Inflation is Low, the AfD Wants a "Dexit", and Germany's Most Expensive Cities
Guten tag Reader -
What's on this week? A heck of a lot! New citizenship laws passed another administrative marker. Munich isn't Germany's most expensive city like you may think. Bavaria wants to be the "California of Europe". Inflation fell to its lowest point since 2021. The AfD doesn't only want to deport immigrants - they want Germany to "Dexit".
We cover all this and more in our 04/02/2024 edition of The Berlin Life newsletter.
Personal News
Sometimes, I'm going to overshare.
⭐ In good news, I have a little less than a month left in my probation period at work. I can't wait until I'm officially not on probation!
⭐ I'll finally be traveling again next month when I spend a long weekend in London! If you have any tips about good spots to eat or unusual places to visit, reply to this email and give me allllll the tips. 🇬🇧
Community News
News from The Berlin Life community.
⭐ Our Valentine's ladies-only networking dinner meetup is now fully booked! If there are any cancellations, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I can't wait for another fun event with our community members. 💕
⭐ Did you know that Berlin Life community members can qualify for discounts and savings with different local companies? To name a couple:
- Feather Insurance provides service in English and is especially for foreigners in Germany. Get legal, dental, and other insurance with them. Use code AHWJFWGY to get €15 after you purchase your first policy.
- Take out insurance with Getsafe and get support in English. They offer pet, health, liability insurance, and more. Save €15 using our link.
View even more partner options.
⭐ Read last week's newsletter: An Asteroid Exploded Over Berlin Last Weekend. An asteroid exploded over Berlin on Sunday and you can see the footage. The German population grew in 2023 thanks to an influx of foreigners. An Uzbek Eats review from Exberliner. One German village in Bavaria is a model for migration.
If you're new here, check out our news archives.
Food For Thought
Interesting articles about the art of looking for work, humourous memes, or other useful gems floating around the web.
⭐ You can volunteer to be a coach with Imagine and help people from places like Ukraine and Afghanistan find a job and home in Germany. Find out more.
⭐ Get In Expat shares its outlook on the German labor market for 2024.
⭐ Anna J McDougall, a Director of Engineering at Axel Springer (among her many other accolades) ponders when will she be considered integrated enough in Germany. A post that is relatable to anyone who is a foreigner here right now.
Companies Hiring
German companies hiring right now.
⭐ BMB - The New Music Company | Berlin
⭐ Flink | Locations Across Germany
⭐ BuildingMinds | Berlin
⭐ Plat4mation | Frankfurt
⭐ Berlin Brands Group | Berlin
⭐ Foodji | Munich, Berlin, and Remote
⭐ Arculus | Munich, Stuttgart, Dresden, and Gaimersheim
⭐ Emma - The Sleep Company | Berlin, Cologne, and Frankfurt
Give our page a follow on LinkedIn for even more job postings! We posted a bunch of new job opportunities this week alone.
German Startup News
German startups that recently received funding, were acquired, built up staff, etc., and could be good places to look for jobs.
⭐ Planet A Foods | Planegg | Jobs
News in Germany
All of the news in Germany.
⭐ Berlin concerts: The best live music for February 2024 - There's an abundance of musical performances scheduled this month and I'm embarrassed to admit the only band or performer I know is Depeche Mode. 🙃 I saw them play in Toronto about 10 years ago and for old dudes, they put on a good show.
⭐ Germany explores 4-day workweek amid labor shortage - There's a labor shortage, yet many companies are reducing staff while seeking ways to keep their existing employees happy. 45 German companies will take part in an experiment to find out if a 4-day work week could be done on a wider scale.
⭐ Numbeo Index 2024: Hamburg, Essen and Düsseldorf have the highest cost of living - Numbeo published new European-wide numbers where Hamburg, Essen, and Düsseldorf emerged as the three most expensive cities at spots 20, 29, and 30. Surprisingly, Munich was at 35 and Berlin 48.
⭐ A roundup in news against the growing popularity of the far-right in Germany - you know the ones who want to deport all immigrants and strip citizenship from others?
- On Saturday, thousands plan to form a human chain outside of the Bundestag.
- In a part of Germany that tends to be more anti-immigrant than the rest of the country, East Germans take a stand against the far right, along with an amazing group of kick-ass grannies.
- In a sign that our protests might be working, the AfD has fallen below 20 percent in German polls. However, much more work needs to be done despite the dwindling support. In other words, we can't let up the good fight. 💪
- Not only are they racist, but they also embrace an isolationist anti-global agenda which if they had their way would see Germany leave the EU in a Brexit-like "Dexit".
⭐ What to do in February: Berlin’s best events this month - Notable events like Berlinale and Berlin Fashion Week will take place this month, along with yet another fricking Berlin state election.
⭐ Could Bavaria — finally — become the ‘California of Europe’? - Berlin is probably better deserving of this title, but also not really. 🫠
⭐ February 2024: 14 changes affecting expats in Germany - Aside from the strikes that have already taken place and the historic passing of the citizenship laws, expect your Amazon Prime subscription to get more expensive and the conclusion of Carnival season.
⭐ German inflation falls to +2,9 percent, the lowest value since June 2021 - If the government had extended the price break for energy, inflation would have been even lower. 💸
⭐ Germany's search for skilled workers amid xenophobic image - Germany's government representatives continually travel the globe to places like Vietnam, India, and Morroco to recruit skilled workers, but recent events have potential immigrants more concerned than ever before. Even still, Germany continues to attract foreign workers, even though other foreign workers already living in Germany report racism and discrimination as part of their daily lives.
⭐ Cheers, Queers: A beginner’s guide to Berlin’s best queer bars - I've been to all of the places listed, but surely this round-up from Exberliner deserves to be much longer. 🏳️🌈
⭐ Germany's U-turn on migration: Is it necessary or just politics? - An article (with a 10-minute video) about how Germany's migration policy has changed to only welcome some people.
⭐ BerlinsideOut podcast: German politics from an outsider perspective - Check out one of Berlin's newest podcasts to deep dive into German politics( in English!).
⭐ Germany's historic new citizenship law clears final hurdle - There are still one or two more administrative steps that need to be passed, but the new citizenship laws are closer to being a reality. 🙌
⭐ German parliament approves 2024 budget, but further troubles loom - Germany will once again comply with its debt brake. However, many feel the debt break should be suspended so the country can invest more in readying for climate change and improving our future economic viability.
How We Can Help
The good stuff offered by the Berlin Life.
⭐ Get connected with other like-minded professionals in our community by adding yourself to our LinkedIn Connect and Exchange list. Chat with others in our Facebook and Slack community spaces. 🗣️
⭐ We offer career coaching and other services and free guides to living, working, and moving to Berlin. Some of our most-read guides include:
- How To Make Friends In Berlin In 2024
- Mail Forwarding In Germany – Send Post To Your New Address
- How Much Does It Cost To Move To Germany? Use Our Calculator!
Until next week,
Founder @ The Berlin Life