has it come to this?

Elevator

my girlfriend and I were hoping to emigrate to Berlin or somewhere in mainland Europe after saving some euros.

seeing as were hopelessly unemployed with no prospects of gaining employment anytime soon the saving bit might be a problem so we're considering saving enough to buy a cheap van, hitting the ferries after we move our social welfare to another eu country for 10 weeks and see if we can make Berlin work within 8 weeks!!

are we crazy?

Nodin

.....people have done far more stupid things. Sure if ye don't try, ye won't know. You're not giving up anything here to take the chance either.

Carl Sagan

Elevator wrote: »

my girlfriend and I were hoping to emigrate to Berlin or somewhere in mainland Europe after saving some euros.

seeing as were hopelessly unemployed with no prospects of gaining employment anytime soon the saving bit might be a problem so we're considering saving enough to buy a cheap van, hitting the ferries after we move our social welfare to another eu country for 10 weeks and see if we can make Berlin work within 8 weeks!!

are we crazy?

It doesn't sound like you have much here anyway, so you've got nothing to lose really.

iPlop

Go for it OP ,it's only gonna get worse around here after christmas..

Misanthrope

Go for it.The things I regret most in life are the things I didn't do.At worst you'll learn some new things.Best of luck with it.

FreudianSlippers

One question: do you speak German?

FreudianSlippers

Halten Sie alle Irish hierher kommen und sammeln Wohlfahrt!

MrStuffins

Great idea! Do it! If you fail you can always come back home. Doesn't sound like you've sold your house and everything. So why not?

plein de force

OisinT wrote: »

One question: do you speak German?

was just about to say that

also did you find out about anything you might need to stay there and work, even though you're an EU citizen there could still be some type of permit needed

good luck

kev9100

Do it, you'll end up regretting it if you don't. This country is finished.

peasant

Berlin might not be the wisest choice.

While unemployment is falling and they just have reported the lowest rate for October in 15 years, it is still at 12.8% or 219,000 people.

219,000 competing for 10,693 jobs ...they mightn't exactly be waiting for you there

Berlin (dpa/bb) - Die Arbeitslosenzahl in Berlin ist im Oktober weiter gesunken. Die Arbeitslosenquote fiel auf 12,8 Prozent. Das ist der niedrigste Wert in einem Oktober seit 15 Jahren, wie die Regionaldirektion der Bundesagentur für Arbeit am Donnerstag mitteilte. Im Oktober waren in der Hauptstadt 219.388 Arbeitslose gemeldet, 5964 weniger als im September und 9339 weniger als vor einem Jahr. Die Quote sank um 0,4 Prozentpunkte verglichen mit dem Vormonat und um 0,8 Punkte im Vergleich zu Oktober 2009. Die Berliner Arbeitsagentur hatte im Oktober 10.693 offene Stellen im Bestand, das waren 231 mehr als vor einem Jahr.

http://www.dnews.de/nachrichten/berlin-brandenburg/351817/arbeitslosenquote-berlin-unter-13-prozent.html

FreudianSlippers

plein de force wrote: »

also did you find out about anything you might need to stay there and work, even though you're an EU citizen there could still be some type of permit needed

All Union citizens have the right to enter another Member State by virtue of having an identity card or valid passport. If you wish to stay longer than 3 months these are the requirements:

1) be engaged in economic activity (on an employed or self-employed basis), or;
2) have sufficient resources and sickness insurance to ensure that they do not become a burden on the social services of the host Member State during their stay. The Member States may not specify a minimum amount which they deem sufficient, but they must take account of personal circumstances, or;
3) be following vocational training as a student and have sufficient resources and sickness insurance to ensure that they do not become a burden on the social services of the host Member State during their stay, or;
4) be a family member of a Union citizen who falls into one of the above categories.

You need to register at a Meldestelle or I think they may be called Einwohnermeldeämter in Berlin.

MrStuffins

OisinT wrote: »

All Union citizens have the right to enter another Member State by virtue of having an identity card or valid passport. If you wish to stay longer than 3 months these are the requirements:

Go to France

"Bonjour, arrr youuu a Roma Gypsy?"

"No"

"Welcome to Fraaaance monsieuuuuurrrrr"

diarmuid05

Even if u dont have much german.... go for it....
Their english is excellent anyway.

There isn't much to stick around here for, now or in the near fucture

mikom

OisinT wrote: »

One question: do you speak German?

How do you say....... "Help my van has broken down on the Autobahn" ?

FreudianSlippers

mikom wrote: »

How do you say....... "Help my van has broken down on the Autobahn" ?

Helfen Sie mir bitte, mein Kastenwagen ist auf der Autobahn gebrochen.


My German is rusty though.

EDIT: Actually, it might be Kleintransporter rather than Kastenwagen... they'd get the point anyway

mikom

OisinT wrote: »

My German is rusty though.

So is the van.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji-cT58rgNc

wixfjord

oh oh oh Original Pirate Material you're listening to the streets lock down your aerial.

MrStuffins

wixfjord wrote: »

oh oh oh Original Pirate Material you're listening to the streets lock down your aerial.

That's all i've had in my head since i read this bloody thread! :mad:

hatful

Try posting in the work and jobs forum you might get a more balanced response. If you have a financial safety net should things not work out then go for it.

FreudianSlippers

hatful wrote: »

Try posting in the work and jobs forum you might get a more balanced response. If you have a financial safety net should things not work out then go for it.

See post #12 - you must have a job or financial independence to live in another Member State for more than 3 months.

wixfjord

MrStuffins wrote: »

That's all i've had in my head since i read this bloody thread! :mad:

What an album tho!

Biggins

Translated

peasant wrote: »

Berlin might not be the wisest choice.

While unemployment is falling and they just have reported the lowest rate for October in 15 years, it is still at 12.8% or 219,000 people.

219,000 competing for 10,693 jobs ...they mightn't exactly be waiting for you there

Berlin (dpa / bb) - The unemployment rate has fallen in Berlin in October. The unemployment rate fell to 12.8 percent. This is the lowest value in an October in 15 years, as the Regional Directorate of the Federal Labour Agency announced on Thursday. In October in the capital of 219 388 unemployed were registered, less than in September 5964 and 9339 less than a year ago. The rate fell by 0.4 percentage points compared with the previous month and by 0.8 points compared to October 2009. The Berlin employment agency had in October 10 693 vacancies in the stock, which was 231 more than last year.

http://www.dnews.de/nachrichten/berlin-brandenburg/351817/arbeitslosenquote-berlin-unter-13-prozent.html

Hail 2 Da Thief

Go for it! :cool:

The great thing about relocating to mainland Europe is that it's reasonably inexpensive in comparison to moving to North America, Oz etc.

If it doesn't work out you can just book a cheap return flight & develop plan B.

m@cc@

I'd recommend moving to the Netherlands instead. Better English and lower unemployment.

Elevator

nice one for all the advice, I think we will end up taking a chance and making the move after the new year. off to Holland with us )