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Original poster

Anyone in Germany care to chat?

192 replies

Brefugee · 20/04/2023 16:14

I got a bit (lot) sick of all the German-bashing in that cake thread, some of it comes from just not knowing anything about the place, some of it is a kind of unwillingness to understand that things can be very different in other places.

There was a fair bit of niggling about how Brits might think German directness is rude - but as pp pointed out, Germans would think it rude if you walked into a waiting room at the Doctor's surgery without saying "morgen zusammen"

There was also German Cake Bashing (😂) at one point.

So. Anyone care just to have a long running thread for the expats/immigrants/Germans here who are in Germany, or from Germany and missing/not missing it, or are thinking of coming here?

OP posts:
MollyRover · 20/04/2023 18:35

Brefugee · 20/04/2023 16:25

Ah maybe we should get this moved to Overseas, i never thought of that.

I'm in NRW near Mönchengladbach and have been here for 20 years, but I've been working round these parts since 1990 and was in the Army and a military brat over here before then :)

I did spend a year as a Wochenpendler working in Frankfurt, i miss it a lot.

Sorry for gate crashing but where's the Overseas section? Can't find it in Topics.

80s · 20/04/2023 18:36

Will tell you to your face that you've got quite fat and think nothing of it!
We had a French exchange student over once, poor boy was mortified when Opa (not even 70) patted him on the stomach and said he must enjoy his food! I borrowed some German directness and told him he shouldn't listen to what Opa said as he always talked nonsense like that!

givememarmite · 20/04/2023 18:40

@MollyRover it's in the Home & Garden section Smile

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Antenatal & postnatal General health
Caspianberg · 20/04/2023 18:45

Billa supermarket here ( which is Rewe deutschland), sells a variety of cheddar the last year or two suddenly. Own brand, wykes, cathedral city, London 1856, etc… so I imagine Rewe is a good call for anyone on the cheddar cheese hunt

doradoo · 20/04/2023 18:46

Brefugee · 20/04/2023 16:25

Ah maybe we should get this moved to Overseas, i never thought of that.

I'm in NRW near Mönchengladbach and have been here for 20 years, but I've been working round these parts since 1990 and was in the Army and a military brat over here before then :)

I did spend a year as a Wochenpendler working in Frankfurt, i miss it a lot.

Ditto Army brat! DH was a civvie contractor based at JHQ early noughties so we know that area well!

ShoesoftheWorld · 20/04/2023 18:47

doradoo · 20/04/2023 18:20

The schools weren't able to download the papers so yesterdays exams were postponed till tomorrow- when there's also a Bahnstreik to contend with!

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Eek! Nightmare. One thing you don't want at this stage is for schedules to be thrown off. Fortunately our exams only get going from next week - they're currently having Mottowoche aka silliness week.

doradoo · 20/04/2023 18:59

Yes Motto Woche- that was the week before Easter for us. Lots of silliness and illicit drinking involved!

Silverperch · 20/04/2023 18:59

I'm married to a German so have lived here for the last five or so years - we moved to let our kids learn the language and culture. I know what you mean about traditions here. I am now adapted but still struggling to learn German as I work in English from home, but I like it here (Berlin.) Our kids however find the schooling very tough and want to go home!

MollyRover · 20/04/2023 19:02

givememarmite · 20/04/2023 18:40

@MollyRover it's in the Home & Garden section Smile

Thanks Flowers

Thecatisboss · 20/04/2023 19:14

Really enjoying reading this thread hope I can lurk and read.

My dear Gran was German and I spent a lot of time in Schleswig-Holstein as a child seeing relatives.

I really miss plum jam and sour cherry jam unfortunately can't convert Dd to them - I think you had to have them as a baby.

Minimochi · 20/04/2023 19:21

Thecatisboss · 20/04/2023 19:14

Really enjoying reading this thread hope I can lurk and read.

My dear Gran was German and I spent a lot of time in Schleswig-Holstein as a child seeing relatives.

I really miss plum jam and sour cherry jam unfortunately can't convert Dd to them - I think you had to have them as a baby.

Oh, don't worry. DH is trying to get DS to appreciate Marmite and baked beans. He's been failing miserably so far.
At least he's into salt and vinegar crisps now. 😁

Thursa · 20/04/2023 19:24

We lived in Stuttgart for years. Edeka used to carry British goods. We could even get Irn Bru from the large one in the mall.

