English speakers in Dresden

Hi! I am just about to move to Dresden and know absolutely no one. Any other English-speakers about here?

Maybe you should just go out and meet some people.

I am in the UK at the moment, would like to have one friend when I move over to Dresden.

I don't know if you've ever played rugby or touch rugby but a guy in Dresden orgnises touch rugby there. It is a very social game and attracts many English-speaking expats, so even if you have never played before it is a good way to make friends, beginners are always welcome.

Contact details on the website: Touch Rugby Deutschland

TOUCH beim RV Dresden, Giles Sims, gilessims@dresdenrugby.de, 035 1849 5205 or 0172 448 3859

I'm a native English speaker living in Dresden. Malikos, what are you doing moving to Dresden of all places?

I live in Dresden too. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask and I will try to assist you.

The most popular place to hang-out for expats is the Jim Beans bar on Alaunstrasse in the Neustadt.

I hope the thought of playing Cricket excites you. If yes, then do join a small gang of cricketers at Franklinstrasse/Strehlenerstrasse near the Dresden Hauptbahnhof (Central railway station). This note is also valid for other cricket-lovers in/around Dresden - separate thread in this regard: cricket in Dresden.

Cheers,
Sudhi

I'm an American (so no, maybe not British, but I speak a compatible language, swear to God) living with my girlfriend in Dresden. (Ever try to get married in Germany? The money you have to spend . . . and I can't work, either!) Thought I'd write if anybody wanted to meet up. . . and to defend Jena. I don't know when these visits took place, but I studied there a semester (which is where I met the lovely lady who is now my hostess) and loved the city. Just stay out of Lobeda, the ugly Plattenbau section.

That is the exact place I have to go in Jena.

Then all I can really suggest is that you go up a little further north to the "Zentrum" before you leave, just to see what a beautiful city (minus the communist-era 'Skyscraper' in the middle of the city) it really is. I tried to think of somewhere to tell you to eat, but we students never had much money to go out and Döner is the same just about everywhere.

Hi. I live in Dresden. Been here for about a year now. I'm a 32 year old American female living here with my husband and 4 month old daughter. Trying to make some expat friends within the city.

Anyone else from America and living in Dresden? It gets a bit tiresome having only a handful of English speakers around. Not to forget explaining why we voted for Bush.

Yep, lonely.

Topics merged by admin

Well, according to the members location map, these folks live in Dresden: Sudhi, malikos, HokieGal, roboticus, Elbe.

It looks like HokieGal is from VA. I think Malikos might be as well (though I'm not sure about that).

Hello there. I moved to Dresden from the U.S. about 4 months ago. I am originally from Northern VA (I saw a Hokie here) but spent the last year in St. Petersburg, FL. It's great to be back in fall weather.

I'm looking for any english speakers to go have a beer with or do things with.

This is a great city & I'm sure as many of you know, it can get a little lonely without English companionship. The German lessons are moving MUCH too slowly. Mostly my fault.

My wife is from Dresden & speaks very good English but I need to get out & meet some people (she deserves a break from me). I have my office set up at home & travel often so this not such an easy task.

My business partner is based in the U.K. so I speak the "other" English as well. Cheers!

My name is John. I look forward to meeting some of you.

Hey All! I'm also quite new to the Dresden Area. I actually live in a Dorf. Anybody that is interested in meeting up wih me would be welcome to drop me a mail. I'm always in DD for work.

Wow look at all the Americans! Hey I have a really important question, how do you guys work? I'm getting a BA in Sociology this year and I wanted to move in with my boyfriend (he lives in Dresden) but we had to put it off because it didn't look like I'd be able to get any kind of job unless I knew German well and I don't.

What i did, i got a job for a company in the UK with offices in Dresden and then got transferred out here.
Find a company in the States with offices in Germany and just get an internal transfer.

I can´t speak any German either.

