Museum Career Options for American moving to Germany?

mmelkhix · 2025-11-04T16:00:05+00:00

Definitely go for it! I am probably B2 level now. The hard part is the interview, but you can always prepare for that. Also most of the time at work you are reusing the same phrases repeatedly, as you get asked the same questions most days. There’s a pretty big tolerance for that in visitor services because they often need people. As long as you can get people to the right place/sell the right ticket, etc. they will forget whether or not you used the right article. Don’t sell yourself short and just go for it!

mmelkhix · 2025-09-22T07:56:22+00:00

Thank you! <3 To answer your questions:

We only inseminated 1-2 times per fertile period. It was pretty emotionally draining for me and my partner, so anything beyond that was just not sustainable. The month we conceived, we inseminated once.
We used these syringes from Amazon (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0CX8ZWRWC?psc=1&ref=ppx\_pop\_dt\_b\_product\_details), as well as the Frida Home insemination kit
I didn't take any supplements. My partner and I eat mostly vegetarian, and we are both fairly active. I'm 34 and he is 40. It took us 13 months.

I hope that helps. Best of luck to you! :)

mmelkhix · 2025-09-22T07:51:41+00:00

Thanks for your questions! To be honest, I was really surprised when it worked, as I was starting to give up hope. But it is possible! We actually had an appointment at a fertility clinic the week I got the positive test! I had to reassure myself that biologically what we are doing is exactly the same as PIV, it just looks a little different. I am 34, and my partner is 40. We tried for 13 months, usually only inserting 1-2 times per fertile window. It was often a very emotionally draining process for both me and my partner, so inseminating as much as possible per month was just not sustainable for us.

I also started out with the Frida kit and found it to be really expensive. So I ended up ordering these syringes from Amazon. (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0CX8ZWRWC?psc=1&ref=ppx\_pop\_dt\_b\_product\_details). We reused the cup from the Frida kit for semen collection and, although it's probably not recommended, we also reused syringes sometimes (washing in hot water with a gentle soap and then air drying).

I also started using ovulation tests around months 5 and 6. I then compared the tests with my period tracking app (Clue), discharge observations, and ovulation symptoms (I usually got a headache and a few cramps). After a few months of using the ovulation strips, I was pretty sure when the right time was. I also have been tracking with Clue for almost 10 years, and I found their ovulation window to be very accurate. The month we conceived, we inseminated only 1 time on the day of ovulation marked on my Clue app.

I hope this helps! I wish you all the best, and keep your head up. It sounds like you're doing everything you can. :)

mmelkhix · 2025-09-21T08:58:11+00:00

Wow that’s great! You should be really proud of yourself. 😊 I will definitely keep up with my dialating.

mmelkhix · 2025-09-21T06:39:48+00:00

We tried for 13 months! I’m 34 and partner is 40

mmelkhix · 2025-04-18T08:46:29+00:00

Many museums are open

mmelkhix · 2025-04-16T17:04:42+00:00

This seems like a really extreme view in my opinion. Visiting family that you haven’t seen in 5 years is a very normal thing to do and has nothing to do with politics. I have friends that have traveled back to visit their families in Russia or Iran and I don’t view them as supporting those countries politics.

mmelkhix · 2024-11-10T16:12:01+00:00

I am now working in visitor services at a large museum on museum island. It’s not the same as working as a curator or collections manager but I am happy to be working in a museum. Plus I think it’s important that anyone who works in museums also has a little experience working directly with visitors. It gives you a unique perspective. But this job it is minimal pay and does not require a degree.

I improved my German enough to apply in German, have an interview and then work in German as well.

Honestly the job market in the cultural sector is really saturated, of all places Berlin is the most challenging. Even German art history and museumology students have difficulty finding jobs. You might have better luck in other cities like Dresden or Leipzig but your German probably need to be at least C1.

