What’s it like in your country??

I live at home and am gonna get a job. Despite our President here, life so far is OK for me. However, I do wanna see the world and at least travel …

Germany: I think overall, compared to the rest of the world, it’s fine. As a German citizen you are well protected from most of the bullshit life can throw your way: We have strong legal systems, “free” healthcare and are relatively safe from the effects of climate change and military aggression.

But it’s also very frustrating because it could be so much better. Were the 3rd richest country in the world and yet our infrastructure is barely holding on. Bridges are collapsing and roads have giant potholes. Our train system is expensive and unreliable.

Our politicians are actively working against the interest of the german people and funnel money into companies instead. Corruption and malice against migrants is everywhere. Active climate change denial is also apparently acceptable. If you aren’t a retired homeowner who loves their car you aren’t relevant to the political conversation.

Yes your doctor is “free”, but you barely get a sentence in before youre send home with some generic advice or stopgap medicine and good luck getting to see a specialist. I pay over 400€ a month in taxes for this, I should be able to at least get more than a couple of minutes when I have some issues. Also teeth are luxury bones which are barely covered and glasses aren’t medically necessary either so have fun paying for those.

You probably won’t be able to afford a house ever and you need to save money for retirement. For context: I’m in my early 30s, got a masters degree, working on a phd and get paid enough that I’m in the highest tax group. My father could support my mother and 3 children with that income while still living comfortably. I pay like half my net salary in rent for a 2 room apartment, student loan debts (because my parents were to rich and I didn’t get BAFÖG, yet they didn’t support me) and retirement savings and don’t want to even think about paying for childcare.

I’m pissed this is the best my country is capable off. Not the mention literal fucking nazis are on the rise again and are probably going to start winning elections soon.

People sometimes focus on the bad things way too much. At my company, we just had elections for our work council*. Not many other countries, especially outside of Europe, make it possible for you to regularly elect a part of your management, let alone enshrine this right in their constitutions. And the council finished a LOT of projects to improve working conditions in the past few years, and more is to come.
Anything else? I’m about to leave and go to the park, so in short: The weather is splendid today, and despite living in a very dense and exciting area right in the heart of Europe, the good and continuously improving environmental regulations - including noise management - make me not even mind the busy highway nearby too much.

* Betriebsrat