzlauer Berg, the cosmopolitan area: Kreutzberg, for the new, fashionable but affordable quarters: Wedding and Neuköln, for my parents: Savigny Platz, for Russians: Charlottenburg…And I’ll stop there. Berlin is eight times the size of Paris and consists of forests, lakes, suburban houses as well as modern buildings. Ask for the moon, and you might just get it.
3) Get around like a ninja
…by buying a bike, preferably a second hand one (from the flea market in Mauer Park or anywhere else). Transport tickets are expensive, which is pretty normal for the size of the town, so if you can, ride ! Berlin is flat and well catered for cyclistes; cars and pedestrians are used to bikes, it’s great ! After a month of cycling and muscly thighs, your investment will have paid off (if you shop around, you will find your Fahrrad for 40 euros, wheels included). Otherwise, it’s the U-Bahn (underground) or S-Bahn (overground), and don’t forget the bus and trams. There’s also the Kurzstrecke (short journeys) when you go to a maximum of 3 stations.
4) Finding an apartment
It’s time to ask yourself whether you’re going to find a decent youth hostel in the area you want. This is neither expensive nor complicated. You will note that estate agents are much fewer and far between than in London, and it’s normal practice for most people to go through the internet where the choice is huge. My favourite is: http://www.immobilienscout24.de/de/finden/wohnen/index.jsp. I have always found my (lofty) apartment in max 10 days, and that includes actually collecting the keys. You will rarely be asked for a CDI or guarantor, but on the other hand anticipate paying a deposit and, according to the property ads, agency fees. Flat sharing is called WG in German: type it into Google and plenty of specialist sites will appear. Oh, and don’t forget to only look for apartments with “EBK” (furnished kitchen), or you’d have to eat Curry Wurst (sausages in curry) until the end of time…
5) Making your Anmeldung
Your what ? Anlmeldung. It’s a necessary procedure which will give you a load of forms to fill in, and a library card. Basically, it tells the administration where you live. And if you don’t provide the required information within two weeks after you have moved in, you will have to pay your first German fine! Registration takes place in the town hall and as for the translation, take a look here: -> http://www.connexion-francaise.com/articles/anmeldung-linscription-obligatoire-en-mairie
6) Furnishing your apartment
Bringing all your things over from England will probably cost you more than a
You will find a number of second hand shops, and Berlin also has 3 Ikeas accessible via the underground, and local markets which offer cheap furniture too. For those who have money, look for the Stilwerk de KantStrasse which are devoted to designer makes.
7) Finding a job
It’s here things become more difficult. In Berlin, not only is the unemployment rate high, but a guaranteed minimum wage doesn’t exist: so you can get a haircut for 5 euros and cocktails for 3, but you must see the other side of the coin…The best thing to do is to pack your job in a suitcase and take it with you. Living in Berlin with a Londoner’s salary and you’ve hit the jackpot! Otherwise, you’d better start trawling through l'Arbeitsagentur and its Job Börse : http://jobboerse.arbeitsagentur.de/
8) Looking after your health
If you still work in England, ask for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). If you get a German contract, you will have to choose a local insurance company which will give you a card (your employer will help you, the procedure is incomprehensible for mere mortals). The British Embassy has a list of English doctors and dentists in Berlin which is very useful.
9) Going out like a true Brit
There is an English cinema, English library, English schools, clubs with English music, English bookshops, restaurants and bars, many societies and cultural centres…basically, you will be spoilt for choice. But that’s cheating !
10) Going out with the Germans
The Germans are pretty reserved, and they certainly don’t understand our propensity to declare « best friends forever » to some one we’ve only just met. Faced with this singular lack of open friendliness and warmth, you must simply be patient and respect some basic rules : try to always be on time to your rendez-vous, never wish someone Happy Birthday before the exact date (otherwise it’s bad luck, so at a birthday party always wait until midnight before giving someone their presents or even mentioning why you’re there…), and don’t flirt in the street (and they only ever subtly flirt). Good luck!
And once you are settled in, don’t forget the last stage: start speaking badly of England. When you have begun to appreciate the absence of crime in Berlin, the continuous brunches on the terrace, the nudist beaches and crazy nights, that will become the only thing to you!