Life in Germany for British expats

Hi all, Well I need some advice, My partner and I at the moment spend half the year in france and half in the UK, we are in our early 50,s and after a lot of thinking time have come to the point of wanting to live and put down roots in one area, We will not do this in the UK, for many reasons, France is OK but there is nothing to do after 7.30 and the French way of life is living behind their shutters knocking back the wine.

I have looked at the countries within the EU and germany looks like it offers what we are looking for, ie night schools both to learn german, meet people etc, pubs etc for social, indian resteraunts etc.
We have looked at the area around Leer and Detern (i like fishing ) House prices are good and Leer as the night schools etc.

OK to the point, Is life in germany OK for brits, What are the points to look out for, The red tape in France is plain maddness and designed to support sub standard goods and services. What is the cost of car insurrance, are there any english speaking banks, insurrance compaines etc. We do plan to get to understand german, but it will take time, and we will need things like the phone, insurrance both for car and home, doctors, etc all sortting out long before we could ask in german.

I would like to know your views on germany. Also we have noticed a lot more fear of immigrants within the EU, how do the germans view brits living in germany.
Thanks for reading, terry

All your questions have been asked and answered here. Search the site and do some research. If you can't do that, you will not be the type of person that will thrive in Germany.

Is life in germany OK for brits...Yes
What are the points to look out for...heh?
What is the cost of car insurrance...depends on the car, dunnit?
are there any english speaking banks, insurrance compaines etc...there are usually people in the banks and insurance companies who can speak English
I would like to know your views on germany...mine's currently of the building opposite, not very pretty at all.
Also we have noticed a lot more fear of immigrants within the EU, how do the germans view brits living in germany...eh, Tuesday

Hi, to you both, well you did what was expected, ie try to take the pi--. Not much help, and i am sure that there are people who will reply with information that have working brains. Terry

Wow, my god , that was blunt . . . . end of story

To be fair to Eurovol , if you want to live in Germany you will have to accept that they can be blunt. Very blunt. If you're not able to deal with very direct people then you will find Germany an incredibly difficult place to live.

Can't speak for the rest of the country but Munich and the south is a fantastic place to live with a beautiful safe city less than an hour from beautiful mountains. This site is full of great advice and if you do just read through for a few hours you will find endless gems of information .

Terry, Eurovol's response was probably the best you could have gotten. Working on the assumption that you have a working brain, to use your own words, do a bit of research using the Search function and you'll pretty much find all the answers you could possibly desire.

lads, its all just fun. I have been looking over the site, But theres know harm in asking, as sometimes things change. Lots of info on this site, But like all things, the more one looks the more questions one as. Heres one for sure, Fishing in the area, Does one need to take the test, if so, is it correct that its held once a year, and is it a tick box thing, and can I write the answers on my cuff. terry

You actually need a license and a permit. The former to show that you know how to fish, identify different fish, fish diseases, etc. The permit to allow you to fish in a given place.

More information Fishing - where to fish and getting a licence.

Dont do it. I have lived in both and France and Germany ( still do for part of the year). My main home is in rural Norfolk and I would not swap it for anything. I would pick France first, but would not live perminant in Germany is it was the last place on earth. Sorry but that how I feel. I can expand if you wish.

Hi, Thanks for the link re fishing, and yes JN please expand. terry

No, terry, noooooooo! oops, too late. Ah well, you live and learn. Needless to say, each to his own. There are many of us on here who love Germany and wouldn't swap it for any other country.

Where to start.

I miss the individuality you have in Britain In d you are expected to do the same things at the same time year in year out. I remember talking to one of my female german staff in her late 20s who did not at all want to go the her village fest but felt she had to and would go because of the pressure to conform. I was unable to promote some very good Germans as the did not go to the right school. We had eggs thrown at our house as we were foreign. we were the only non Germans in the village. You can imagine how my wife felt after that.