As far as jobs go, I've decided to invest my time at home while my fiancée works into 1) becoming a better house-husband (I even cook) and 2) becoming an internationally best-selling author. I'm pleased to report clear progress in the achievement of my first goal, less in the achievement of my second.

As far as there being a handful of Americans in Dresden, what's the next step to getting together for a beer or simply to put faces to names? Of course, this is a dumb time for me to bring this up--I'll be back in the States from the fifteenth of this month until the beginning of January--nonetheless, we can at least start a slow conversation about what kind of meet-up would be good, no?

Whats everyone doing on Friday, if theres enough response we could go out for a beer on Friday, Jim Beans bar in the Neustadt.

I'll be in DD. I think in Johnsberg. I don't work on Fridays so just for fun.

Heya Chitown,
Although German (Sachsish) is important here...lets say... to order a bratwurst, for example, when there are only 3 things on the menu, there are ways of taking advantage of your English speaking advantage. Malikos's advice is the best, however, if you are not coming from the EU, you have a disadvantage...you have to prove that you are needed here. Difficult, but not impossible. Where are you studying now?

ST is an author What do you write about? I read everything and I'd like to know more about writing.

I'm a Sociology major, history minor. I've got a respectable student loan so I decided I would go to grad school in the hopes of getting a job as a civilian employee with the US military when I graduate. The frustrating thing is that I'd have no problem getting a job in America but in Germany I've been told it's next to impossible.

I won't be in Dresden for another month but I thought I would try to make some friends before I get there. I'm all alone while my boyfriend is at work and he's got some long days. Last year it got kind of depressing. What do you guys like to do besides drink beer?

It was going so well untiil the part with the US military and then to rub it in you mention that you have a boyfriend . I have only been here 1 month (a little over) came from the UK. Most of my time is spent drinking beer and if not drinking beer, then looking at it through the shop window wishing i was drinking beer. Seriously if you are sober then Dresden it isn´t much fun, you can just about stand the Germans if you are drunk. What ever you do don´t watch the Simpsons in German, it makes you really angry how they destroyed it in such a way.

Okay so who fancies meeting up at 20.30 in Jim Beans Bar on Friday 10th November in the Neustadt.
If there is enough interest we could make this a weekly event.

Malikos has a good point with the beer thing. Warning: do not come to Germany with American (remember we had the bright idea of Prohibition!) alcohol ideals. Europe, in general, values and respects alcohol in a BIG way. Although people here do not look highly upon getting pissed drunk, it is very common to see regular people walking around with an open bottle of something. It is even legal and common to drink in the car while someone else is driving!! In Germany they worship beer, specifically pilsner. So Chitown, if you don't like beer, start trying! The beer here is a third cheeper than in the states and it IS superb. However, enjoy the variety of tastes in the US. Everything here is the same!!

Sorry but I beg to differ. Pilsner and Weissbier taste not the same! Erdinger and Paulaner wiessbier taste totally different!
Try a dunkelbier for a change or a Krystal!

Dresden isn't a fun city? I'm falling in love with it, slowly. You definitely need to speak German here to get around--it's not like Berlin where English is enough--and I am finding it hard to actually meet Germans. My best German friends remain people I knew when I was an exchange student. But, between the museums, the architecture and the Elbe (I grew up in a town with a river, do you know how comforting it is to still run on a river? Strange, huh?) I manage to keep busy. But I'm a small-town boy who still marvels at the fact that you can pack 400,000 people into one place. They have Strassenbahnen!! Busses!! My hometown had two redlights, I never learned to memorize bus routes.

As for what I write . . . at the moment, I write crap. You can tell when I'm in a writing funk, because I'm active a lot more online. Other than that, I do short stories, sometimes humorous (what I prefer to read), sometimes touching (aparently what I'm best at) and I'm planning a novel about an exchange student in Germany. (Big surprise, but fantasy wasn't working for me, I decided to go the old 'write what you know' route.)

