Life in or near Rostock

Hi everyone,

I'm an American and will be marrying a German Air Force guy next year. He is being transferred to a base near Rostock. I am looking for advice on living there, where to learn German, employment, etc. I'm a 42 year old anthropologist (ethnography, qualititative research, healthcare issues, etc.) by training and am currently doing competitive intelligence and market research for a large corporation in the U.S.

There is a possibility he can try to get a transfer to the Berlin area or Cologne area because my employment options may be limited near Rostock. So any thoughts on which city might be better, thoughts on Rostock, or any information at all would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Rostock is former East Germany. It is a port on the Baltic coast. See www.rostock.de

Looking at my ICAO map the nearest military airfield is LAAGE which is South of Rostock.
Further south still is the McPomm lake area - a nice area (I've only really seen it from the air...)
the only other military airfield any where close is Neubrandenburg.

I would guess that you will find a lot of wide-open spaces. Cost of living will be
relatively low...

Employment? - the area has high unemployment in general so I would not bank on it.
If you have airforce connections then you should not bank on being near Rostock for life.
But I am sure you are aware of that.

Uni Rostock has connections to Max Planck Institute, so may match your Anthro requirements as an interesting alternative to a big $ job.

Thank you for the replies. As of now, Laage is where we will be going - I may be looking for work in Berlin.

Berlin is waaaay too far away if you're going to live in or near Laage. This website gives you some info about Laage (also available in English).

Rostock itself is a nice little city, interesting and compact centre, nice seaside resort out at Warnemünde. Cost of living is actually not that low: 2nd most expensive in former East Germany and rental prices are above the German national average (not just the E. German avg.). Prices drop off pretty quickly though going further from the city/the coast - but if you wanted to live in or near Rostock you pay about a 50% premium compared to in a village nowhere in particular - around Laage itself is probably a bit cheaper but still not rock-bottom (those in München will probably dispute me saying that the prices here aren't cheap though!).

If you're in to forest, lakes, coast and solitude then MV is great. If you want socialising there's plenty of bars etc. in Rostock. If you're looking for other ex-pats then you're probably lookin in the wrong place. I've yet to meet any english-speaking expats here, although to be honest I've not tried to either (yes, I have gone native). The Volkshochschulen offer courses in German as a foreign language, as does the language centre of the university. No idea what they're like though since I spoke some before I moved here and have picked up the rest by just immersing myself. I've even just about got the hang of most of the grammar now...

I'd not try living near Laage and working in Berlin: the train Rostock-Berlin takes about 3 years hours (although I saw somewhere that there's meant to be an IC(E) on that route starting next year, but given that most of the track is pretty knackered it won't be a 300km/h job for a while) and to drive it is also about 2 hours or more, depending on whereabouts you're trying to get to. It's actually quicker to get to Hamburg from Rostock (~2 hours on the IC, and there are quite a few people do that commute every day as well as plenty who stay over there during the week while the family is here, also about that to drive it, depending on how fast your car is since the A20 is largely unrestricted and empty) so if you are set on/forced into a long-distance commute you're probably better off looking west, but don't bet on not finding anything in Rostock itself - particularly if you're flexible and not too bothered about salary. It does probably help though to have reasonable German (conversational level) before you start looking.

Let me know if you need any help. I worked temporary on this airport.
Thats my first minutes in the forum, so i have to keep it short today evening. But i will answer all messages in the next days

I have a friend who lives in Rostock and I lived in Berlin. That is not a commuting distance. There is a good unversity at Rostock. I would suggest looking to see if you can find work there or telecommute for the company that you are currently working for in the United States.

I am moving to Rostock in May, wondering if some of you English speakers are still around?

Still alive, around (maybe due to belated "Christmas" turkey yesterday) but too far away from Rostock to be of any help...

Its ok, maybe someone will pop back up soon. I got 6 weeks left in the States and it seems that I need to learn German pretty fast if I want to speak with anyone other then my boyfriend.
I know it is not a popular area but its my boys home city.

Hi, I have lived in Berlin for a year and really think the TT community there is great (and the city as well). However I am moving to a small place near Bad Doberan (also near Rostock) to do a three year apprenticeship in pottery. I am married to a German and he will stay in our apartment in Berlin while I rent a room from my teacher and will live during my work time near Bad Doberan and go home when I have time off to Berlin. I don't know much about Rostock but just found out they have an interesting student quarter that a friend of mine compared to Kreuzberg (probably not as many turkish people). I'd be interested if there are any native english speaking people living in or around Rostock (especially artists) and what the general impressions of the city are...
Thanks for allowing me to introduce myself!

I guess the student quarter referred to is the KTV (Kröpeliner Tor Vorstadt), just west of the city centre. Hardly go in there, and don't know Kreuzberg in order to compare, but there and the eastern old-town (östliche Altstadt) are both fairly studenty-arty (although there is a neo-nazi shop somewhere in KTV, the locals and the city council aren't happy about it). For general impressions see my previous post in this thread - yes, there's plenty of Plattenbau (although the Südstadt and Reutershagen are both respectable areas despite being Platten), particularly to the NE and NW of the city, but the centre has very little in the way of monstrosities.

There's no ex-pat scene that I know of, but then I've never looked for one. There are a fair number of international students around though, and the uni has a fairly active international office so that may be the best first port of call if you are wanting to find other English-speakers.

Bad Doberan and the villages around it are nice - I live in one of those villages myself (and rarely go into Rostock city centre, despite working in the city). Expect lots of peace and quiet!

