Do you want to work and live in Germany?

If this is even just a small possibility in mind, this post is perfect for you. While most of us are convinced that living and working in Germany is a great idea, some of us may be unsure. For those of you on the fence, here are just 3 reasons why living in Germany should be an option for you

• Central location: bordering 9 countries is a huge benefit for travel fanatics – in just 1 or 2 hours maximum, a 30-50 Euro flight can land you in nearly any major city within a 2-3 country radius
• Low cost of living (for the Western world): major German cities are rather affordable, in comparison to other major European or U.S. cities (like Paris, Zurich, Geneva, London, Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki, Vienna, New York, Miami, LA, San Francisco)
• Breathtaking scenery: the Germans’ incredible preservation of the wilderness makes for many fairytale-like scenes. And it is not just one kind of beauty; Germany has a very diverse climate and terrain, with mountains to the South (Alps), wetlands and glacier-formed lakes in the North, uplands in the center and east, and rivers all throughout

Alright, now back to our main point: how to secure work or study in Germany?

To begin, let’s go through the 6 levels of German proficiency: A1-C2

• A1 = Beginner
• A2 = Elementary
• B1 = Intermediate
• B2 = Upper Intermediate
• C1 = Advanced
• C2 = Proficient

In case you’re curious to know, these 6 levels were established by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) for the following reasons:

• “To establish learning and teaching objectives”
• “To review curricula”
• “To design teaching materials”
• “To provide a basis for recognizing language qualifications thus facilitating educational and occupational mobility”

This post will focus specifically on reaching the A1 level, while future posts will cover the more advanced ones.

• The A1 Level

  • Able to understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and phrases aimed at meeting your basic needs
  • Able to introduce oneself and others, ask and answer questions about personal details like places of origin/residence and possessions
  • Able to interact in a simple way with some guidance and a slow pace of conversation

• The A1 Test

  • Group Written Exam (65 minutes)
    • Listen to short everyday conversations, personal phone messages, or public announcements and complete exercises on them
    • Read texts such as brief notes, classified ads, signposts or posters & complete exercises on them
    • Fill in typical simple forms and write a short personal text about everyday situation
  • Group Oral Exam (15 minutes)
    • Introduce yourself to the group. A relaxed Q&A session will follow and you will ask someone in the group for some everyday items

• Preparing for The A1 Test

  • Route 1 = Self-study

    • Routine: 45-60 minutes daily for 2 months or more, depending on your pace of learning
    • Hours of study: 150-200 hours
    • Resources: while there are many, many different options here, some of our favorites are:
      
      • Vocabulary:
        • Memrise – my personal favorite vocab website, Memrise focuses on words and phrases that you will actually use in everyday conversations and interactions; in short, they teach you the vocab that matters
        • Clozemaster – with the tagline “learn language in context,” Clozemaster teaches you the most common vocabulary words in real-life contexts; plus, it’s designed like a game, so it’s easy to lose track of time when using the app
      • Listening & Speaking:
        • HelloTalk – start off with chat first, until you have the conversation basics down (name, introductions, places of origin/residence, possessions); then, transition into voice chat to put those skills to good use
        • @German_mastery Instagram – filled with grammar videos, funny videos, and songs, my IG page will teach you German the fun way! Many of my videos are transcribed, so you can follow along with the word-by-word German to English translations
        • Goethe Institut – as the administrators of the A1-C2 proficiency exams, the Goethe Institut graciously provides you with online listening materials and exercises; if you can comprehend the majority of the listening portions at the link above, you are well on your way to crushing the A1 language exam!
    • Benefits of Self-Study:
      • Cost-effective: there are many free (or cheap) practice materials you can leverage online – whether it be the above-mentioned websites or applications
      • At your own pace: you can progress at your pace, rather than being forced to advance at the pace of an organized class or tutor’s curriculum
      • Versatility of resources: educating yourself affords the luxury of versatile resources; rather than sticking to the study materials provided by a teacher or tutor, you can pick your favorite elements from many different websites and applications

• • Route 2 = Tutor

    • Routine: 2-3 sessions per week (30 minutes each) OR 1-2 sessions (60 minutes each)
    • Hours of study: 75-100 hours
    • Resources: in addition to taking about ½ the time that self-study would take, learning with a tutor removes the need to find your own materials. Tutors will (almost) always provide you with custom learning materials. However, it is your responsibility to complete the assignments thoroughly and to maximize your learnings.
    • Benefits of a Tutor:
      • Targeted education: having mastered the language already, tutors have a clear path to fluency in mind; they know what to prioritize and in what order, to help you advance cleanly along your language learning path
      • Materials provided: the work is done for you; rather than having to dig for solid learning materials and resources and lay them along a timeline, you tutor will provide you with ample lesson and practice materials
      • Quicker advancement: one disadvantage of teaching yourself is excessive time spent sifting through resources and learning in a random order; tutors add method to the madness and structure lesson plans to help you reach your language goals as quickly as possible

Once you pass the A1 level, you are no longer just a beginner! You have crossed the line of basic phrases and conversations into more complex expressions of self and others. You are well on your way to carrying casual conversation with strangers on a variety of topics, ranging from family, shopping, and work to immediate surroundings. Viel Glück und sehen wir uns auf dem nächsten Niveau: A2!