As for Friday, well, I hate to say this . . . But I have to ask my girlfriend first. I'm only in the country until Wednesday and she likes 'quality time,' so I don't know. All the same, I'm up for the idea, in principle. I do need more acquaintances in Dresden . . . too bad we didn't start this conversation back when we lived in the Johannstadt.

Beyond drinking (which I do enjoy, though it's not cheap in a bar) I'd love to meet some lets-explore-what-Dresden-has-to-offer people. If I ever move away from this city, I want to be able to say that I know it, inside and out.

ChiTown, I wanted to mention that there isn't (as far as I know) any American military in Dresden. I'm a veteran (National Guard-they pay for college) and graduate, and considered going that route, but you'd have to find work in the old American occupation zone.

Yeah, I know there isn't any military in Dresden, I'm thinking more around the Cologne area. That's in a few years anyway. I've got to get through grad school first. I'm going to end up a therapists for American military personal who can't handle getting their booze on.

Alright guys, come on, I'm 25 years old and I'm a student... of course I like to drink beer My question was more like 'what are you're interests?'. I wanted to get a feeling if this was the crowd to take tequila shots with or talk about politics.

Okay so who's what? I'd like to know who the party animals are that think they can drink me under the table and who is going to be debating philosophy, religion and other general intellectual crap, and who is shy or what not.

Don't feel too bad ST, I have to write crap all the time. The last crap was a ten page thesis debating if Mormonsim was the essential American religion.

Mormonism the essential American religion? Wow. Fun topic, I'm glad I got away with Cold War studies and German literature (which can be either great or . . . well, like Shakespeare, only in old German.)

As for Friday, call me a pansy, but I'm committed to 'quality time' (as well as packing and figuring out how I'm getting from JFK to rural PA once I'm home) before leaving on Wednesday. But after January rolls around, I'm definitely up for an expat meet. (We're getting married in February, so don't be shocked when I'm not available the first weekend.)

I drink. But I don't get drunk in bars. It's expensive and my fiancée pays my bills, so . . . uh. . . you know. I like to talk about just about anything but sports, mainly because I've never understood them. Politics, Literature, Philosophy, Psych/Sociology (in layman's terms), education in general . . . all of that fascinates me and I talk about it like I have an idea what I'm saying (seldom true).

I have a counter question: How many of the expats here consider themselves liberal? conservative? I'm starting to feel like Republicans don't leave the U.S., but wanted to get a feel for it. How well do Republicans hold up in Germany?

Are you already trying to get into our heads. I only do philopsophy when drunk, i only talk politics when drunk. My main hobbies are mountain biking, when i am not drunk i go mountain biking in and around Dresden, it has some lovely places. So you are 25, is this thing with your boyfriend serious. .

Deccie, I must start out by saying: "OK, I cannot tell you that Pilsner, Dark or Black beer, and Unfiltered Bavarianstyle Wheat Ale aren't different. This is true." HOWEVER, I must agree with ME that this does not compare, even slightly, or constitute "variety." For an Irish drinker (my opinion highly respects your culture's contribution to the art of brewing- and the art of drinking) you are lucky to have access to 2 of the finest of your home selection, Guiness and Killkenny brewed by G here in Germany. To clarify my comments, my point still remains unsaid. Simply, We have a variety of German Beers in the US which adds to our own VARIETY OF BEER STYLES not offered or even considered here... When was the last time you saw an American Beer for sale in a supermarket here that was not a pilsner. I haven't seen anything besides Bud or Miller...EEEEE. In conclusion I would like to target the German Puity Law for this unsufficiency. Unfortunately that's not the only reason. In my personal opinion I sometimes prefer beer with bold taste; like Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is...might I add, [b][i]REINHEITSGEBOT.

