What is life really like in Germany?

so im moving to the erding area at the end of february and i've heard GREAT things about living in Germany and i've heard the worst. i dont know if people are trying to scare me or if its really a scary place! please help me! i know that no matter where you go there are good parts and bad parts. i just dont want to make a huge mistake about it. what do you guys think?

You haven't exactly given us much to go on, like what things you are worried about, etc but what the hell, just go for it. If you don't like it then you can always go home and you won't have lost much.

Like you said there are bad and good to everywhere you go, it's what you make of it that determines if you will be happy or not, like SIM said, it would be good if we had a bit more to go on, and maybe we could be of more help, like are you coming here for work, do you speak or intend to learn German, do you have kids, are you coming alone or with a partner/family/friends, although i have to say that regardless of the above it is more about the things that interest and are important to you, Erding is within good enough reach of Munich, and Munich is truly a great city with plenty of stuff to do and see for every taste. So i am sure you will enjoy, like i said just come with a positive attitude and make the most of it, i came here on my own when i was 21, been here for 2.5 years, and was the best thing i ever done.

Good Luck
Sarah

Hey Sillygoose, don't listen to a lot of the snarky comments posted here. Germany is a great place to live. The quality of life is very high, the people enjoy the outdoors (Munich anyway), and the environment is relatively clean. There is an adjustment period during move in, but once you settle into life you should be fine. There isn't really much I'd describe as "scary" here, well, other than the vampires that is. But if you follow the locals and heed the sundown alarms you should be fine. Only the occasional drunk Oktoberfest visitor is sometimes found in the morning drained of blood. Other than that, life moves here at a relatively leisurely pace. People keep a good life/work mix, and although the tax rate is high, you do get substantial vacation days which allow for extensive travel.

Enjoy and welcome!

Things you absolutely need to survive in Erding (and blend in with the locals):
mullet
jeans vest
Heavy Metal shirts (Blind Guardian, Manowar or Anthrax preferred)
Foxtail for your car (Opel Manta preferred)

Just kidding. Although here in Freising the yokels of Erding are the butt of many jokes.

Not having been in any of those place you mentioned, I would still think that the countryside, especially the lakes and the mountains do make up for it, at least partly. Ok, it's kinda difficult to find some really lonely places, but if you feel you can't breathe, just get in the car and 15 minutes later you're in the middle of nowhere. Munich isn't that big, which is a good thing sometimes.

I've been told that they have countryside, lakes and even mountains in both North America and Australia!

But they are just so much bigger, ER! It's not called Toytown Germany for nothing.
To survive in Erding you need a public transport ticket to Munich, Lederhosen and a Dirndl. No matter where you move it will be different enough to freak you out. Embrace the adventure, other U.S. citizens don't even have a passport.

LEDERHOSEN I CANT WAIT!!!

Sillygoose
One strange phenomenon you may notice straight away is that Germans are pre-conditioned to pass each other to the right. You can have fun with this say at the Shopping Canter when approaching one of them and as they begin to slowly take a heading that allows them to pass to your left (their right) you gradually move to your left thus forcing them to change their heading even more to the right. Before they reach you suddenly turn sharp left this will completely throw them off balance and often they will fall over themselves.

So what brings you to Erding? (Which is a lovely place - don't let the townies from Munich hassle you. They know nothing!)

It's been 4 years. How long is this adjustment period?

My Husband is orginally from there, he hasnt been there in 13 years i am sure alot has changed.

Exactly. I can tell you in Australia, 15 minutes will just about get you from your suburb through 10 traffic lights to the next suburb. Not many people can drive 15 minutes and be in the country like you can in Munich. Sprawling cities are awful.

I work with a maintenance team to fix everything broken in "Kaufland " I go to Erding every week, just been there today but can´t say I have noticed any undesirable people whilst they shop.