Hi German TAs! I'm currently from Florida but am so damn tired of living here(20 years in the depths of American Suburban Hell)...

So at the begining of the summer I've decided to move to Berlin. My life here in the US sucks complete ass and i've got to do something. I figure either I start a new life here in my home town with nothing, broke. Or I go to another town in Florida and do the same thing. Or I go to the other side of the world and do the same thing. I really don't think it matters.

I'm taking a class in German and teaching myself as much of the language and culture as a I can to attempt to prepare myself.

I guess first off I need any advice any of you can give me. I don't know anyone over there personally, but know some people through things like Tranceaddict and friend's friends in the music industry(which I want to go into)

I need to know how much it costs to live. I don't mean live, I mean survive. I've been homeless for periods of time and know how to make my way through the day and nights with verylittle to nothing. I'm not planning on being homeless, but I'm just saying I don't expect to live in a big condo or something. I'm in mad debt, and I will not be able to save up money other than a little pocket money and the plane ticket.

I've heard of student housing-type places that charge very little to nothing for simple rooms? Info anyone?

Also, I really need to know about the job market over there. I'm very artistic in every way. I mean, I'm a musician, a writer, a poet, and an artist(and I mean realistically, not just dreaming) but Iknow I'll probally have to work as a bag boy or a bitch boy at German McDonald's at least for a while till I get solid.


I guess basically, if anyone can give me any info on the living in Germany and the things I need to know and prepare for...

...I have about 5-6 months before I am an official German TA, I need to get to know ya'll and get to know the country!
Please don't take this as cheesy or some shit, I'm serious about this. Any info will help!

THANKS!!!
Spyke.

___________________
"Oh NO! It seems the world has been infected by a disease called shitty music.
We've had innocculations for some time now but the populace keeps refusing it.
You don't want it? Fine. Give me all the vaccine and a needle and I'll fucking overdose.
It'll be the best day of my life."

omg? are you german really? heheheh i did not know this! :P

___________________
www.arturobonetti.com // www.giuseppeottaviani.com

Holy shit you're brave!
I'll try to gather some info for you. Gimme 30 min.

HEY! Your not a GTA!

Hey Fox, yeah, I'm moving over there at the begining of the summer. I want to get over there before it gets to 100 degrees with 100% humidity here, and I wanna make it in time for the Love Parade.

Ultra will be my last throw down as a FLTA...CAN'T WAIT!!!



And thankd much...I guess it's brave, I dunno. I do know I've been in 2 jails... had my own apt... had my own house... lived on couches... lived on the roof of a building downtown... and now I'm back living with my parents on a couch in their office. I can survive about anything. I'm hoping Germany will be a little less trying than friggin America. Any info will help, THANKS!!!

___________________
"Oh NO! It seems the world has been infected by a disease called shitty music.
We've had innocculations for some time now but the populace keeps refusing it.
You don't want it? Fine. Give me all the vaccine and a needle and I'll fucking overdose.
It'll be the best day of my life."

Alright. I think the German government considers less than 300€ per month enough to survive. Berlin is cheap though.
In east Berlin you should be able to get an apartment for less than 3€ per square meter (get used to the metric system!!!).
Unemployment rate was 10% in October 2003.

Loveoparade is July 10th.
It's cold over here.
Oh and bureaucracy is a bitch over here.
Maybe the other GTAs can think of more...

About how much is that in dollas? And what is the average pay over there for like a pizza boy? I don't plan on being one long, but I'm not gonna be able to just get a job writing or something the first week, soooo...

Another thing I'm really worried about(and this is more important than the money to me) is finding the DJs and such like I have here. I mean the local underground scene in Jungle and Trance and such. Over here I'm at the radio station every week standing behind the DJ talking with him about the music on the air. Going to parties with 5 DJs and MCs that are well known in the state.

I hate to sound elitist, but it took me years to get to the status I'm at now, as far as being able to walk into a small club and go right to the DJ booth no questions asked. First name basis with all the club and head shop owners. If I have to start at square one I'm gonna be bored out of my MIND!

Any advice on local forums and underground sites that are local to Berlin or surrounding areas? I mean, I know I'm not gonna be on the Casino VIP or anything, but whats the underground like over there?

___________________
"Oh NO! It seems the world has been infected by a disease called shitty music.
We've had innocculations for some time now but the populace keeps refusing it.
You don't want it? Fine. Give me all the vaccine and a needle and I'll fucking overdose.
It'll be the best day of my life."

quote:

Originally posted by SpykeChyld About how much is that in dollas? And what is the average pay over there for like a pizza boy? I don't plan on being one long, but I'm not gonna be able to just get a job writing or something the first week, soooo... Another thing I'm really worried about(and this is more important than the money to me) is finding the DJs and such like I have here. I mean the local underground scene in Jungle and Trance and such. Over here I'm at the radio station every week standing behind the DJ talking with him about the music on the air. Going to parties with 5 DJs and MCs that are well known in the state. I hate to sound elitist, but it took me years to get to the status I'm at now, as far as being able to walk into a small club and go right to the DJ booth no questions asked. First name basis with all the club and head shop owners. If I have to start at square one I'm gonna be bored out of my MIND! Any advice on local forums and underground sites that are local to Berlin or surrounding areas? I mean, I know I'm not gonna be on the Casino VIP or anything, but whats the underground like over there?

dont wanna sound harsh but if you plan on starting a new life, a new existence...aren't there some *priorities* to be set? what are you coming here for? actually building up something new or checking out parties? you can't have everything all the time, im afraid.

