moving to Germany in 3 weeks, tips?

[lapollarecords]

so how do I get on welfare there? :icon_chee

I just got a phonecall from Germany, I think I got a job there for october. I will spend september volunteering, visiting friends, partying, going to oktoberfest, etc. I have been saving money and I can afford it.

my german is good enough to have conversations and spending a month there before starting to work should help improve it a lot.

I don't have a long term plan. I could come back in 4 months or stay there permanently. I'm not moving out of necessity, but because I want and I can. it will be fun, a nice life experience, it will look good in my CV, etc

anything I should know about living in Germany?
Ich weiss es gibt viele Deutsche Leute hier. Tipps?

 

[Cooz]

How's germany?

 

[scrubido]

Move elsewhere.

 

[Kick Strickland]

I too was in the mannheim and heidleberg area and I absolutely loved it. I'm dying to go back.

Yep! I worked in Mannheim at Coleman Army Airfield, but I stayed in a little town called Lampertheim. It was awesome. I went to Heidleberg a lot. I remember seeing that castle on that giant hill in the background, overlooking the town.

How's germany?

Yeah dude, where are you TS? Did you died?

 

[gigantalor]

M

 

[Jack Handy jr]

Don't drink the water.

 

[SuperiorHands]

What type of job is this? Being able to have conversations might not be enough fluency to get you the jobs you probably want there. You mention your CV, unless it's something applicable to what you really want to for a living it's not gonna help that much. I have a guy from El Salvador working at the hotel I manage, he used to work in a bank in his country. He now cleans as a Houseman because his conversational English still isn't good enough to put him in situations where he might come across words or concepts he doesn't understand with a client at the front desk for instance.

Also, as a hiring manager, going to a country for a few months with no truely special work opportunity or reasoning does not necessarily add to your resume, and it looks like someone that bases major life decisions on fun and adventure which is not qualities I search for in candidates applying for positions of any amount of responsibility. I don't invest in people that seem like if they get bored in 9 months might disappear to chase their next dream. And the language ability will only help you in a field where you already have skills and their is a need. IE: I hire bilingual housekeeping directors and managers that speak Spanish because a large percent of my employees will speak it, but they still have to have the hotel and hsk experience FIRST.

Obviously I'm touching more on the professional side of things, and all that being said if it's something you really want to do, do it and enjoy it.

 

[hitcher]

American College Degree>>German College Degree.

American college degree is comparable to a high school degree in Germany.

 

[Kick Strickland]

Where in Germany are you going? I was in the Mannheim area and I loved it over there. Ran into a lot of american ex-pats that ended up just staying there permanently.

 

[Somebody]

Really? When I went looking for a place to rent, none of them had fridges. And iirc only a few had stoves. I was told that's just how kitchens are over there. Maybe I was lied to and was looking at really shitty rental houses? lol

You are supposed to bring your own fridge and stove.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

If they try and convince you to round up a certain ethnicity and exterminate them don't listen.

 

[BornOnMonday]

Get a nose job first.

 

[Butterbean]

Eat the Schnitzel!

 

[M3t4tr0n]

Tip # 1 for visiting Germany: Don't be Jewish.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

lived there from 09-13, place is legit. just don't be an obnoxious american and you'll be straight. virtually every younger german speaks fluent english (even though they always act like it's merely decent).

everything, outside of like mcdonalds, is closed on Sundays. Everything. takes a bit to get used to that.

They're really anal about recycyling and the environment. For example, it's illegal to start your car and leave it running to warm up, w/o being in said car (something Americans do all the time). so that's right, no autostart

 

[lapollarecords]

What type of job is this? Being able to have conversations might not be enough fluency to get you the jobs you probably want there. You mention your CV, unless it's something applicable to what you really want to for a living it's not gonna help that much. I have a guy from El Salvador working at the hotel I manage, he used to work in a bank in his country. He now cleans as a Houseman because his conversational English still isn't good enough to put him in situations where he might come across words or concepts he doesn't understand with a client at the front desk for instance.

