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First thing's first, I'm graduating in my senior year of high school this summer in the U.S. I haven't done very well in school (2.33 GPA) but I have a weird fascination with Germany. The culture, people, and hobbies there. I'd like to learn about the history and also learn how to speak in German (learn the basics during summer). What do you usually give tips about when doing something like this? I don't really like living where I am at, especially with family. I'd like to teach history or music (I play guitar. I can read charts and sheet music) or do a skilled trade (do they have skilled trade jobs over there?).
I'm still researching the colleges there, so it'll be a while until I can. I also plan on becoming a citizen in Germany, which I think is going to be a hard thing. I also won't have much to bring with me (laptop and monitor, guitar(2 guitars) and amp and some clothing.
I'm kinda introverted, in a sense that I'd like to explore but with myself or someone I'm really close with. I'm alright with small talks and long conversations, but my charisma really sucks in a way that my jokes and responses are really... crappy. Sociability isn't really a thing I'm good at, as I've never really talked to anyone in my life.
Also, can I get a small list of what NOT to do if I ever live in Germany? I don't want to come off as disrespectful or assaholic.
Last edited by AiryCarTyre; 03-25-2017 at 06:43 PM..
Take German in an American college, go on a study abroad semester there, stay an extra semester (this is doable), then after graduating, go over there and talk your way into a job. You'll need web design skills, or some other skill (engineering?) that they need, in order to be able to get a job. If your German is good at that point, and you can do English language web page marketing and such, you might succeed in getting a job. Your employer would have to be willing to support your switch from a tourist visa to a work visa, but it can be done.
You'll need at least a B.A. to bust into society over there. Start at a community college here, get good grades for 2 years, transfer to a 4-year school, and it might work. Or apply to a university that one of your parents attended, and get in as a legacy student, where grades won't matter.
The vast majority of programs in Germany are taught in German so I don't see how you will be able to study there full-time without any language skills. Learning the "basics during summer" will not suffice.
What Ruth said is the best option you have - take German at college and study a semester or two abroad. Have you ever even been to Germany?
The most obvious advice is to start learning German BEFORE you ever travel to Germany. Most colleges would require a foreign student to show proof of advanced language skills in the form of a certificate (from Goethe-Institut or another standartized one). Without it you could not be admitted in the first place.
Nope. They only had 2 languages (Spanish and French). I'm not very good at web design, but I guess I can take some classes for web design. This should be a Bachelors in Arts, right?
I've never traveled outside my country. Mostly due to fear of my language barrier. I'll see if the community colleges around here offer German.
There is nothing to be afraid of if you come to Germany without speaking the language as a tourist, short-term - most people are willing to help with things like shopping and figuring out the public transit. But if you want to live here, you have to learn it.
Second, you have to be fluent in German. Let's face it, English-only jobs are rare.
Third, you have to outperform German applicants both academically and "on the job".
Now, you can either study in the US or Germany.
You can look up programmes entirely in English here, I'd aim for degrees that are covered by the first list above. Thing is, you have a high school GPA of 2.33 and German universities tend to decide on university applications based on high school grades. Based on your performance in high school, it will be really tough for you to get in.
Studying in Germany, even when it's an English-language degree, would have the advantage that you could learn German on the side. You have to ask yourself, though, if you can handle studying for a full time degree and a foreign language at the same time. If you can't manage to bring your German to a professional level within three years, you'll struggle to find employment afterwards.
You can also study in the US. Again, look for programmes in fields mentioned on list 1 above. I doubt you'll be able to acquire working knowledge in German without any exposure to the language, though.
List 2 features skilled trades. While you don't need a degree for most of them, German will be much more of an issue. These jobs will require you to interact with locals on a daily basis. Locals that might not speak any English at all (old people when working as a nurse, ...).
All in all, it won't be easy to follow your dreams. Overcome your laziness and work hard on what has to be done to move there.
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