Auf Wiedersehen, U.S.A

[Rama_Lei]

As I type there is a 95% chance I will be moving to Germany in July for two years, my parents for four. any advice on surviving both the move and the long painful 7 months until then?

[Mauve Shirt]

Neat! Where in Germany?

[Semidi]

Make sure you know German.

[Serpentine]

Make sure you know German.It seems like everyone there is fluent in English, anyway...

[Archonic Energy]

It seems like everyone there is fluent in English, anyway...

that's rather ironic really...

[Smeik]

and not really true. :smallbiggrin:
most people here are plain bad if it comes to speaking english. Although it heavily depends where in germany you have to stay. In the eastern parts, nearlly no one over 20 speaks English (for historical reasons), but if you land in one of the bigger cities in western germany, the chances are much better that you can cheat yourself through life knowing only english...

Surviving in germany isn't as hard as it seems to be. You can actually get much better food here. :smalltongue:

How to survive the long wait to the move? Prepare yourself for germany, search for reliable sources about our country, perhaps stat making contacts with people in the area you are moving to. Prepare your friends that you are moving and make sure you can hold contact for the time you're gone. If you follow these advices, it won't be too bad, i think.

EDIT: Darn it, made country into a rude word.

[rubakhin]

Man, lucky you. The US is okay for some people, I guess, but I'd give my left arm to be out of this country. I've been unspeakably happy everywhere else I've lived, including post-Soviet warzones, but I have somehow never been able to make a life for myself here.

You'll probably be happier in Europe.

[Zombie pixe]

the USA for germany, what a great change. im not a big fan of america, its their hypocratic and moronic government policys that alwys annoy me.
you should learn german, seriously, it will be of infinate help.

A few things though:

1. germans LIKE their sundays, LOTS! make of that waht you will.
2. make sure you explore western europe when your there, especially Holland and Spain.

[LCR]

It seems like everyone there is fluent in English, anyway...

Bwahahahahaa.
No, not really.

[InaVegt]

1. germans LIKE their sundays, LOTS! make of that waht you will.
2. make sure you explore western europe when your there, especially Holland and Spain.

I prefer Overijssel and Gelderland over Holland, actually.

If you meant the Netherlands, well, shame on you.

[Tormsskull]

Man, lucky you. The US is okay for some people, I guess, but I'd give my left arm to be out of this country.


You know, I never picked that up from your posts before :smalltongue:.


To Rama_Lei: Yeah, definitely learn/practice your German. A seemingly world-wide pet peeve is when someone comes into your country and then has the audacity to ask you to speak their language. You'll run into people who only speak German, and you'll run into people who do speak English but won't even do so unless you at least attempt to speak to them in German first.

I'm assuming your parents or you know some German, otherwise you would probably not move there. If you only know some, or none at all, I'd highly reccommend getting into a German class to some degree or another.

[Mauve Shirt]

*grumble* I repeat, where in Germany?

[Satyr]

Learning German can be quite helpful. Or Turkish, depending on where you go...


If you go to the places where American or British Soldiers are/were garrisoned, chances are quite good that many people understand English. As long as you speak very slowly.


And yes, the food is much better.

[Telonius]

#1: Buy new socks. No, not the usual American white socks.
#2: Resign yourself to the fact that you will not be able to understand German washing machines. Ever.
#3: Get in the habit of getting to the bus on time. German bus drivers will slam the door in your face if your are half a second late to the bus stop, and people will look at you oddly if you are upset about this.
#4: If you like ice in your drink, get it now while you still can.
#5: If you are over 21, start building up your tolerance for beer. You'll need it. If you are under 21, congratulations! You're heading to the promised land. #5a: As a corollary, realize that 95% of American beers will be forever ruined for you.
#6: Read up on German current events. Know basic things like the current Chancellor (Angela Merkel, CDU), President (Horst Koehler), and the main political parties.
#7: Be prepared for much more implicitly (and explicitly) sexual advertising. In general, Germans are much more comfortable with this than Americans.
#8: Start sitting in the smoking section of American restaurants. It will prepare you for the cloud you're about to walk into.