Also, as a hiring manager, going to a country for a few months with no truely special work opportunity or reasoning does not necessarily add to your resume, and it looks like someone that bases major life decisions on fun and adventure which is not qualities I search for in candidates applying for positions of any amount of responsibility. I don't invest in people that seem like if they get bored in 9 months might disappear to chase their next dream. And the language ability will only help you in a field where you already have skills and their is a need. IE: I hire bilingual housekeeping directors and managers that speak Spanish because a large percent of my employees will speak it, but they still have to have the hotel and hsk experience FIRST.

Obviously I'm touching more on the professional side of things, and all that being said if it's something you really want to do, do it and enjoy it.

good points.

it is a hotel reception job. it is my field and I have experience at it. I am about to finish my degree in tourism. maybe I'll study some master's degree or phd in Germany or Austria after that.

a lot of companies in the area I come from make business with german companies. and most people suck at speaking english here, let alone german. so being good at both can be helpful.

the main reason to go is that I'm bored of the same old shit, same people and same everything. I am not going to have a really shitty job just to be able to stay there.

Where in Germany are you going? I was in the Mannheim area and I loved it over there. Ran into a lot of american ex-pats that ended up just staying there permanently.

well, I'm avoiding other spanish nationals like the plague. I'm not identifying myself as spanish there unless when required to do so. I believe in integration, I'll be more german than the germans soon after arriving.

I'm going to Schwaben, in Bavaria.

 

[ICHEERTHEBULL]

what part of germany? never lived there but have family in [deleted, to much info]. I have mates in hamburg also. If you have problems chuck me a PM.

Like I said I have never lived there but you should join a gym. The meats are fantastic, you will eat a lot. You will also find yourself staying up until daylight drinking heavy beer chatting with strangers until the sun comes up. You will put on weight.

I think you should join a gym as you will eat and drink like a king/queen

Eat the Schnitzel!

fuck that. Its all about the beerwurst!!!

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

Sounds awesome

If they try and convince you to round up a certain ethnicity and exterminate them don't listen.

Ouch

 

[Strychnine]

I lived there from 93 to 97 and I met my wife there. We recently went back for a wedding and I was thinking to myself "I probably should move back here." The people are super-nice and you can go anywhere in Europe via the train.

Here's a hint and I'm being 100% serious here...

Whatever the Polizei (The German Police Force) say or tell you to do...

DO IT.

Don't ask "Why?" Don't talk any smack, just say, "Yes sir, No sir/Yes ma'am, No Ma'am" Remember that it's their country and their rules. The Polizei are 100% professional and they aren't going to single you out or anything like they do here in the U.S. They just don't have time for any Bu//$hit. If you give them $hit, make sure your insurance is paid up first.

Go to Oktoberfest
Go to a Bundesliga Soccer game
Go to a lokalfest (a town festival where beer and schnitzel flow like wine)
Drink the Hefeweizen!
Drink the Weizen!
Make sure you workout because all of that beer WILL go to your gut!
Have fun and open your mind.

 

[ICHEERTHEBULL]

I lived there from 93 to 97 and I met my wife there. We recently went back for a wedding and I was thinking to myself "I probably should move back here." The people are super-nice and you can go anywhere in Europe via the train.

Here's a hint and I'm being 100% serious here...

Whatever the Polizei (The German Police Force) say or tell you to do...

DO IT.

Don't ask "Why?" Don't talk any smack, just say, "Yes sir, No sir/Yes ma'am, No Ma'am" Remember that it's their country and their rules. The Polizei are 100% professional and they aren't going to single you out or anything like they do here in the U.S. They just don't have time for any Bu//$hit. If you give them $hit, make sure your insurance is paid up first.

^This guy knows what he is talking about!!!

If you get caught doing something you should not be doing (having a joint or something) and they tell you to go home, GO HOME. If you are polite you will be on your merry way. If the police roll down their window to talk to you, be polite and then leave the area. They give leeway at times but you dont want to encourage the other side. German police are a lot like the italian police (both types)

 

[Kick Strickland]

I lived there from 93 to 97 and I met my wife there. We recently went back for a wedding and I was thinking to myself "I probably should move back here." The people are super-nice and you can go anywhere in Europe via the train.

Here's a hint and I'm being 100% serious here...

Whatever the Polizei (The German Police Force) say or tell you to do...

DO IT.

Don't ask "Why?" Don't talk any smack, just say, "Yes sir, No sir/Yes ma'am, No Ma'am" Remember that it's their country and their rules. The Polizei are 100% professional and they aren't going to single you out or anything like they do here in the U.S. They just don't have time for any Bu//$hit. If you give them $hit, make sure your insurance is paid up first.

