I moved from the US to Berlin. I was yelled at and kicked out of registration offices, but I didn't give up. I'm happier than I ever was living in the US.

The author, initially from Longmont, Colorado, struggled to adapt to life in Berlin for seven years, facing cultural differences in social interactions. Despite trying to be personable, they received cold responses from locals. This changed dramatically after adopting a dachshund named Toby, which helped break down barriers and connect with others. The author also details the stressful journey of securing a long-term freelance visa, filled with bureaucratic indifference and language barriers that left them questioning their move to Berlin despite eventually finding love and joy in the city.

Before Toby, I had a 30% success rate in getting smiles from strangers. In Berlin, friendly smiles aren't the norm, unlike back home in Colorado.

My long-term visa journey was a nightmare of paperwork and hostility from government workers who refused to speak English, leaving me feeling hopeless.

Read at Business Insider