# Questions about living in Dresden



## Mathias (Jan 15, 2013)

Greetings

I`m German but I have lived my entire life in Ecuador, I have the German passport though

By the moment I only speak Spanish and English

I`m planning to move to Dresden, because I`ve heard that it is not an expensive city compared to others in Germany, is it true?

What I´m planning to do is to get there, study the German language and get a job

I´m 29 years old and I´m still an university student, I´m stuying Business in an Ecuadorian university via Distant mode, what I want to do is keep studying Business via distant mode while I´m studying German

I have worked as a Manager Assistant for some years in a courtains factory in Ecuador

Once I learn German I might have not finished my Business studies yet, how easy would it be to get a job for me, although I have some experience working as a Manager Assistant??

While I´m learning German, speaking English would be a great tool in Dresden, do people there speak any English, like in the City Hall, supermarkets and also people who rent apartments??

Which other city would you recommend me that would allow me to speak in English until I learn German and that is not expensive or should I keep Dresden as an appropiate city for me??

Thanks in advance for the information


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

You keep posting the same message over and over again on the forum, despite having received good replies and detailed information (from me by PM, among others) for all yoir questions.
As everybody told you, your plan, of coming to Germany with no money and expect the authorities to finance your living costs while you learn the language and study, will be VERY DIFFICULT or IMPOSSIBLE to realize.
If you dislike this fact, posting the same again and hoping for a different answer will not help!

If you really want to relocate to Germany, I recommend you to learn the language, study and work until you have acquired useful skills and saved a meaningful amount that allows you to move. Everything else are pipe dreams!


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

Some more detail answers to your questions (most of which you received before):
- Surviving in Germany without language skills is possible, but not pleasant. It severely limits your possibilities, especially for social contacts, apartments and jobs. The big Western cities (plus Berlin) are better in this respect, Eastern Germany worse. Officers (anywhere) will not speak much English (and all forms are in German, too). Some people in supermarkets and landlords might understand it (but many landlords dislike non-German-speakers).
- While on state aid, you must be available to the job market (and have to show reasonable efforts to find a job). This is incompatible with attending a full-time language class or other courses. The costs of such courses are also not covered by the aid, which really allows only basic survival and not much else.
- Doing what you plan to do is heavily frowned upon by most Germans as "social leeching". You won't make many friends that way!


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## Whatsnext (Feb 24, 2014)

Hola Mathias.

Have you actually been to Europe before? Sorry if I missed this info anywhere.
How do you know which country you would like to live, i.e. GER, UK or perhaps Spain?

Yes, it seems you have repeatedly posted the same type of questions for the past 12 months (jajaja) and you seem to have considered a move to the UK also.

I agree with others who suggested you'd check with authorities here and in the UK to what extend your Ecuadorian degree (once completed) would be recognized.

Imagine you were spending 3 or 4 years studying and it would not be recognized, or you'd have to study more in Europe in order to satisfy their requirements.

This is what I would do:

-Check re: recognition of your degree course first and foremost (have you done this in the meantime?)

-Consider the UK over GER, or even ESP. What are your long term plans? Do you prefer to live in GER or the UK, or do you simply want to stay anywhere for a few years to study and earn some money that pays for your education and save a bit more? It is unlikely that you will be able to complete local studies AND earn enough on a part-time job that does not require any German language skills. The competition for jobs has become very stiff due to open borders in the EU and an increasing number of young people studying. Many low skill jobs only pay 5 to 9 Euros per hour (before tax and social contributions is taken out). So say you make 6 Euros net, that's only 120 Euros per week on a part time basis, or around 500 Euros per month. You'd need at least double that for the most basic living standard, anywhere in Europe I imagine.

-If you really want to come to GER, forget about counting on social benefits. Not saying that you might not be eligible, but like others have said to you before, you would have to be available to the job market and be happy to be put on any type of full time job, which might be low pay + topped up with Hartz 4 (social benefits) for a frugal minimum standard life. But since you cannot officially be registered at a local university while getting these benefits (as you need to be available on the labor market for continuation of eligibility), the only thing that remains is your degree course via distance education from Ecuador. You can of course complete that in your own time, after work. 

So essentially, you need to find out what your degree course would mean in GER or anywhere in Europe in terms of recognition and chances for a job?

Of course, you might also consider Spain - at least you'd have no problems with the language and could complete a University course that would be recognized throughout Europe. However, the unemployment rate is one of the worst in Spain. Being in the UK or Spain at least are two more options to consider and it's close to Germany, at least much closer than from Ecuador. Also, if you were finishing studies in Spain, not only would you have better weather but you could then still consider moving to Germany based on a completed degree and perhaps some basic German language skills, acquired while living in Spain.


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