At the age of 33, I sometimes feel that I have passed a thousand people. I first came from Los Angeles. In the past decade, I have already done it teaching During the Syrian war, Chinese English served as emergency personnel in Türkiye.
After I completed a master’s degree in London, I started to be a product manager of a global travel technology company. I can choose to transfer to the United States or my husband from Germany.
When considering my own decision, I made some mathematics. I realized that even if the salary in the United States was lower than my salary in the United States, I could achieve my own financial goals, such as Clear my student debthurry up.
Since February 2020, I have called Berlin, Germany, and I have never been happier. This is why I like to live here:
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I like our quiet, comfortable community
My husband and I live in a area called Charlottenburg west in Berlin. The relatively quiet community in the area is full of comfortable coffee shops and middle -class families. The names of me and many store owners are named, and I like the community here.
We live in a 1,100 -square -foot 2 bedroom apartment with a balcony. We pay a rent of $ 1,843 a month, about $ 350 in public utilities, and a parking fee of $ 240. We paid about the same fee in London, but the scale of our Berlin apartment is twice as much as possible, and the building is updated.
Appreciate the sun and a beautiful day in the city.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
For groceries, I am a loyal supporter of Metro, which is actually Costco in Germany. Every two weeks, we spend about $ 300 on bulk staple foods. We fill in other items purchased by local budget retailers such as ALDI and Lidl as needed. LIDL sales 45 CenterBrötchen or bread rolls, this is my favorite.
Move here to help me pay off the debts
In Germany, the government provides things such as guarantee medical care, pensions, parenting leaves, free tuition colleges and even unemployment insurance. I have a few friends from being fired, but due to insurance, they can get 80 % of a year’s salary.
When I make a decision between the United States and Germany, I Process some numbers And realized that thousands of dollars can be reserved through the social security network (for example, no need to do medical emergency situations), and I can save $ 1,000 to $ 3,000 per month. There are great changes.
In front of Brandenburg.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
When I arrived, I faced $ 130,000 for students’ debt. I can pay off all these in November 2023, and I am still saving and investing in my future. My shoulders are already big, I don’t have to worry about being unable to pay the bills here.
My money has gone further, and I am also happy to contribute to my fair share so that people can get support when needed.
There is an obvious sense of community
When I arrived in Berlin, I was surprised and happy that no matter what their background, everyone seemed to share the profound sense of equalism.
many Cultural activities You can enter for free, because accessing and participating here is a great core value. In summer, one of my favorite things is to explore cafes in other communities and participate in food festivals.
Enjoy drinks and atmosphere in outdoor cafes.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
These festivals are very interesting, cheap (I usually spend $ 12 on drinks and snacks), and often celebrate different cultures and countries. This is a good way to meet people in 6 million cities.
I also found that I am proud of being a member of the Berlin immigration community. We all know how to isolated in the new place to find our own basic experience.
I can enter other parts of the European Union
In February, I will become a German resident for five years. This means that I am eligible to apply for passports and dual nationality, not just permanent residency.
Here, I am in Potsdamer Platz, a piece adjacent to the Berlin Wall.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
Holding a German passport means that I will have the opportunity to move anywhere in the European Economic Zone. My long -term dream is to retire as soon as possible, take some chickens, and live peacefully in the countryside in Italy. Obtaining the EEA passport is the key part of the plan.
In the end, even if I called many places home, I went to Berlin’s decision to open up more paths than I thought.
VaNessa Wachtmeister It is the proud Chicana from Los Angeles, California. She is a ideological leader and digital content founder strollEssence Today, Vanessa lives in Germany. Her goal is to continue to establish digital products to improve the lives of foreign North Americans and help others pursue financial and geographical independence.
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