Mary, you know I've been thinking about applying for a job in Germany. Well, I've got the details about different jobs and I'd like your opinion about which would be the best one to go for.
Where are the jobs?
One's in Munich, one's in Frankfurt and the other one's in Hamburg.
Munich's supposed to be a very nice place.
Yes it is, and it's also in a beautiful part of Germany, not far from the Alias.
That would be great for the kids--they'd love to be able to go skiing at weekends!
But, one problem with Munich is that it's growing very fast. That means the cost of living will probably be very high.
It's a higher salary than the job in Frankfurt but lower than the one in Hamburg. The Hamburg job has the most responsibility. From the point of view of career progression that would probably be the best job for me. Hamburg's the closest to Britain, too, so it would be easy to come back for long weekends and holidays.
That's right, and there's a regular ferry service which would save quite a bit on fares.
What about the cost of living in Germany as a whole? How does it compare with Britain?
Well, it's definitely higher than over here, but salaries are substantially higher, so we'd certainly be better off than we are now.
And what about accommodation?
Well, actually, flats are much cheaper to rent in towns like Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg than they are here in London, so we'd be able to afford to live in a nice, spacious flat, I'd think.
Mmm, that'd be nice! And do you know what the cultural facilities are like in these cities?
In fact, they're quite good in all three. But, of course, Munich has an international reputation as a cultural center.
Another thing we'll have to consider, of course, are the educational possibilities. How long would you want to go to Germany for?
I think a maximum of five years. I think working overseas will be good for my career and, of course, it'd be a good experience for you and the kids, too!
So we'd be there long enough to enable John to complete a university course.
Well, yes we would, unless of course he preferred to go to a university in the UK. But, yes, if he did want to go to university in Germany, there'd be no problem as each of those cities have their own universities. Munich, in fact, has the second largest university in Germany.
Well, it seems to me the choice must be between Hamburg and Munch. Hamburg has the advantage of being the closest to Britain, so coming home would be relatively easy and inexpensive. Munich, on the other hand, sounds like the most interesting place from a cultural point of view.
I agree with you. Personally, I favor Munich because it's so near to the Alps. We all like sliding and we could go skiing at weekends in the winter.
I think you're right. I had thought Hamburg might be preferable because it's the closest to Britain. But we'll only be abroad for five years, and if we're going to be away, let's choose the most attractive place we can.