At the age of 33, I sometimes feel like I have already lived a thousand lives. I am from Los Angeles, and in the last decade, I have done everything education English in China to serve as an emergency aid worker in Türkiye during the war in Syria.
After finishing my master’s degree in London, I started working as a product manager for a global travel technology company, and I had the opportunity to transfer to the United States or Germany, from where my husband is.
When I consider my decision, I made mathematics and I realized that in Germany, even on a salary lower than what I would potentially earn in the United States, I could achieve my financial objectives, as Repay my student debtfaster.
Since February 2020, I have called Berlin, Germany, and I have never been so happy. Here is why I like to live here:
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I love our quiet and comfortable neighborhood
My husband and I live in a region west of Berlin called Charlottenburg, a relatively quiet area filled with comfortable cafes and middle -class families. I am on a first name with many owners of stores, and I like the community here.
We live in an apartment of 1,100 square feet and 2 bedrooms with a balcony. We pay $ 1,843 per month for rent, around $ 350 for public services and $ 240 for parking. We paid roughly the same in London, but our Berlin apartment is double the size, and the building is much more recent.
Take the sun and a beautiful day in the city.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
For the grocery store, I am a big fan of Metro, who is essentially the Costco of Germany. Every two weeks, we spend about $ 300 on our staple in bulk. We fill up if necessary with other items purchased from retailers on a local budget like Aldi and Lidl. Lidl sells 45 cents Brötchen, or bread, who are my favorites.
Move here helped me repay the debt
In Germany, the government provides things like guaranteed health care, pensions, parental holidays, a university without tuition fees and even unemployment insurance. I have some friends who were dismissed, but thanks to this insurance, they were able to receive 80% of their salary for a year.
When I decided between the United States and Germany, I Wing some figures And realized that with social security net – and not have to book thousands of dollars for medical emergencies, for example – I would be able to save between $ 1,000 and $ 3,000 per month . It made a huge difference.
Ahead of Brandenburg Gate.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
When I arrived, I was facing $ 130,000 in student debt. I was able to reimburse all this in November 2023, while saving and investing for my future. It was a huge weight on my shoulders, and I don’t worry not to be able to pay my bills here.
My money goes further, and I am also happy to contribute my right part so that people can access support when they need it.
There is a palpable sense of the community
What surprised me and delighted the most when I arrived in Berlin was the deep feeling of egalitarianism that everyone seemed to share, regardless of their career.
A lot cultural events Have a free entry, because access and participation are great fundamental values here. One of my favorite things to do during the summer is to explore cafes in other neighborhoods and go to food festivals.
Enjoy a drink and the atmosphere in an outdoor coffee.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
Festivals are fun, inexpensive (I generally spend only $ 12 for a drink and snacks) and often famous different cultures and countries. It is a great way to meet people sharing the same ideas in a city of 6 million.
I also found that the Berlin immigrant community, of which I am so proud to be a member, is particularly sympathetic. We all understand how the isolation of the experience of finding your foot in a new place can be.
I have access to the rest of the European Union
In February, I will have been a German resident for five years. This means that I will be eligible to request a passport and a double citizenship, instead of simply permanent residence.
Here I am in Potsdamer Platz, next to one of the pieces of the Berlin Wall exposed there.
Photo: Vanessa Wachtmeister
Holding a German passport means that I will have the opportunity to move wherever I am placed in the European economic field. My long -term dream is to retire early, get chickens and live peacefully in the Italian countryside. Getting an EEE passport is a key element of this plan.
In the end, even if I called many places at home, the decision to come to Berlin opened more paths to me than I thought it possible.
Vanessa Wachtmeister is a proud Chicana of Los Angeles, California. It is an opinion leader and creator of digital content which has raised more than 700,000 subscribers on several social media sites, with its platform To take a walk. Today, Vanessa lives in Germany and her goal is to continue building digital products that improve the lives of North Americans abroad and to help others continue financial and location independence.
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