How do I live in Berlin?

it will be worth it

In Berlin now.

if I do exchange identities with this guy peter, he's going to be the one to get the plastic surgery, not me

A little dodgy, but:

you get 3 months right up front with no visa
find job in this time.
even if you dont find a job, apply for a residents card which takes 3 months to process (im not 100% sure but i know in the US once you apply for residency youre allowed to stay until a decision is made (the form is processed)
whether your residency is approved, or not, you have hit 6 months so go to poland for the weekend and reenter for another 3 months.

thats nine months taken care of with nothing approved.

www.escapeartist.com

I think i may be moving to Berlin a year. What are some good and relatively cheap areas to live?

My German is basically non-existent though i have time to make a start before i would be due to leave. This doesn't appear to affect my job - but i guess i'd need to learn quick to improve day-to-day life over there

I'm currently staying in berlin for 2 months - haven't gotten a chance yet to really get out and about yet, but I'm in prenzlauer berg and couldn't recommend it enough. Also, I've heard good things about Kreuzberg. From what I've noticed, it seems that it's not hard to find a cheap area - the place seems to be relatively cheap all around. Granted, I'm not even close to being a native or an expert on the subject, but I guess that every little bit helps.

but i guess i'd need to learn quick to improve day-to-day life over there

a lot of service industry types there seem to have enough English for non-German speakers to buy things from them, but you probably would feel happier being able to say things in German to them.

not a bad idea to learn the language, even if it's just starting out a conversation in german or being able to say random important tidbits - i think most people are pleased to know that you are at least willing to try and are more receptive to speaking in your language instead.

Its something that has just come out of the blue - i really don't know anything about Berlin at all (though i have visited once before).

Although is hopefully Berlin....could also be Budapest

haven't been but i've heard LOADS of good things about Budapest. looks like you're set either way.

this is going to seem silly. i moved here last week with the guy i work with and my girlfriend. we're able to work from pretty much anywhere (which is why figured, why not work from somewhere cheap, like berlin?). my girlfriend, however, needs to find a job... any job, really. i think that she found, in talking to various people that encouraged her to come here, that it would be easier to get a job than it's actually been for her, as a non-german speaker.

anyone got any specific tips?

i looked for four months and found nothing.

this might be obvious, but tell her to check the toytown forums and craigslist, daily. occasionally there is something. is she social? she should walk into every foreign-run business (english language bookstores, bars) and hit them up.

this is probably not that helpful, or not anything that you haven't already though of. yeah, it is that difficult, that for me, after looking for 4 months, this is all the advice i have.