___________________
"Those are my principles, if you don't like them... well, I have others.”

3€ should be around 4,5$.
And the DJ scene "here" is quite elite-ish..! Especially for the better known and forget PvD and sth like that

Yes, there are priorities to be set for my new "exsistence" as you put it(not a bad way to put it at all!)

Basically I have nothing here in the states. I mean I live with my parents cus of all the shit that has happened to me, I have no choice right now. But like I said, I have owned my own house and been completely homeless before. I really have alot of experience in this shit.

***Maybe I should have put my purpose for all of this first. Sorry. Eventually I want to be a producer and DJ on an international scale. No, I'm not saying I want to be the next PvD, cus we all do, but instead I just want to make my music. I'd really rather stay underground than be a superstar DJ or some shit. Here in America artists are looked as as slackers who don't want to work. Thats not true at all, I just could NOT handle the 9-5 bullshit, and with my true love for rythm and lyrics, I think I really don't have much choice in my life if I truely want to be happy.

So one day, when I get the cash, I would like to go to SAE Institute in Berlin. Thats the goal for right now. Then, with a degree, I could be taken seriously in my audio hopes all over the world. I mean, even if I'm not the next Markus Schultz, even if I'm just some producer for a mainstream act and I never ghet my name on anything, it would be fine cus I'd be doing what I love.

So thats the goal of all this. Not to mention I've never been outside of the friggin SouthEast United States. I NEED to expand my mind beyond the jaded visions of those around me. My mind is so fucked right now, I mean, I'm willing to try a trip to Germany instead of taking these fucking Paxils.


So yes, I am actually building up to something. I realize life can't be just parties, and I would really rather be sitting in a studio with a 40 channel and some decks and 3 other people than in a massive party or club rolling my ass off. Yeah, I'll be at Casino like one a week while I'm there, cus I looooove PvD/AvB style Trance, but I'm really hoping there will be an underground scene over there like there USED TO BE over here.

I mean there are locals in every city in the world. There has to be underground parties and local producers, not JUST Vandit in Berlin. I want to meet every one of the local guys before I even get there. I need to be able to have a place to spin every now and then, even if it's only to 10 people at the bar. I need DJs to chill with and smoke a blunt and spin records for hours on end.

(Which reminds me, hows the bud over there? I'm a pothead like you've never seen before, there some good Sensi that is regualar? )

Anyone know of any local forums like our enation or cflraves(or whatever it is)??? I think that'd be a great start, being that that is how I met people here like Monk and AK1200 and Edgar.

___________________
"Oh NO! It seems the world has been infected by a disease called shitty music.
We've had innocculations for some time now but the populace keeps refusing it.
You don't want it? Fine. Give me all the vaccine and a needle and I'll fucking overdose.
It'll be the best day of my life."

Oh, and as much as I love my Trance...hows the DnB/Jungle/HipHop scenes over there? I've heard German HipHop and all I could do is laugh, so it's ok if thats shite, but I'm really hoping for at least a small Jungle scene.

___________________
"Oh NO! It seems the world has been infected by a disease called shitty music.
We've had innocculations for some time now but the populace keeps refusing it.
You don't want it? Fine. Give me all the vaccine and a needle and I'll fucking overdose.
It'll be the best day of my life."

well em sorry dude, dont take it offensive or something... but all i can say is, get ur ass over here and look for yourself about all the "requirements" u have, i mean it could kill u so easily if u just come here with like 200bucks n nothing even if u speak perfect english. berlin is really well know for its open inhabitans and such, but like everywhere there are people that just wants to stick u off.

even 10pages of postings from germans couldnt bring u the feel u need to come over here, since i was 6weeks in la, i can say pretty easily that life n people are n think like 180° different compared to germany... u should really atleast plan one trip overhere to get ur final thoughts about ur new "life". and it costs more than format c: /q or something

Thanks Blood. See, if I just take some vacation over there for three weeks I'm gonna have to get a hotel for three weeks and that will be maaaaaad cash. I mean, I'd have to wait another year to move over there just cus I went for 3 weeks.

I realize that people are completely different there than here. I know several close friends that came from Germany to here and they are some of the coolest people I've ever met(Flo, from TA being one)

Basically I hate the US, I hate this town I've lived in for the past 20 year of my fucking life, and I have to get out of here before I go fucking nuts, as if I'm not that way already. Just my being here in this shithole depresses me beyond what you could imagine. If I move over there and live below the fucking poverty level for a year then I'll be happier than I am here. Not to mention I can't think of a better way to learn German and get into SAE than live there for a year or so first.

I know a couple people over there so I wouldn't be all alone or anything.


I'm thinking about London as well, but I really don't think it'd be as much of a change as I am looking for. I'm thinking London only for their DnB scene.

Look, I'm spending every day of the next 6 months learning things about Berlin and Europe. I know it won't even come close to preparing me for what I'll encounter, but I think that may be one of the points I love...something completely new and unexpected. I speak perfect english, in fact I'm a writer with a very eloquent vocabulary, and I'm hoping to be fairly up to date in German by the time I move.

What is the percentage of people who speak what language in Berlin?
Please guys, I've asked alot of questions and I'm only getting "these questions won't prepare you"...I know...I don't really want to go into it knowing everything, it would kind of defeat the purpose!!

Please help?

___________________
"Oh NO! It seems the world has been infected by a disease called shitty music.
We've had innocculations for some time now but the populace keeps refusing it.
You don't want it? Fine. Give me all the vaccine and a needle and I'll fucking overdose.
It'll be the best day of my life."