Talk to me about Konstanz

[TeddyBare]

I've been offered a 2 year position in Konstanz. I speak German but the job would actually be English speaking and DH is a native German speaker.
I'm mostly looking for information about the town at the moment. What is it like in winter? Are there many facilities for families or is it all university? What is the cost of living like compared to other German or UK cities? What is the dialect like? I learned German in Frankfurt and am concerned about not understanding it properly. Our dc are still going to be very young if we head over there. Are there nice kindergartens?

Hello.

I am not sure if we have a MNetter in Konstanz area - will bump your thread for those in the German speaking area.

Cost of living in Switzerland is generally higher than UK or Germany. We are in Geneva area and the prices are definitely higher. Massive advantage of living close to the border is that you can nip over and do a big shop once or twice a month.

The Swiss German dialect is, as you know, very different to Hochdeutsch, but when we have been in that area we have been able to understand and communicate well. I speak fluent German (non-native) and DH is German.

No idea about kindergartens, as my DC were older when we moved to CH.

Do you mean Konstanz in Germany or the area around lake Constance (Bodense) in Switzerland?

Konstanz is Germany, isn't it? I spent six months or so living a little further along the lake from there - very at you for being able to live there. Brilliant with children, I'd have thought, all the boat trips on the lake, easy skiing in winter etc. Great for cycling around the lake. It was January when I arrived, and pretty cold and snowy (a foot or so deep until end Feb/early March as far as I remember), but pleasantly so, and the spring and summer were lovely.

I can't help on any of the up-to-date practical stuff, but as far as language goes, the Schwabisch (sorry can't do umlauts on this keyboard) accent is quite strong, but I turned up there with A-level German having been taught by someone from Hannover, and didn't find it that hard to get to grips with, except when my colleagues started teasing me with some local tongue-twister to do with squirrels and woodburning stoves or something....

Konstanz is also a university town, so I would guess that a lot of people aren't originally from around there, so hochdeutsch should be fairly dominant.

Ah, yes. Sorry. I was thinking of Lake Constance.

Schwäbisch is not too bad - quite easy to understand.

It is a lovely area.

You should be fine, it is a gorgeous laid back city

They speak 'Hochdeutsch', too you know. Nothing to worry about.

Winters can be quite misty and a bit wet around there but beautiful seasons otherwise.

I can't help re school, kindergarten, etc. I'm from south of Stuttgart so Baden-Wuerttemberg hurrah!!

Snowcake - Filderstadt?

I'm here now!! We have just moved here, about 6 weeks ago. My boyfriend is German, my german speaking is pretty awful, We have a 2.5year old and a 9 month old, so are trying to find a kindergarten for him, no places till september unfortunatly but they seem nice. It seems pretty average prices for this kiind of an area if you see what i mean, kinda wealthy but there is places for lesser earners, but the area itself is really beautiful. I am finding it hard to make friends, partly a language thing of course and partly as i am finding it hard to find free playgroups as we can't afford to pay for anything at the moment. we are staying with his family currently just outside the town but we are also just looking to rent now. does seem very family friendly though, great playgrounds and of course, very orderly and well organised

Leni - come on over to our germany and austria thread!! The more the merrier!!