Go to Oktoberfest
Go to a Bundesliga Soccer game
Go to a lokalfest (a town festival where beer and schnitzel flow like wine)
Drink the Hefeweizen!
Drink the Weizen!
Make sure you workout because all of that beer WILL go to your gut!
Have fun and open your mind.

Good tips. Yeah the polizei also take blood at road blocks if they suspect you're driving drunk. That was kinda odd. Also agree on the Hefeweizen. Hell all their beer is good. Bitburger I remember liking a lot. My hotel had beer vending machines which was fucking awesome. And yeah TS you WILL put on weight. Everybody does over there. Is normal.

What struck me about Germany was how many people are out socializing and being active. I saw like 90 year old women riding bicycles through town. I always said that place reminded me of what I imagine 1950's America was like, as far as people being friendly and outdoorsy. And they have festivals for everything. My first weekend there, I was in a little town called Lampertheim, and they were having a festival celebrating blueberries lol. Everybody was drinking beer (even children, which was a lil weird) and having fun. It was cool.

You'll like it there TS. And wait until you meet some Romanian women. My goodness...






Edit: oh another thing, they don't really have kitchens in their houses over there. Not like we do here. They normally go out to eat, or prepare only 1 meal at a time. So most places don't have fridges. Just a heads up.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

i lived in barracks that were literally old SS barracks, some still had swastikas and shit. anytime you see a really old german like 85+, just peep their face. that thousand yard stare is real

bringing your own bags to the grocery store was weird to get used too as well. but if you're already living in europe, you likely know most of this. surely you've been to the Canary's or Ibiza/Mallorca/Menorca and seen them fools on vacation

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

age of consent is 14 in germany btw.
Just saying

 

[HARRISON_3]

I lived there from 93 to 97 and I met my wife there. We recently went back for a wedding and I was thinking to myself "I probably should move back here." The people are super-nice and you can go anywhere in Europe via the train.

Here's a hint and I'm being 100% serious here...

Whatever the Polizei (The German Police Force) say or tell you to do...

DO IT.

Don't ask "Why?" Don't talk any smack, just say, "Yes sir, No sir/Yes ma'am, No Ma'am" Remember that it's their country and their rules. The Polizei are 100% professional and they aren't going to single you out or anything like they do here in the U.S. They just don't have time for any Bu//$hit. If you give them $hit, make sure your insurance is paid up first.

Go to Oktoberfest
Go to a Bundesliga Soccer game
Go to a lokalfest (a town festival where beer and schnitzel flow like wine)
Drink the Hefeweizen!
Drink the Weizen!
Make sure you workout because all of that beer WILL go to your gut!
Have fun and open your mind.

Whem I went to Germany, I was surprised at how many people drank beer with their meals, and just in general.

I would see hot chicks at dinner just drinking their tall beers and eating their food just like normal.

I was also surprised at all the muffin tops on those otherwise hot chicks.

 

[Zer]

And yeah TS you WILL put on weight. Everybody does over there. Is normal.

Yeah I grew up in Germany and it's no coincidence I was a fat slob who had to isolate himself from cruel society and ended up a shell of a human being. I blame the Currywurst, but especially the Gyros. Also the bakeries bro. Nevermind the beer.

Germany is a boss level country though. I'd move back there in an instant if I'd taken the time to actually learn German in my 18 years of living in Germany

 

[SuperiorHands]

good points.

it is a hotel reception job. it is my field and I have experience at it. I am about to finish my degree in tourism. maybe I'll study some master's degree or phd in Germany or Austria after that.

a lot of companies in the area I come from make business with german companies. and most people suck at speaking english here, let alone german. so being good at both can be helpful.

the main reason to go is that I'm bored of the same old shit, same people and same everything. I am not going to have a really shitty job just to be able to stay there.

Good stuff man, I started front desk supervisor in new Orleans 5 years ago and just opened a brand new full service hotel in October 2014 as my first GM position. Great industry and growth potential if you have good communication skills. I've worked from 100 room extended stays to 415 room 5 star properties, if you have any industry questions feel free to ask here or in PM.

 

[odog]