The civil servants I have to deal with were the most rude people I have ever come across. Nothing can be done on the phone with government departments you have to go round and Q up as you cannot make appointments. The food is terrible. customer service is non exsistant. The Germans are a closed shop if you dont do it their way forget it.

I could go on and on. Just try living there for a couple of years and see the reality of it all

Hi JN, as per civil servants, well rude is part of the French way, it as taken 3 months to get a bit of meaningless paper in french for my car, that germany send within 2 days. The french also wanted 200 euros, germany free. The food is total rubbish for the main part with super markets taking over in many places, The french all see the brits as walking wallets, and most of my following brits living here become builders crossing over on the ferrie. The french are a closed shop as well, and there is nothing at all to do after 7.30 unless you wish to sit around a small table on a hard wooden chair drinking wine, For gods sake most of the people here still have mud floors and as to washing.
I don't wish to return to the UK, we have a house in exmouth but the number of 3rd world newcomers is sinking the place.
terry

@Terry1956,

You have opened yourself up for a can of worms. As for me, I am more cerebal and agnostic on loving or not loving a country as on closer inspection country specific comparisons do not make much sense because:

1. Circumstances dear boy: your happiness will also depend on your jobs and money circumstances than on where you live. i.e. poor in Berlin vs. Rich in London. Unemployed in Spain vs. good job in Sweden.
2. Culture: This is the hard one to answer before hand - the subtle differences of a culture may drive you mad or may bring a smile to your face. If you are the former you will always find it hard to live abroad 100% comfortably regardless of it is France or Germany.
3. Friends and Family: being friendless and familyless abroad does not make for a great life. And whilst it may be disputed the Germans are not reknowned for the their friendliness. I was talking at a dinner party with my german friends the other day about how Germany lacks a real pub culture i.e. a pub where you can meet a cross section of all ages enjoying a chin-wag and a pint. Any real pubs I walk past in Germany are always half emptying and full of middle-age sad looking blokes. So reckon with it being harder to find friends in Germany than maybe France or the UK in general. Germans just do not have the latin openness. And do not discount how important having a circle of friends is.
4. It is not about country really: Country comparisons are largely bullshit as you are not going to live really in Germany you will live in a region, town, city or village. So it is important to pick the right place. i.e. if you want work and an international feel then Frankfurt is good but if you want more outdoors and skiing then Munich is better. If you want raves and a metro feel then hang-out in Berlin. As for me, I hated Wiesbaden and have not much time for Berlin but loved Frankfurt and love Munich. So pick wisely...
5. Language: your ability to integrate depends to a certain extent on the language if you do not develop a connection nor interest to the country you are unlikely to learn the language. If you do not - you will always feel at a disadvantage in normal everyday situations i.e. things like Doctors or Dentist appointments, buying a car. German in someways is good in the short term because many people speak good English but in the long run, in my humble opinion, this is a disadvantages as it means you can fail to learn the language properly and just rely on their English.

There is no right or wrong answers on these topics only opinions so ulimately we can never forecast 100% how we will fit in in another country - but all I have tried to do point out it is as much to do with you, what you want, how good you choose and what you do when you get here as it is whether Germany is better or worse than France.

Best of Luck.

Stanford ...looking forward to reading Johnny Norfolks posts...

Terry1956,

Just read your last posts, excuse me if I can be so bold - why dont you just find another places in the UK. Not every place in the UK is over run with 3rd world immigrants - stay away from most larger towns and cities and you should be okay. Also, if you went to Berlin or Hamburg you would see lots of immigrants there as well - some of them 3rd world!

