" I live in Los Angeles, CA and I''m considering a job in Munich which would take me away for anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. I''m wondering about others'' experiences in moving in increments. I''m going on a trial run and if all goes well I''ll want to decide how to handle the rest of the duration. For now I''m keeping my place in LA and will try to sublet it or just keep it. For the longer term, I''ll just have to wait and see. I''m going to take my clothes, cats and some personal effects but not furniture, etc. for starters. Has anyone else out there gone this route and have any advice? Thanks in advance. Eliza "

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" Well Gussie, I''m not sure if this job is going to work long term so for me to abandon all my roots here in LA right off the bat seems extreme. At this point in my life I feel the need to have a safety net of some sort in place. (I only arrived in LA 2 years ago from NYC, with everything in tow.) I agree and understand about the whole internal adventure, but I also have professional connections and obligations in LA, so I''m hedging my bets. I need to minimize the stress on me during the trial run and I feel that keeping my roots in LA will help me feel like I''ve got some options rather than none. I can''t afford to feel trapped there upon arrival. That''s my logic. If I arrive and it''s indeed as excellent an opportunity as I hope, I''ll be back in 6 months to put everything else in storage and loose the reins. Fair enough? "

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Also I''d be interested to hear price ranges for the above temporal move (pt. 1) vs. the full finish (pt. 2). Thanks! Eliza

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" Hi Eliza, Re: your first question, I would highly recommend that you go full swoop, not in increments. Just let go of LA and plunge in. Store furniture and other valuable possesions if need be, although I can almost guarantee that that stuff will seem far less important once you''re overseas so keep the storage load LIGHT! And the load to Munich light. Most people hang on to wayyyy too much and the purpose of this adventure is internal, not external. And if you are a natural at cultural adaptation (some are, some aren''t), life abroad will give you a whole new perspective on yourself and LA in a way you can''t imagine or predict. Drop LA. And jump into the change with both feet, using reason of course... "

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" Eliza ... I did the same thing you''re doing. I moved from Virginia to Munich two years ago (almost to the day!), on very short notice, without knowing how long I''d be there. I left my cat in the care of friends, kept my apartment, but sold my car. When I came back, I couldn''t wait to get rid of the apartment (and all of the belongings I had no need for the past two months), and bring my cat to Germany. My advice is, if you need your safety net, then by all means deploy it (hold onto the apartment). But I would also recommend a shorter ''trial period'' if at all possible, so you''re not paying rent twice each month for longer than need be. Ask your sponsoring company if they''ll put you up in a long-term hotel (like the Karl Theodor!) while you look for an apartment. It cost my company ~DM6000 per month for that, but it included a lot. If they won''t sponsor that, then don''t do it by yourself! It''s just too expensive. A furnished apartment in the ""fun"" parts of town (Schwabing being the best, followed by die Altstadt, then Maxvorstadt) should run you anywhere from DM1000 to DM4000. It''s expensive if you want a lot of space (I got a moderate-sized place with 70s furniture for DM2000), and you have to look for a place that allows cats -- it''s a big deal in Germany. Dogs are easy, cats are not. Hmm, guess I''m starting to ramble. Can''t give all the advice at once! Do you have a relocation agent? The short of it is, good luck, and try to not rely on your ''parachute''. Enjoy the plunge ... you''ll land safely. I did. I was so very sad to leave! -m- "

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" Well, Matthew. Thanks for the response. It''s heartening. I''m taking the cats with me on the outgoing leg of this trip. Is there a reason that cats are harder than dogs or is it just an inexplicable quirk? I expect that if I stay I''ll be back in 6 months divesting myself of many things, and shipping what I want to keep. I''ll cross that bridge...then. I asked for a 3 month trial, but they wanted 6 months, so I compromised. I don''t have a relocation agent. What is this? And could you explain to me what is a Pension as compared to other options - live in hotel, furnished/unfurnished apartments? I have an Assistant Producer who is an American already living and working for the company in Munich. So that''s already proven helpful in figuring some things out. Thanks for the neighborhood recommendations. Should I buy a guide to Munich to get a better ""lay of the land"" and neighborhoods, etc? If so, do you recommend a specific one. So you''ve returned stateside already? How long were you in Munich? Thanks sooooo much! E "

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" Hi Eliza, I have to agree with Gussie and Matthew... I tried to do the transition in stages the first time we moved overseas. I was the trailing spouse, so naturally I was reluctant to leave my career, my connections, and ""safety nets"" behind. What I found was that those same safety nets were exactly the things preventing me from getting involved in - and enjoying - my new life. Living half in one place and culture and half in another made for schizophrenia, not security. Once I realized this (after about 3 or four months) I cut the ties. Suddenly it was far easier to build a new life - I found new friends, new interests, and built a new career. My life in Asia was very different from what I had left behind, but equally satisfying nonetheless. The second time around I sold the house immediately, packed up the dogs, updated my CV, and jumped in. I had a blast from day one, and am still doing so. A note about property: Unless your place in LA is your absolute dream house, get rid of it. Managing property from overseas is one big headache. It also may or may not have tax implications. I don''t know the rules in California, but in some states you could continue to owe state income tax if you hang on to the apartment. See a tax advisor! I, too, am rambling. Best of luck with your decision. And, if you need a short break from München, drive south a bit and come climb one of our mountains here in Switzerland. All the best, E Dawson "

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" Hi Eliza, Your post is from 2 mths ago but I''ll give this a try anyway. I moved from Chicago to Germany 2 1/2 yrs ago -in increments, somewhat. My German boyfriend used to visit me once a month and would return to Germany with a suitcase or so of my books, art supplies, heavier items etc.. We''re now married and have been living in Munich little over a year. I think keeping your apt while you test the new environment is actually ideal. Outrageously expensive sure, but ideal. If you can find a trustworthy sublet then all the better. The reply post about Schwabing & Altstadt being the livelier neighborhoods, and the costs, is correct. Your company & colleague should be able to help you sort out a lot & settle in. There is a high probability you will want to stay once youve spent some time here. Munich is impressive & a great place to be in the summer; you couldnt have picked a better time. Plus, its central location in Europe is perfect for travel. Munich, and the south of Germany, receives substantially less rainfall than the rest of the country. Coming from LA you might find the amount of rain difficult to adjust to, maybe not. For all my praise, I''m actually in the process of planning our relocation from Munich to the LA area. I dont know anybody who has lived there and have only visited once myself. Maybe you can fill me in on some info about moving to your region. Bridget "

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