jauburn

Well, this seems pretty clear-cut to me. 

  Have to admit I'm quite confused at this point. It would seem from the poster above that I am uninsurable in the public system because I meet two conditions: (1) over 55 and (2) not insured in an EU state within the past 2 years. I would also not meet the income threshold for private insurance, so that would seem to leave me with no option but to stay here! I can do that, but how odd.   I was never privately insured in Germany (was always told about the restrictions on getting into the public system if I opted for private). I checked on this last night, and indeed I was with Barmer for at least 5 years from 1987-1992. You're saying they would be required to let me return, and the other poster seems to be saying they would not take me.

  That links appears to be broken:  Not Found The requested URL was not found on this server.   Got it: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_5/__6.html

  Well, this is a new wrinkle I had not anticipated. I will talk to the employer about it. Hmm, if I had to go private, that might be another point in the minus column about whether to come back at all.   Thanks.

  I remember those days well (few do now, it seems). I have particular memories of standing outside those yellow German phone booths on campus. It seems there was frequently a line waiting to use the phone.   When I made overseas calls in those things, the phone ate my 5 DM pieces like candy.

  Thank you. I'd have a normal job, so insurance would be part of the deal. I would also be newly retired from the U.S. govt. and could, if I wanted, just keep the FEHB (Blue Cross/Blue Shield), which I understand can be used overseas. I doubt I'd need to do that, though, although I'd probably keep a basic policy anyway, since the govt. pays most of it and it might be used to go "privat" if I wanted to, selectively. Not sure.    Last time I was in Germany, I had either Barmer or AOK. I think it was Barmer. I also have 5 full years in the German social security system, if that means anything. (I was an English teacher in several German universities and ultimately a German high school in Berlin.)

  59. :)

  Thank you. Yesterday I was remembering how I found a place the last two times I went to Germany (every time is different, it seems). The first time the Uni Mainz put me up in a student dorm. Smallest place I ever lived. Was memorable for that reason, though. I could get out of the bed, take one step, and be at my desk. Another full step, and I reached the closet. I suppose it took two steps to reach the door.    The second time the Fulbright Commission brought me over there, and again I lived in student housing at first, but like you, I had a German partner at that time, and from that point on, we stayed at her parents' place and then got our own.   Now I'll be alone. Will be new in that respect.

  They might be, but I'm not sure. The final discussion is next week. The manager sent me a bunch of links to WG, but it didn't seem there was much available from those links. So I assume I'll really just need to get there and look around.   I'm not poor at this stage of my life, but I am single, so I really don't need much space.   Thanks, everyone, by the way, for your responses. Very nice of you.

  Danke. Ich kann immer noch Deutsch sprechen. Should have made this clear. This would actually be a return to Germany after 30+ years away. I'd probably be in/around Erlangen, although I may live in Regensburg if the work will allow it.

Wondering how best to find a place to live when coming from the U.S. to start a new job in Germany. Get an air-bnb for a couple of months while looking? Seems a challenge to find a place from abroad.   Any ideas?   Thanks.

  Thank you for the response. Oh, yes, I've heard about Munich's challenging Mietsituation. I doubt I would consider anything in Munich for that reason alone.   I'd be in Oberfranken for the IT position, Greifswald for the Uni job.   Lehraufträge may indeed be a Plan C. Thankfully health insurance wouldn't be an issue for me. Taxes, of course, would be no fun, but that's primarily because I'd be in Germany and therefore taxed at a much higher rate than I am now. That's one thing I'd have to make my peace with no matter which option I select.

Could Germany possibly come up with any new ways to tax people? Why don't they just funnel all income from all sources from all people directly into government coffers and be done with it?

  Interesting and excellent points. Thank you. Sounds like they're really doing everything possible to limit the chance that these contracts could be deemed Kettenverträge. In my younger years I worked at a German university in which all of the lecturers had sued to keep their positions and won based on the notion that their renewed contracts were essentially Kettenverträge and therefore could not be terminated.   Sounds like the safe course may be to accept the IT job, get a blue card, and apply for a permanent residence permit once I met the time and German language requirements. Then I could teach, assuming I still wanted to and could find something (although, heck, VHS may be good enough for me at that point).

    I hear you.