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Get a job in Germany – where most activities are precursors to drinking
A Brit explains the fun to be had rolling rocks down country lanes
The eXpat files In Germany, employers are keen on certifications, the money's good and if you want to, you can spend weekends rolling wheels down country lanes.
So says this week's expat superstar, Brit-turned-German-resident William Durkin, who adds that almost everything in Germany eventually leads to a drink. Or five.
Over to you, William.
The Register: How old are you and where do you live in the UK, when you're there?
The Register: What kind of work do you do and with which technologies?
The Register: Why did you decide to move to Germany?
The Register: How did you arrange your expat gig?
The Register: Pay: up or down?
The Register: How do workplaces differ between the UK and Germany?
The Germans also live up to their reputation as hard-working people. However, from what I have seen, they work hard until they have fulfilled their 40 hours, then they flee the office. Work/life balance is a big thing over here, I recall hearing that the Germans spend more on holidays/hobbies than most (if not all) other European countries and am inclined to agree.
The Register: Will your expat gig be good for your career?
The Register: What's cheaper in Germany? What's more expensive?
Cars, on the other hand, are insane compared to the UK; used cars seem to be especially expensive. It may have to do with the "cash for clunkers" programme they ran about five years ago, but you just can't get a decent used car for cheap here.
The Register: What do you miss about home?
The Register: What's your top tip to help new arrivals settle in Germany?
The Register: What advice would you offer someone considering the same moves?
Also consider industry certifications. The Germans are big on these, although they don't necessarily prove real world knowledge, it is a yardstick that you can be measured against.
The Register: How easy/hard/impossible is it to watch your favourite sports team from home?
Football is almost as big in Germany as it is in the UK, the Bundesliga is fine, but most German football fans acknowledge that the Premier League is better. As such, it is common for the games to be shown on Sky in sports bars or, if you have a German Sky subscription, you would get Premier League games as part of their sports package.
Other sports (cricket, rugby) are almost non existent over here and have never seen a club or league mentioned anywhere. If you want your fix for those, maybe Sky Germany offers something, but I wouldn't bet on it.
The Register: Is there a UK expat community in Germany? If so, should other Brits embrace them, run like hell in the other direction, or keep in casual contact?
I'd suggest having a look into what expat offerings are in the area you are living and give it a go. If it doesn't appeal, you can step back from it all easily enough.
The Register: And because this is the weekend edition, what can you do on weekends in Germany that you could not do at home?
A particularly interesting pastime in the North West of Germany is a game called "Bosseln" that generally takes place from January to April. Groups of people meet up on small country lanes and split into teams. The teams take it in turns rolling a ball or disc (a bit like a roller blade wheel) as far as they can. The team that collectively rolls the furthest wins the round, with the winner of each round receiving a shot of Schnapps from the losing team (who also drink a shot).
It generally ends after about three hours, with pretty much everyone freezing cold and drunk. The group then proceeds to a local country pub for a hearty meal and more drinks. Come to think of it, most activities around where I live are just precursors for drinking!
Either way, Germany is a really interesting place to work with similar living standards to the UK. It is easy enough to get started here and something I haven't regretted since moving here.
If you think William's expat life isn't as interesting as yours, drop us a line and we'll tee you up for a future eXpat Files. ®