Hi there,

I live in Hannover and I am a native german speaker. I have been improving my english for the last two years and now it is time to practice with english native speakers. Does anybody know where to meet them or is anybody interested in a regulars’ table here in Hannover?

I think that could help you to get comfortable with the german language and in return I had the chance to improve my english. In summer we could spend our time in some outdoor activities. I like cycling, sailing, running, music, reading, watching football and Fawlty Towers.

I am 37 years old, married without children and I work with computers and software for a living.

I look forward to hearing from somebody soon.

Nick

Hi Nick,

This thread has the answers you're looking for:

English/Anglican church services in Hannover

but since its information is rather out of date by now, here it is again, updated. The groups currently meeting in Hannover monthly are:

Hannover4EnglishSpeakers
maintained by yours truly (formerly by Whitney Love)
meets on the third Wednesday of the month (next meeting this Wednesday)
6:30 pm
Henry's Griddle
Georgstraße 50, across from the opera
Attendees: Usually 10-20, mostly native speakers from UK and USA
Targeted at ex-pats, but others welcome
We have a mailing list. If anyone is interested in signing up for it, send me a PM with your address and I'll send you an invitation to join it. The list is just for reminders of the meetings along with information about English-language goings-on in Hannover and getting to know other English speakers.

SpeakEasy
maintained by Matthias Krämer and Lee Traynor
meets on the last Monday of the month
7:30 pm
Bayrische Botschaft (also called "Paulaner")
Thielenplatz, near the Schauspielhaus
Attendees: Usually 20-30, mostly non-native speakers
Also has a mailing list. More on their website here.

Hannover Anglophiles
maintained by Bernhard Luerssen
meets every second Wednesday of the month and again 15 days later
6:30 pm
Venues change, but currently at KDW on Osterstraße, next to Gilde Bowling
Attendees: Usually around 10-15, mostly non-native speakers, very friendly group
Also has a mailing list. More on their website here.

Anglicans in Hannover
also maintained in part by yours truly
Holy Communion services according to Anglican/Episcopal rite
(all are welcome regardless of denomination)
First Saturday of the month
6 pm
Old Catholic parish hall, Brabeckstraße 24, Hannover-Kirchrode
Website here.

Monthly Book Club and Children's Book Readings
Book Club: Dates and times vary
Children's Book Readings: Most Saturdays at 10 am at Escape Books, except during Niedersachsen school holidays
Oberstraße 8, near Christuskirche in Nordstadt
Check their website for exact dates and times. Escape Books also sends out messages on the H4ES mailing list above.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Hi Fairfax71,

thanks for your quick reply and the detailed information. I have already heard of them but the point is that I would like to set up a new regulars' table. I do not feel like spending time in a pub for hours, I would rather do outdoor activities like Minigolf, running or some trips in and around Hannover, i. e. Steinhuder Meer, a barbecue or a nice trip by bike. I would also like cooking in winter especially to british recipes or playing cards, darts, billard and so on.

Don't get me wrong. I like pubs - but not always.

Nick
--
practice makes perfect

Hi Nick,


H4ES is going to be setting up a darts group. We're discussing it at the meeting on Wednesday, as it happens. Depending on how that goes, we may do other activities as well (our group is relatively young, so we're still playing it by ear).

SpeakEasy also occasionally does other things like hiking trips (take a look at their website). They're doing a barbecue on the 27th, if their site is to be believed.

Either way, I think your best bet is to try to get something going through one of the existing groups and talk to the organizers as well as the people there. You'll have to suffer through the pub evenings, but hey.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Why don´t we do a barbecue sometime? My garden is fairly central, we could use that.

You already know what I think of darts (Smiley being sick)

I´m with Nick as far as the cycling is concerned, being an avid cyclist myself. It´s true what he says about the Hannover area, there are some good routes.

@Nick - I can do a pretty good shepherds pie, if that´s any good.

