I need help in a big way. Here's my story . . .

From March-May, I was in Germany with my girlfriend and her family, who are from Münsingen (near Reutlingen). When my tourist visa expired, I went home (Ohio) for three months and came back in September. Just before my second tourist visa expired, I got an extension from the Ausländeramt, and it was under the condition that I begin an intensive German speaking course. Since then, I have been taking intensive German courses, and I'm finished through Grundstufe 2. My visa, which is valid through January of 2009, allows for me to search for a job as long as I continue to attend school.

Anyway, my girlfriend has just been accepted to a school in Künzelsau, which isn't too far east of Heilbronn, and I'm desperately searching for a way to go with her. I've contacted the Reutligen Ausländeramt, and they tell me that I must file as a resident in Künzelsau and begin taking intensive German classes there. Unfortunately, I can't find an intensive course in that area for the life of me. I've already looked into VHS, Berlitz, Goethe, and a few other options, and I've had no luck. Almost all of them are out of traveling distance (with the exception of Berlitz, which appears to be out of my price range). I'm willing to go as far as Heilbronn or a similar distance in another direction, and I'm hoping I can find something that will require less than 10 euro per hour.

Does anyone know of a school within a one-hour bus/train ride to a school that offers intensive German training? If not, does anyone know of a job for which I may be qualified? Although I don't have a college degree, I have management experience in a laboratory, am very coherent, intelligent, friendly, and professional, and I am learning the German language very quickly. Any and all help is appreciated.

-W. S. Walls

Would Schwäbisch Hall be considered too far away? It is about 20km south of Künzelsau, and I know there's a Goethe Institute there with an intensive German course available. Might also be other schools offering intensive German in the town.

Cheers!

If you live in/ near Kuenzelsau you can definitely take the bus to Schwaebisch Hall. Does it have to be an "intensive" course in German? Maybe the Auslaenderbehoerde in Kuenzelsau could make an exception and let you take the VHS courses so that you wouldn't have to go to Schwaebisch Hall?

What kind of visa did you get to be able to stay through Jan. 2009? We're also planning on moving to Kuenzelsau in August but still need to get our visa situation worked out. Has your girl friend been dealing with the Auslaenderbehoerde there and what's her impression of them? Could you possibly use the Auslaenderbehoerde in Schwaebisch Hall, they're very nice!

here's a link to a PDF for a bus that goes from Kuenzelsau to Schwaebisch Hall (under 1/2 hr.) http://www.nvh.de/fahrplanseiten/pdf//schule/L26_01-3.pdf

The Auslaenderamt in Reutlingen said it must be an intensive course, and the VHS in Schwaebisch Hall, Kuenzelsau, nor Heilbronn offer an intensive course in German (or so VHS has told my girlfriend).

As for my visa--and maybe it technically isn't a visa--it's only a residence permit, and it states in my passport that I must continue to attend intensive German training at the VHS in Reutlingen. The Auslaenderamt in Reutlingen has said that we must speak with the Auslaenderamt in Heilbronn (because Kuenzelsau is in their district?) and that Schwaebisch Hall isn't a possibility. My girlfriend has said that so far, Heilbronn hasn't been very helpful.

This week, we'll try to get ahold of the Auslaenderbehoerde in Kuenzelsau, and I'll post what happens. Thank you very much for the help, DCS.

If anyone else has any other comments or details, I'd love to have them. I figure that the more information I have, the better.

Schawebisch Hall isn't too far away. Do you happen to know about how much the course would cost? Their internet site says they are near 1,000 euro for just a few weeks, and that's out of my price range. Thank you for the suggestion.

The company I work for (translation firm) does language training as well, including German, and we have a branch in Heilbronn. Here's a link to the language courses page on the website: http://www.e-kern.com/en/language-courses.html You can either inquire using the form (somewhere on the website) but that will go to Frankfurt or contact Heilbronn directly. It's relatively expensive - something like 30 euros per 45 minute session? - & mostly individual lessons (rather than in groups) but teaching is by native speakers with experience.

Sorry, I don't know offhand how much the Goethe Institute actually costs. But I just checked out the official web site for Künzelsau. It states quite clearly that the Volkshochschule Künzelsau works with the Ministry for Immigration and Refugees and provides two integration courses every year. So I'm a little surprised that they also don't offer an intensive German course. Obviously you don't want the integration course, since I'm certain you understand the basic principles of democracy and how to go shopping at the supermarket.


