Auntie Helen

Erm, what is the point of that image?

Today I had my appointment at the Ausländerbehörde. The appointment was for 11am which, coincidentally, is exactly the time I arrived in Germany five years ago, on 01.04.2014.   I had a thick folder of documents including Einbürgerungstest, the above-mentioned letter from my employer (which was very nice), loads of other blurb.   What they actually needed was a photo, my passport, the completed document for Kreis Viersen entitled "Antrag auf... Erteilung einer Aufenthaltserlaubnis/Erteilung einer Niederlassungserlaubnis/Erteilung Daueraufenthalt - EG". I had already completed as much of this as I could and printed it out, but it didn't really fulfil the criteria of what I was hoping for, a Bescheinigung auf das Daueraufenthaltsrecht für Unionsbürger.   First bit of information, Kreis Viersen doesn't do the Bescheinigung for Unionsbürger, so that was a non-starter.   She said because Brexit hadn't actually happened I couldn't get any of the other documents, but that they would complete my application and hold it on file so that I could get one of the other documents as soon as it became valid. So passport photo, fingerprints, and they also needed to look at my last few payslips and the 2018 pay summary.   I didn't understand 100% of what the lady was saying (I am partly deaf, she didn't speak clearly and was using some terminology) but I wasn't keen to ask her to explain too much as I haven't done my B1 German exam and hoped my apparent C1 language level was enough.   What she did say was that this would give me when the time came an "unbefristete...", so that looked good.    I said I was concerned that when Brexit happened my permission to work in Germany would suddenly be rescinded and they said no, that remains. So that was a relief, although I hadn't actually expected that (but RenegadeFurther kept going on about it).   So anyway, seems I have to sit tight and wait for Brexit to happen before anything comes of this document. But we shall see.    

Around where I live there are various free churches so I would imagine if you looked around a bit you might find something very suitable in Munich. The Evangelisch or Lutheran state churches are very different in form than I guess you are used to and may well not scratch where you itch. I, too, have not settled in a church since I moved here, although I am from the very liberal end of the church so actually the pervading ideas of the Evangelisch Church are much closer to my views than most protestant churches in the UK, although I find there is a stiffness overall in church; it is less of a social+worship thing, more just worship.   However, in my previous life in the UK I worked for a Christian book and music publisher and we had European sales conferences where representatives from Germany came and there was clearly a lot going on in the more pentcostal wing in Germany. So I imagine that ‘seek and ye will find’ is possible for you as you live in a big city. I know there are some more US-style churches near Düsseldorf/Köln for example.   If you would really like your child to integrate into the faith here, then I would say the evangelische Kirche is a good option. They seem to have loads of events for kids, even in the small village where I now live, the confirmation thing is big, and there is money for these groups because of the church tax. But if you want to eventually find something for yourself too, you may have to look farther afield. But maybe don’t leave it too late if it is important to you - my Sunday mornings are always booked up now, and I no longer have a church-shaped gap in my life, I am happy enough without it.

Of course I won't get deported over two days. I have every expectation of getting some kind of magic piece of paper to assure my residence in Germany.    I know all the requirements for the Niederlassungserlaubnis and I fulfil them all except the 60 months pension (but I have a statement from my UK pension) and a B1 language certificate (but I speak C1 German so am hoping the chatting with the Beamter will be enough). I have two degrees but have not had them recognised by Germany as I don't think it's worth it - I won't earn the magic high threshold anyway. I only work part time.   I am just hoping to reduce the amount of additional paperwork I should give to the Beamter at a second visit, and if the letter from my company shows all the information she needs to know about my job, then that saves extra work.   I have been preparing for Brexit as much as possible (I have a 3cm thick file of paperwork to take with me to the meeting, just in case!), including Einbürgerungstest, but nothing can make up those missing two days. However, Germany has told us all that we have three months to get our paperwork in order anyway after Brexit, so I don't understand why RenegadeFurther is in such a panic. He has a German wife and child, I am a divorced Brit and my German hasn't yet completed his divorce so we can't marry before Brexit anyway.  I guess they would be more likely to throw me out than him, but they won't throw me out.

