Speaking English in Germany is a Form of Colonialism? 🤦🏽‍♀️

Dear Reader -

Oh hi! You may have noticed that we're one day late with the newsletter. 🙈 What can I say? I was busy working on a big new Berlin Life guide - all about how to quit your job in Germany! I hope it will be helpful should you ever resign from your job here.

Other things on the agenda this week are the ongoing debate about foreigners speaking only English in Germany, new citizenship laws are going to be voted on this week, and Kitkat wants people to wear more colorful outfits to the club. We cover all of this and more in our Aug 22, 2023 edition of The Berlin Life newsletter.

Community News

🗣️ Big news from The Berlin Life.

We've met our target of 15 registrations for our workshop on Creating German Job Applications That Will Get You Noticed by Employers on Tuesday, August 29 @ 6 pm. You can still get on the waiting list and get a notification if any new spots open up.
About 15 of us met last week for beers at Republic Berlin, despite the heat and humidity. Thank you to everyone who attended. It was so lovely! Expect the next meetup to happen sometime in the fall, likely in October. 🍻
As our community is so amazing, I created a new page on the website highlighting all of the ways you can connect with The Berlin Life community. Check it out for yourself!
I'm also cooking up an idea of starting a support group that regularly meets in person and online, where people can network, share their experiences, vent their job search frustrations, and more. Does this sound interesting? Hit reply and tell me what you think.
It's been a while since I created a new Berlin Life guide and I'm happy to reveal the site's 52nd free guide - it's all about how to quit your job in Germany because as with everything here, it's complicated, confusing, and bureaucratic.
If you're new here or simply missed last week's newsletter, we got you: Cows Licking Cars, The Ongoing Labour Shortage Struggle, & Join Our German Job Application Workshop. Premium members can also read my latest blast, Looking for help moving to Germany and finding work? Buyer Beware! 💀

Food For Thought

🤔 Interesting articles about the "art" of looking for work, as well as humourous or useful gems floating around the web.

A job board that not many people know about - check out Berlin Food Stories for culinary-related jobs in Berlin.
The good folks over at Miro share 5 common questions they ask in interviews. Read their sage advice for how to go about answering interview questions.
I also recommend reading this article, which discusses how Europe’s venture diversity machine is out of control.
I shared a funny meme about Germany people staring out of their windows and had my first (sorta) viral tweet. And be sure to give me a follow on "X"!

Companies Hiring

🇩🇪 German companies hiring right now.

Startup News

🚀 German startups that received funding recently, got acquired, built up staff, etc., and could be good places to look for jobs. Also, tips on where not to work as there's a lot of turmoil in the startup world right now.

News in Germany

🗞️ Immigration and other general news in Germany.

1) Germany's economy is a big topic in the news rn:

Germany is becoming expert at defeating itself - This piece chronicles Germany's many blunders from endless bureaucracy to slow internet connections and the aging population. There's still hope, so read to the end.
The German economy: from European leader to laggard - This article paints a far bleaker picture but offers an in-depth analysis of how we got to this point.
Germany: Willkommen to normality? - Meanwhile, another analyst offers a more positive take on what might be next for Germany.

2) Now that the summer break is over, there is a lot happening on the immigration front:

EXCLUSIVE: German government to vote on citizenship law 'on Wednesday' - This includes removing the ban on holding dual citizenship.
TIMELINE: When will Germany push through the new dual citizenship law? - This article captures the next steps for the law to pass and when it will be considered official. The TL;DR is that the new citizenship laws will likely be passed sometime in the first or second quarter of next year.
Six surprising German citizenship rules you should know about - Did you know that in some cases you don't need to speak German to get citizenship?

Note - these articles are behind a paywall and I usually refrain from posting such links, but The Local Germany is one of the best sources for English news and always seems to have the most recent updates on immigration laws. I recommend subscribing and supporting local journalism!

3) Job market developments:

Germany’s Shortage of Skilled Workers Is Worsening, Ifo Says - “Despite a sluggish economy, many companies are still desperately searching for suitable employees,” says ifo expert Stefan Sauer.
Au pairs in Germany: When a dream job becomes a nightmare - Be careful about accepting au pair work in Germany and if you find yourself being mistreated, seek help.
More than two-thirds of mothers 'currently employed' in Germany - Advice for mothers how to handle returning to the workplace.

4) Living in Germany:

Is it 'arrogant' to live in Germany and not speak German? - Some white German dude had a big "HUH WTF" moment when he wrote an opinion piece for the Berliner Zeitung, claiming that not learning German is a form of "colonialism". The article unleashed the fury of the internet on him and some of the responses were perfect. 🤡
Germany slips down expat ranking for being “unfriendly” and “complicated” - "Germans are unfriendly, the bureaucracy is annoying and the language is difficult to learn. That’s according to a recent survey conducted by the Inter Nation network among foreign students and employees in various countries, as reported by rbb."
How Afro-Germans are reaching for the stars - A lovely read profiling amazing people doing amazing things.
Crosby Studios uses steel kitchen equipment to create Berlin jewellery store interior - A must-read if you like architecture and interior design.
Berlin to launch “ideas competition” for development of Tempelhofer Feld - I have an idea! Let it remain a park and respect how we voted in 2014.
Germans' trust in state institutions hits new low - The people responsible for all of the red tape, promise to remove all of the red tape and meanwhile, the population is losing trust in our current government.
Germany to liberalise laws around choosing surnames - Apparently, name changes in Germany are quite strict ... for Germans. The government is hoping to change this and maybe, we'll see more Friends-inspired, Princess Consuela Banana Hammocks out there. 🍌
No more black at Kitkat? Club announces new guidelines - When I walked past the queue last week (I live close by), no one seemed to have gotten that message.
Germany's Awkward Path To Legalizing Cannabis - With everyone so stressed about the economy and feeling disenchanted with the government, we need legal weed now more than ever.

Useful Resources

😎 Good stuff from the Berlin Life.

We can help you with lots of stuff, including career coaching, and other services, like a quick review of your job application or a mentor hour.
Connect with others from our community by joining our Slack space or Facebook group. You can also add yourself to our LinkedIn connect and exchange list.
Create a German CV (and cover letter) quickly & easily with resume.io.

Support Us

🙏 You can support us too.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter.
Tell people about our website and tell them to signup for this newsletter.
Buy us a beer 🍺

See you next week,

Founder - The Berlin Life