Trying to settle in to life in Germany

Hi, I've only just found this site after 6 months living in Germany in Nuremberg. I have a feeling it would have helped alot in the early days!

I followed my boyfriend here when his job offered him a new contract here for 6 months, however since then its got longer and longer and it looks like we'll be staying here for another year.

So far I've not really been able to feel at home here, I have a part time job for a small translation company, mostly proofreading already translated stuff.

I'm looking for a job more suited to my personality, I love kids and eventually want to be a teacher. I live with my boyf so dont want to be a live in au pair, but a nanny job would be ok. Or are there any English schools out here that i could work in as a teaching assistant?

My German is OK, I can get by but am by no means fluent, and would much prefer a job where i could speak English.

I really want to like it here but am finding it hard so far, have had lots of nightmares with the landlord.

If any of you have any suggestions, please, fire away!!

Thanks in advance,
Charlotte.

Hi Charlotte and welcome!

Do not let any problems with the landlord bother you! I am lucky never to have had any problems but I know others who have and I hope your situation is not too bad!

Maybe you could get a job as some sort of assistant in an international school? Otherwise you could teach English in a language school I know a lot of people who have done this and your German does not need to be perfect.

I hope it works out for you!

HI Charlotte,

Ideally for teaching assistant CLANSA qualification is a bonus to have, as for teaching Berlitz often have posiitions where you use their material, the hours don't pay fantastic but they pay, and the work is irregular i.e. they often teach to contract (thats only as far as i know):

Landlord nightmares, welcome to the club, you fit in on this board immediately, lifetime visitation pass granted

Welcome to the board. I am a recent new person to the board and I say be grateful to have found it after only 6 months as I was here 2 and a half years before my mother in Australia stumbled across it one night while surfing the web!

I also have had/continue to have landlord troubles. Everyone does rest assured but I do think they frequently come from a cultural difference.

Can't really think of anything in terms of jobs..sorry 'bout that. All the best!

Welcome to Germany Charlie.

I too have heard of a few people working in or setting up their own English language schools in Hamburg. People here really want to learn English.

Landlord problems seem to be a right of passage in Germany. You're not a grown-up until you've had at least one. Just stand your ground where possible.

Good luck on the teaching thing.

I know the feeling Charlie it is always harder the first year, especially if you came here following your boyfriend.
I came here because my husband is German and wanted to moved back here from the UK and believe me it was as hard the second time around as the first.
I spent the first 3 months in bed and crying everytime I remembered 'home', you probably didn't get it as bad but it gets easier with time.
Anyway pop back here everytime you fancy a chat!

I have been living here for 4 years and still don't know if I can say it feels as good as living in England. Then again on my trips to England I didn't feel as though that felt like home anymore either.

I think one of the most important things you can do is try to develop a circle of friends/associates (not necessarily the same as your bf). You need to ensure you have the ability to go out with others and have some "space". If it is just you and your boyfriend vs the world you are likely to run into difficulties.

i agree! i have been here 4 years to - and as said already - the uk is feeling less and less like home and i even find myself defending germany...i am growing to love it here...

i make my bf do loads of day trips out with me (hes german)...i love travelling and everything is new here so its great to get out and about - it breaks up the time too...

also - one fab thing about germany is the "verein" culture - they arent only for little kids joining a football team - they are clubs that everyone here is a member of at least one of!!! There are so many to choose from - sports, singing, dancing, karnevall,...and english speaking - if it is full of germans then you will automatically have a 100 new best friends and get invited around for coffee and cake and if not then its nice to meet some fellow expats- look out for them!!

another good idea is volkshochschule courses - they have millions of opportunities (not only to teach - like i do) but to do courses. If you are looking to teach then it is a great start tho - 1 course usually only means 90min a week and the pay isn't too bad - its fun too getting to know people - they might even already have other native speakers!

not only that - i found the BB about 6 months ago after being here for 3 and a half years!! i wish i had found it earlier although working thru your problems in german is good practice

regarding problem landlords, very typisch Deutsch, I suggest joining the renters association (don't know the name off hand can someone help me) and learn your rights, that should solve about 95% of your problems.

Again, key to settling in is getting involved and making Friends, German or expat. Be no different where ever you move.

I felt the same way first day in Spain (in Madrid for 6-8 month project, weather is lovely sunny and high of 19 this weekend), was totally and completely lost, didn't speak a word of Spanish and they do not speak any English, lunch is from 2 to 5 not 12 to 1:30, got lost so many times on the regional trains (and I couldn't ask for directions either)I was ready to catch the first flight home, but once I got my bearings, learned a few Spanish words found a bar where they spoke English I started enjoying it.

I must say I can understand why everyone moves here, of course we see what happens when the summer heat hits!

Finding a teaching job isn't all that easy but you can try. It doesn't pay so well either. Language schools pay rubbish wages, have irregular hours and are on the whole freelance positions - that in itself is a complication due to the fact that you earn not so much and have to pay out a lot from what you have, ie. pension, tax, health insurance and so on.. The best pay is from teaching for companies but, even then, there is a lot of competition from other teachers who have been here for years, who have good German and loads of experience so you would be lucky to get a start. A lot of companies have started to cut their budgets for language training due to the economic situation here so opportunities are fewer than they used to be. I would say not to touch the big-name franchise language schools with a bargepole as they treat you like s*** and pay the worst rates.

As for teaching in schools, I am a qualified primary school teacher and I've been looking for a job here in that line for over three years with no luck. You could try emailing the international schools to see if there are any opportunities for a teaching assistant's job but, a lot of the time, they want people who have some sort of qualification. As for a teacher's job in those schools, they usually want at least two years full-time experience in your chosen age group, as well as qualifications, before they will even look at you, especially if they are part of a Council. Schools who aren't usually will take anyone with a teaching qualification only. All you can do is try.

Good luck in your search though - I just wanted to let you know a little of the reality of the situation.

Welcome to the board.

Be patient and things will get better. Perhaps you are suffering from culture shock, especially if it is your first time of living abroad. I know in my case after 5 or 6 months I started to find it hard after the initial 'honeymoon' period. Simple things like shopping were hard, and felt overwhelmed at times. But then after a few months all was ok again and started to feel more settled.

Thank you to all of you for your advice and good wishes.

I've decided to put the teaching ambition on hold until we move to an English speaking country and I can go back to uni and get a proper qualification.

Meanwhile I'm hoping to try and do some freelance work, maybe web design or something similar, that I can do via the internet.

I'm not sure why I've found it so hard here, maybe because I haven't had a full time job to keep me occupied and take my mind off things. I've lived abroad before, I was a holiday rep in Fuerteventura for 9 months and I've been all over as cabin crew for Virgin, so I'm used to being away from home.

I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be here, my boyfriend could get another contract any time and we could be sent pretty much anywhere. So, I'm determined to make the most of it and enjoy myself whilst I'm here.

Thanks again.

Charlotte.

How's it going now, Charlie Jones?

I was back in the UK the other week after a looong time and was at a loss what drink to order in the pub since they had no Apfelschorle or Spezi hehe.