Hello Toytowners,   As a Brit who arrived on 1 April 2014, I don’t qualify for 5 years’ residency till 2 days after Brexit. Luckily I have an appointment at the Ausländerbehörde in Kreis Viersen on 1 April.   I have loads of documentation prepared, in the hope that I can get a Niederlassungserlaubnis on that date.   My employer has offered to write me a letter saying that they have employed me for 3 years and that my job needs me as a native English speaker (a kind of Vorrangprüfung letter I guess). I said great, thanks, and then they asked me specifically what they should write.   I assumed just facts (employment dates, position, key responsibilities) and the need for English as well as German, but has anyone else had anything similar and should they include more information? What would an application letter to grant employment to a third-country national look like?   Thanks in advance!    Auntie Helen

This is what we should all do. However, the massive and constant hunger that some of us have, plus not feeling full even when we have eaten much more than we needed, means ‘eat less, move more’ is a willpower thing. And willpower, for the rest of your life, is very hard.   For me, with my genes/insulin resistance, eating a Keto diet (under 40g net carbs per day) means I am not hungry. When my colleague at work offers me a twix I can easily say no. I am not hungry. When eating a usual carb diet, despite having had breakfast I am ravenous by 11am so say yes. With Keto I eat no breakfast but am not hungry at 11am so can say no.   This is a huge difference for lots of people who follow the Keto way of eating and it is why we get a bit evangelistic about it. For the first time in my life I am not constantly hungry. It is such an amazing feeling of freedom! Even if I didn’t lose weight on it, it would still be something I would like to stick at as it means I can be so much more relaxed about meal times, about refuelling on long cycle rides and more.   Lots of other people have natural appetites and feel full and stop eating when they have enough. They don’t need to consider Keto, unless they want the other benefits. But lots of us aren’t like this, and will power (when being bombarded with adverts) is a finite resource!

Oh, and as a follow up, I don’t see the need for any supplements if you are eating fresh meat, veg etc. Perhaps for some people, but it seems that the amount of veg I consume gives all that is necessary.   The only weird things I have bought are Mandelmehl (to use instead of flour for things like cake bases, pizza bases and brownies/biscuits), psyllium husks (Flohsamenschalen) which you can use to thicken sauces instead of starches (and also gives loads of fibre), stevia/erythritol for occasional sweetener use in cakes and Xanthan Gum (which I got from work) which I use in one recipe to bind shortbread together. I could do without the Xanthan and psyllium if necessary.   There isn’t much money to be made recommending that people eat fresh vegetables, salads and meat. If I see low carb cereal bars etc I ignore them - I don’t think they are needed and they are just adding unnecessary, processed foods just to try to make some money. Eat a few mixed nuts instead! People want to monetise the Keto way of eating, especially as more and more people are doing it, so you have to watch out for ridiculous health claims. As always, on all sorts of different diets.   weightwatchers worked for me 20 years ago (I lost 66kg) but I ate a lot of processed rubbish with low fat or lite versions of everything. The weight was back two years later. With Keto it is hard to stick to it, especially when eating out, but at least I am eating fresh, natural food. And although I have slipped into bad habits over the last two years, I never gained back all the weight I had lost in those first few months. This year I am trying harder. We will see!

Yes, i have done Keto on and off for 3 years, usually doing it properly Jan-March and then losing focus.   i find it excellent for my needs. Because I am the sort of person who is always hungry, it is an absolute revelation being in ketosis and not having to think about food all day. I think a lot of naturally thin people don’t understand this Heißhunger that we have, related to blood sugar/insulin spikes.   im on Keto again since 2 January and have lost 8 kilos. I eat about 40g carbs per day, and have remained in ketosis the whole time (according to my pee sticks and the lack of hunger). I fast from 20:00 till 14:00 (so 16:8) and find that really easy. I don’t need to eat breakfast as I’m not hungry.   The food we are both eating (my partner is also doing low carb although less strict Keto) is very high quality and healthy. Fresh cuts of meat, loads of vegetables, some berries, yoghurt, cream, butter. All really tasty! Plus I have a few good Keto brownies recipes, and i make a decent Keto Philadelphia Kuchen.   for many people Keto isn’t the right option for them, but for someone with the genes to be fat (my parents, grandparents and sister and nieces are/were almost all obese), and this is because we always feel hungry and never full, Keto is just brilliant. It completely frees the mind!   i liken my genes to a labrador’s. They are always hungry and will eat too much if you allow them. Going into ketosis and losing this constant urge to eat is just an amazing feeling, and if it’s right for you it can be brilliant. I feel much healthier on it too!

I think the JU flights at Mönchengladbach still take place. 

There was a report on this ages ago in the UK and it said that the US army is still paying for veterans, and the viagra is quite possibly for them (medically retired from combat, perhaps). Also that there are a very large proportion of men in the army, and not that many transgender, which is why the amounts for the viagra seem so high.

I pay 84 EUR per year for a Cockapoo (small poodle size) but that’s in NRW, I don’t know if Hamburg prices are different 

I seem able to change soundtrack language and subtitle language with no issues. It’s the little speech bubble icon on the top right (at least, on my iPad)