The nightlife in many of the small places or villages or town in Germany are dead after 8 as well. Not many people on the streets - no pubs - why do you think Germany sometimes get the boring tag. If you come to one of the bigger towns (more nightlife) but you will have to put up with immigration as well...okay not so many from the third world but Eastern European and Turkish...

hi to you both, wise words, OK both my partner and I don't need to work, I have a army pension and she as an NHS one. We have a house in the UK as stated, bit having seen the country go down over the years and the cost for doing anything is sky hign and getting higher, the new tax banding will eat away at a lot of our money, the local pubs are full of football TV,s and so on. I know I sound like a boring old fart, but I just hate being in the UK for to long. France, well there are no pubs, full of sad sods or not, there is nothing, We do have lots of barking dogs (most of france is full of barking dogs) services that never happen and lots of rubbish that never works, We have a motorhome and have looked at all the counties, and yes you are right, it is What You as a person makes of a place, not so much the place, But after years of France its time to move on, Germany Well we looked a small place just outside Leer, which can offer the services we need, night schools, theres even a good pub with good food, well kept houses,(not the falling down hovels here in France). I am hoping to join a number of clubs which have members in the area, my other half as found a number of clubs, with some english speakers thanks to a very nice german lady in Leer.
We know it will be up hill to start with, and that one will always be an outsider. But, its a better way of life we are looking for, and thats just not in the UK, or for us in France.
terry

To be honest, I do not think it will be an uphill struggle as Germany is very open for English speakers and easy to integrate to a certain level. If you are so flexibile I would give it a go - you have nothing to lose. I have lived around Europe and now reside in Munich - I do not love Germany (it is against my nature to say such a thing)...but I do love the life I am having now as in Munich...if that makes sense. If you found a place that sounds like it will fit the bill - go for it.

From your comments, it sounds like you need a Northern European culture - higher standards of public services and are not as charmed by the Romantic notion of French, Spanish or Italian rustic living...

Best of luck

Stanford...jealous that you already have your pension as my 1.5 years in the RAF is not likely to pay much...

The OP may want to think about Spain, especially if a good nightlife is a key criterion. If you already speak French, Spanish should not be hard to pick up, and it is generally considered easier for a native English speaker to learn than German is.

Strange , i would say that it is easier for a native English speaker to learn German than Spanish , as our languages are cousins , both origionating from the Germanic stam , where as Spanish and French are cousins , both origionating from Latin .

Hi, Conquistador, Spain is for Old people who watch east enders all day and eat fish and chips, and god forebid ever talk to the local spanish,
Stanford, I did 11 years in the army, bad jump in the 1st Gulf war did my knee in, Got a pension for that plus 3 up. My partner worked over 30 years in the NHS, packed it in when she was 50. The romantic notion of French wears out after living here for some time, There are some good points, ie no road tax, very low insurrance etc. But I am not joking when I say that there are people here with mud floors, no toilets inside, or hot water. But there is just nothing to do after 7.30, the cafe bars cost the earth for very poor offerings, and I love german beer.
terry

I was going to say exactly the same about Spain, nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks that. Spain is full of Brits and not normally the ones you want to spend long periods of time with.

Nonsense. If that's your view on it then you have most definitely done it wrong. Local bars and restaurants on the south coast of Spain are fantastic. I go there a few times a year and I don't think a single chip has ever passed my lips.

hello terry

I´m afraid my experience is limited to Munich and its surrounds - but I´ve never regretted moving here and I really do find more and more to appreciate as the years have gone by (14 or so), it´s a beautiful safe country with plenty to do in summer and winter (and the evenings).

The lakes in Bavaria are lovely, and the mountains are great for all summer and winter activities. The nightlife in Munich is really great - with lots of various things on offer (have a look through this site for some examples). Try HUK.de (HUK24.de) for car insurence (it´s in german but perhaps you could find someone to help you). Most larger banks and civil services have several staff members who speak very good english. Depending on where you were based in the UK, you´ll probably get a lot more for your Euro over here. Obviously the big cities, especially Munich, are a LOT more expensive than living in the smaller villages outside.

The weird village that Norfolk Boy referred to where locals are forced to attend village fairs on pain of ostracisation and outsiders have their homes pelted with eggs, is, I can assure you, NOT the norm.

