Sommer, Strand und Sonne - life in Germany and Austria

[LinzerTorte]

A thread for all those living in Germany or Austria, and for anyone else who would like to chat.

We also have to label absolutely everything - I bought labels from the UK for the bigger items and use permanent marker on pencils etc. The first year, I wrote DD1's name on tiny labels that I'd cut out of bigger ones, put them on her pencils and covered them with sellotape, which was ridiculously time-consuming. I don't know why it took me a whole year to realise that permanent marker would be far quicker and easier.

Am about to take the DC to the dermatologist (or Muttermaldoktor, as DS calls her; he calls the ENT specialist the Hustenarzt) to have their moles checked, and then it's off to the paed for DS's neurological check-up that the locum couldn't do a couple of weeks ago.

We still havent had a list from either the grundschule (for ds1) or the gymnasium (for dd) - there's a meeting at the grundschule on tues so will prob get his list then but might get dd to ask the teacher about her list. I plan to just write our surname on everything with a permanent marker. I've a serious phobia about stickers so labels would just freak me out!

But your right 5more - the parents in the UK have it easy!!

Hope all the appts go ok linzer. I'm all caught up with the Apprentice now - your right - the prog after is also good. Hadnt seen it before.

Cant bear how humid it is outside. The clouds are thickening so i'm sure there'll be some thunder later. We were out for a little while - ds2 wanted to go on his inliners- he's not quite 5 - you can imagine how precarious he is at times. But also really good - can go on his own a little bit but i cant take my eyes off him for a second.

Oh and thanks for the tip about the beans in lidl next week admylin - hadnt seen the advert yet. We've only 1 tin of beans left so its perfect timing. Have never seen them
In edeka ernest but have never looked properly since i always buy 24 cans from lidl!

My school gave us the list the 2nd day of term, so every mother in a 20 mile radius piled into the same shop after school to buy a huge list of exactly the same things. That was fun.

We always get the list on the last day of the school year. I was going to be organised and start buying things now, but then remembered that the stationery shop sent us a 10% voucher at the end of last August so thought I'd wait and see if they do the same this year (worth braving the crowds if so).

We've run out of Lidl baked beans but still only have to pay about 70 cents for own-brand beans, which isn't too bad. We're definitely due another British week; in fact, I can only remember one in the eight years that I've been in Austria (although it was a few years before I discovered Lidl).

Have just packaged up the DVDs ready to send to you tomorrow, Canella. Having written about The Apprentice USA earlier, I noticed that the last series is on the DVDs I'm sending (minus the first two episodes, as my brother didn't realise it had already started until episode 3) - it's not as good as the UK one IMO but still worth watching.

Canella, you've still got a few weeks of school left haven't you? They should give you a list soon. I hope they do because it's as ernest said, awful when every mother in the area piles into the Schreibwaren Laden on day 1 of school with a list, half of which they don't understand. Every teacher gets to decide if they want A4, A5, plain or lined, even maths book the squares size can be specified, oh and mit Rand oder Ohne!

Anyway, you could learn some really useful new vocab, Ordner, Ordnungsmappe, Schnellhefter, Pappschnellhefter, Buchschoner, Heftschoner ...! I know what these things are now but the first few years I was pleased to find a friendly Verkäuferin to find all the things that were on my list.

Eeek getting the list on the second day of term sounds a nightmare! The shop was empty when I went in at 9am yesterday and the shop assistant picked everything, consulting me on colour/ pictures etc. if relevant. I have found myself with a couple of mystery items (why do I have a small plastic pot with a sponge in it?) as baby was grizzly so I was carrying him around the shop, having abandoned the pram in the corner, and was a bit distracted!

After yesterday's 31 degree temp and humidity we had a huge storm in the evening and today is cooler, and so far baby seems happier, so 'I have fingers crossed! I bought bottles yesterday, sterilized one and offered cooled boiled water - he sucked, made a face, spat it out and howled! Oh dear!

Linzer, forgot to say, hope the check-ups were OK. What does the dermatologist do actually? Does he just look at the spots close up? My 2 have quite a few moles but I have never had them checked. Wonder if I should. Did you go straight to a dermatologist or through another doctor?

Dentist appointment was OK, both dc had their teeth cleaned and I was told to buy elmex as dd told her we had run out!

what is elmex admylin?

Oh yes, I remember virtually having a nervous breakdown in the middle of the stationery store the first time I had to buy DD1's school stationery. I took DH back with me and wailed that although I could find the exercise books, they all had the same yellow cover - and I needed some with a blue cover, some with a red cover, etc. DH then pointed out the big pile of exercise book covers to be bought separately.

And then there are all the Austrianisms. We need a Malfetzerl (had no idea whether this was something that could actually be bought - I don't think it can be), Turnsackerl mit Gymnastikpatscherln, etc. Most of the DDs' lists are fairly comprehensible, although I'm still not sure about the Flügelmappe für Tagespläne (and what's a Tagesplan anyway?).

And then they seem to use different words for things in different areas of Austria. I felt quite smug when I realised that I knew what a Schüttelpennal was and DH didn't (isn't it Schlamper- something in German?).

It must be a nightmare for parents who speak virtually no German (there are a few in both classes) or indeed someone who hasn't been to school here. You'd have to go at a very quiet time to get someone in the shop to help you - it takes me hours to get everything even when I know more or less what I'm looking for, although someone who actually works there is bound to be much more efficient, I suppose.

5more, Elmex is a gel that they have to brush with once a week and not rinse off.

