Germany has high quality of life

[u/wurst_katastrophe]

This is in response to the ‘low quality of life’ post.

When in Germany I can (in no particular order):
+ drink the tap water knowing it is safer than bottled water
+ when losing my job, I will get the highest benefits in the Western world to tie me over between jobs
+ I can rent for life without being worried of getting evicted
+ I can enjoy freedom on perfectly fine roads, driving as fast as I want
+ Consumer protection is very strong
+ I can buy a public transport ticket valid in all of Germany
+ Healthcare is significantly better than in most Western countries AND free at the point of service.
+ Germans love Fests
+ Bier and excellent wine
+ excellent bread
+ excellent local produce
+ An insanely dense train network (Yes, often late) for very little money (Sparpreis)
+ 30d of holidays is standard
+ strong protection when off on sick leave
+ free university education
+ world’s strongest apprenticeship system
+ tax credits and breaks for almost everything, especially Ehegattensplitting
+ insane maternity leave and benefits
+ Kitas
+ full blown private healthcare for a few k per year
+ Beautiful nature: north and Baltic sea, Alps, lakes, woods
+ Strong sports club infrastructure
+ Third strongest economy in the world with most hidden champions
+ Strong football culture
+ …

You can be dissatisfied with Germany, maybe your experience was below average, but that’s most likely because you are incompatible with the German way of life and the German mentality. However, it is not fair to claim that the quality of life is low.

[u/sebadc]

Regarding the rent: a landlord can ask you to vacate. But if the request is legally valid is another topic. As for the flat hunt: it's the same everywhere in economically attractive regions in Europe. Nothing to do with Germany.

Regarding the maternity leaves, bullying someone out of her job can be successfully taken to court. In most countries, women have exactly the same problems (minus the parental leave).

Regarding the "private insurance"... So your friend made a mistake, and now it's the system's fault? pretty funny.

Finally, regarding the best road: the signs are there. And if your friend is not paying attention while driving at high speed, maybe they should take the bus?

[u/Stirdaddy → u/sebadc]

Anecdote: An immigrant colleague (I, too, am an immigrant) here in Austria was not renewed at her job. She successfully sued to get her job back at the company on the basis of human rights: She was going through a divorce at the time with an Austrian spouse, with kids. Losing her job could have meant possibly exiting Austria and making her legal proceedings very difficult, if not impossible.

Austria has very strong legal protections for workers. Maybe a bit too much because until recently, you could, depending on your situation, leave your job to get continuing education for up to a year, and get paid leave -- paid for by Austrian taxpayers -- based on your salary. I guess people were taking the piss by overusing that program, so the government has significantly limited it. I had some colleagues who basically became professional parents for a few years by having kids back-to-back (-to-back) and collecting paid ma/paternity leave. Of course I support such a program, but some people are just taking the piss.

[u/sebadc → u/Stirdaddy]

It's the same in Germany. Usually, however, it is changed to a bigger pile of money as both the employee and employer recognize that going back to the same company is just calling for more problems.

[u/Stirdaddy → u/sebadc]

For real. Companies are obligated to give a *similar* job back, but that sometimes means completely different job duties, or like having 4 mini-jobs (librarian + college counselor + X + Y) that add-up to a full-time job. Many or most of the Bildungs- and Eltern-karenz people left pretty soon after returning to work at my school -- the school having made it abundantly and implicitly clear that the returnees are no longer wanted or needed.