EDIT:
#9: The concept of "customer service" has not completely reached all German restaurants. Play some American football to prepare yourself for getting the attention of the wait staff.
#10: Read up on this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundesliga_(football)). Knowing the information in this link could save your life.

[Mauve Shirt]

If you don't like mineral water, don't ask for water in a restaurant. Tafelwasser is tap water, if you do want water.
Go to Eltville and then tell me if the red sandstone house with the wrought iron gate and spire is still there on Taunus Strasse. :smalltongue:

[Satyr]

Get in the habit of getting to the bus on time. German bus drivers will slam the door in your face if your are half a second late to the bus stop, and people will look at you oddly if you are upset about this.
A Bus that comes punctually? In Germany? Where have you been? I have never had this problem.


Read up on German current events. Know basic things like the current Chancellor (Angela Merkel, CDU), President (Horst Koehler), and the main political parties.

And if you've done this, you know more about the BRD's political system than roughly the half of its denizens.


Be prepared for much more implicitly (and explicitly) sexual advertising. In general, Germans are much more comfortable with this than Americans.

But a lot less comfortable with violence, esspecially in movies and computer games. If you have a problem with more or less pornographic advertising, do not watch TV after midnight.


Start sitting in the smoking section of American restaurants. It will prepare you for the cloud you're about to walk into.

Sadly, this is not true anymore. This summer at the latest, people may not smoke anymore in restaurants etc.
Now, you must go outside to poison yourself.

[Telonius]

A Bus that comes punctually? In Germany? Where have you been? I have never had this problem.

Tuebingen. The drivers were notorious among the American students there. :smallbiggrin: Good times, though.

[Amiria]

It is true, not all Germans speak english ... well.

Maybe this helps, the Germany Survival Bible (http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,411291,00.html). I believe Der Spiegel originally created this guide for tourists for the 2006 Football World Championship. Funny and helpful articles.

[LCR]

Knowing some German will definitely help, but if you're moving to a big city (Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Cologne ...), you'll get along without it until you've picked up the most important phrases ("Fräulein! Zwei Bier! Jawoll!").
It is also good to know that in fact only few Germans prefer to wear Lederhosen. Actually, nobody does outside of Bavaria. Never take a German for a Bavarian. Unless he's a very tolerant person (known to exist, even in Germany), he'll hate you forever and probably call you a Texan.
It is also true that waiters can be quite grumpy, especially when compared to American staff. You'll get used to it.
In contrast to most places in the US, public transport is a viable option and so is your trusty bike. Unless you live in a very rural area, you don't really need to have a car at all (and if you do, watch out on the Autobahn; It's different from your highways).
If you're planning on going to college, you should know that German waiters can be unfriendly, but even they are sweet as punch compared to administration officers at college. Seriously, they hate students and want to make your life miserable. But you'll get used to that, too.
All in all, life in Germany's different from living in the US, but once you've settled in, you'll like it.

[LCR]

Be prepared for roads that are NEVER cracked, and if they are cracked it's because of an event like a UFO crash-landing in Berlin and sending a shock wave through Europe.

Well, we wouldn't want to damage our precious cars, would we.
No, seriously. Our roads may not be as bad as yours, but other countries, like Denmark or France, have much better roads.

[Smeik]

Knowing some German will definitely help, but if you're moving to a big city (Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Cologne ...), you'll get along without it until you've picked up the most important phrases ("Fräulein! Zwei Bier! Jawoll!").
But you should learn german, or you will very soon be very poor. They are all just waiting for people who don't know german.

[...]
It is also true that waiters can be quite grumpy, especially when compared to American staff. You'll get used to it.

But if you give them the tip you're used to give them in the US, they suddenly tend to become very polite


In contrast to most places in the US, public transport is a viable option and so is your trusty bike. Unless you live in a very rural area, you don't really need to have a car at all.

this is true. Although everyone rants about the Deutsche Bahn, they are still better than any public transport I have encountered in any other state of the world. You can get anywhere in germany quite fast, very cheap and even secure with public transport. Though the bike depneds heavily on where you're staying. Don't use your bike outside cities with a high students population, or it will get you killed. really.:smallfrown:


If you're planning on going to college, you should know that German waiters can be unfriendly, but even they are sweet as punch compared to administration officers at college. Seriously, they hate students and want to make your life miserable. But you'll get used to that, too.


