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Original poster

German/German speaking

58 replies

Simi · 04/07/2004 20:02

Hello there...Are there any Germans or German speakers in the Islington area who would like to meet up or does anyone know of an international baby group? My son is 11 weeks old and it would be nice to meet up with other Germans or German speakers .....

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Yurtgirl · 07/03/2007 21:53

May I hijack? To ask if any of you might be interested in some lovely almost new childrens books in German, that I have just put on a MNforsale thread
Here!

Soory for any intrusion

MillieJ · 08/03/2007 22:38

Hi there

Just moved to Yorkshire (close to Otley, Leeds) after being in Germany for the last 9 years. Would love to meet up with any Germans or German speakers! We have 2 girls: 4 years and 19 months old. Man spricht deutsch - auch wir Engländer!

admylin · 09/03/2007 08:45

Hi MillieJ , we're still in Germany but was wondering how you found the move back? were you in UK before Germany? We hope to move back to teh UK some day but up to now have another year atleast to go.
Are there things you really miss about Germany?

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SSShakeTheChi · 09/03/2007 08:57

Whereabouts in Germany were you Millie?

MillieJ · 09/03/2007 21:30

Hi SSShakeTheChi and admylin

We started off in Heidelberg which was a great place to live. We then moved down to Walldorf to find an affordable house to rent.

Well it's been quite a culture shock coming back! We lived in London before Germany. But I guess it's different coming back to live here with young kids.

We mainly returned for family reasons. It was a great quality of life over there and we had very good jobs. There are things we miss, but we knew we would. Alles in allem, I am happy to be home

admylin · 09/03/2007 22:07

I really envy you! I would pack my things tomorrow if I could! How have the dc coped? Did dd go to Kindergarten? Hope you manage to find some German families to keep the language going.

MillieJ · 10/03/2007 20:03

Hi admylin

Dc have coped just great - better than their parents! Kids seem so adaptable. Our oldest was in Kindergarten for almost a year and that had gone really well and she was doing fine with the German. Unfortunately we have only been able to get odd mornings in the nursery here as most are full up for the year. We're speaking German at home and hope to set up a German playgroup if we find some local native speakers!! Where are you living? How long have you been over in Germany? Are your dc bilingual?

admylin · 12/03/2007 11:12

Hi MillieJ, we're in Berlin but used to live in Tuebingen in SW Germany where dh did his PhD. Dc are bilingual more or less! At the moment dh is applying for jobs in USA or UK but up to now no luck. Present job is in research 'till end of 2008 but if he found a better job he could leave.
Did you get a removal company to do the move? Taht is one of my biggest worries, if dh gets a job will he manage to get a good relocation package - our move from the south to Berlin was a nightmare as there was no package of any sort, nearly had a nervous breakdown!

Ruth13 · 13/03/2007 12:35

Hi MillieJ

just stumbled on thsi website. German but have been living in the UK since 1996. My daughter S is 2 and bilingual, ie I speak german with her and Iain speaks English. She goes to english nursery 4 days a week so hears predominantly english but her German is developing really weel. Would love to take part in a play group (used to have a german playgroup in WestLondon) but now live in East Surrey. Whereabouts are you?
Ruth

michaelad · 13/03/2007 12:44

Hi everyone, I am German (from Hamburg), moved to Chelmsford in Essex 5 yrs ago. Struggling to raise my two sons bilingually, dh is british. Would love to hear from other Germans in the area

geekgrrl · 13/03/2007 12:48

Hi MillieJ - I'm near Harrogate so quite close by - am from Kiel originally but moved to the UK when I was 17.
There's a German group for children (& parents) in Leeds, meetings are once a month. they only started at the end of last year so it's all still rather 'informal', CAT me if you're interested and I'll email you the flyer. The next meeting is on the 21st of April I think.

MillieJ · 14/03/2007 22:48

Hi geekgrrl

Good to hear about that! Have you been there? How old are your dc? I am speaking German to my 4 and 1.5 year old, but sometimes it seems a bit odd when all around speak English! Thanks for the info.

MillieJ · 14/03/2007 22:51

Hi Admylin

We got a German company to do our move back to the UK and dh's new employer paid towards it. The removal company was great, but it was still very stressful. Our youngest had croup the night before we flew home. I then promptly got flu. The day the removal truck arrived in Yorkshire was mid-January with hurricane winds all across Europe. Streß pur! All I can say is I'm glad we made it!

Califrau · 14/03/2007 22:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

admylin · 15/03/2007 08:26

Hi Califrau, dh is coming to California this summer but just for a conference! He has only applied in Chicago and Boston so far!! Wouldn't mind California as a reward after so many years of suffering!

admylin · 15/03/2007 08:30

MillieJ, so even with a removal comapany it can be stressfull! Guess there is no super, calm relaxing house move?! Although friends of ours did one of those full service moves where they didn't lift a finger and the removal men packed it all and set it up at the other end, even made the beds up all exactly as it had been. The family was totally relaxed and spent a great last week at farewell dinners etc, cost a fortune though.

annasmami · 15/03/2007 10:52

Hi Ruth13,
where in Surrey do you live? We are also raising our children (4 and 3) bilingually German (me) and English (dh) and would love to meet more German speaking children.

geekgrrl · 15/03/2007 11:14

Millie, I went to the group once, couldn't go last time because we had visitors. It was fun but really busy and a bit disorganised.
Whereabouts are you? I'm quite close to Otley - we're up near Menwith Hill (the US base with the giant 'golf balls').
I do speak German with my children - they're 7, 5 and 3. Maybe we could get together some time?

Califrau · 15/03/2007 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MillieJ · 15/03/2007 22:53

Hi geekgrrl

We are living in Burley-in-Wharfedale, a couple of miles from Otley. Harrogate is not far for us - know it well 'cos I went to school there. It'd be fun to meet up! Is your dh English?

notsolilKel · 19/03/2007 21:35

hello/hallo! My DH is German (Stuttgart area) and my DS is 1yr old. With DD due in May! We live in SW London and would be interested in playgroups etc...

Hoping to go to the German school in Petersham (Richmond) once DS is ready for kindergarten (is it at 3 yrs old?)

Nice to meet you all - working on my German skills aber nicht sehr gut!

MillieJ · 14/04/2007 20:06

Hi Geekgyrl

Can you let me know where the group in Leeds meets for German-speaking parents and kids. Hope to go along in April. Thanks!!

Franzi · 12/06/2007 12:13

So, where are the German Islington mums ? We would love to meet other mums to have a German chat !

RomySchneider · 29/06/2007 16:29

Franzi,
we live in Islington, have a dd (14 months) who is raised bilingual (me German, dp English). Let me know if you want to have a German chat!

Franzi · 11/07/2007 14:59

Hey, war'n im Urlaub - nun wieder da. Ich und dd (20 monate) wuerden Euch sehr gerne mal treffen. Werd' mal ne Nachricht schicken, dann koennen wir vielleicht was verabreden.