Hi, My family is currently looking to move to Germany from US but really have no idea where to start. We have friends in Germany near Düsseldorf which is where we would like to live near. My husband has a degree in Information Technology and I would like to teach English in a school there but I have no prior teaching experience. I have looked into the tefl certification but have mixed information as to if it would really even help me with no prior exp. Also where would be good to look for an IT postion (he has only about 2 years working since obtaining his degree.) we don't know much German but would like to learn more once there since I think it would be much easier to learn when you are in the native speaking country. Could we get my on minimal german until we are able to learn more there and could my husband get a job with not knowing much? We also have 2 children aged 2 and 5 so anyone who has been in this situation and would know where is a good place to start would sure be very helpful.
Thank you,
Maddie
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Moving from the U.S. to Germany
Where to start?
Visa Information ...
We came here from US 6 weeks ago to stay for 14 months. We have a specific reason to be here - my husband's career/ work. He and I have both had a full year of German study in school. I work for a Swiss company and am exposed to a lot of German. We have a soon to be 2 and 4 year old.
We know where we would be living. We knew we had limited German-speaking abilities. We were guided in what paperwork etc. were needed to be here. We knew it would be difficult with/for our young children.
With nearly 6 weeks under our belt here is my offering to you:
***Please try to learn German. Even if you have to buy Rosetta Stone, take a class, or something. If you plan to pluck your family into this environment, you will be frustrated and miserable at times not being able to say the things you need to...or understand what is being said to you. No doubt you will pick it up eventually...years from now! A majority of people we talked to in the US said "Most people speak English. You will be fine." The only reason we are fine is because of the limited German education we both have had. I wish we had more.
***Do not under estimate the need for an automobile if you plan to travel a lot with your young ones. I have decided that after years of being in car seats, then now trying to travel on the public transit system, my kids are troublesome at best with being quiet and sitting still. And, I can tell you the looks I get when one of the kids is screaming in a train car is not one of "we understand...he is just a child...". It is more like, "shut him up now...can't you control him". I think it is easier for children who have been brought up on trains and buses to be able to keep the peace.
Also, I find the Germans to be a quiet set of people. When at any German eatery of mixed ages, the level of talking is very quiet. Traveling on the public transit is very quiet and peaceful - when kids aren't screaming!
***Know your area...we did not know Stuttgart well...and we got lucky. Many of our creature-comforts can be found here...which make us feel more at home. Though, somehow it sounds like you are running from home...desperately.
I would offer more info...but you give little background on your rationale for moving.
***Have you thought about schools for your children?
***It is very expensive to live here...thoughts??
***Why are you wanting to move to Germany???
We know where we would be living. We knew we had limited German-speaking abilities. We were guided in what paperwork etc. were needed to be here. We knew it would be difficult with/for our young children.
With nearly 6 weeks under our belt here is my offering to you:
***Please try to learn German. Even if you have to buy Rosetta Stone, take a class, or something. If you plan to pluck your family into this environment, you will be frustrated and miserable at times not being able to say the things you need to...or understand what is being said to you. No doubt you will pick it up eventually...years from now! A majority of people we talked to in the US said "Most people speak English. You will be fine." The only reason we are fine is because of the limited German education we both have had. I wish we had more.
***Do not under estimate the need for an automobile if you plan to travel a lot with your young ones. I have decided that after years of being in car seats, then now trying to travel on the public transit system, my kids are troublesome at best with being quiet and sitting still. And, I can tell you the looks I get when one of the kids is screaming in a train car is not one of "we understand...he is just a child...". It is more like, "shut him up now...can't you control him". I think it is easier for children who have been brought up on trains and buses to be able to keep the peace.
Also, I find the Germans to be a quiet set of people. When at any German eatery of mixed ages, the level of talking is very quiet. Traveling on the public transit is very quiet and peaceful - when kids aren't screaming!
***Know your area...we did not know Stuttgart well...and we got lucky. Many of our creature-comforts can be found here...which make us feel more at home. Though, somehow it sounds like you are running from home...desperately.
I would offer more info...but you give little background on your rationale for moving.