Hi,

yes, nice idea. I will get in touch with H4ES, it seems to be interesting to dart with them regularly. Do they have a website, I don't know how to contact them?

As Willum said, why don't we start a meet-up in his garden? If it goes well, we will see how to organize a bike tour. Let's give it a try.

'pretty good shepherds pie' sounds very good.

Nick

Hi,

Well, I'm the person who organizes H4ES, so you're already in touch with us.

Other than that, the group site is closed to group members only (it's on Yahoo Groups but you can sign up through that page -- please be sure to say who you are when registering). But we could do other events as well -- I was mainly waiting to see how the darts thing went to gauge how much interest there was inside the group for extracurricular activities.

I'm perfectly open to suggestions, even to a little insurrection in the ranks. But only a little.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

So it's settled then. We're barbecuing willum in his garden after a game of darts in a pub.

There, see? Your Lord Protector listens carefully to his loyal subjects!

Cheers,

Fairfax71

A couple of choice Olde English swearwords in your direction!

I´ve got a better idea, why don´t we use the Lord Protector as a dartboard, then grill him, then bury him in my garden? It´ll do my tomatoes the world of good!

Was that the right amount of insurrection?

yes, it was...

I fear I don't push up daisies or tomatoes very well.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

@Nick - thanks

@Lord Protector - what are you good for then?

BTW, Wednesday was a good, lively meet-up, let them always be so. I was thinking about a barbecue date, pretty much any evening after the 5th August would be okay. At the weekend is also good.

Hi Willum,

a barbecue at the weekend is good. What can I do?

Nick

@Nick - we haven´t actually made a date yet, but as I´m away or busy until the fifth of August, the earliest weekend would be 11/12th August.

I suppose everyone could bring what they like, as far as food and drink is concerned. Although the best thing would probably to make a list of who´s actually coming and then organize who brings what. Otherwise we might have people all bringing the same thing. I´ll let you know what to bring nearer the time, assuming we get enough people together who are interested.

Hi Willum,

sounds good. Drop me a line then.

Will do.

Hi Nick,

FWIW I finally got around to setting up a darts evening. More about that here:

Darts evening in Hannover

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Hi Fairfax71,

thanks, but I am unfortunately out of town from Saturday to Tuesday.

Nick37

It seems alot of people are on holiday in August so I thought we could give the first weekend in September a try, vis-a-vis BBQ. Everyone´s likely to be in town again by then.

I´m off to Holland tomorrow for a week, I´m back on the 3rd, so here´s wishing everyone a good holiday and see you soon.

Rich

good idea.

I think I will come next time.

Nick

FWIW the next Hannover4EnglishSpeakers meeting is tonight at Henry's Griddle at 6:30 -- the exact info is in the post earlier in the thread.

See ye there!

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Yeah, seen it, am coming.

Nice meeting yesterday, despite all the americans!

BTW, who´s up for a barbecue at the beginning of September?

Depends -- rather busy myself, might have my family in town then (not sure yet). But 'twould be a nice idea in general.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Hi guys,

there I was, searching around for other English Speakers in Hannover, when I stumbled across this chat, and read some postings, including yours. Fairfax71 and Willum, you seem to be rather much the insiders, excellent, good to meet you. Are you both in Hannover? Been here long? I have so far met nobody from abroad here, is there a thriving English community here? Or even a non-thriving one? Do you know all the groups and English speaking communities here? Is there one you would particularly recommend? Nick, has anything happened re your plans for a new, more activity orientated group? Personally, I am quite happy sitting around in a pub, but am also up for outings, sports and nightlife, and am generally interested in meeting people. By the way, if this discussed BBQ is actually happening and is open to the public, I'd accept an invitation... Talk about a very subtle hint... I'm half-British, half-German, have lived in the UK, Germany and Ireland, and have recently moved to Hannover. As of now, I am still undecided how I like it here, so far it is not bad, a bit un-happening, is it not?

