Rushrush

I noticed that as well. It looks like they are just your account to local straining rights, for example the new Star Trek series isn’t available in the states but it is available everywhere else in the world. Along those lines I've noticed that you get completely different shows with the VPN turned off. I now have turned off the VPN on our Apple TV.   one issue I have noticed is I sometimes get error messages when I try to play something on the app and screen mirror to the TV. I get an error message saying watching on the app, what is okay if you’re in a hotel room but when you’re at home you wanna watch it on your big screen TV.    

Regarding the rules for sick leave my wife (I'm self employed so I eat what I kill ) has been off sick for several operations (joy of getting older) and we noticed that doctors seem really really hesitant to write you off sick more than a week. Has something changed or? My best guess is pressure from employer groups to cut back on sick leave. 

Correction, my bad math, refund was about 25% 140 per ticket, original cost 500, add the 2 refunds together to get it. 

If you really really want to go down an Internet rabbit hole check out the fight between feminists and gays and the new trans movement. You can waste literally hours on this one LOL. Here's an Overview or even better google Jessica Yaniv and “wax my balls bitch” ?

Update: took about 2 weeks but I got back a touch under 50%.   As an aside booked tickets to a show for our wedding anniversary, which we probably won't  make, went to resell them and I realized I, by mistake, bought the cancellation insurance as well. A very happy 5€ mistake ?

I just went through this myself. Booked flights with Lufthansa and we needed having to cancel the trip. Ours was just a normal cheap base fair. What shocked me when I took a closer look the ticket itself was only 79€ and the taxes/fees were over 350€. I was gobsmacked! What I'd be currious to know (the rep didn't know) is what portion is actual taxes (usually refunded) and hidden fees. I'll update when I find out.

I switched to Getflix (based on recommendations here) from UnoTelly but it's stopped working. It seems that VPNs stop working after a while or at least that was my experience with Unottelly Anyways anyone else having problems?   Edit: contacted support a few times but they haven't been able to fix it.

Life in Dusseldorf wrote a piece on this as well. More information here

Ah yes thanks!

Wow @PandaMunich you are just amazing thank you. I'm going to have to dig up her old pension statements and such and see what I can find. I booked an appointment with pension people on some unrelated stuff, so while I'm there I'll enquirer exactly where she's at. I'll update when I hear back!

Is there a minimum pension payout?   My wife is going back to work and she'll just make it past the 5 year mark, which I understand correctly means she'll get a pension. I guessing it might like 50 Euros a month or something like that. Thanks

A bit off topic but a friend posted this on a FB expat group. Wondering if someone else has had this issue or not.    

Can't seem to get the quote function but regarding fixed term leases, isn't that just an agreement that you will rent the property for a period of time, say 24 months which at the end you will move out. The landlord can extend the lease but he doesn't have to. No eviction necessary as the lease for agreed in advance to be for a specific period of time and you must move out. This verse a normal lease where there is no end date. 

@PandaMunich Thank you so much ? you connected the dots in a way I wasn't able to!     Here is a post you made where you gave 3 examples   3 examples of Healthcare costs in retirement

That was interesting but not quite what I was after. My understanding is this. As I've been publicly insured my whole life (i.e. never opted for private over public) I will only have to pay my portion of healthcare cost on my German pension only not on any other income (but I still will owe income tax). I will have to fill out a form   What I'm worried about is reading stories how some retirees get hit with the full amount, 18% on all income in other words the pension people won't be paying the "employer" portion of healthcare. What I'm trying to figure out is what triggers this? Why are some 6 million a year  getting hit with this.