Wow, linzer sounds like I would be lost in Austria if I got that list! I think the requirements do get less as they get older though. My 2 only need note books and any sort of ordner, mappe that they want and no more red, blue or yellow books. Ds likes to keep his colours though so English is always green as the school book is called Green Line, maths is always red etc.

Forgot, you can only get elmex gel in the apotheke.

5more The small plastic pot with a sponge in it is probably for painting - it's called a Malbecher here, although we don't need a sponge.

admylin The appointment with the dermatologist went fine, thanks - she looked at all the DC's moles using something that looks like a torch (I think it may use UV light but I'm not entirely sure) and then photographed the larger ones. The photos are stored on the computer so that that she can refer back to them in order to check if moles are growing, etc.

I just went straight to her - the GP advised me to go and see her when I had my Vorsorgeuntersuchung as I have quite a few moles and my mum had a malignant melanoma. I asked her at my last check-up at what age I should start bringing the DC and she said that, although malignant melanoma is extremely rare in children, it can be useful to have a record of their moles to refer back to later. I have to go for six-monthly check-ups as the mole that I had removed had abnormal cells in it, and she's advised that the DC go for annual check-ups (I'm sure that most parents here don't take their children, but I'm extra careful because of our family history).

Have never heard of elmex gel before; I only know it as a brand of toothpaste. I had toothache yesterday but thankfully it's gone again today; I think it was probably my wisdom teeth playing up again. I've got an appointment with the hygienist the day after we come back from holiday so should probably make an appointment to go and see the dentist then.

DD2's two front teeth don't seem to be getting any wobblier either, despite the second row emerging behind them. The dentist said she doesn't want to pull the teeth out and traumatise DD2, but I think that - as with DD1 - she may have to in the end.

Yes I can see that it's important if there is a family history. I will keep an eye on my 2 and maybe go for a check up if I notice a change.

Dd has one on her face cindy crawford style. She doesn't seem to mind it at the moment but I bet it'll bother her as she gets older. Guess she's just got to learn to live with it though.

Yes, there are toothpastes by elmex but this gel is different.

Yes, I think that keeping an eye on the moles is a good idea. Adults are advised to have an annual skin check here and DH gets one free at work, although the dermatologist only looks at his moles and doesn't use any extra equipment.

Wonder if we should use that gel too; I'd never heard of it before. I'm also slightly obsessed with the DC's teeth, or rather with the amount of sweets that are given to them absolutely everywhere (DS was looking forward to the dermatologist's yesterday as he remembered that she has a huge jar full of sweets).

Same here, I'm always nagging my 2 to brush teeth. You'd think after 13 years of nagging, ds would do it automatically but no - if I don't say anything he would go for a weekend without goung near his tooth brush. He isn't a sweet eater though, and only drinks water. dd eats any sweets she can get her hand son and would rather go thirtsy than drink pure water.

Whend o you set off linzer? How long is the drive? I watched a programme about a campsite in Italy last night. Was so funny, the German Dauercamper have their rules and regulations like mittagsruhe and after 22uhr no noise! One couple watched TV in their caravan with headphones on so as not to break the noise rule! It just doesn't fit with my idea of Italy.

I still have to brush DD1's teeth after she's done them as she really doesn't do a thorough job - you can tell just by watching her but we've also used disclosing tablets (and the dentist has told her off before). OTOH she's the only one who drinks water and probably has slightly fewer sweets than the other two; DS is absolutely obsessed with sweets and it drives me mad.

We're planning to leave at around 4.30-5 am on Sunday; theoretically we could go tomorrow, but absolutely everyone will be travelling then and we couldn't get the keys to the apartment until late afternoon on Saturday anyway. Our neighbours have gone camping in Croatia, but it's not for me - I like my creature comforts too much and really can't see us all squeezing into a caravan.

We stayed in a luxury caravan on UK once and it would have been perfect for 5 but we were 7 (5 dc) and it was one bed short so ds had to sleep on the floor. I could never do real camping as I can't stand insects and I need a clean bathroom and toilet!

Told dh yesterday that all the ferienwohnungen on the north coast seem to be fully booked until end of August so he said we'll just go in a hotel so that's my goal today to see if I can find out about family accomodation in a nice hotel for a couple of nights. I always get stuck by the websites only offering a room with double bed and sofa bed and ds and dd would never want to sleep together. Also off to get dd her book, she's found a series that she loves and needs book 3. So glad she's into reading atlast.

Canella you can get Heinz beans in both Toom and Tegut (the one behind the Volkshaus) here. They cost 1? so possibly cheaper at Lidl (but if you ever run out...)

Sorry, massive x-post as went out for a few hours in the middle of posting.

Linzer Eurocamp style campsites do 3 bed static caravans with everything you could need, incl air con often, and the sites have restaurants, pool complexes, often right on the beach etc. - we went to Bella Italia in May for 3 nights and it was perfect with kids, don't totally discount that kind of camping, nothing like a tent in a muddy field in he Lake District (which was my UK understanding of camping)!

I have a question - does anyone know if you can do DIY wills here like you can in the UK (I know in the uk you can just get a kit from Smiths)? DH is German but doesn't know how you make wills here and has been avoiding thinking about it or finding out, just says it is probably complicated and expensive, though I bring the subject up from time to time,I think we should get around to it now we have 3 kids! Thought maybe someone on here may know! Thanks :)

5more, yes those big static caravans are great aren't they. Wish I could find one at the north sea or around there, I feel as if we need some change of air and a few days with no laptops or mobiles!

Sorry can't help with wills but it's something we should also sort out. I bet it does involve alot af paperwork and official stamps and money changing hands in Germany though! Never looked into it though so no idea. Let us know if you find out.