One thing to watch out for is the weather. Many people find the cold winters very hard to deal with, 2 years ago we had snow for 5 months, which was great for us skiers, was pretty tough on many others.

good luck with whatever you decide to do,

Not for me. I picked up Italian in 3 months but German is still taking years.

hi, LFF. Thanks for the link, did look at the area, great for getting to italy over the winter with the Hymer. But found that the city was just to big for us, I don't ski, but enjoy the beer gardens of the city. I feel sure that the egg thing is a one off, We had some brits here in the small hamlet we live and they had all sorts of odd things happen to them, but we have never had much in that way, but its coming for sure. I think its down to the way people see you, and how you react to them. terry

Terry1956,

I believe you about the mud floors. My sister married an Italian and their home town had people living in caves until the 1950s. Okay the caves were done out like houses but none the less they were stone caves. A lot of Northern Europeans have a romantic view of latin culture but the reality can be different.

Having said that I am a fan of Italy but do not want to live there but I have Spain in my heart warts an all. I use to live in Barcelona. If you ever consider going to Spain again - then consider north: Basque or Galicia you would most probs not meet too many East Ender watching Brits.

Re language learning: My experience is that German is harder than Latin langauges and my reading of the linguistics backs that up. English is only a cousin to german for its common words i.e. swim - schwimmen, learn - lernen but when it comes to high language English is nearer to Latin language i.e. is more Latin. So German takes twice the effort for English learners to learn than Spanish...

Most dash I have to clean the table...wife calling. or should I say Ich musse die tische aufraumen...

@Terry1956.

I cleaned the table, starting the washing machine and went and got some fish out of the cellar (yeah sometimes in Germany the fridge is in the cellar of apartment blocks)..

I missed the 1st Gulf War I was in RAF Marham in Norfolk and PVRed before the conflict. I think after my 1.5 years n the RAF I maybe lucky to get 1 pounds when I retire at 67...

Stanford the RAF refusnik...

Meanwhile up North we had a cold but sunny day with an easterly wind & good visibility (after about 10am).

What did I do today? Being a member of local gliding club I went down there, updated the firmware in 4 FLARM units (nifty collision-warning devices) then helped launch operations so that one of our (good-looking) young female members could do some more solo flights (no I wont publish pictures). Then went home & we had delicious evening meal of roast pork with Yorkshire pudding (made by myself).

Its a hard life up here...

Whether I'll be able to afford any of the above once it comes to pension is a moot point...

... In an otherwise coffee drinking country, East Frisia is noted for its consumption of tea and its tea culture. Strong black tea is served whenever there are visitors to an East Frisian home or other gathering, as well as with breakfast, mid-afternoon, and mid-evening. Tea is sweetened with kluntjes, a rock candy sugar that melts slowly, allowing multiple cups to be sweetened. Heavy cream is also used to flavor the tea. The tea is generally served in traditional small cups, with little cookies during the week and cake during special occasions or on weekends as a special treat. Brown rum, mixed with kluntjes and left for several months, is also added to black tea in the winter. The tea is rumored to cure headaches, stomach problems, and stress, among many other ailments ...

...and you want to come and sink what is here.
I don't think I like your attitude but there are certain groups in Germany who will embrace you and your partner.

you can't get a decent curry here for love nor money.

Except in my house.

& that doesn't disturb me the slightest!

well if you enjoy a good curry it may be a deciding factor when considering your emmigration options.

I concur. You can have the Brits-in-all-their-Glory (Linnekers in Puerto Banus for example) in southern Spain or you can very easily lead your own life totally immersed in the Spanish culture. They know how to eat and drink and they don't go to bed early... and it's a lot cheaper than here... and the weather is great...and they are friendly... and they have great food... I also go there many times a year and would definitely consider retiring there if I could also spend part of the year in another country.

And you are, I suppose?