Phishing scams seem to be all the rage these days – don’t fall for this one as your holiday packages start to arrive! Beware of text messages from the “Zollamt” or any other links from unknown senders…
I had just ordered gifts for friends from Amazon, very excited, and therefore vulnerable to deception…
There’s nothing like a taste of home to heal your Heimweh – but if you’re new to baking in Germany, there are a few things you knead to know (oh yes we did)! Following your recipes to a T won’t always produce the same result as back home. It may take some trial and error, but with these tips for baking in Germany, you’ll bake a masterpiece in no time!
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We were almost crying with laughter when we saw this gem on the auslanderhacks Instagram page: could technology from the 1980s really be the answer to all our first-world third-country problems? Read on to find more about #FaxHack.
What is an A1 Bescheinigung? Why might I need it? How do I get it? If you are living and working not just in Germany, but also other EU and EFTA countries, you will eventually be asked to get an A1 Bescheinigung. It’s so that both (or all!) EU/EFTA countries in which you work can figure out where you’re covered when it comes to social security.
Are you a member of a religion that is subject to church tax in Germany? Considering leaving the church? You’ll need to go through a process called Kirchenaustritt.
We all know how insane the Berlin apartment situation has become. Even people with a significant and stable income – in other places, an easy guarantee for locking down a lease – often have to search and wait for months or even years to find an apartment in this ever-growing city. And anyone who was lucky enough to land a cute 2-bedroom apartment with an Einbauküche (every tenant’s dream!) by the canal in Kreuzberg will be sure to never terminate their lease. At least not in this lifetime.
Then what about the freelancers and people with low incomes? You don’t need to be a psychic to know that as a freelance artist, you are most likely at the bottom of the list of potential tenants for any given landlord. And it feels close to impossible to find your own humble abode.
You want to understand all aspects of the German rental contract before you agree to it formally. But the clock is also ticking to seal the deal quickly. Given the short period of time you have to sign the tenancy contract, often a day or less, it can be challenging to figure out which parts of the rental lease are important, especially if you don’t understand German. Red Tape Translation can help.
A true sign of cultural assimilation is the ability to do the sauna like a pro – at least for this US American in Germany.
One of the first “warnings” I received as I arrived to Germany with a group of 30 other musicians, mostly North Americans, was about the sauna. “If you don’t take off your clothes, people will stare at you”. The idea of being naked in front of strangers was terrifying. So it would be a few years later before I gave it a fair chance.
If you’re an expat in Berlin and you’re addicted to your phone, you’re in luck because there are some seriously cool apps available to make your life in Germany’s capital city easier. We’ve compiled a list of the most practical ones for you to download before your trip to Berlin. … Read more
This article is dedicated to immigrants and expats seeking help for burnout symptoms in Germany. It’s a topic that is close to my heart. The more clients I help who have faced this issue, the more I realise how important it is to get this information out there.
It can be a VERY long 12 weeks of winter after the holidays, so here are 5 tips to help you survive Berlin winter like a pro…. Read more
Unexpected cancellation of hundreds of expat accommodation bookings in Berlin with no signs of a refund: we outline the suspected rental scam and what victims should do next.