Sister Chitown, I can tell we will have many good conversations or debates forthcoming, maybe over a beer. Lately, I've only been drinking the beer I have brewed myself at home! Read above. This may give you some insight into WHAT I do here. I would like to concur with ST; Dresden has adventure and beauty plentiful. Do yourself a favor and visit the Art Insitute on Michigan Ave and stand infront of the Old Masters Gallery. By the way, the entrence fee is optional in Chicago. If you are on a budget, get a weekend train ticket, and offer $0.50 as entrence, then smile and be sure to thank them; they'll understand. Then, when you arrive in Dresden, you can view the major pieces missing from the Windy City. Even if you don't appreciate these objects, trust me on this advice. This town has a beauty factor ranking among the greatest on the planet.

ST, I have been a Moderate Republican. I never have or would vote a blind partisan ballot though. I take it as it is; politicians politicking. Sum? Everyone is somewhat right and everyone is somewhere wrong. We only have different perspectives. To answer your question, I do fine anywhere.

Of course I'm trying to get into y'alls heads. People are fun. 90% of television entertainment is an exaggeration of everyday drama. I don't have a tv so I've got to settle for the real thing. Plus school just got slow and I'm kind of bored.

My boyfriend and I are serious. It's just that before he came along I promised myself I'd do some stuff, like graduate college and get a masters and travel about. So I'm sticking to my personal integrity. I'm pretty liberal, I voted and I was happy when the Democrats took over.

Chicagogo, I'll check out the Art Institute if I have time. I really love art and I've been to two of the galleries in Dresden with my boyfriend. I miss Germany and I've got some really fond memories of Dresden. Does anyone every hang out in the student quarter?

I go to the erasmus parties a lot, meet tons of new students. Basically where there is beer i will be there.
I do actually work here. The problem i am facing at the moment is that i want to see the film Borat but the Germans dub everything. They can´t leave one film alone. It looks as if i might have to go to Berlin to watch it.

On the side of politics, a poll was done in the UK recently who they regarded as the biggest threat to
world peace. Was it Iran or North Korea, no it is Gerorge Bush (now there is a surprise)

When here you will find out how much Europeans hate American foreign policy (And George Bush),
after all American foreign policy changed governments in Spain and Italy and is also forcing Blair out early.I also wouldn´t mention you worked for the American military. In fact i wouldn´t even admit being an American. In fact just say you have no idea where America is. Best to say your from Mexico.

There's a bunch here that I want to reply to, so let me begin by saying I'm glad I joined the conversation at all. Second, you can't blame the Germans for dubbing . . . the translations are often odd (I had "The Princess Bride" memorized in English, a lot of my favorite lines completely changed meaning) but you have to figure they don't speak English like they maybe would like to. (If we watch my SportsNights DVDs, I have to turn on the subtitles for my fiancée and translate some stuff as we go).

I belong to the group of people who discusses politics best when drinking, but there's a point with the Germans hate American foreign policy. And we've done some stupid stuff in that area (I'll let you all fill in the blanks there), but there seems to be something Europeans haven't noticed: Americans have foreign policy. Europeans seem to be enjoying the stability that Americans try to defend, while not realizing that there are sacrifices to be made for it, because they don't make the sacrifices. Look at the paranoia and paralysis with which Germans respond to any instability, anywhere (9/11, the London terror arrests, Israel, Afghanistan) and you have to admit that, if they didn't do worse, they at least make as many mistakes . . . but they don't have to. They were quick to call for a cease-fire in the Israeli-Lebanese conflict . . . but slow to send the promised support intended to support the cease fire.

My point? Well, I've been here long enough obviously to be frustrated by what I see as unenlightened Anti-Americanism, but on the other hand, I love the Germans. I speak German, my only English is online and Sundays on the phone to my family and I like it that way. I love this city, I love the infrastructure, the environmentalism. But I quit pretending I was a Canadian (easier than pretending you're a Mexican, because I don't look Mexican--you'll find Germans openly use stereotypes that have gone out of favor in the States--and they don't enough to ask questions about Canada that I can't answer) and figured I'd adopt a little confrontation. I still wear my "Army" T-shirts to annoy my German friends (don't get my wrong, I love these people) and have become very verbal in support of their own soldiers. (I feel very sorry for the Bundeswehr: sounds (almost) as demanding as our Army, with none of the public support.)