Picked the wrong college, then? :smallwink: administration officers are some of the nicest people you can find around here in germany. But beware of caretakers. They got tremendous powers in germany.


It is true, not all Germans speak english ... well.

Maybe this helps, the Germany Survival Bible (http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,411291,00.html). I believe Der Spiegel originally created this guide for tourists for the 2006 Football World Championship. Funny and helpful articles.

These articles make me sad,ebcause they are mostly true.

Actually, if you are intellectually interested and already really good at speaking and reading german, you should get and abonnement of Der Spiegel as soon as you are in germany.

Oh, and don't drink Stroh-Rum, nor any other high alcoholic german spirituose without mixing it first. Unless you want to know how it feels to burn on the inside. (except Jägermeister, that's safe)

Greetings, Smeik

PS: We can really help much more if you say, where you will stay. The regions of Germany are as different from each other as the American States.

[Rama_Lei]

I think Munich is our probable location. I'm attending an international school, so I only have to worry about German for traveling and ordering beer. (ein Budweiser bitte). As for the sexual advertising, I'll be fine. But I do know what you mean. My sister's friends told her when we went to Italy, "If you want you brothers to stay pure, don't watch T.V". I'm gonna hafta to take a crash course in German with my Deutsch friends, mostly in German slang. I'll keep you guys posted.

[Stijl]

First off, allow me to add to the sentiment of "you lucky bastard" that's already been passed around.

I've spent three 3-week stints in Germany, and have enjoyed it immensely each time. Officially, I'm at work so I won't reiterate too much of what's been said so far (you'll never like american been again, the public transportation system is amazing, etc).

Koeln (Cologne) and Muenchen (Munich) are two of my favorite cities in Europe. Both have very different characters, but they both wind up being very friendly and inviting places if you expend a bit of effort into interacting with the city and the citizens. That's honestly the key to much of living abroad I believe... effort. Learn what can in German, and use it when you can. Germans are very forgiving when it comes to foreigners butchering their language in an honest effort, and they'll help you with it if you let them (they may laugh at what you say though if it was funny, be warned). Show an interest in the places you go, and the people that are there (living and visiting) and your time will be more enjoyable and likely better spent.

A few suggestions... Try a game called "Kegel" while you're there. It's somewhat similar to bowling, just with 9 pins, slightly more complex rules, and usually a fair amount of drinking. I've done that with a group of 10-20 people the last two times I went, and it really is a blast. Second, if you can make it to Copenhagen, do so. I've never felt like I was a city of the world like I did there (my first night there, I had dinner with strangers from Australia, Germany, Japan, Russia, and another American). Saying that it has a rich culture and history is something you'll get tired of hearing as people suggest places to go (and it is always true), but Denmark is a unique expression of it I believe.

I'll post more later, particularly when I learn which part of Germany you'll be in.

[LCR]

Hamburg's the place to be and I'm not saying that because I live there.

[Telonius]

I think Munich is our probable location. I'm attending an international school, so I only have to worry about German for traveling and ordering beer. (ein Budweiser bitte).

That might get you a real Budweiser. I mean, the real kind from Budweis, not the product of the disgraced uncle that fled to America and started the rival brewery. :smallbiggrin:

Ahhh, Muenchen! Beautiful city. Be sure to take the Mike's Bikes tour. They meet near the Glockenspiel (or did when I visited). It'll give you a good tour of the important buildings, and give you a feel for how the city's laid out. The Hofbraeuhaus is nice. Mainly tourists, but it's someplace you ought to see, just to say you were there.

