Welcome to EasyExpat!

As a current expat in Berlin, I can highly recommend the city. I live here with my husband who is a teacher at a kita (kindergarten). I am learning German while he is quite fluent. Berlin makes it easy to get around without German as almost everyone can speak some English, but it is of course in your best interest to learn the language as soon as possible.

Main positives:
Low cost of living
Great history, culture, stuff to do
Big & active expat community
Haven for new business and start- ups

Negative:
large amount of unemployment

The positives (for me) far outweigh the negatives and the unemployment is a bit misleading. Where it can be difficult to find a job as a non-EU member, this is a great place to start a business of your own. The city is earning a reputation as a fantastic place for start-ups including the nickname "Silicon Allee" (see here: http://siliconallee.com/ & http://www.spiegel.de/international/bus ... 97,00.html).

Please feel free to check out my personal blog, Back to Berlin...and Beyond!, as well as the other blogs listed on BlogExpat for Berlin. There are a bunch of really great expat bloggers here that are also very active on Twitter.

In addition, we recently added a guide to Berlin that covers all aspects of a move to the city for an expat.

Please feel free to ask me any specific questions and best of luck with your move!

 

Hello again!
I was checking on your status. Have you decided to move to Berlin? Do you have an more questions about the city or becoming en expat?

Hope all is well!