Is there still a German Thread?

[BeatrixBurgund]

We've moved back to Germany after 8 years in Switzerland and Scotland, and with the kids in school, I just know I'm going to have lots of questions about the Bavarian education system.

And I'd love to catch up with all the folk I used to chat with (even if I can't remember their usernames!). I'm on a namechange - it's MmeLindor here!

Don't want to sound down on GI btw, the one here is lovely and they gave me a student discount on the library card when am no student, plus fab Currywurst and also Martin Sabrow is on the panel of a debate this Thursday

velourvoyageur I just work in a care home / dementia centre atm in the mornings and teach VHS English classes in the evenings. My employer wants me to do a geriatric nursing qualification via a 3 year apprenticeship, which I was amenable to, but I went along to the Akademie information day and heard about the Heilerziehungspfleger Ausbildung, and thought that sounded much more interesting and suited to me...

Its a bit of an old fashioned qualification (no parallel exists in the UK) but with it you can work with not only disabled people of all ages but people with anything else that counts as a "limitation" including asylum seekers etc. I used to be a teacher in the UK and could add a year in uni on at the end and qualify to be a special needs teacher, though I doubt I will do that as I am getting very old and not sure I actually want to teach again necessarily... Lots of interesting options though, from being a TA in a school or working in a Kindergarten to working with adults in assisted living in the community etc.

There is no way school would let me volunteer to listen to kids read - they would want me to teach English classes for free (which I have done a few times) and I really don't have time for that, with all the preparation involved, plus it wouldn't help! I have my own kids at various points through the German school system ... they don't really get taught how to put sentences together I don't think, though DC2 has been doing something on the rules of trennbare verben in 3 klasse... maybe they do... I know if I tried sitting in the back of a class I would get roped in to teach English or talk to the children about English schools though, as its happened before when DC1 was unsettled at school in 4 klasse and the teacher invited me to sit in and then within half an hour randomly put me on the spot by saying they were going to do English next and perhaps I would like to take the class! I did... luckily I'm ok with random improvisation and knew what they were covering in English, and had a few games up my sleeve from years ago when I had a mini job at a funny little Eltern Initiative school...

Nooo, don't go down the teaching-English-for-free route 5more - I'm now in my 9th and final year of weekly English lessons at the primary school and while I do enjoy it most of the time, it's a huge commitment. I've almost certainly made a loss with all the handouts I've printed out, flashcards I've made and laminated, etc. (mainly my own fault as it wasn't expected of me; I'm just too much of a perfectionist). Tbf the last few years have been easier as I've been given a book to use, including teacher's note, CD, flashcards, etc. but it still requires a fair amount of preparation time. And the teacher is fine about me cancelling if I'm too busy with paid work.

I've also had to improvise on random topics - the trickiest was when the teacher wanted me to talk about All Saints' and All Souls' Day in the UK, leading to all kind of bizarre questions from the children (the only one I can remember now is what happens to people who die in hospital).

Hello Rhubarbara, good to see another Austrian poster on here. There aren't many of us about (not on this thread, any rate).

velour Exciting news about the masters - good luck with your application.

Last day of the Semesterferien here today, but I caught some kind of virus at the start of the week so have been feeling pretty sorry for myself. DH has the day off today and has taken DD1 and DS to a Therme (DD2 is ill too), complete with their Zeugnisse as you get €1 off for every 1. The obsession with Einser (preferably lauter Einser) here drives me mad, but my penny-pinching ways wouldn't allow me to boycott the Aktion.

Linzer no, no danger I'll start teaching English for free don't worry :o

Get well soon! How rubbish for you and dd2 being ill all holiday!

We've still got 3 weeks of school before our Faschingsferien, although I'm in Semester Pause from VHS (But that's a 5 week holiday :o )

Got to work early shifts at the care home both days this weekend though, which is pants but in many ways easier than on weekdays as DH is home so no childcare juggling.

Hello all, sorry to jump on here, I haven't read the whole thread yet but I am in the choas stage of contemplating relocating to Frankfurt for my husband's job with our 2 children age 7 and 4...