Hmm... as far as I know, Künzelsau isn't part of the Landkreis Heilbronn. Künzelsau belongs in the Hohenlohekreis. Have you contacted the Hohenlohekreis Landratsamt to ask them about intensive German courses in the area? They might be able to help. That may be part of your problem why Heilbronn didn't seem too helpful. It also isn't in the same Landkreis as Schwäbisch Hall, which perhaps rules that out since they might want you to find a course in the same district. But you can also check out the vhs in Schwäbisch Hall since they seem to have quite an extensive selection of German courses. (but you say your girlfriend checked already... oh, well)

So how about Öhringen? The Öhringen vhs seems to have quite a few German courses available and is in the Hohenlohekreis. Though I don't see any listed as being intensive, there might be a course available that will fit your requirements.

Good Luck!

Yeah, I haven't had much problem dealing with a supermarket or democracy. At this point, I can handle both of those simultaneously. You're right about Kuenzelsau not belonging to Landkreis Heilbronn--another phone call cleared that up. We got some false information from someone in Reutlingen. By the way, my girlfriend's a native German speaker and is very frustrated by the contradicting information we're receiving.

Anyway, as you mentioned, I've already checked up with the Schwaebisch Hall VHS, and they've already informed us that there is currently no intensive German course available (their website verifies this). We've already checked with Oehringen, as well, and I've still had no luck. It appears that my only option is to negotiate with the Auslaenderbehoerde in Kuenzelsau. I'm hoping that there's some sort of substitute or equivalent to my current course at the VHS in Kuenzelsau. If not, maybe I'll put more focus on finding a job in the Kuenzelsau area.

Thank you very much for the help. Although I haven't found what I'm looking for, the information is helping me with my future courses of action.

Hello,

Just wondering if you've had any luck talking to the Auslaenderbehoerde in Kuenzelsau?

DCS

We just got off the phone with Kuenzelsau, and we were just told (somewhat rudely) that there is no one who can help us. She said we must call VHS if we want to have a chance to work something out. We told her that we had already called VHS, and then she said that that is all she knows to do. For the past 20 minutes, I've been trying to get a hold of someone at VHS to see if there's some way we can find something that might work for my situation, but no one is picking up the phone (even though the Mittagspause supposedly ended more than 20 minutes ago). I'm frustrated and a little discouraged, but I'm going to keep trying. If only my girlfriend wanted to marry soon ...

No one ever picked up the phone at VHS Künzelsau, so I'll call again today. If no one picks up, I'll contact a nearby VHS and hope they can help me. Auf Wiederschreiben!

so, I'm not sure if you've looked into it but I've taken an intensive German course throught the sprachen centrum (language center) of my local university. It was the cheapest I found - about 500EUR for 5 weeks including materials. You should try your girlfriend's university. Alternatively, you mention that you don't have a college degree, why not get one while you are here, you will be a full time student, tuition is most likely close to what you would pay to study German and you'll have a degree which will give you many more job options if you plan to stay in germany or work somewhere else. If you are not comfortable in your German skill, most universities offer some classes in English, start there or just major in english and the classes will all be taughti n your native language. My third option, if you are serious about your girlfriend and Germany, get married and you can stay w/o taking the courses and you'll even have access to the job market. Good luck.
If you had a university degree of any sort your best bet would be to get a job teaching English at Berlitz and then you could take the course for free or discounted but you need the degree to meet qualifications.

she's German, of course she doesn't wanna marry you. nothing personal, but Germans marry only when it's convenient, not because of love. i had been with my german bf for 3 years, came over here and could not find anyone to sponsor me with a job and he refused to marry me. it took him 5 more years before he realized he never wanted to in the first place.

That wasn't my experience with my German husband. We were unmarried and living in Switzerland where I had the right to live with him but not work. With all the hype of the millenium, many friends were teasing us about getting married in the year 2000. Hubby absolutely refused and stated quite clearly that he would not consider getting engaged or married just because there might be something romantic about round numbers.

He proposed at 15 minutes after midnight, on New Year's Day of 2001

Golfhemd: since I'm kinda in the area, let me know if there's some way I can help. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for ya and wish you loads of luck in getting this situation resolved!

have you had any more luck yet?
im in kirchheim, and the volkschochschule here offers intensiv and none intesiv courses in german but i dont know how far away that is from you.if the distance is possible i can look into more details for you when i find my brochure.