Speak to you soon, Minnie

Hi Minnie,

If you want all the scuttlebutt, you should probably sign yerself up for the mailing list here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hannover4englishspeakers/

Don't forget to introduce yourself. We tend to get the occasional spammer, so just "hi" or "I want in" won't cut it.

Anyway, ya, been in Hannover since 1998 and in Germany since 1993, so I've been here a while...

Next whoopdiedoo is a quiz night on Sept. 6 at the Dublin Inn, meeting there at 8:30 pm beforehand. (More about that elsewhere.) Willum's still making schemes about his barbecue, I believe...

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Hi, Minnie,

welcome to Hannover. I´ve been in Hannover ten years, seven in Stuttgart before that. I´ve only been meeting up with other English speakers for about a year, so I´m flattered at being described as an "insider". H4E is certainly a good group, and certainly thriving!

I don´t think the barbecue is going to happen though, the weather has taken a turn for the worse, and nobody seems to have time, so maybe I´ll give it another go next year. Although should the sun surprise us in September and loads of people say they want to come, then I´ll think again. Should it actually take place, you are of course welcome. It would take place in our allotment, so when you say "open to the public" probably not to the whole town - the garden isn´t really big enough

Looking forward to meeting you, at the next H4E meeting at least.

@fairfax - "whoopdiedoo" - ouch!

Hi Fairfax71, hi Willum,

thanks for the replies. I found everything, am signed up, introduced properly and all set to come on Thursday. I am completly useless at pub quizzes, no help to anybody, but judging from the examples given, the standard doesn't seem to be too high...
As for the BBQ, yes, indeed, the weather is not exactly inviting, but on the other hand could be considered rather authentic, I've been to many a summer / garden party back in the UK, trying to balance my cucumber sandwich and my glass of sparkling wine while holding up an umbrella at the same time... But I agree, it is much more fun without rain...Good plan for the next summery period!

Right, see you Thursday, blue baseball cap is the meeting point, correct? Any other blatantly obvious and easily spottable descriptions / meeting points, which even I cannot miss?

See you, Minnie

Just look for the biggest dork there. It's probably me.

willum will no doubt helpfully attest to this.

At any rate, not just a blue ballcap, but a Nationals ballcap -- the white cursive W on the front. Relatively distinctive. Like this one:

[img]http://mlb.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pMLB2-2550298t130.gif[/img]

Not many people in Germany have a hat like that, which is why it's useful for spotting me.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Minnie, I know what you mean, it´s traditional isn´t it. Although we do it more german style - beer, sausages, salad.

Absolutely, I would say Fairfax is eminently spottable, a thousands pigeons can´t be wrong!

What? You mean you can't tell the difference between gull droppings and pigeon droppings?

Cheers,

Fairfax71

And I thought that squiggly thing on your cap was the letter "W"! You mean it´s really seagull shit?

Ya, it was the most amazing coincidence that it was shaped just like the Washington Nationals logo!

So I rewarded the bugger with the tender loving care of a baseball bat!

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Must´ve been a really intelligent mutant seagull that can read and write!

Hi all,

The next Hannover4EnglishSpeakers meetup is this Wednesday (day after tomorrow), 6:30 pm, Henry's Griddle as usual.

Map is here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...wloc=A&om=1

Hope to see y'all there!

Cheers,

Fairfax71

Will probably come if my conscience allows me to miss sport.

cheers

I thought you had your conscience surgically removed?

Or at least that's what you said when I needed fifty Euros.

Cheers,

Fairfax71

I´m evil - I didn´t go on Friday either!

Hi all,

Tomorrow night (18 June 2008) at 6:30 pm is the next regular Hannover4EnglishSpeakers meetup. Location and other details are the same as above.

Dates and times for all H4ES meetups are here:

http://www.hannover4englishspeakers.de/calendar/

See you there!

Cheers,

Fairfax71