Münchner · 20/04/2023 19:29

Me + Family have been 4 years in Munich. We buy Carr's biscuits in our local Edeka but we also get those Sainsburys poppy seed biscuits. Expensive but our toddler daughter loves them and you really can't get them in the supermarket.

Bananalanacake · 20/04/2023 19:37

Thanks for the food help 80's and Katzen, my DH orders me Tesco and Yorkshire tea from Amazon, will have to try on there for biscuits and Monster Munch. He works in Harrislee where there are lots of Danish shops, people drive for hours to buy drinks as they are much cheaper than other countries.

Ylvamoon · 20/04/2023 19:44

Maerchentante · 20/04/2023 18:22

I'm from the "border region". Just about Baden, but five minutes away you're in Württemberg.
My brother is proud to be a Badener, but then he is a die hard KSC fan, so beyond any help ;)

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Oh, I have to agree about KSC - although I did live in K for about 3 years & had the time of my life - in your early 20's everything is fantastic! There are definitely rose tinted glasses here about the lovely city!

Thecatisboss · 20/04/2023 20:06

@Minimochi I love marmite too (DH says pflaumenmus jam is just like marmite heathen!)

givememarmite · 20/04/2023 20:09

I'm a bit of a marmite fan too (in case my username hadn't given that away 😅) converted all three kids but not DH (yet!)

creamegglover · 20/04/2023 20:14

bavarian area here 👋edeka sells irn bru, and sub stop sells prawn cocktail crisps.
right now, i'd kill for a decent stückchen frankfurter kranz or donauwelle. the only thing i really missed when living in the UK was real BROT. i remember getting care pakete from home with schwarzbrot which we traded in for favours like getting your homework done by someone else. (schwarzBROTmarkt we called it 😂)
love liam carpenter and can absolutely recommend the irish sketch comedy group foil arms and hog with some really funny skits about germany.

Original poster
Brefugee · 20/04/2023 20:17

oh this took off, great! (I am still reading the Grudge Holding thread, it is very long)

We buy Cathedral City in Kaufland, or the Aldi own mature cheddar, which isn't as good as it used to be but not too bad. Lots of Salt & Vinegar crisps here (Lays, which are Walkers i think, Chio and Funny Frisch all do them) Prawn cocktail is an abomination that i don't miss.

I don't eat salad cream, and came back (Eurostar so not worried about weight) with a load of Marmite and Henderson's Relish just before Christmas. (I'm originally from Sheffield).

The Abi thing was shocking, i hope all the kids are alright. (the thing about the Geography papers raised a wry smile here). my DCs have finished school and are out on their own now, so just the pair of us enjoying our Dorfleben here.

As for the language: I've been fluent for years. But the biggest grin i used to have was when people asked me if i was Dutch. Until the one time someone interjected and said "don't you know Linke Niederrhein when you hear it"

OP posts:
NoKnit · 20/04/2023 20:21

I'm also a Brexit German. I've been here about 24 years or so (when was 1998 again?) I'm from Wales originally.

I totally missed the cake thread will have to look it up. I find the cake eating habits totally different in the UK and make no sense to me. My sister in law in Wales waits until after dinner to serve a birthday cake. Who wants to eat cake then after a meal?makes no sense just eat it at 3pm and yes with a fork 😜

2 boys at Grundschule who consider themselves to be German and Wales is just this place their Nan lives. However probably due to only speaking English at home with me sound more Welsh than any of their cousins who actually live in Wales 🤣 Anyone ask them though they say they are German confuses lots of people on holiday.

Conductpolicy · 20/04/2023 20:28

Can anyone link the cake thread please

Conductpolicy · 20/04/2023 20:41

@39starstartry

Out of interest what are they like on other aspects of hygiene eg mad about shoes off bit happy to share saliva 😲

Maerchentante · 20/04/2023 20:43

I found Liam Carpenter by "doom scrolling" reels on Instagram a few months ago, really enjoy him.

Through him, Cossurap came up as a suggestion. He's from the Black Forest and really good at imitating various German dialects. Really like him, too.

Igneococcus · 20/04/2023 20:49

bavarian area here 👋edeka sells irn bru,
Also Tunnocks' products, at least the Edeka in Würzburg (the Sanderau branch) does.

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