Moving to Deggendorf

My wife is Bavarian (German citizen) and I'm American. We have been living on the Big Island of Hawaii for 10 plus years, which means we are American on paper only ( we don't want to know what happens on the mainland...LOL) OK...I love Bavaria (it reminds me of an area in Disneyland as well as my time in Colorado) My wife and I will be developing our International real estate business in both areas. We own a real estate company here in Hawaii and she is already affiliated with RE/MAX in Deggendorf. We plan on living in both places (yes winter months in Hawaii) and will eventually retire in Bavaria. My wife has family all over the area, so that's a good thing. If anyone would be so kind as to fill me in on that area from a foreigners perspective, I would be grateful. I'm even thinking about returning to school and apparently the U of Applied Sciences Deggendorf has an MBA program in English !!!. That's great as I took Spanish as my 2nd language...OOPS. I also need to know the best way to aquire the German language as far as schools. I've also considered teaching at a Berlitz campus. Help me understand what I'm in for.

Aloha,

Jeff

Said area wouldn't be Toon Town, I hope *smirk*
Being a native Bavarian, like your wife, I am not able to descrive Deggendorf from a foreigner's perspective. As for the best way to learn German: I recommend the local Volkshochschule (roughly translated Evening School, though they do offer classes during the day as well). They offer special classes for people from abroad who want to get German citizenship. You can find their offer at http://www.vhs-deggendorf.de/kursangebot/l...erCategory=5351 (paradoxely, the site is in German which people can read only after having taken these classes *rolleyes*)

As most people here don't speak High German but Bavarian, it might be a good idea to ask your wife if she could teach you the basics. Don't worry, the local dialect is not too difficult. It'll gain you sympathy points if you know at least a few phrases

Cybermach has just moved to Deggendorf. He's from the US and might be able to give you details about the hurdles one has to take here as a foreigner.

Hey There!

Sorry I didn't notice the tread until just now. I'll give you some background on me so you understand my biases. I'm 32 and a student at the FH in International Management. Which makes me a virtual grandpa there! Older students not being so common in Germany. I grew up in cities like L.A., San Francisco and for the last 14 years was more or less in Seattle. (exmilitary so I wasn't home for large chunks of it) I speak German, the locals say I speak it really well but the reality is that I barely passed the C1 level at the University of Passau and my grammar has holes although my vocab is huge so I understand everything and can read everything but I'm still nervous to speak sometimes.

Yes I like Deggendorf. It's a small town and there is not much to do directly in the "city". Nightlife is limited to overly packed and smokey student bars but the Weinstuble is very nice and a cool place to have a chat with friends. The Bavarian forest is nearby so there are lots of opportunities to enjoy skiing, swimming, hiking, ect. Skiing is a half hour away in winter. Personally, I like motorcycles and the roads around here rock so it's heaven for me. The forest roads leading to Arber mountain have some great lakes and twisties.

Deggendorf is very central to a great number of things without being in any of them.: Passau to the south, Regensburg to the north and the Czech border to the east. Prague is 2.5-3 hours away depending on how you drive. There are some good restaurants in town and a bunch to avoid. If you like dancing Sam's bar has a regular salsa night or two.

The FH is really good but you may find the experience pretty startling if you're used to the American university system like I am. That would take to long to explain so ask me if you're curious.

Get ready for German bureaucracy. This website and some knowledgeable locals will be your best guides. But your wife is German and she can probably help.

So for a small place I'd say Deggendorf does pretty well. I kinda grew out of the need for a cosmopolitan party scene. Not that I don't still enjoy that from time to time but I'm not going to live in a major city just to get it. If you're around sometime I live in the city center and would be happy to meet and do a walk about. Hope this helps.

at the risk of sounding like a know-it-all: according to the map Passau is vaguely to the southeast, Regensburg west and the Czech border stretches from northwest to northeast. *sticks tonue out at Cybermach*
I'd like to add Munich to the list (approximately south). there are hundreds of museums and galleries there and a few very good theatres.
As you hail from Hawaii, I suppose you're fond of surfing? In Munich's Englischer Garten you can go surfing on the Eiskanal. But beware - it's ice-cold and not without danger.
On the Isar river in Plattling, about 10 mins from Deggendorf, there are international canoeing championships. Some suicidal loonies even try to surf there but it's extremely dangerous and quite a few people drown there every year, so please, don't even think of trying it!
Deggendorf has a pretty good icehockey team, a ice-skating hall and even a baseball ground in a suburb. Twice a year we have an Oktoberfest-like fair and from Dec 1st to 24th there is a quite romantic christmas market.
There's a small farmers market Monday through Friday morning and a big one every Saturday (no competition to LA's Farmers Market, I'm afraid, but at least you get very fresh food at a decent price.)
If you're fond of seafood, you'll propably get disappointed. Deggendorf is too far away from the sea. However, there are plenty of freshwater fish. Give them a try - some are delicious! If you'd like to go fishing, you'll have to buy a license from the local fishing club, else you'll be fined and your catch confiscated.

