BethAnnBitt

What she says is absolutely true.  In Konstanz, where we moved this past year,  there are loads of announcements for low skilled jobs.  Every other bakery and department store here is advertising a mini job.  Go to H&M and you will see the gig economy in force, different workers each day of the week.  I have been offered a mini job at a school helping immigrant kids with homework, but I am a retired expat who will do it for integration purposes rather than to make ends meet.   Housing here is very difficult to find, and it has become extremely expensive.  For example, newly made friends moved to our neighborhood from Frankfurt this year.  They purchased their condo 10 years ago and rented it out until moving here.  During that period it has DOUBLED in value!  We were extremely lucky to find a good rental.  Turnover is low because it's hard to find something else suitable.  The locals can't believe it.   Having a plan and local connections, if possible, would be advisable.  Or maybe you can accept that it just may be a short term adventure.  That being said, if you can swing it, living on the Bodensee is lovely.  Good luck to you.

I am a US citizen and just went through this process. I did not need any language proficiency for my original residence visa. I asked whether I need one for my subsequent renewal and they said they will need to look into that and get back to me! I am enrolled in B2 at the vhs anyway. So I don’t anticipate a problem. It seems that different offices have different procedures!

This is my story of the most undiplomatic thing anyone has ever asked me:   I was at a social gathering, in the US.  During casual conversation with a neighbor (retired physician), at a potluck, I made reference to the fact that I have a son who died.  The man, and his wife, were both shocked.  Each said "He died?".  "Yes, he died."  I knew right away that they had had charmed lives.  But it got better!   This neighbor, I repeat, a retired physician, knew that I had other sons.  He blurted out "But you have 2 living sons, right?".  I was speechless.  I really was.  Does 2 living sons make up for 1 dead one?  Are they exchangeable?  And what if I had living daughters and then no living son?  Did he think that would be even worse?  CRAZY!  ?‍♀️   All night I fretted in my sleep.  The neighbor is actually a nice person, just clueless.  Next day I called a friend who has a son who died and said "That was so uncomfortable.  Is my response wrong?  What do you think?"  She said "OMG. No.  Something is seriously wrong with him."   The other thing I get that is undiplomatic is someone asking, upon learning that my son died at 21, "Was he sick?".  What difference does it/would it make?     OK.  Enough venting for me. ?

 

People who are processing loss, especially multiple losses, often feel very isolated from others.  When others can simply be present with them in the moment it is extremely helpful.  One often doesn't realize how helpful he or she can be by just being good, non-judgmental listener.  It's a great gift.  

I agree on all these points and I appreciate the confirmation.  I actaully started out by going to a Haus Arzt, but she was CRAZY.  It was a very disappointing experience.  So I decided not to go back.  Among other things she started talking about politics during the interview.  My German friends here were appalled.   And then I realized that I can go straight to the specialist anyway.  I come from a health care background myself and I am very used to advocating for myself.  

I have been told that I can ask to have that report given directly to me for my files. I don't yet have a Haus Arzt and I have already made an appt with an orthopedist.

Oh John - This must be difficult for you and Nicole as you are both such animal lovers.  Having just moved to Konstanz 3 months ago from the US I am so thankful that I brought my dog here with me.  (I fretted over whether or not it might work out, but it has.)   I absolutely LOVE the way that dogs are integrated into the culture here.  And, as a bonus, it's been very helpful for connecting to people.  Every morning I meet an 85 year old woman in our neighborhood (she has a chihuahua) and we walk our dogs along the Rhein for their morning duties. She enjoys the company, talks my ear off, and has exponentially improved my comprehension of German (and dialekt!).  It's been win-win.   I have a Pom Mix, which is to say a "Zwerg Spitz Mischung."  It took me about 3 days of practice with my German husband before I could fluently belt that out!  

Well. I started reading more on this subject and there’s quite a lot out there about Greeks poisoning animals and treating them cruelly.  As a result others are starting organizations to try and curb these behaviors.  Seems to be a very complicated cultural issue.   i regularly visit Yerevan, Armenia, another place with many, many street dogs.  But the Armenians are all friendly to the street dogs.  They even stop the car when a dog is crossing the street.  

It's interesting. I haven't been to Greece yet. But this mindest was a story line in Durrells in Corfu.  It's quite a different cultural perspective than some of us are used to.

I would concur.  I just applied for my residency visa secondary to my husband already having his. I had to sign a paper pledging that we live together at the same address and are a couple.  That was after showing other items, such as proof that I had signed our rental lease and proof that I had Familienversicherung insurance.  The pledge was clearly intended to deter people from doing what has been proposed.

We have had the same experience and highly recommend Paul.

You showed him true love by putting his needs first instead of yours. That doesn't make it easy but it was defintely the compassionate thing to do. Kudos to you.

I am so throughly confused. My husband, a former German citizen who is fluent in German and is retired, received his Aufenthalterlaubnis with permission to work and no request for a language test. I followed him. I am being issued an Aufenthaltserlaubnis with permission to work as well.  My German is passable for communication (I feel I need to take B1/B2). I asked whether I need to do that and was told "I'm not sure. We will need to research that and get back to you."  I assime that up through C level will be needed when we apply for NE eventually?  Are these rules the same from place to place?  We are in Konstanz in B-W.

Is there an online exam?