Spiegel Magazine's survival guide for Germany

Germans can be pretty bad, but I am one of the nice ones

modest too

very modest

BTW: Germans are NOT modest

Wait till July. Then you'll the white lightning back! I hope you've learnt to catch a ball in the interim!

I suppose what we can get from this, is that if Gideon can survive Germany then there can't be too much to survival in Germany!

I definitely agree about the tea. Being the snob I am, I bring my tea in from England and have sworn of the German muck they try to sell you here.

But otherwise...survival in Germany...

I would say grow some very, very thick skin and don't be afraid to push and shove to get what you want.

Also, at the doctor's office (this was a shock for me many years ago), don't be suprised if they expect you to undress right then and there. And don't look for a paper gown - just take off your kit and get on the examining table. This is no time for modesty. Actually, at the doctor's office, bring a book and maybe some food. You'll be waiting for a long, long time, unless you have private health insurance, in which case you'll be put ahead of everyone else. Long live the dual insurance system.

tis easy just speak the language!!!

mmmm what do reckon would turn out worse; a Yorkshireman who has spent 13 years in Bavaria or a Bavarian who has spent 13 years in Yorkshire?

If Steph's upset about Gideon's comments I wonder what she'd make of some of don_riina's...?

Germany should not even fucking exist, lets face it. We won the fucking war, so should all be under Englsih control, and probably be better off for it. Cunts.

This thread is s fucking predictable, to the point of me posting on it.
Gideon knows more about this country than most members of this website willl ever even fucking have a glimpse of, yet of course, Mr "Lets write shite in the hope of starting an argument that means I can sit and post crap all night instead of getting fucking laid" Ulysesesleyles or however you spell it (cannot be arsed to look up 1980's cartoon names on the interspaz, sorry) thinks he knows more about it. twat.


Er, sorry, but the standard TT form when writing about touch "rugby" is to post in some fucking stupid dayglo colour(s), and in a massive stupid font.Get up to date FFS

What fucking year is this??? Only the fucking Dutch think that Monty is current British humour. Cunts


He's a northern cunt, thats fact, but hardly got a confrontational style. He simply knows more about krouts than most, and sets people right, or maybe thats just my opinion.

Touch rugby quite a violent 'contact' sport is it?

This is the link to the special SPIEGEL FORUM they have created for the Germany Survival Bible

You mean American and Russian control.


Sorry mate, but you don't even know how long I've been here which is quite some time in fact. Not as long as Gideon by any rate, but long enough. Mr. "Let's write shite...bla,bla,bla". Look who's talking Mr. Star Wars freak. And Ulysses is a novel by an Irishman you twat. And I thought Germany had a bad education system. English one doesn't seem to be much better. Not only is your history fucked, but your English lit too. One final point; no one said Monty is current British humour. Learn to read properly before you spew off verbal diarrhoea. It's "krauts" just btw. Fuck, your English is shit. I think you could do with a few lessons from Gideon as a matter of fact.

Oh wait, almost forgot to sign off...cunt.

Trying to get back on topic...

I just read some of the entries on the Spiegel forum. I really liked the following comment, posted in reply to the question "Why do toilets have shelves?":

I can't agree to that, my education here was free and comprehensive, including learning three foreign languages and getting an insight into European history that helps to understand modern times as well. Gymnasium, of course, I can't speak for Hauptschule.
I suppose what foreigners should observe in Germany is to avoid this site's radical German-haters.

Hey, my story made it on...

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/internatio...,407412,00.html

Thats exactly whats so screwed up about the german system. It seperates people into 3 (or 4 really) classes from the get go. Sure if you are in the top elite you go to gymnasium and get to go to uni, if not you are fucked. No degree makes it hard to get a good job or go overseas to work etc. I cant remember which one is "higher" real or hauptschule, but if you end up in the higher one, you are basically stuck with low level shop or office work and in the lower one you will probably end up unemployed.

I just cant see it realistic staying here if I have school age kids because from what I understand the language requirements for gynmasium discriminate strongly against the kids of foreigners, and I do want my kids to at least have the option of going to uni even if their first language wont be german.

Uhm - it doesn't separate people into 4 classes from the get go. Some areas have comprehensive education (all three types in one school) but Munich doesn't (that I know of).
Yes, it does separate the children from 5th grade into three different schools, hauptschule being the most basic one, then realschule, then gymnasium for university preparation. Not everyone, however, wants to or needs to study at a university.
Yes, people with a hauptschule degree will have a much harder time finding a training apprentiship or job, but it is also not impossible to do the "zweite Bildungsweg" to get an Abitur and then study, or have a better shot at an apprenticeship or job.
As a matter of fact, the smoking German I met last night had done just that and is studying to be an interpreter now.
As for the language thing - my kids don't have German as their first language and are doing pretty well, thank you. The schools offer a bit of support in that area, but basically the attitude here is that it is up to the parents to ensure that their children do their homework and learn, not the schools to make up for what the parents cannot or will not do.

It wasn't may statement. I took it straight off the press i.e. Pisa Studium as well as other people's experiences with the education system that I have read here. Needless to say, I have no experience with the education system here, but if the general knowledge of the average German is anything to go by, I think it's pretty damn good.

Three weeks ago, SPIEGEL ONLINE kicked off the Germany Survival Bible to help our World Cup guests make sense of those quirky Germans and to provide handy survival tips. Have you been paying attention?

theres also a Quiz - fun!

http://www1.spiegel.de/active/survivalbibl...lbible.fcgi?f=1

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ok, maybe this has already been posted. Probably, but it makes great reading in spiegel online (english version)

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/internatio...,411291,00.html

some of the 'oh so true' tales and stories will bring a wry smile to all our readers.

viel spaß!!

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