Toytown Germany

Some of the teachers at Phorms, a network of seven bilingual schools in Germany, are taking lessons out of the classroom to increase children’s engagement with both learning and the natural world. Remember those halcyon days of childhood, when you would ride your bike for hours or climb trees with friends? With the introduction of modern technology and increased road traffic, many children are missing out on this experience entirely.   Instead an increasing number of children in Germany between the ages of three and 13 spend almost an hour-and-a-half watching TV each day. On top of that, they spend almost the same amount of time staring at a computer or smartphone screen. That’s around three hours of being indoors and inactive every day.   Maria Tasker, a British biology in Baden-Wurttemburg, understands the importance of fresh air for children. She also believes that the best way to learn biology is by being immersed in the natural world. It’s for these reasons that Maria regularly takes her classes outside for practical lessons.   Read more via thelocal.de: The bilingual schools taking the teaching outdoors   And find out more about Phorms education in Germany     This is a paid placement posting.

Welcome to the Obermenzinger Gymnasium!  Dear parents and pupils,Providing individual support in a friendly, caring atmosphere and with a varied daily routine is at the centre of all the institutions of the Münchner Schulstiftung.The Obermenzinger Gymnasium is a private school located in the lovely residential district of Obermenzing. Due to its small size and caring atmosphere, the Obermenzinger Gymnasium provides an environment in which both pupils and teachers feel comfortable and are able to build the foundations of a successful school experience. more ...   What sets us apart Economics and Social Sciences Gymnasium Compared to international schools the Obermenzinger Gymnasium leads to the bavarian Abitur (A levels) Bilingual track (German/English), now class 5-10 All-day schooling Two-teacher system ABIplus® with accredited vocational qualifications Small classes Own school canteen with two cooks "Culture afternoon" in the 5th and 6th grade Open Art Studio (woodwork, painting, crafts) An additional hour of mathematics instruction per week Member of the learning directory MatheLV (opportunity for exam prep in mathematics) Repetitorien Wide range of AGs (sport/working groups) and elective courses Wide range of excursions On-site team of school psychologists Educational therapy Addiction prevention programmes Living Europe: Erasmus+/Comenius, European school projects  

Self-employed expats face a number of challenges when coming to Germany. ASEIG – the Association of Self-employed Expats in Germany – tries to address these challenges, offering solutions and services to make your life in Germany easier and your business more efficient.  One of the main issues or challenges for every self-employed expat coming to Germany is finding suitable (and legally compliant) health insurance.  Since the German health insurance system is unique in the world, setting yourself up with health insurance can be daunting, time-consuming and even mind-boggling.  We have succeeded in setting up a special health insurance group plan for ASEIG members with one of the leading German insurance companies in this field. Other insurances and business services can also be obtained with the assistance of ASEIG and its exclusive network of vetted brokers, advisers, lawyers and tax accountants. Your membership grants you direct access to these experts and often also substantial rebates on both insurance products and consulting/advisory fees within the ASEIG network. Learn more about what a membership with ASEIG can gain you here: www.aseig.de

Self-employed persons coming to Germany often face the puzzling conundrum that German law requires them to have legally compliant health insurance as a resident in Germany – but then no German insurance provider wants to accept them, which can make a VISA-application really hard. ASEIG (Association of self-employed Expats in Germany) has negotiated a unique and truly special health insurance group plan for its members with the HALLESCHE, a leading German health insurance company.  This group plan fulfills all legal requirements in Germany, is fully compliant with the relevant laws, and will satisfy every immigration officer working on your VISA. Plus, ASEIG is affiliated some specialized immigration lawyers that can assist you in getting your VISA approved if you hit some administrative roadblocks.  Learn more here: www.aseig.de

If you are looking for an English-speaking school for your children, you have come to the right place:   The Jules Verne Campus is a state-approved bilingual elementary school, including all-day concept and supervision throughout the school holidays. Since September, 2015, a high school ("Gymnasium") is part of the Jules Verne Campus as well.      German and English natives as teachers Our goal is to provide a long-lasting, bilingual, and intercultural education. We stress the importance of internationality, global thinking, and entrepreneurship. Individual learning and a healthy, balanced lifestyle—with freshly prepared meals and daily sports and exercise—are keystones of our appoach. At Jules Verne Campus, we encourage and challenge children according to the principle of language immersion – with native speakers in small groups with a maximum of about 24 children teaching with methods that address the individual needs of students.   Following and surpassing the official Bavarian elementary school curriculum With our special subject “Curiosology”, we nurture and encourage children’s natural curiosity as a source of enjoyment, creativity, and success. Based on scientific evidence that shows there is a direct connection between physical activiy and brain development, we have created a diverse program of daily physical activity at Jules Verne Campus. Our program is age-specific and incorporates aspects of aerobic exercise, coordination, and mental focus.   PYP- oriented international branch In addition to the bilingual teaching, where lessons are held in both German and English in almost equal shares, an "international branch" is available where the lessons are held mainly in English. The international branch is designed having in mind the curriculum of international schools, so the Bavarian curriculum is supplemented by the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). This new branch aims at supporting parents moving to Germany or planing to move abroad. Members of our team are happy to answer any questions you might have about our unique educational approach.     Information evenings information evenings take place at the school in the Bayerwaldstraße 8, 81737 Munich. You can register here or contact us directly beforehand. Members of our team are happy to answer any questions you might have about our unique educational approach.   Just write an email to discover@jules-verne-campus.de   or give us a call at +49 (89) 62 81 66 86 0.   Kind regards, The Jules Verne Team     www.jules-verne-campus.de