I come from an expat family (grew up just outside Brussels, British School educated), so the idea for me isn't as terrifying as it might be but I still feel like I just don't know where to start!

Just wondering if there are any of you in or around the Frankfurt area who could give a newbie some advice? Especially about where to live, schools etc and any general thoughts on expat life in Germany.

Thank you so much x

Linzer, yep, have been here (in Vienna and on MN) a long time now. I remember the old threads. Never seem to be many people in Austria though.

Thanks 5more - yes, it was a bit rubbish but at least I didn't have my usual taxi duties to contend with and we didn't have a trip away planned (we were in Hamburg this time last year). A five week semester break! I sometimes think one week is a bit unnecessary so soon after Christmas (we're in the part of Austria that has it earliest and sometimes it's only three weeks after they've gone back after Christmas) when there's virtually nothing between September and December, but I must admit that the break has done everyone good (even if DD2 and I weren't really able to appreciate it).
Hope you survived your early shifts - at least you should have them out of the way now.

2017 The Taunus area is lovely (my first experience of Germany) but I don't have any experience of living in Germany with DC. Hopefully someone else will be able to help out.

Rhubarbara Did you post on the old threads? I don't recognise your name. The Austrian side has always been a bit underrepresented but I think there were three of us for a while, quite a few years ago.

Have just printed out DS's Gymnasium application form to fill in, which I'll be taking into the school tomorrow. It's quite strange to think this will be the last semester that I have a child at primary. One thing I'm not going to miss is the school run, although as I drive DD1 to her workshop a couple of times a week I won't be giving it up entirely.

2017 I lived in Frankfurt for 12 years and moved to the Taunus five years ago, still working in Frankfurt though. Happy to answer any specific questions you may have. But in general I love Frankfurt and think it's a great place for families. There's a lot going on with culture and plenty of parks, playgrounds etc for kids. I find the quality of life generally better than in the uk. There's also a large expat community here so I think you shouldn't find it too difficult to settle in. Is the move a short term one or longer? That would influence your school options I would imagine and that in turn, where you want to live. But also where is your DH job based? We live in Bad Homburg which is an easy commute on the train to the city centre (25 minutes), has good schools including one international school (Accadis) which is apparently very good but also expensive. Kindergarten is free but you'd probably have a bit of a wait getting a space unless you are also going to be working. They don't start junior school until 6, sometimes seven (there are some exceptions but would only be relevant when you know where you'd be living). Housing is expensive though, you're looking at €2k + for a three bedroom house.
Other international schools are FIS in Oberursel which is a slightly smaller town in the Taunus area, and Phorms in Frankfurt where the fees are means tested.
Are you going to have any relocation help? There's so much I could tell you tbh feel free to post any specific questions you may have. Hope that helps for the start though.

Thank you Welshcakes! That is very helpful. The move will be initially for 2 years, but if my own expat childhood experience is anything to go by I have a feeling that it may be longer! My DH will be working in Frankfurt Westend - I won't be going out to work.

We currently live in the middle of the countryside in the UK so quite fancy city living for a while - so advice on where in the city would be good would be fab...we also have a dog...

We have been looking at the bilingual Montessori School in the city for the DCs - any thoughts on that also appreciated!

Thank you so much x

Westend is a lovely part of the city and would be great to live there as it's walkable to the city centre and would obviously be easy for kid's school if they are going to Montessori. You'd more likely be restricted to a flat there though and not sure how feasible that would be with a dog - there's a couple of great parks for walking nearby though! It's probably the most expensive part of town as far as rental prices go.

You could also look at Dornbusch & Eschersheim which are north of Westend. And there is a whole new area being developed called Europa Viertel which has lots of new build flats and a large shopping centre but there is still a lot of building work going on and I imagine it's not got a great community feel just yet.

I don't know anything about the Montessori school sorry, but if you're on Facebook there's a very helpful group called Expat Babies Frankfurt. I'm sure there'll be people there with experience of the school.

When would you be moving?

