Feeling out of place and massively frustrated

Its a long way from Berlin to München... I'll be there in Dec

gentle jim, are you secretly American and just haven't told anybody? Bit lacking in the language skills department yourself.
As always, generalizations are dangerous. I know Americans who speak two and more languages just as I know Brits who have trouble with their own native tongue. And America-bashing is soooo out.

I do seem to remember JE trying to explain gently to poots that he may have been better sitting somewhere else.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!

But thats where yourè wrong America bashing will always be in...so long as you all fail to recognise that there is no place for yourè kind here.

@gentle jim you are joking right? Tolerance is the key...

What the hell does this word mean?

Yourè is half, garlic I mean Gaelic...are you with me now.

Search me. Where are you from? Where are you going?

Robert

I just read your post now and know where you're coming from, especially about the taxes here, the way Germans relate with all their Sie and Du bullshit, all their dumb, petty rules and customs, the way they make you earn their respect, and the gift they have for making you feel small and laughing at you with their whole schadenfreude sense of humor crap. If it's any consolation at least you don't live in Leipzig which is a boring city and much worse than Berlin to live in as a foreigner, at least Berlin is vaguely international. Most of the local people here are so completely narrow minded and provincial they find a native English speaker completely exotic, they leer and stare at colored people, the city is poor and depressing and full of NeoNazis, I have been working in a company for a year where my German colleagues treat me like a dumb guest worker, organize social events right in front of me which they don't invite me to and say rude things about my home country whenever they get the chance. I'm applying for new jobs but it's taking a long time and until I'm out of this hell hole, you're not the only one feeling outta place buddy.

I must live in another universe because none of that shit happens to me, moving here was the best thing I ever did!

The threadstarter reminds me on my ex, he used to nag all the time and that actually made him more German than any other German, hahahaha...

Relax and find options to change an unhappy situation, there is always something to do about it if you are unhappy.

Compared to Injun Territory around Berlin, you are in another universe!

I'm considering the possibility of moving to Berlin, so this thread has been great to help give a balanced picture of the place.

I'm very aware that I have a romanticised image of the place from my couple of visits and things I've heard about it from other people.

Sorry to hear that this family moved there and didn't find it to their liking.

But luckily I'm young, single and up for some techno... and where I live is already full of dog turd.

You think Berlin is bad. Try living in London. Its very expensive, poor value for money, dirty, unfriendly, crime-ridden, cold, materialistic, over-rated (but you can buy aspirin here in abundance ). What else can I say (and I am a London native).

Berlin may not be perfect but its not the worst place in the world. Besides, Berlin itself is not homogenous, the east and the western parts are so different. And how can you complain that Germans get too much holiday!???

I do feel for you, its not nice to be in a place that you don't want to be, but it sounds like it would not be too difficult to return to the USA (you are lucky you have that option - some of us would kill for a green card).

That's a good point actually. I lived in London for five years before coming to Germany and it is a pretty horrible city to live in unless your'e very well paid and have a lot of contacts. You think parts of Berlin are scruffy and nasty, all I can say is go to the crap parts of London - or better still, don't go anywhere near them, especially not at night. However, I can't decide about Germans. Are they friendly? Mostly, no, and I'm sorry but a lot of them seem to have hang ups about British people and accepting foreigners in general. I worked in London in an international company and everyone was treated equal, including the 2 Germans in my office. Did anyone ever make sarcastic comments about Germany to them? No they did not. The rude and sarky comments that I have been on the receiving end here about Britain more than once have been very offputting.

I was just wondering, scubated, if you're still in Berlin or if you moved out in the end.

Port Moresby is no doubt much worse too, but does that help much?


see above

Still here and still having a hard time of it. My contract ends in 2010 so we will move back then (but not one second longer) Oh, and I have sought professional help to assist in coping, maybe I just need to learn how to handle the enormous amount of BS here. The Germans certainly know how to do it, so I hope I can too.

Proffesional help...err are you for real!!!, its just germany yeah...you haven`nt been in Iraq or Vietnam my friend or lost a limb.Get a grip and stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Sorry to hear about all of your problems, it sounded like maybe you needed to just vent a little bit. I just recently moved here from the States and I mainly did it because my boyfriend is from here and he is finishing up his diploma yet. But I am not married, i have no children and I do like to party now and again...and I also find Berlin difficult at times. I keep telling myself once I can break into the job market here, things will get better but I always say to my boyfriend that I don't want to start a family here. As the Berliners say..."Berlin is a sexy but broke city"...I would suggest finding a city that suits both of you and it doesn't mean you have to go back to the States, give Germany another try. I have also lived in Cologne/Bonn and find the area and people absolutely lovely! Beautiful landscapes, the Rhine river and friendly people...so I agree with the others that say, head south!

Just reading and felt i had to post for the first time. I've been coming to Berlin for over 3 years and moved here permanently just a few weeks ago (Hi all!). I'm from Bristol in the UK and compared to there it's great here. Low crime, better schools (never underestimate just how bad the schools are in Bristol), less drunks about, very few fights, you can go out in the city at weekends without being hassled. The standard of living is soooo much higher even though Berlin is broke and Bristol is (supposedly) rich. I say count your blessings. The grass always seems greener etc. I would happily raise a family here and i fully intend to. I'm sorry it's not working out for you, but you can't be miserable till 2010!!! Try to relax and enjoy all the things to do. There are great educational things for your kids and yourself. Try to look on the brightside a bit more. I Hope it works out.

Rochester must be completely sterile if you think Berlin is dirty.

shit son you shoulda seen some of the places I've been in

berlin is like freakin disneyland, I feel safe as shit

I've been in Rochester once, was quite a shocking experience. Shitloads of bad drugs, violence, child abuse... Not a pleasant place at all, if you ask me.