[ufo]

One little word of advice (hopefully (for me), I'm the first to mention this):

If you're into video games and such, it'd be best buying or ordering them from other countries. You'll have a hard time finding them not synchronized to german. Or at least I've always had when I was in Germany.:smallconfused:

[LCR]

One little word of advice (hopefully (for me), I'm the first to mention this):

If you're into video games and such, it'd be best buying or ordering them from other countries. You'll have a hard time finding them not synchronized to german. Or at least I've always had when I was in Germany.:smallconfused:

Right, that's true. DVD's, on the other hand, always have English as a language option.

[Smeik]

Hamburg's the place to be and I'm not saying that because I live there.

It isn't. it's just what you get when you cross everything good that Berlin has to offer with everything bad that Bremen has. :smalltongue:
At least that was the feeling i got from my visits there.

Visit the Ruhrpott when you're here, especially Oberhausen and Bochum have very enjoyable pub regions.

I can't give any particular advise on Munich, as it is the only big city in Germany i haven't visited yet. Though i think i'm going to change that this year.
So i can't give you any advise, other than that you shouldn't confuse the average Munichian (does this word even exist?) with the image of the average bavarian that seems to exist in America. They are much more cosmopolitan and more like the inhabitants of the cities of northern Germany than their fellow landsmen. At least that's what the peole from munich i talked to said.

greetings, Smeik.

[Satyr]

It isn't. it's just what you get when you cross everything good that Berlin has to offer with everything bad that Bremen has.

There are bad things in Bremen? What?


Normally, Gemany is divided in three parts. The part worth living in is bordered by the Elbe in the east and the Main in the South.
The regions east of the Elbe are still underdeveloped, and the regions south of the Main are a punishment.

[Arioch]

I want to go to Germany more often. I've only been once. To Cologne. For the Weihnachtsmarkt.

Everyone was very nice and friendly and spoke perfect English. Unfortunately, one of the purposes of the trip was to improve our German (it was a school trip). It's hard to do that when everyone knows that you're English and tries to make you feel more comfortable.

Me: Guten abend. Ich mochte...er...zwei mit Schinken bitte.
Stallholder: Here you are, sir. Here is your change.

[Smeik]

There are bad things in Bremen? What?
There is too much water, i was able to find only one good pub (alright, that was better in Hamburg) and it is overall very boring. O, and the noise of the german Navy really gets irritating if you have to stay in the harbour too long.:smallbiggrin:



Normally, Gemany is divided in three parts. The part worth living in is bordered by the Elbe in the east and the Main in the South.
The regions east of the Elbe are still underdeveloped, and the regions south of the Main are a punishment.

You can have much fun in Baden Württemberg, don't dismiss it that easily.

Well, but to prevent this thread of becoming a flame war between inhabitants of the various parts of Germany: When you come to Germany, don't listen to anyone telling you one region is better than another. go and find it out for yourself. :smallwink:

Greetings, Smeik

[Satyr]

There is too much water, i was able to find only one good pub (alright, that was better in Hamburg) and it is overall very boring. O, and the noise of the german Navy really gets irritating if you have to stay in the harbour too long.

Bremen doesn't even have a real harbor. And there are several quite nice places to spend an evening. I still don't get the charm of a town without coast.


Well, but to prevent this thread of becoming a flame war between inhabitants of the various parts of Germany: When you come to Germany, don't listen to anyone telling you one region is better than another. go and find it out for yourself.

Yeah, that's true. Patriotism in Germany is not shown by telling how great oneself is but by telling how bad and awful anyone else is. Esspecially between the different regions n Germany.

[Ceska]

Good choice for a country, I think everything has been said already, though.

Just don't eat their salads. Germans have no clue how to make a proper salad.

Well, but to prevent this thread of becoming a flame war between inhabitants of the various parts of Germany: When you come to Germany, don't listen to anyone telling you one region is better than another. go and find it out for yourself. :smallwink:
True, Austria is better than any, anyway. :smalltongue:
No, no it's not.

[Gorbash]

If you are under 21, congratulations! You're heading to the promised land. #5a: As a corollary, realize that 95% of American beers will be forever ruined for you.


I'd like to point out that this applies to everywhere in Europe... How I resented the fact that I was 19 when I spent the whole summer in US... And the thing they call beer there isn't beer at all... It's some bread flavored water with 1% of alcohol...