I wrote here about my new job as a researcher in Neuromorphic Computing at TU Chemnitz since February 2024, which I accepted after spending some time in India.
Our plan for a few years was to move from Oldenburg to a big city such as Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, or even München. However, due to some change of plans while in India for a few months, and a lot of convincing with Dipty, who didn’t want to move ever again to a small „village“ (being born in New Delhi, she only likes to live in big cities), I decided to accept giving it a try to discover what this Neuromorphic Computing field is all about. Therefore, I had a temporary apartment in Chemnitz from February until the end of May just in order to be able to stay overnight whenever I had to go to work and meet the team in person. The train ride took around 7 hours from Oldenburg to Chemnitz. I remember on the first day in Chemnitz, the internet guy from Pyur asked me: „- How come you came to Chemnitz? I personally don’t live in this city. Dresden is a much better option“. I told him: „- Due to my job as a researcher here, and not because I like the city or the vibes I feel here, but thanks for the shocking question, mister; what a question you asked me on my very first day in Chemnitz! 😛 „.
Some of Dipty’s SAP colleagues also asked her, kind of shocked, why she is moving to Chemnitz completely now and not to Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, or at least Dresden, as initially planned. My neighbor in Oldenburg also said to me, „-Oh Je…“ as he heard we will be moving to Chemnitz at the end of June.
All the people we discussed this topic with, mostly Germans, think that Chemnitz has a bad reputation, and they say they will never consider moving there. In fact, I must say that I personally also don’t feel that great in Chemnitz whenever I go there (similar to the vibe I had when I once visited Magdeburg for a few hours in 2023; I didn’t like that city and vibe at all). Whenever I returned back to Oldenburg from Chemnitz in the last months, I just felt so much happier; this city has such a cool vibe (much richer, safer, and with more well-dressed young and beautiful people on the streets). Weird, we disliked Oldenburg in comparison with the big cities like Frankfurt, Berlin, or München, but we appreciate and like it a lot when compared to small cities from East Germany like Magdeburg and Chemnitz.
However, maybe I need to give Chemnitz some time and live there in person. Yes, I am so curious about this Neuromorphic Computing field, especially when using printed memristors, that I want to give Chemnitz a chance to have me/us there for a while, especially because I have made some progress in designing and simulating neuromorphic circuits already. If it will be a good decision or not, we will see (at least it will be a good lesson). Dipty has second thoughts, but seeing my interest in the job, she accepted, but not with a full heart; I know that. However, I made it clear to her that our next move, which will probably take place around 2 years from now, would definitely be to a big city, maybe even in our very first own-bought apartment in Germany.
Regarding the moving, after searching for some „Umzugsfirmas“ in the last few months, we got four offers (~4.750€, ~4.400€, 4.000€, and 3.500€). Yes, it is expensive, mainly due to the around 500 km distance from Oldenburg to Chemnitz. We decided to go for the 4.000€ offer from Ruckzuck because the painting of the bathroom, kitchen, and small holes in the other rooms, as well as the key handover to the Hausverwaltung, were included in the price (if it were just moving, it would have cost 3.500€), which the other moving companies didn’t include.
The apartment we rented in Chemnitz is in the Kaßberg area, which my colleagues say its a nice one to live in. We found the apartment relatively easily through ImmobilienScout24.de because there is little competition for people wanting to move to Chemnitz, haha. In a few weeks, I will write about how I feel living in Chemnitz and if the rumors are true or not.
Neueste Kommentare