karin_brenig

  well, I was really surprised when the DHL express delivery came today (!) with my shiny new passport. Took them only 3 weeks. I'll take that :)

  thanks @Jonny. I am getting used to the sometimes "rough" tone on TT. But I still find it strange, how people can be offended, rude, agressive in a "virtual space" like this towards somebody they have never met in real life. Apart from my firm belief that using negative words, or having negative feelings, has direct effects on one's own physical and mental health, I really can't muster up enough energy to attack an "invisible" person myself.

  means you had a positive PCR test result at least 28 days ago and no more than 90 days ago.   That's a really narrow window of oportunity. Not very practical.

ok - without knowing the exact wording of this "Nebenkostenpauschale" part of your rental agreement, I can only guess - but it seems like your new landlord can indeed adjust this Nebenkostenpauschale under certain, narrowly defined, conditions: https://www.juraforum.de/lexikon/nebenkostenpauschale     Does your rental contract contain wording like " ... Für die Betriebskostenpauschale bleiben Erhöhungen oder Ermäßigungen gemäß §560 BGB vorbehalten." ? If so, your landlord will just have to explain exactly which cost is now higher.   Without knowing your personal situation, I can't say how much "average" cost would be in your area - but 75,- € (or even 100,-€) seems very low compared to the actual rent of 575,- €.

  you can get a doctor's note over the phone or via video chat. https://www.kvn.de/Patienten/Coronavirus/Krankschreibung.html

  if "everyone" says quarantine papers are enough to get paid for "lost time", then "everyone" has to refer back to the information provided about a change to that regulation, effective November 1st 2021, stating that quarantine papers are not enough anymore for the unvaccinated. Unvaccinated people now have to be actually sick to receive sick pay.   About my reading skills - totally not related to my age - but thanks for asking: I am 65

  that regulation was changed on November 1st 2021. Hence my "irrelevant" input.   Those, who can read, are at an advantage :)

  maybe spent some time in Germany in a former life?

  are you vaccinated? if not, then you will have to provide a doctor's Krankmeldung to be receiving full pay. https://www.tk.de/firmenkunden/versicherung/arbeitgeberinfos-coronavirus/corona-quarantaene/wer-zahlt-gehalt-fuer-mitarbeiter-in-quarantaene-2080048?tkcm=aaus

 here you go: https://www.fitbook.de/health/gibt-es-krankenkassen-die-die-kosten-fuers-fitnessstudio-uebernehmen   or this: https://www.dak.de/dak/leistungen/ausdauertraining-2079912.html#/

  totally agree! the rules and recommendations change daily. Everybody makes up stuff as they go. Confusion and frustration abound.   For me (just my personal opinion) even more reasons to sit down, calmly analyze the information that I can gather for myself from various sources, and take action within the ever changing framework of new rules/regulations. It's the "fend for yourself" mindset, that I usually fall back onto when there is no other choice that would allow me to maintain my sanity.   What surprises me, still, after over 2 years of ongoing pandemic, that people hope to see some "leadership" coming out of politics.

  in my personal experience, that totally depends on the nature of your friendship. As long as nobody gets seriously hurt, and none of your precious belongings are damaged, your insurance will be no problem.   If you have clumsy friends and/or expensive stuff, you might want to look for help elsewhere.

  yes, I know. Whether or not you "qualify", and which priority group you fall into, changes almost daily now.   Even more reason to take personal control and responsibility for your own life into your own hands, using your own brains - if possible.   Do you want to be allowed in "everywhere"? Then you have no choice other than 2G (or some places even 2G+ now). You need to figure out for yourself, how to acchieve that status. Everybody's personal situation will be different, of course. I had it easy: I simply got my recommended 3 shots.   If you really don't need/want to get into everything, you are free to stay unvaccinated, or get whatever vaccinations you may want, or test yourself daily at home. Total freedom - as long as you stay at home and barely go grocery shopping.

  We actually had to do that for two months after our first international move from Germany to the USA. Because we had packed all that stuff, and were waiting on our container to arrive, we didn't buy anything. We slept on air mattresses, ate sitting around a foldable camping dining set. Luckily there are built-in wall cabinets in standard US houses' bedrooms, so we could hang up our clothes.

  so, which one of the vaccines available in Germany is "unsafe" ? (just want to know, so that I can avoid that one for my fourth shot in a few months)   BTW - if you know you are having COVID, with symptoms and a positive antigen test, you qualify for a PCR test. And subsequently renewed "genesen" status - if you survive, that is.