Oh and I meant to say have a look at immobilienscout24.de for an idea of what properties are available. You can use it in English. Just know that each room is counted in Germany so a three room flat has a living room and two bedrooms, and a four room flat could be a living room and three bedrooms or living/dining room and two bedrooms.

Linzer, yes, I posted now and then (diff. name) but not much. And I didn't follow them religiously either, just occasionally dipped in and out. Would have thought there'd be more of us in Vienna! (I know you're not here either actually). There are a lot of British and American accents around town.

Hi guys - I used to be on the other German thread a year or so ago; I recognise Linzer and a fed others!
My 'long-term' plan is rapidly coming up - to live in Germany for about 9 months from Oct, when I have 2 dc at Uni. I call it my mini-gap year - I'm fulfilling a life-long dream to actually get fluent (at least I hope to get a bit better at German)! Anyway, I've narrowed my desired location down to Aachen, near Cologne, very near the border with Belguim/Holland. It's easily accessible by train from me (SE England) and I could fly from Cologne (though not to Gatwick any more ) or from Brussels, or I could even drive and ferry/Eurotunnel.

I will be letting my 4-bed house out for 9 months, and using this income to rent over there (not intending to work) and have been reading this book 'living and working in Germany'.

The more I read, the more daunting it all seems. I won't be working, or a student, so I won't be getting any 'relocation' help.

A few (!) questions:-

I will need to register at the Amt. How simple is this?
I will need an address, to do this- I will need accommodation. Renting over there seems huge. Furnished accom is hard to come by, but I'm not bringing furniture! Not for 9 months. Flats don't even have Kitchens built in - you have to buy one and get it fitted?
Letting Agents apparently charge 2-3 months rent as fees? So I would be paying approx 1500E before even starting up?
The rules for renting seem ludicrous to me - I must repaint and revarnish before leaving; heating may or may not be communal, may not be controlled by my own flat? A deep clean before end-of-let (ok, that's not unreasonable)
I need a bank account - any recommendations? The ones I've looked at charge for a Current account!
Will I need Public Liabilty inusrance?
Health Insurance? ( I have private dental and optician in UK so would come back for that) I'm hopping the EHIC card will suffice?

I'm sure I've got more questions....

Any advice welcome!

ptumbi just a quick response to put your mind at ease on the renting points (will try and respond later in more detail)
The laws have recently changed re letting agents fees and these are now carried by the landlord and not the tenant.
You will however still need a large deposit (for long term rentals this is usually three months rent upfront not sure how it works for short term rentals)
You will most likely not have to repaint/varnish etc on moving out. These paragraphs in contracts are now generally found to be invalid by judges so are not even put in to new contracts now. It might well be worth your while joining the Mieterschutzbund which costs around €60 for 12 months but would get you free advice on all tenants questions.
Have you looked at furnished lets on immobilienscout24?
Or even airbnb? Although I think Germany is cracking down on long term lets through airbnb.

Re the bank account unless you will have regular income coming in you will probably have to pay a small monthly fee. But maybe have a look at some of the online banks like comdirect/ING DiBa.
Hope that helps for now!

Thanks Welshcake - I was reading all these costs and regulations and it's no wonder the Germans don't move much! I will be looking for furnished accom - thanks for the link

I was actually looking at some hotels in Aachen; some do a 'long-term' stay, up to 90 days. If I came over in Oct then came back from Xmas and stayed till mid-Jan, then another 90 days to Easter or so...

It might actually be a more cost-effective way to do it. I wouldn't need to bring duvets/towels/etc. I'd miss cooking!
I'll look at AirBnB as I've stayed with various hosts and really like the ideology - plus it would be good to stay in a home with people to talkto/help with my german!

