First of all, I am so glad that I found this site. Them members of this site seem to be really helpfull and I hope in the future to be able to help other as well....but now, I need some help.
I have been to Cologne and fall in love with the city. I am brazilian/british. I was born in Brazil and spent the last 14 years in London working as a Residential Support Worker. I have to say that i have had enough of this field... cant do with teenagers anymore....and of course the internal politics and budgets. So, I have decided to move to Cologne. I am still searching for everything...jobs, flats and so on. So, as you guys can see, very green here hehehe... I am hoping to find a jog that will pay for my keeping...rent and so on. I do not speak German...my word...it seems that is going to take ages to learn hehehe... I speak English/Portuguese/Spanish.
I hope to hear from you guys. I can just say thank you all in advance.
One gigantic hug to all of you....
xxxxx
valter.
Introducing myself lol...
Hello Valter!
Welcome to Expat.com 
Regards
Armand
Hi there Armand.....thank you for your message..... Are you going to move to Cologne as well???...
I want to move as soon as possible....before the winter settles in hehehe...
See you soon.
hi Valter,
i wrote in your other thread.
dont come here unless u speak the language well and have a job offer. ot loads of money to pay for ur expenses as you won't find job without speaking the language and having a qualification which is among the shortage ones.
if u still come here despite of that, please register with the job center (Arbeitsamt) in order to be entitled to unemployment benefits after 3 months of unsuccessfull job application process. otherwise u may have to go back to london with all ur money spent in cologne and bitter taste in ur mouth.
germany has a comparatively high unemployment rate!
i understand why u want to leave the uk, i worked in london before and understand u quite well, but it is only few proffessions that have shortage in germany at the moment - doctors, nurses, care-assistants etc. they still need to speak very good german and be qualified according their analogue of the NVQs.
so, think twice.
Cologne is a beautiful city, but everybody wants to work there + all the low-qualification jobs a done by students, so the competition is going to be really tough.
P.S. everybody residing in germany is obliged to have a health-insurance! if u dont work, this would be at least 150-160 euros per month
Thank you ever so much for your mssg. I believe you hehehe... I am a Residential Support Worker and have over 14 years experience and trainning in the area. I have worked for various loacal authorities and with a range of clients. I am trying to apply for some jobs from here. I was told that there are some jobs in the field even if one doesn't speak the language. I am also trying to apply for call centres since I speak Portuguese and Spanish as well as English. Well.. who knows.. I just want to try something new.
Could you tell me if it is difficult to find a cheap accommodation in Koln??? I don't mind about flat sharing and anything goes.. as long as I have my own bedroom and privacy hehe.
Once again, thank you so much.
See you soon...I hope hehehe....
yours,,,
valter.
Hi,
it is good you have so much experience in the UK, but it won't help for germany.
no, no chance to find a job if u dont speak the language. unless you work for somebody from your country and don;t have to communicate with the locals or in eventually in an irish pub. there are few in Cologne, but students are working there.
working here without knowing the language would be only possible if were going to teach your mother's tongue and had a qualification in teaching. even if you work for an international company which has transferred you here for a limited period of time, still you would be expected to speak the language.
you can rent a flat, look here for the prices:
flat sharing is possible in germany, is not as ordinary as it is in london though. so if you find such at all, it is probably going to be with students. dunno whether they would agree on that because of the age gap.
http://www.immobilien.de/mieten/wohnung
Wohnung = flat
choose "Mieten" = to rent
in Stadt oder Kreis - write Köln - this is the german name for Cologne.
the message is - learn the language and apply for a job before u come here, unless you have much money and can afford losing ur job in the UK.
it is nice u want to get some different experience, but this one may cost u ur job in the uk and loads of money. i would not risk it.
if you speak spanish, better try something in spain, will be a lot easier.
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