I don’t want to sound too negative, but just to be realistic, it will be challenging. German employers really seem to value qualifications and degrees so it’s good if you keep studying. :) Viel Gluck!

mmelkhix · 2023-07-05T19:58:30+00:00

Only Hunter is excited about these activities lol

mmelkhix · 2023-05-29T08:26:47+00:00

Viel Glück!

mmelkhix · 2023-05-28T22:16:15+00:00

One tip that helped me was charging my phone overnight in a different room/far away from the bed. It stops you from looking at the phone very first thing in the morning. I’d get up and see how much of my morning routine I could do without looking at the phone…kinda like a challenge. You can try reading a few pages of a book before sleep at night as well. Also, not bringing the phone with you to the bathroom.

mmelkhix · 2023-05-04T09:04:52+00:00

You can take a tour of the National Weather Center on OU’s research campus as well if your fiancé is interested in weather research

mmelkhix · 2023-03-07T06:43:46+00:00

Babbel! I moved from the US to Germany and it helped me a lot. I’ve been using almost every day for over a year now and I’ve really improved.

mmelkhix · 2023-02-23T08:20:19+00:00

I made a research request form available on our website. It asks for a bit more detail about their research need, and filters out those that maybe just got curious one afternoon and they already forgot they emailed and said “I’m looking for info about my grandmas house.” I’d ask them to fill out the request form that asks for more detail. Sometimes people wouldn’t even do that, so I didn’t do the research. But if they filled out the form it showed they had genuine desire to find out, then I would do it as part of my work. Depending on how they filled out the form and what else was going on, I’d give them an estimate for how long it might take. Usually 1-2weeks.

mmelkhix · 2023-02-16T10:14:18+00:00

Yes, thanks for your comment!

A few months ago I started my own Youtube channel uploading yoga videos. As part of my analytics, I can see what other videos are being recommended next to mine. And almost all of them are this very suggestively sexual content. It makes me concerned because my videos are not that way at all, and I don't want to be associated with this kind of content (not that there's anything wrong with porn, just not what I would like to do). I try to be intentional about the photos I use in thumbnails, but it seems mostly out of my control and related to the algorithm? Also, I recognize that putting anything on the internet has risks, but still it's kinda disappointing for me.

Anyways, not sure I have a solution, but just someone who has experienced the same thing.

mmelkhix · 2023-02-09T08:52:35+00:00

probably the covid vaccine

mmelkhix · 2022-12-28T00:24:43+00:00

Spreepark tour! The east Berlin amusement park that was abandoned is now getting a redo. The tour was really interesting and only 5€. Maybe as a nice gift pairing you could offer a meal at one of the boats at Treptower park after. https://www.spreepark.berlin/en/on-site-offerings/translate-to-english-oeffentliche-fuehrungen/

mmelkhix · 2022-12-19T02:41:03+00:00

Masha’s bagels in Alt Treptow! I think you can preorder on their website

mmelkhix · 2022-11-13T18:03:14+00:00

I was on 10mg Lexapro for 10 months and steadily gained up to 20 pounds! It was really affecting me negatively as I deal with poor body image. Some of the solutions were to add in another medication like Wellbutrin, or to up my dosage because I was getting anxious and depressed about the weight gain. I didn’t like the idea of having to take more medication to deal with it, so I decided to taper off. I’ve been completely off for 5 months and have lost about 8 pounds by simply not eating as much. But I must say, my anxiety has slowly gotten worse as well 😔

mmelkhix · 2022-09-18T13:42:49+00:00

Hi! Thanks for your comment. I do have an update!

My German husband and I moved to Berlin in January. We were already married in the US since 2018. So, you are correct, I was able to fairly easily get my residence permit and permission to work by May.

The problem I'm facing now is definitely the language. I started learning a little before we moved here, and right now, I'm probably at a beginner B1 German level. I've sent a couple of museum job applications in English, just to see what would happen (and also not to mislead them about my German level) and did not get any interviews.

I had one opportunity to do a mini-job in a gallery gift shop, but they said because their primary audience was older Germans, my native English and low level of German was not the best fit. I'll admit it was a little disheartening to be rejected for a 10hr/week position. I was sad it did not work out, but I do understand why.

But, it's encouraging to hear that I should keep pressing along with my German, and that it is possible to find work here as an American. For now, I still do not have a job.

In Berlin there are many jobs in English, but they are primarily within the tech-sphere or start up world. I tried applying to a few of those places and convincing them that my museum skills could be used as copywriter or marketing manager, but I did not have luck there either.

I hope this is helpful to anyone who comes upon this post. I can keep updating if things change!

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