The German dream - the other end of the stick

My father used to remind me that a stick has two ends. That means there are two sides of a story or that every advantage is balanced by a disadvantage.

I wrote a post about the German dream many people have when they decide to move to Germany. And it is my duty as a consultant to support you to make an informed decision.

You need to keep in mind: it’s a country just like yours. It’s just different, not necessarily better. You decide if it’s good for you or not.

Germany has existed before you, has a complex history, wounds, lessons and values, but is the economic powerhouse we know through its own efforts

Here is the other side of the dream:

1.           Own a German car (BMW, Audi, Mercedes)

You don’t need a car in a big city, public transportation is greener and 90% time reliable. You can order groceries also online & most people you see in traffic drive the company car and hurry by 07:15 to avoid 1h in rush hour.

For the other 10%, I learned my first-word “Versp?tung” (delay), due to the Deutsche Bahn suburban train (S-Bahn) delays I used to experience in the beginning.

2.         Live in a nice, modern home.

This is a big myth. Most of the buildings are from the 60s-80s and that’s because they’re solid, made of brick and really well maintained, because that’s another thing Germans do great: take care of their belongings.

As a relocation consultant I see a LOT of real estate and let me tell you that in most new buildings, after 2010, there are cracks along the walls, thin walls, Want some pictures?

Sure, the floor heating and A rating for your energy consumption are nice, but the rent is also higher because of the increasing raw material prices, salaries, taxes. And the floor plans or construction work are not done with passion, but with copy/paste, an Excel cost-saving strategy and a bank transfer.

Bonus info: in Munich in 2021 it costs about €12.000-13.000/sqm to buy a new apartment, while a senior property from the 60s-80s can be acquired for €7.000. The rents will be accordingly.

3.        Have a work-life balance (living their life and enjoying their family)

You need to define it first. If you come for a 9-5, I’ve heard about it rarely. Most people here work hard for their ambitious goals. Some reasons are bureaucracy, business interests in Asia or the US putting you through different work hours, economic pressure to always perform better and more. If you cannot keep up, you are left behind. If you have a child or want one, you need to keep up. There’s always another hungry, younger expat looking for a better life, just like you did.

If you work exactly what you love, then I’d say that’s the balance.

4.       Have labour laws that protect them (better work conditions)

Yes, they are and work conditions are well guarded. But there are also loopholes.

Have you heard of an “Aufhebungsvertrag” (termination agreement)? Do you know there is such a thing called legal insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung) which protects your rights as an employee? Is your HR based in Germany or another country? Does your employer have a Works Council (Betriebsrat)?

5.        Have access to more modern and affordable healthcare.

Modern through technology, yes. But that is not a guarantee that your insurance provider covers it. Or despite being modern means efficient, because it can be that a company has monopoly on a patent or product and being the only manufacturers, you depend on whatever quality they provide.

Also, it does not mean that every doctor is interested in being at his best. Many of them have to spend more time on bureaucracy with the insurance providers or manufacturers than on continuous learning and practising. 

6.        Their children having access to more modern education.

Teachers can teach, but they have to keep up also with bureaucracy (this word is quite a black hole) and it is encouraged that education is done/reinforced at home. No tablet, smartboard or online tool will replace the actual effort the child has to put in to learn.

Germans actually enforce education through experience, being in touch with nature, encourage critical thinking, civic spirit and above all, autonomy. 

7.         Afford themselves any food and they want.

OK, this one is quite true. Food is pretty affordable here, but there are some downsides: not everything you see is bio, and you may develop reactions over time to foods you thought are safe.

There are also way too many options for just about anything, and you reach decision fatigue or get overstimulated in trying to find the best solution for yourself. And too many options don’t mean more happiness.

8.        Have “#MadeInGermany” products.

Yes, but depends also which ones.

We live in a time when more sales mean business growth. But you cannot have more sales with products that simply last and don’t break. And the same sales growth made your job relevant.

The standard is still high, don’t get me wrong, but not every product can last a lifetime necessarily.

Plus point: the recycling system is exemplary and the people’s education in this matter starts from early childhood.

9.        Have access to more opportunities.

The access exists, but according to this post, there’s a catch. Without sound German language skills, opportunities are not so easy to grasp.

On the plus side: learning German is a life skill, not a chore on the “To do” list. You have only advantages from learning it.

10.    Afford themselves 1-2 vacations to new destinations.

True. Just don’t get sucked in some sort of office competition about the most exotic places you see and things you do. We’re not in Switzerland.

My brief piece of advice is to be careful what you are looking for, but be responsible and own your choices. You came here, enjoyed some benefits, and you can give back by being part of the change. 

What is your German dream experience?