Wow, this turned into a rambling rant. I'm sorry. I'll stop now. I've completely lost track of what it was that I started this post ready to say. I guess if I were to sum up my original intent, it'd be: There's no reason to be ashamed of being American, but be prepared to talk to Germans about our foreign policy, our energy consumption, and to be confronted by intelligent, articulate people informed largely by a biased, anti-american media. But also realize that these are people who mean well, and who know America largely through TV (was your life in the States like "The Real World"?) and from first hand accounts of Au Pairs who live with super-affluent familes in super affluent areas and assume the entire U.S. lives like the top 5%

I seem to have politicized this conversation in a way that I didn't intend. So, I'll get back, quickly, to some of the other stuff I wanted to metion:

Beer is amazing in Germany. And cheap (especially if you buy it from a beverage store) but there's a good point about the variety. There IS a variety, but for a country with such an amazing number of breweries, you'll be dissapointed if you liked off-the-wall beers at home. Pale ale and Yeungling Lager are two beers that I especially miss here. Somehow I seem to recall someone saying they brewed their own beer at home. I'd be interested in learning more about that!

I'm not sure where the student quarter is (Neustadt?), so I guess I don't hang out there. If the Uni here offers the things that the Uni in Jena offered, I would be interested in learning more about the offerings as well.

And, for those of you who are interested in art, you can pay €20 for a year pass to the art collections in the city (minus the historical Grünes Gewolbe, August der Starke's treasure chamber, which I really want to visit) and it's worth the money. If anybody knows anything about art history and wants to organize a group museum visit, I'd love to be allowed to join.

Simply put: Is there any "better" place on this planet than th US. I cant find any other nation, or union, in this world that has showed the population growth even comparable to that of the States. Furthermore, if the US is "soo bad" how come everybody I meet is besides themselves to get there! The US is one of the few places on Earth where a collection of Educated people escaped their persecution and decided to establish a free society. I've lived in many places in my lifetime and the US offers the most opportunity to all its people. You just have to have strong enough desire to attain whatever it is you dream of. Malikos, I'm sure we will have some laughs over a few beers sometime, but, be careful not to let your misleadings out of the bag. No one man represents America. I can always spot American envy by those that generalize everything with the name Bush. That is sad. I am careful not to puke my opinions unless I have experienced both sides. Don't mistake emotions and politics. Nobodys perfect these days; nobodys right. we should be able to agree on that, eh?

You certainly have not met me mate! I have refused several job placements (oportunities??) there in my career.

Everybody? surely you mean many people...

Hey can we save politics for when we're all drinking? I don't think it's a good forum topic because you don't find out much about the other person. Plus there's no amusing fist fight at the end.

Malikos, you are English right? I'm not going to expect anyone who hasn't lived in America to understand how the people get divided on issues like gay marriage instead of focusing on our foreign relations and economy but it happens. People who live in other countries have a better perspective of the world so I think they tend to judge us harshly. There isn't anything wrong with criticizing America but if you want to know why we voted Bush into office you have to look at it from our perspective. Let me remind you of the policies of the Dutch and English during colonial times. Or the Nazis in Germany. No country has always been perfect in their treatment of others.

Anyway try not to be too hard on Americans until you meet us all. If you still think we're silly after meeting us then that's fair. I have a feeling we're all going to get along fabulously though.

So who likes to go clubbing and dance and what kind of music do you guys like? My boyfriend just sent me this cd with a funny German song that I think is about drinking. He says it's really popular over there now.

If anyone gets bored I'm on myspace. http://www.myspace.com/saralynnfincher

why did the conversation die?

