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Life in Essen
Various info and advice for newcomers
Hello all, This is my first time on the board, I found it while trying to find out information about living in Germany. I have an interview this week for a potential job in Essen. Can anyone shed any light on what Essen is like? The place, the people, nightlife etc etc...I have heard NRW is like the West Midlands but on grander scale. is this true? I have been to Köln a couple of times and found it a great city, but I have no idea what Essen is like. Hope someone may be able to offer some advice.
Hiya Cota, I have been here for 2 years now, and live just outside of the City.
I come into the Centre every day ... weekdays to attend a Language course, and the weekend to shop and collect my Sunday English newspapers from the Bahnhof. I don't know much about the night-life, but I just love to walk around the Centre and maybe sit and have a coffee and watch the world go by.
The only time I feel a little let-down is on an early Sunday morning, when there are lots of broken beer bottles from the previous nights merry-makers, and because the streets are reasonably deserted so early, ( 8 am ), it is amazing just how much damned chewing gum is spat onto the walkways by people. It stands out like a neon, and those who do this disgusting practice of spitting it out, instead of disposing of it in the MANY, MANY, MANY, refuse baskets around this beautiful city, ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Welcome Cota, to ESSEN ... a warm and beautiful City, with lots to do and see, and with thousands of nice people around, ready to share your smiles with.
Hope I might bump into you myself. I am the old idiot with the England badges on my Schule-bag, and on my shorts. LOL.
Raffles.
I come into the Centre every day ... weekdays to attend a Language course, and the weekend to shop and collect my Sunday English newspapers from the Bahnhof. I don't know much about the night-life, but I just love to walk around the Centre and maybe sit and have a coffee and watch the world go by.
The only time I feel a little let-down is on an early Sunday morning, when there are lots of broken beer bottles from the previous nights merry-makers, and because the streets are reasonably deserted so early, ( 8 am ), it is amazing just how much damned chewing gum is spat onto the walkways by people. It stands out like a neon, and those who do this disgusting practice of spitting it out, instead of disposing of it in the MANY, MANY, MANY, refuse baskets around this beautiful city, ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Welcome Cota, to ESSEN ... a warm and beautiful City, with lots to do and see, and with thousands of nice people around, ready to share your smiles with.
Hope I might bump into you myself. I am the old idiot with the England badges on my Schule-bag, and on my shorts. LOL.
Raffles.
Following from the positive comments about chewing gum...
I think Essen central city has some quite good shopping and excellent christmas markets. Ruttensheid has a great night life and cool street parties. I like the south side the best around Kettwig and Werden because it is so green, is close to the Baldeney lake and the Ruhr river and has a certain feel about it. It is a very outdoorsie area with plenty of really good cycling/inline-skating/walking tracks that can keep you going for years. There is lots of interesting industrial culture to explore in the Ruhr area as well as lots of old homesteads and castle ruins. ( the book "Tour the Ruhr" had helpful tips)
Essen has good connections to Köln, Düsseldorf, Dortmond, Duisburg etc etc the the choice is endless. You are a two hour drive from the Mösel Valley, 1 hour to Holland, 3 to Hamburg.
The Ruhrpott people I have met are very down to earth and have a great sense of humour which can be very dry (and similar to mine)
But as they say it is also a lot of what you make of it. So have fun and enjoy the area and the culture.
I think Essen central city has some quite good shopping and excellent christmas markets. Ruttensheid has a great night life and cool street parties. I like the south side the best around Kettwig and Werden because it is so green, is close to the Baldeney lake and the Ruhr river and has a certain feel about it. It is a very outdoorsie area with plenty of really good cycling/inline-skating/walking tracks that can keep you going for years. There is lots of interesting industrial culture to explore in the Ruhr area as well as lots of old homesteads and castle ruins. ( the book "Tour the Ruhr" had helpful tips)
Essen has good connections to Köln, Düsseldorf, Dortmond, Duisburg etc etc the the choice is endless. You are a two hour drive from the Mösel Valley, 1 hour to Holland, 3 to Hamburg.
The Ruhrpott people I have met are very down to earth and have a great sense of humour which can be very dry (and similar to mine)
But as they say it is also a lot of what you make of it. So have fun and enjoy the area and the culture.
Unfortunately I've never been to Essen. When driving past on Autobahns keep windows tightly shut as the smell in the air is very metallic & polluted. Glad to see the positive outlook from Greenmeadows, & will now actually try & visit - promise
I love going to Essen, I live in Hagen so also have many possibilities for towns for shopping and find that Essen is different to Dortmund city centre, for example, it's nicer and better laid out and is less boring. The Christmas markets and light show at Christmas time are a must. What's also great is that the main station is at the end of the pedestrianized zone so you can easily catch the train in and at the other end is IKEA so if you need anything, everything is possible without a car...
Hi Friends
I am supposed to live at Essen for around 10 months. Can you please throw some light on the weather, cost of 1 bedroom accommodation and most importantly a part-time or even full time job for me. Since i don't know germen plz suggest some job which does not require speaking germen.
plz give your views to help me 'coz i hav to move to Essen next month.
Puja
India
I am supposed to live at Essen for around 10 months. Can you please throw some light on the weather, cost of 1 bedroom accommodation and most importantly a part-time or even full time job for me. Since i don't know germen plz suggest some job which does not require speaking germen.
plz give your views to help me 'coz i hav to move to Essen next month.
Puja
India
People are going to want to know what your skill set is.
Germany is not a great place if you don't speak German unless you are highly skilled in something like IT and can get into an international company.
You might want to brush up on your English as well. If you wanted a job in an international company they would, more than likely, want better English than this.
Sorry to sound so negative but what you want to do is very difficult and you are likely to find it hard.
Germany is not a great place if you don't speak German unless you are highly skilled in something like IT and can get into an international company.
You might want to brush up on your English as well. If you wanted a job in an international company they would, more than likely, want better English than this.
Sorry to sound so negative but what you want to do is very difficult and you are likely to find it hard.
Completely agree with you, Pas. Sorry if I also can´t really give you any better news, puja, but at least a bit of German would help a lot in looking for a job.
The costs of renting a flat in Essen can differ a lot, depending on where you want to live. I would suggest trying out a page like www.immobilienscout24.de , but it is only in German...
The costs of renting a flat in Essen can differ a lot, depending on where you want to live. I would suggest trying out a page like www.immobilienscout24.de , but it is only in German...
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