The Museum in Deggendorf is famous for its unusual exhibitions. Last year they had a dumpling exhibition, earlier this year a tie exhibit and atm there is a paper exhibition which is said to be very good (haven't seen it yet). There's also a water museum where I work now and then. Contact me for a tour in English, if you like )

A big thank you to all of you!!! We are completing a 5 week stay and will head back to Hawaii on Thurs. It has been an amazing trip and we are set up to try an completely move over here wthin a few months.

Aloha

Jeff

Have a safe trip!

Were back!!!

and you plan on coming here?

Are you out of your tiny minds? Half the folk in Bavaria would love to retire to Hawaii.......

*Yes - we've visited Hawaii & really enjoyed our days up on Kilauea volcano (end December 2006).

HEM .......Well we did keep a place in Hilo ( near the Volcano), but we will be spending a major portion of our time here in Bavaria. We have had an excellent real estate practice on the Big Island and have owned multiple offices there (we will keep or Brokers licenses active). So if anyone wants to retire to Hawaii that is not a problem. I lived on the Big Island for 12 years and know it inside and out. Travel tips, real estate, whatever, just ask.

Manu ( my wife) is Bavarian and bilingual, with plenty of family here and I spent 10 years in Colorado, so I can deal with the winter. I might even pick up a set of skis again. The inside scoop is pretty simple; the cost of living here is about 20% of what we had in Hawaii and the big one is the medical care, which is severely limited there.

Manu has already started her real estate business here and we are already finding a severely undeserved group in the English speaking consumer. She has the USA standard of practice ( way above current practice here)with the local credibility. So if you know anyone needing that kind of expertise in residential or investment please send them our way. It's worth dinner at the restaurant of your choice....LOL

www.jeffandmanu.com www.bayerischermakler.de

Stay in touch

Aloha

Jeff & Manuela

...and likely to be rather expensive for you here - but others will advise you.....

My family would probably say: "at Kens Pancakes in Hilo".

Deggendorf... I had to look it up. I always think I would die of loneliness and cultural isolation in a place like that, but some seem to make it. I would say you should give it a year before you make a permanent commitment.

RainKing ......... I appreciate your feedback, but not to worry. This city of Deggendorf, between Regensberg and Passau, is an absolute dream and without isolation in any form. It's crazy, but I have been asked by more than a handful of people to teach English from kids to the MBA level. University here has three MBA programs taught completely in English. Then there is the bizzare fact that I've been speaking more Spanish since I've been here than English. Even most Italians understand when I speak Spanish. It is no problem having a social life here in three languages. The fact of the matter is that Hawaii, in so many ways, is isolated beyond most peoples comprehension. 50% of the people that move there leave within a few years....no kidding. There is more culture, shopping and things to do in Deggendorf than all of Hawaii. I will miss the warm water and our kids, but that's about it. I can find warm water in Europe and the kids are headed here eventually. No more coqui frogs, roosters, howling dogs, mosquitoes, and lack of infrastructure. I'm a happy person right now.

Ken's it is. My former company was in the next building so I ate there a lot. Only place to eat in Hilo past 10pm as well. I know the owner very well...lol. In fact since you know the area, the same ownership has opened a good steak house down the street on the bay/ice pond where Harringtons was.

That's not what I'm talking about. There's a moment that hits every ex-pat after a few months that I can sum up as "What am I doing in this fucking place surrounded by these fucking idiot people." It usually hits harder in small towns with names like Oberunterpfaffenburgdorf, but will still get you in the centre of Hamburg or Munich. There was an article posted a while back, that I wish I could find, that summed up our emotional path here as sort of U-shaped curve stretched over a year or two, i.e. exhilhiration, doubt, depression, acceptance, normality. After which, you don't want to go home, and according to HEM, you are obliged to join the glider club. Good luck.

The above description of the sequence of events from RainKing is spot-on.

The glider club (& the bridge club at the lab) was my reason to live during the first couple of years. 27 years later......