The conversation dies because you have a boyfriend and also because the Dresden lot on this forum are a bit boring.

The Nuremberg lot have a beer and curry night as a weekly event but our lot can´t even meet up once. I might head over to Nuremberg for this beer and curry night as our lot here don´t seem to want to venture out.

I am Scottish and work here for a few months. When do you come to Dresden ? I was in Boston in September. Had a great time. Won´t live there mind you.

Hey what does my having a boyfriend have anything to do with this? Actually I'm kind of glad you aren't English. I've met quite a few Brits and my general impression of them is not wonderful. That's a terrible sterotype so if you know any fun and interesting British people it would be good to meet them. I'll be in Dresden in 4 weeks and then I plan on parking myself in a bar and daring these fellows to stand me up. I'll post my cell phone number and we can meet up then. It's a different phone than the one I have here. At least in Germany the boys don't make it a habbit to hit on girls they don't know. Very different from America and generally more enjoyable.

So no one in Dresden wants to talk? Malikos what do you do in Germany (besides ride your bike?

Malikos if they don't start talking can I go to beer and curry night with you?

Of course we can go for a beer and a curry night but i hope some one from Dreden might answer sooner
or later. It could be the Dresden hybernation period where people don´t go out.

Hibernation! I just packed my belongings, flew home (24hr of being awake, not as easy as it was five years ago) and am being social in the States. Don't worry, though, I'm practicing my English so that I can cause some trouble when you guys finally get a meet up going. But do we have to eat Curry?

you'll find out "what" he is in due time. Are you boys all going to be my friends or shall I spend my days wandering around alone? That's what I did that last couple times I was in Germany and it sucked. I get tired of watching MTV and CNN.

Are there any more girls in Dresden who speak English? Anyone who wants to do lunch and shopping and all that?

Looks like Afghanistan abolished the death penalty for adultery.

Go bears.

Chitown, what planet are you living on. Scotland is still part of Great Britain. I do hate the English, there is talk of Scotland gaining independance soon but the world policeman Gerorge Bush is against it. So i guess it will never happen or the US might attack us. What country is next on the US master plan lets make the world a safer place.

I don´t do shopping and i have made a few friends here so i can introduce you to them. Ok, you want to hear something about me, my parents were born in Pakistan. I guess that is why i am a little bit anti USA because i can´t understand why the attack Muslim countries. Oh yes i do for OIL.

ChiTown, I'm . . . uhm, an English speaking male and am about as likely to bur my own eyeballs out with a cigarette as go shopping for anything but books and antiques (and I really only ever look at the antiques) but have you considered looking into the university in Dresden for English-speakers? I haven't been to the TU in Dresden, but in Jena there was a lot of people looking to practice English, and English-language Tables where you could have a beer and speak English with a bunch of Germans.

I was going to look into it when I got back, but, if you wanted to do the legwork for me . . . well, I'd be appreciative. :-)

As for if I care that the IMF is a sick organization, well, it's interesting to know, but I'm still struggling with deciding how much I 'support' globalisation (I mean, with my WalMart dollars, I obviously support it, the question is how do I feel about that and do I feel it's a good thing), but really don't think the IMF was ever an organization that I respected. But then, I dislike the UN, too...

ChiTown and co, theres an erasmus students party every tuesday which i attend, and you can meet all sorts of people there, anyone interested ???

ST I think you need to try harder. Shopping is totally American. As for sitting down with strangers I hate to say but I don't think I can do that. I'm terrified of strangers and generally nervous talking to anyone I don't know so well unless I have back up, which isn't likely since my boyfriend will probably be at work.

You shouldn't feel guilty for shopping at WalMart. It's an unstoppable juggernaut by now. Why don't you like the UN?

Malikos what is an erasmus?

Does anyone ever go out for lunch or are y'all working hard all day?

German officials say they have uncovered a terrorist plot to blow up a passenger plane in Germany. I'm glad they caught that in time.