Thanks for the reply and sharing your impressions. I will be living in a small village and look forward to it- I think the area is totally beautiful. Luckily I know enough German to complete my upcoming Ausbildung and don't expect to meet too many ex-pats like are in Berlin, but knowing there's a fair amount of international students sounds interesting.
It is also promising to know that with the presence of the Uni, there might be more of the "alternative" vibe that is tolerated in Rostock. My only experience of Rostock so far was a tram/taxi ride from the Hauptbahnhof to where the ferry leaves for Denmark. It was not so nice looking at the city in this way, especially since there were lots of loud kids in the tram blasting Korn or some other kind of music that I think is awful. I believe that I'll mostly be in my area around Bad Doberan, but I'll check out Rostock too, to see where I can, for example, find a Bio-Laden!

if you find a bio-laden, then let me know! again, I've not looked for one (usually get our bio stuff from Lidl or Penny, or veg from the mother-in-law!) but my other half found one in Schwerin so I guess there'll be one in Rostock (even if Schwerin is a bit posher - just look at the castle they've got there!). It's a bit far to go for a pint of milk though...

The man I will rent a room from for my Ausbildung has a truck come to his family's house every week with a load of organic veggies- but I am curious to know since there are sure to be so many farms around, if maybe there is something like a CSA? A CSA stands for "community supported agriculture" and it is a farm that grows organic veggies and people can buy "shares" to get a load of veggies from the farm during harvest season. This existed in the US in certain farming areas, but certainly only smaller farms- this system doesn't make as much profit for the farmer in comparison to growing only wheat, or soy or so on. If I find a good source for organic stuff, I'll share the knowledge. But there are "Reformhaeuser" in Rostock, right? They have organic/natural stuff to sell too...

There's plenty of Reformhauses around - even in the Ostseepark (out of town shopping centre W of the city). I've not heard of anything like a CSA. There's a (farmers') market on (from memory) Thursdays in Doberan itself where there's definitely good bio stuff to be had though.

We don't get the vegetable van, but we get a baker's van 3 times a week (and even have the luxury of a shop and post office in the village)...

I think on Saturdays there are farmers markets in City center by one of the Gates and in Warnemünde behind the church. I only see some Bio products here and there but haven't seen a store, though I am not really into Bio food. I do try to support the MV area products.

As for the Nazi laden I was on the tram a few times in the past month and it looked boarded up, the only way I knew it was there was be Nazi Laden and Nazis Raus was writting all over...I have been here over 3 months and havent had problems. I am sure I am like every otehr ex pat who knows when to keep quiet and mind their own business.

I live in Warnemünde and am a native english speaker. Not much of an artist but another female english speaker in this area would be nice...especially since I have difficulty finding a job. My German isn't so good right now...

I haven't found much of an ex pat community...though being in Warnemünde all I get are tourist most of the time. Plenty of cruise ships, Berliners and Sachsens...

Warnemünde is beautiful I must say if you like the beach and such.

Thanks so much for the tips, guys. I look forward to my new home- I will be living from middle of September on in one of the small villages near Bad Doberan- not too far with the train from Warnemuende. Perhaps I could PM you, Amber, if that's allright, later on when I'm settled in.
Thanks!

Of course cou can!

hmm the Nazi Laden is still open, I saw people in its doorway yesterday smoking...sigh...a shame really. But I know where it is...

Hi there Guys

It is a pity I have only found this chat board now. I have been in Rostock now since March 2007 but I will be leaving Germany in December. Rostock is a great place, but it is always good to meet someone to chat to in English! I am a visiting researcher at Uni Rostock. I am happy to help any newcomers with advice and questions. Or to meet for a chat.

Cheers.

It is too bad, though there arent many people on this board living in Rostock. all those I have met through work.

Hi, nice to find other expats in the Rostock area and interesting to read your comments. I am an Aussie (senior, female) living part of the year in the KTV, Rostock (I love it here) and visiting my family in Australia for as short a time as I can get away with (love my family but wish they would visit me)In three years I have found only two other native English speakers, one Aussie and one Texan but we meet regularly. We have discussed a book club/book exchange as we have quite a few English books between us. Anyone interested?

That is interesting!!! I have over 200 books here with me, I couldnt part with them!!! Oh and in the KTC Thalia has a few shelves of English language books...makes me happy. I may be interested in this!

Hi everyone...!

Oh wow! I can't believe there's a mini community like this. I actually just messaged Amber thinking she was the only one there...I guess Rostock is not 'such' a small place afterall? Anyways I just came across this forum and want to say hi to all of you!

I'm planning to move to Rostock some time at the end of the year for work and am wondering if you know of any vacancies for housing? I've been looking on websites for WG and single apartments in the KTV/Hansaviertel/Suedstadt area, but it would be super awesome if I could get some advice or referrals. I'll actually be in that area for a few days this weekend. If anyone of you have a few minutes, perhaps I can pop by to say hi.

By the way, how safe of a city is Rostock compared to other German cities?..or just in general?
Thanks in advance..!

For those two who wanted to know there is a BIO frishmarket opening up Oct 19th in the new KTC...

Amber, thanks for that information about the BIO markt. I've been living outside of Rostock for a month and a half now, starting my apprenticeship. The weeks before Christmas I'll be working almost every day at the Mittelalter Markt next to the Weihnachts Markt (without a day off!!). Nevertheless, I'll be terribly busy but would also be interested in meeting up with the other ex-pats sometime in the area. Hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather...

I wouldn't say enjoying it...I will be around the Weihnachts markt all season too, but then my work is right there.

At Kroepelinger toer is where the KTC center is. Then go down the escalator and that is where the BIO freshmarkt is. I haven't been inside yet but they have a bakery and a butcher...

I will be around when the market starts so if you want to grab a gluehwein/coffee let me know. There aren't so many of us expats around here.

There is also a big Globus hypermarket in Rostock Roggentin. www.globus.net