Post here if you know of a local kindergarten that has places available, or if you are seeking a place.

  Red Tape Translation   Translation, interpreting, and telephone help for English speakers in Germany.   Visiting public offices in Germany can be stressful if you haven't yet mastered German. Hiring a relocation agent or an immigration lawyer is costly. Red Tape Translation is an affordable solution: a German language expert will come with you and interpret at your appointment in Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne, or Hamburg.   Ausländerbehörde (foreigner's office), Agentur für Arbeit, Jobcenter, Standesamt, apartment viewings… a German-English interpreter or translator makes your job and your case worker’s job much easier. Sign a rental contract in Hamburg, view an apartment in Frankfurt, organize your unemployment benefits in Cologne or sort out your freelance artist’s visa in Berlin. Tape Translation will come along with you for a price that won't break the bank.   Book Telephone Time to get through your important German phone calls, Germany-wide. Much cheaper and more personal than a translation hotline, you buy a block of Kathleen's time in advance, and use it when you want to make German phone calls. Get Skype help before you even leave your home country, and know exactly which documents you need to pack. This service is great for calling your landlord, organising repairs, booking a doctor’s appointment, or finding out what you need to bring to your work permit appointment. Over Skype, you can use it from anywhere in the world.   Red Tape Translation offers: Document translation (both directions) Certified translations (both directions) Interpreting at your appointment Help for new expats for those who are planning a trip to Germany Help for pregnant women or families with new babies: Elterngeld, Kindergeld, Jugendamt, Familienkasse German - English interpreting on the phone (Germany-wide) Skype help with filling out forms and preparing for appointments Help finalising everything when you leave Germany   Kathleen Parker is a translator, writer and editor living in Berlin. Having gone through just about every bureaucratic process possible in Germany, she did it all the hard way - on her own. In the process, Kathleen and her expat friends and colleagues made and learned from just about every mistake it’s possible for a foreigner to make in Germany. Red tape Translation got started in 2012, and now enlists the help of friendly bilingual interpreters and translators in Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, and Hamburg.   Angaben gemäß § 5 TMG:   Red Tape Translation Kathleen Parker www.redtapetranslation.com Tel.: +49 30 2089 6634 Ust-IdNr: DE282731584   This is a paid placement posting.

  The Bavarian Alps just south of Munich are a great place for a day of hiking. There are many mountains between 1,500 and 2,500 meters high with great views and interesting trails, all waiting to be explored by us.   We try to plan our hiking tours every weekend, either Saturday or Sunday depending on the weather. We don't go when thunderstorms are forecast. Our tours are typically between 800m and 1600m of height difference and 14km to 25km of distance. Usually they take between 6 and 10 hours. We start the season with the easier ones and during the year they will get more difficult (and more exciting). Often there are mountain huts on the way where we can buy food and drink. But be prepared with enough food and water in your backpack.   Although these tours are intended for meeting friendly people with the same passion for hiking out in the nature, they are often not for absolute beginners who haven't done any sport during the past two years. Hiking is sport and it is exhausting :-) ... even the easier tours have 800m of height difference and require a certain level of fitness.   This thread will be updated every time a new hiking tour is anounced. So click the "Follow this" button top right of the page if you are interested in receiving updates via email.   What you must always bring: - Hiking boots or hiking shoes - backpack - snacks and water (2 liters) - sunhat, sunglasses, suncream - water proof jacket and overtrousers   Always a good idea: - light jacket or sweater in case if it gets cold - dry shirt if the first one is wet from sweating - map and waterproof map cover - hiking sticks   Who can come? Depends on the tour. The easier ones require you to manage 6 to 7 hours of walking with continuous 2 to 4 hours of ascent (often steep). Also you should not have problems with heights. At some points you need to hike on cliff edges and sometimes you even need your hands. The difficulty will be announced on each tour. So please make sure that you are fit enough. :-)   What else? Things don't always work out as planned. Weather, trains, and conditions can change without notice, so a resilient sense of humour is always required. This is a meeting of friends organized by unpaid volunteers so you remain responsible for your own safety.   See also the related Facebook page: Munich International Hiking. And also the related Meetup page: Munich International Hiking.   And the archive thread from hikes in previous weeks.

