7 Reasons I'm Excited to Live in Berlin (Revisited)

I originally wrote this story on March 1, 2020, a couple of weeks before COVID-19 began dominating every headline, and the skin on my hands turned into papyrus paper from washing them so often.

The purpose of this post was to reflect on the aspects of living in Berlin that excited me the most and to highlight the differences between my life in the States versus what I thought it would be abroad.

And while I finally made it to Berlin, my original plan changed drastically.

So given the circumstances, I kept the overarching structure of my article but made some modifications.

1. Working at a startup where I can make an impact

For the better part of three years–or two years, eight months, and sixteen days, to be precise (but who’s counting!)– I worked in New York City at Google.

While my coworkers were amazing, and my pay, benefits, and equity package were better than any twenty-six-year-old should expect, working at a large company was not without its challenges.

As someone who loves to build and create, it was sometimes disheartening when I came up with what I thought was a great way to automate my workflow, or organize a system, only to find out somebody else has already done it.

Other times, bureaucracy got in the way, and I spent my time locating individuals on obscure engineering teams to get processes started instead of actually building. So a project I could have completed in a couple of days could get dragged out for weeks, without any real action.

At a startup, however, I will not have to tiptoe around red tape to spearhead projects.

That said, the stakes will be higher because, at a company with less than two dozen employees, it is almost impossible to hide and shirk responsibility for failure. If you fail at a startup, everyone knows you failed.

And while this is daunting, it appeals to me because I have a growth mindset and a desire to improve each day. I believe the only way to break through to the next level is to push past the fear of failure.

Another exciting part of the role is that although it’s in Berlin, I am working with clients in the US market.

How cool is that?

2. Language Barrier

Learning foreign languages is a great way to connect with new people and build instant rapport with non-English speakers. I believe it is also a great way of showing respect. Because I want to become fluent quickly, I will not be speaking any English during my time in Germany (unless it’s with my family, non-German-speaking friends, or work colleagues).

The language barrier also means that activities and chores I might have considered mundane in the United States have the potential to become adventurous and risky. In fact, since arriving here last week, I have been yelled at twice very loudly, and two pharmacists laughed standing next to each other laughed at me as I tried to buy masks.

What’s great about being somewhere you don’t know many people is that almost everyone is a stranger. Plus, I wear a mask everywhere, so I don’t have to worry about them recognizing me the next time I come into the store! Bonus points.

So by interacting only in German and never retreating into English, I get an impartial sounding board at scale.

Success and failure are quite simple to evaluate when speaking a foreign language. Either you convey your intentions effectively and receive whatever it is you are asking for, or you have an awkward interaction. In either case, you can go back to the drawing board to improve for next time.

I never want to make the same mistake twice, so each day, I study my German vocabulary using the Anki flashcard system and supplement it by watching movies and taking notes. I try to recreate my encounters so that I can figure out where I went wrong.

Here are examples of other “high-risk” activities I have performed while in Germany:

• Asking for directions
• Ordering takeout
• Complimenting someone’s dog

3. Being in Europe and getting to travel

Ok, so this is a perk that doesn’t apply until after things go back to “normal.”

A significant advantage of being in Germany is the accessibility of other countries. Germany borders nine countries: Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Belgium.

Funny enough, I have never spent time in any of them, which means that in just a short plane or train ride, I can travel to some places I have always wanted to see. In other words, vacationing in Europe will become a nonchalant weekend activity instead of a yearly one.

4. Personal growth and being uncomfortable

If getting yelled at in German isn’t scary enough, I am also looking forward to the other ways living abroad will push me outside of my comfort zone.

Financial stability was a luxury I did not have as a child but desperately wanted. It always seemed like someone was pulling the rug out from underneath me, so I grew up striving to create stability for myself.

What I didn’t realize throughout childhood is that security alone isn’t the destination; it’s just a vehicle. Once you have a solid foundation, you can choose to remain comfortable and in a state of ease, or you can challenge yourself, which is like letting the carpet slide a bit without letting it go entirely from under you. Without some stability, however, it always feels like you’re playing catch-up.

Luckily, living and working here should give me the right amount of discomfort necessary to keep growing and challenging myself without all the stress of worrying about the next paycheck.

5. Bringing my dog, Noodle

I have a Mini Aussie named Noodle, and she is just over two years old (see photo).

I lived with her in the suburbs of New Jersey, which afforded me a whole lot more space to play with her.

However, it was still nothing compared to having a dog in Berlin.

I am incredibly grateful to be able to bring her with me on my journey and am excited because of Germany’s reputation as a dog-friendly country. Access to rivers, forests, parks, stores, and even restaurants will allow me to include her in more parts of my life, which means she won’t have to sit around at home as often.

Unfortunately, Noodle is at my mom’s house for the time being, since it would have been nearly impossible getting here during the current crisis.

She doesn’t have to worry though, she’s getting endless belly rubs and will have a canine network to hang out with for when she arrives.

6. Access to more parks and green space

As I mentioned, I was living in the suburbs of New Jersey. While we had parks in my town, there weren’t many people that frequented them, so it felt isolating at times. In Berlin, however, the parks have a lot going on in them (especially in the spring and summer), and I am looking forward to bringing Noodle all around so she can make some new friends. It’ll likely have to be next year likely, unfortunately.

I am also enthusiastic about exercising outdoors and going on adventures, so I am looking forward to having many opportunities to bike, hike, camp, and explore.

7. Cost of rent in Berlin

In future articles, I will share the costs of going shopping, paying utilities, and dining out, but for now, let’s talk about renting an apartment. Below is a quick comparison between my New York City, New Jersey, and Berlin apartments.

I lived in New York from 2018 to 2019 and was sharing a 2-bedroom, five-hundred square-foot apartment that cost $3600 per month (without utilities). It was located in Midtown East near the United Nations and was also close to major train lines. The real bonuses were that it had a doorman, rooftop, gym, and laundry facility downstairs. The cons were that there was always noise outside my window, and it had no windows in the living room. Another downside was that I went to a commercial gym down the street and only went up to the roof three times. In other words, my roommate and I fell into the luxury building trap of choosing amenities over space.

In New Jersey, however, I was paying $1850 a month (not including utilities) for a one-bedroom, seven-hundred-fifty square-foot apartment with twelve-foot ceilings, and large windows. It was still about the same price per person as New York City was, except that I got much more space, and was in a beautiful and quiet area.

In Berlin, I am now spending €950 (approx. $1,054) for a furnished apartment that includes utilities and is a fifteen-minute walk from my office.

Conclusion

While I have only been in Berlin for about a week, I am looking forward to the many great things the city has to offer. For instance, frequenting biergartens, attending lake outings, going on weekend excursions, and being yelled at for not knowing enough German.

It has required six years of patience and planning to make my way here, so now is the time to combine an unbridled work ethic with thoughtful reflection.

I will share more posts in the future, so stay tuned!