Anyone think this is doable?

ptumbi could you not do an actual homestay, or a series of 2 or 3? There are tons of websites if you do a quick Google:

www.homestay.com/germany

www.workaway.info/hostlist-DE.html

www.fluentu.com/german/blog/german-host-family/ (you have to scroll to the bottom of this one for links to language schools with homestay)

Once you rent an apartment you will be resident and probably need proper health insurance and to register (but registering is no problem). I think you'll be safer on an ECIH card if you're doing a couple of homestays split by a month in the UK over Christmas, but will need proper health insurance if you rent your own apartment for a year/ 9 months especially as your UK address will be occupied by other people so you really will be resident in Germany not the UK.

Thanks 5more - I haven't heard of homestay but from the look seem to be a version of AirBnB? Unfortunately there seem to be only 2 in Aachen. I might look again for somewhere in the area.
The workaway looks good but I think it might be for youngsters? Not a 55Yo! Not that I'd mind looking after kids/animals etc.

ptumbi I'm sure you could do work away at 55 - Germany seems particularly open to older people doing things we might assume are "for youngsters" When I first heard of apprenticeships I thought they were for 15-21 year olds, but when I've enquired I've been actively encouraged to consider doing one and every time I'm told that at 42 I would never be the oldest on the course and that every year they have apprentices in their 50s and reminded that retirement age is 67... Not quite the same I know but I don't think your age would be a problem.

It depends what you want though - workaway would mean minimum financial outlay because you pay for accommodation by volunteering, but as you'll have income from renting out your house the actual homestay (more like Airbnb except that being part of the family is part of what you're buying into - you'd probably eat together) which you pay to do might be more what you want. The accommodation will be a bit more luxurious and the family/ person will be expecting to "host" and will expect you to want to practice your German, where Airbnb Hosts might not be bargaining for that or might want to speak English :o

I do think you'll need travel insurance thinking about it, if not actual German health insurance. You really should look into that - if you rented a flat to live in in Germany and rented out your UK home you might not even technically be eligible to use the NHS at all, including the ECIH card, as you'll be resident in Germany not the UK.

Actually ptumbi one of my EFL students told me about this a while ago www.aupair-mom.com/ specifically for people over 50 - mature aupairs

Thanks 5more - I have looked at that. I reckon I could do that after 3 dses!

The workaway looks good too - I didn't mean I was too old to do it, just that I associate that sort of thing with youngsters, rightly or wrongly. That might be fun tho! And they might only want a few months/weeks at a time, rather than a year or so, which would suit me better. And of course being in a family I'd have to talk german.

Hello, all. I've been lurking on these threads for ages. In a similar position to ptumbi, also 55, and quite thrown by how much Brexit will affect things. For years have mulled over returning to live in Germany (there as a student and early 20s), esp now children are more independent and dh has retired. Ideas I've looked at include short periods of teaching English in Poland or Czech Republic (where there is more demand), and having more ease of travel to/from Germany. Possibly more of a compromise, but an idea nonetheless! Also looked at ads for nannies - lots where German families want a native English speaker so the children can learn/improve their oral skills.I also have several health problems so insurance costs a lot. I am in a quandary and sometimes wonder if it would be easier just to have regular holidays - but I know working da drueben in some capacity would be easier, cheaper and more interesting. I also have an ambition for lots of little Germans to speak English with a Scottish accent. An interesting thread. Thanks.

Heathen - have you looked at the links 5more posted?

I think I've found a way round the furnished/unfurnished flat-without-a-kitchen situation - I have booked with AirBnb for 80 days from sept-Dec, then will do the same for jan to easter. I won't need to put a kitchen in, or take duvets or saucepans, there will be Wifi and TV and everything! There should even be people in the rest of the house to talk german to me!
Can't wait.

Ja, ich have the linkies read. Your plan sounds great, ptumbi.

Hi Ladies,

Things have been moving very quickly for us since I last posted. Hubby has now gone to Munich so I am home alone with the kids and working out the end of my contract at work. We are going out to join him at the end of April and have rented a house in Taufkirchen.
Went for a visit in January for a few days and felt much better about everything as the relocation person drove us around loads and we met up with my hubbys cousin and a friend who already live there. We even went out for a curry one night and it was brilliant!
I can live without most things and ok to embrace all that but curry was a deal breaker!
How are you all doing today?