Meetup held regularly for English-speakers in Stuttgart.   The venue varies monthly so check back on this thread often.   Click the "Follow this" button top-right to receive updates via email.   See also the archived posts from previous weeks.      

Who's suffering now?   As an EFL teacher for 30 years and independent insurance broker in Hamburg since 1992, John is very familiar with expat needs and solutions to these regarding insurance matters. John's specialities are:   Expert advice on full and supplementary health insurance for self employed and employed expats in Germany Quick professional support for visa applicants and the appropriate health insurance Income care Tax optimizing private and company pension plans Long term nursing care insurance Low cost term life insurance Household contents/renter's insurance Private liability and legal insurance Professional liability insurance   John always enjoys offering independent and free advice. At the client's request, consultation can be in English, German, Spanish, Portuguese and, finally, in French (on a good day!).   Feel free to skype anytime if you want face to face contact, including weekends. If calling from outside Europe, please don't forget the time difference!   John Gunn & Partner Radickestr. 28 21079 Hamburg   Website: www.gunnpartner.com Email: info@gunn-partner.de Tel.: +30 (0)28 4209 4757 Mobile: +49 (0)172 948 2994 OR +49 (0) 40 87409692 Skype: john.gunn3   This is a paid placement posting.

Munich’s English-speaking Dentist in the Heart of Schwabing     Dr. Isabel Selmair   I am Dr. Isabel Selmair, a family dentist with a practice in the heart of Munich-Schwabing. I not only grew up in San Diego, but also earned my Bachelor’s degree there at the University of California San Diego. My studies continued at the University of Würzburg Dental School, graduating in 1993. I have been serving the greater Munich area since 1998, with 2018 marking twenty years of smiles and sparkling teeth! For more than two decades I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and treating many English-speaking patients from all over the world. Having lived overseas myself, I completely understand the feeling of needing medical and dental care when traveling abroad or living in another country. It can be a very daunting process. We are here to help. Our modern, full-service clinic is right in the heart of Schwabing Appointments can be scheduled by telephone in English and we will get everything all set up for you. Walk-ins are fine, too, as we are just two blocks from Münchner Freiheit. We can take all the relevant information while you are in the office and get you scheduled for the earliest available appointment.   “We know that good dentistry is the sum of its details. Sympathy, long-lasting results, specific individualized hygiene, as well as ideal function and aesthetics are making our patients’ smiles complete.” Our practice accepts both public and private insurance plans, and we can work with you to best sort out the details of your personal dental plan. Please call or drop by should you have need of dental care. I am looking forward to meeting you! Office Hours:Monday – 9am – 2pmTuesday – 9am – 2pmWednesday – 1pm – 7pmThursday – 9am – noon, 2pm – 6pmFriday – 9am – 2pm   We are right in the heart of Schwabing at Clemensstraße 21a Praxis Dr. med. dent. Isabel SelmairClemensstraße 21a 80803 Munich-SchwabingGoogle Map Located two blocks from Leopoldstrasse, three walking minutes to U-Bahn Münchner Freiheit. Tel.: 089 300 6283Email: info@drselmair.deWebsite: www.DrSelmair.de/englishInstagram: dr.isabelselmairFacebook: Facebook.com/DrIsabelSelmair       This is a paid placement posting.  

Huntcrest Building Services     Qualified tradesmen Native English-speaking (good German) For all your needs, big and small   Their services include: Painting and decorating Parkett/laminate/carpet laying Kitchen installing Carpentry work Plumbing Electrical Tiling Light fittins/curtain rails/pictures Furniture assembly Cleaning Rubbish removal Transportation and moving service     For free advice and quotation contact: Mike - 0163 4804795 Lee - 0172 8658524 Email - Huntcrest_services@yahoo.com ...or use their online contact form     This is a paid placement posting.

Every Wednesday evening at an Indian restaurant in Munich. Location varies each week.   Curry night is not just about having good food but also about having great time and lots of fun. The cultural diversity of people who are regularly part of this event is as colorful as the curry itself with all its different flavors and spices.   We particularly encourage newbies to join us and they are heartily welcome. It is one of the best events to ease yourself into TT where you can make instant friends over drinks and fine food in a pressure-free, casual atmosphere.   Come join us cuz when you are here, you are family.   Click the "Follow this" button top right to receive updates via email.     Every Sunday night at midnight all replies to this post are automatically moved to the discussion archive.