Creative, affordable by Western European standards, but the admin will test you

I have lived in Berlin for five years and it still surprises me. The tech scene is huge and English works at most startups, so getting a first job is realistic without fluent German. Public transport is excellent and the Deutschlandticket makes it cheap. Parks and lakes are everywhere in summer. The downsides are real, though. Finding a flat is brutal, appointments at the Bürgeramt and Ausländerbehörde can take weeks, and winter is long and grey from November to March. Service can feel blunt until you learn that it is rarely personal. There is a big African community, and I found church, football and good jollof within six months. Overall a great city for curious people who are patient with paperwork.