***Have you thought about schools for your children?
***It is very expensive to live here...thoughts??
***Why are you wanting to move to Germany???
We think it would be good to let our children experience other cultures and learn different languages. We have close family friends in Düsseldorf and would like to live near them as they would be able to help us with our learning German a little more and just helping us learn more about Germany. I have done much research as to the cost of living and such but just would like to hear from others who have done this themselves. I know IT jobs are something that is needed in Germany and they pay pretty well so with me working too I think we will be fine money wise. I have thought about schools but my daughter would not need a kindergarten until next year as she just turned 5 this month and everything I have found says children start school at age 6 so that would give me time to look into the schools and the family friends we have there would be more than happy to help me with finding a school as they have a teenager they know much about the schools. I will deffenitly learn more German and I have been learning through a program I have and I think I'm doing quite well so far. Although it's not conversational I could at-least pick-up on what is being said to me and I know this would help a great deal.
Thank you for the info you gave it really is helpful and does give me a little more to think about. I do appreciate anything further that is given because there is no such thing as too much info
Thank you for the info you gave it really is helpful and does give me a little more to think about. I do appreciate anything further that is given because there is no such thing as too much info
My husband and I are also looking to relocate to Germany, preferably Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Mittenwald area. If anyone has advice or information, we would love to hear it! It is very interesting to read everyone's experiences and things they wish they had known, etc.
The main concern we have is the cost of living and the job prospects. My husband is an aviation mechanic (currently he is the director of maintenance for a fleet of private jets). He speaks some German but is not fluent. I am just learning German, however, so my options will be limited. We don't have kids, we do have a dog, and we really want to be close to hiking and biking, and we are planning to survive with just one car.
The main concern we have is the cost of living and the job prospects. My husband is an aviation mechanic (currently he is the director of maintenance for a fleet of private jets). He speaks some German but is not fluent. I am just learning German, however, so my options will be limited. We don't have kids, we do have a dog, and we really want to be close to hiking and biking, and we are planning to survive with just one car.
Miss America:
Germans love their dogs! So, I am sure yours will be welcome too...in the subway, at the grocery store, in the restaurant... It is a pleasure to see so many dog lovers handling their dogs appropriately in such venues.
Hiking and biking seems to be a must anywhere you are in Germany! It is so cool to see random bikers in open fields...coming down a mountain...on the public transit... And, you must take up the Nordic walking I see here...it emulates cross-country skiing by walking with two walking sticks, in the same motion as you would with cross-country ski poles. No matter where we go or what we do (even in many of our previous visits), you should have an easy time finding your way into much opportunity for hiking and biking!
Germans love their dogs! So, I am sure yours will be welcome too...in the subway, at the grocery store, in the restaurant... It is a pleasure to see so many dog lovers handling their dogs appropriately in such venues.
Hiking and biking seems to be a must anywhere you are in Germany! It is so cool to see random bikers in open fields...coming down a mountain...on the public transit... And, you must take up the Nordic walking I see here...it emulates cross-country skiing by walking with two walking sticks, in the same motion as you would with cross-country ski poles. No matter where we go or what we do (even in many of our previous visits), you should have an easy time finding your way into much opportunity for hiking and biking!
QUOTE (maddie @ Jun 22 2008, 9:43 pm) 
I know IT jobs are something that is needed in Germany
Verify this before you come over - I'm in IT and I have a number of ex-colleagues who are out of work...
Make sure you have a job for the family breadwinner signed & sealed before you move.
Hi,
My family moved here from Chicago eight months ago. My husband is also in IT -- but with almost 15 years of experience and fluent German -- and it still took him six months to find a job (from Chicago). We wouldn't move here without one. Check on visa details. I knew we couldn't just pick up and move here. We had to have a job. Everyone wants to move to Germany so they don't make it easy.
Kindergarten here starts at 3 and regular school starts at 6 so if your kids haven't been in any type of structured learning environment like a daycare or preschool, they'll be a bit behind. Our daughter will start kindergarten in Sept. and she'll be three in Nov.
There definitely are a lot of reasons to move here, just know what you're getting into and do a lot of research. Good luck.
My family moved here from Chicago eight months ago. My husband is also in IT -- but with almost 15 years of experience and fluent German -- and it still took him six months to find a job (from Chicago). We wouldn't move here without one. Check on visa details. I knew we couldn't just pick up and move here. We had to have a job. Everyone wants to move to Germany so they don't make it easy.
Kindergarten here starts at 3 and regular school starts at 6 so if your kids haven't been in any type of structured learning environment like a daycare or preschool, they'll be a bit behind. Our daughter will start kindergarten in Sept. and she'll be three in Nov.
There definitely are a lot of reasons to move here, just know what you're getting into and do a lot of research. Good luck.
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