Work visa/opportunities for BA in German

Hallo, all.

I will be graduating with a B.A. in German Language/Business (combo degree) in a couple of years. All my friends around this part of the world are encouraging me to go seek employment at the new Volkswagen plant that is opening in Chattanooga (collective eye-roll), however, I may be in Dortmund/Duesseldorf semi-permanently and would like to find employment there. I hope to seek a Master's in German as well (heck, I hope to get my Doctorate, but that's all highly speculative) and was considering working and studying in Germany while staying with boyfriend and his family. On how to get to this (beyond the college stuff) I have no clue.

I guess my questions are these:

1 How hard is it to obtain a work visa or a student visa in Germany? How would one go about it?

2. What are the opportunities like for a German Language major with an emphasis on international business?

3. I'm a little country girl from Tennessee. I have no idea what I am doing. Please take pity on a poor soul. Halp.

Business is a broad term- are you majoring in accounting, finance, marketing, MIS, or what? What exactly would you want to do in the business world?

The degree is a catchall in "international business". This University of Tennessee: German/World Business is the degree I'm intending to seek. I am currently completing my general eds and going to UTennKnox in the fall of next year. I would really prefer to teach German, or ESL, but I don't know how feasible that will be as an American (the Germans seem to prefer the Brits for that sort of thing).

AFAIK, plenty of Americans teach English here. Problem is, that is a crowded space. I suggest doing some business internships here in Germany over the next two summers so that you can gain some experience and develop contacts.

Yeah, but that's quite expensive and I am quite unable to pay for it. To cover a pleasure trip this December I've been scrimping like mad. Secondarily, I have no idea how to do that.

An internship doesn't cost you money. If you can get one, they typically pay you a small salary, which should cover at least parts of your living expenses.

Well I had a congressional internship this summer of which pay barely covered my housing, so I am a bit paranoid of that. If I got lucky enough to have such a thing near Dortmund I would be set (my fiance's family lives there). Which leads to another difficulty: what is the situation for a driver my age in Germany? Would I be better off biking, walking, bussing, or driving?

Depends on the circumstances. I suggest you ask your bf, he would know.

Heheh. His response to everything I ask like that: "Just wait until you are here and see what suits you best. Shall I buy you a bike for when you arrive to be safe?"

Btw, according to your profile, your are about to get a degree in history...

Tom is right- you really need to discuss these things with knowledgeable people-try his parents.

But seriously, things like "transport" are not exactly important at this stage.

Gah. That thing hasn't been properly updated since I joined. That pic is horrid, don't look at it, I swear I don't look forty in every photo taken of me! (edit: a better, more recent pic has been put up. i feel better now )