Comments for The German Way Expat Blog

Comment on Drinking Kaffee in Germany by Ruth

Ruth — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:16:07 +0000

The Aldi free trade coffee is pretty good. We bought whole beans and had our own grinder, and brewed it in a simple (Braun) filter machine. Freshly-ground coffee is one key to a good cup. :)
Since I only drink black coffee, I’m pretty picky. I agree that most restaurants and cafe’s there don’t have very good regular coffee. They don’t in Canada either…

Comment on 50 Years of the Korean Diaspora in Germany by jjpark

jjpark — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:52:42 +0000

Hi Susan - great to read your comment. We seem to belong to the same exclusive club! I live in Aalen, an hour east of Stuttgart. It is somewhat isolated and pretty rural, but I am grateful that the people are relatively open and not full of negative prejudices. (It helps that the unemployment rate is below the national average here.) My husband and I have had many conversations about how different our outlooks and sense of identity are. When we lived in the US during the last two years, he really felt like he had found his place. I didn't emphasise this discussion in this blog post...I wrote more about the sense of, or lack thereof, being German here:

Comment on 50 Years of the Korean Diaspora in Germany by susanlee33

susanlee33 — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:15:05 +0000

Thanks for this great article, I can totally relate to it. :) I’m Korean-American but moved here after marriage. My husband is Korean-German whose mother was a nurse guest worker here. I don’t know many other Korean-Americans here so its so great to read this! I’ve only living in germany for eight months, so I’m new to learning the culture and language. Can i ask, what city are you in? :)
It’s interesting for me, seeing the differences and similarities between my husband and me, although we’re both Korean second gens.. I think growing up as an second gen in Germany is really different than growing up as a second gen in America..

Comment on Drinking Kaffee in Germany by HF

HF — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:42:44 +0000

Never drink coffee?! Can’t imagine that! – But you’ll note that I was referring to coffee in Germany, not Austria. The Austrian roast is darker and they know how to do coffee. A Café Konditorei is a marvel! Plus, you also can get decent coffee in Germany if you know where to go. But buying coffee off the shelf is the problem.

Comment on Drinking Kaffee in Germany by Bense

Bense — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:51:32 +0000

I never even drink coffee. But it’s ridiculous trying to rival the Austrian Kaffeehauskultur. We’re world class at Brot, Brötchen and Wurst, but most likely not at coffee.

Comment on Put Away Your Checkbook by HF

HF — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:31:18 +0000

Bense, by your own list of the owners, Ruth was correct to say “state-owned”! As far as I can see, the Wikipedia ownership list does not include a single non-government entity. The LBBW is 100% government-owned — not partially. If the state and city governments are your bosses and owners, I’d also call that “state-run.” The management may claim to be independent, but they are beholden to the state and city governments, whether they admit it or not. In any case, private enterprise it’s NOT.

Comment on Put Away Your Checkbook by Bense

Bense — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:08:44 +0000

LBBW is an Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts (AdöR). Wikipedia says: “Ihre Träger sind (Stand: 16. Mai 2009) das Land Baden-Württemberg (35,611 %), der Sparkassenverband Baden-Württemberg (40,534 %), die Stadt Stuttgart (18,932 %) und die Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg – Förderbank – (4,923 %)” – so this means partially owned by Stadt und Land, but not “state-run” and with limited to no say in the operative business.

Comment on Put Away Your Checkbook by Ruth

Ruth — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:22:04 +0000

Ha! Thanks for correcting my typo … of COURSE it matters whether it’s a Berg or a Burg!! ;-) I will admit to still being unable to distinguish between u and ü, however. I am always pronouncing Nudeln as Nüdeln and so on… (see my post on the trouble this got me into long ago: http://german-way.com/blog/2010/11/08/u-vs-ue/)

Is the LBBW not state-owned? I thought it was. Naja, state-centered at the very least. The EC card is the European equivalent of the ATM/Cash card (debit card) in North America… so I wrote this in terms of that audience – same transaction principle, comes straight out of your account, etc.

Thanks for your comments!

Comment on Put Away Your Checkbook by Bense

Bense — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:27:48 +0000

As an overcorrect German, I have to stress zis point: “My local state-owned bank in Baden-Württemburg…”

I know. English speakers and especially Northern Americans love to make a “Burg” out of “Berg” and a “Weiner” out of a “Wiener”. It’s just within your nature. You can’t help it. You are just cursed with the incorrect transliteration of a literal pronounciation. It’s even worse with initial K’s and Z’s.

Volksbank is a credit union, Sparkassen are statutory corporations – at times even KdöR, Körperschaften des öffentlichen Rechts. They are not a “state run” organization, only a communally controlled one – checks and balances – but without serious factual political influence.

Usually, you simply have a “Kundenkarte” for your bank. This includes EC (Eurocash) payment. With your pin or checked signature, you can use it to buy stuff at groceries free of additional charges. Those charges are being paid by the supermarkets. It’s about 3-5 cent, that’s why some supermarkets (Rewe) mostly ask for a minimum of 5€ on the receipt. It does have major advantages, though. Most entrepreneurs say it’s way more convenient, because it’s simply being booked off your account and onto theirs. And for supermarkets and gas stations… way fewer money in the register. Less incentive to being muged with one of these.

I’m doing online banking since 1999. I got a free starter set from my bank with a card reader back then. It’s sufficiently safe and very convenient. Never understood why standing orders (Daueraufträge) for rent or energy bills or what-not never made their way across the big pond. I’ve been to the U.S. as a tourist and lived there for a while. And this cheque-thingie was really starting to piss me off. Very badly.

Comment on Expat Life and Loneliness by Ruth

Ruth — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:35:51 +0000

Great that you made connections so quickly! Please don’t misunderstand… most Germans are nice, and many in Schwabenland are warm and welcoming. The difference for me is the depth of connection, which I found took much longer in a foreign culture and language. Enjoy Bavaria!

Comment on Luisa Weiss’ Advice for the Expat in Germany by Finding Some Korean in My Berlin Kitchen – A Conversation with Luisa Weiss | Expat Kimchi

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 22:45:14 +0000

[...] a snippet of a fun conversation I had with Luisa. I interviewed her last week on behalf of the expat blog German Way for her advice for the expat in Germany and the expat family. It was natural, of course, for our [...]

Comment on Germans, the notoriously direct by JessicaL

JessicaL — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:51:38 +0000

Thanks for your comment Adrienne. Yes, I share in your misery regarding the dog issues here. BUT, I must say that although my now 14 year old dog may be a bit of a lost cause in the crazy department, the two other dogs we have adopted since living here in Germany are really well behaved. I have really come to appreciate how well behaved the dogs are here and have worked so hard to get my dogs, as I say in the post, “up to German standards”. Now when I visit Canada, I am often appalled at how unbalanced so many of the dogs are and how ignorant so many of their dog owners are. I guess I have “gone native” as they say, in terms of German dog standards. That said, when it comes to communicating to other owners here that my elderly dog is blind and unfriendly, or that my little chihuahua is fearful of large dogs and “can you please put yours on a leash!”- like you, I still find it difficult to be understood.

Comment on Expat Life and Loneliness by AdrienneRose

AdrienneRose — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:47:54 +0000

Oh yes, that is so true about the Germans! They are totally reserved! I was lucky to meet my best friend within a week of moving here. And she is German! I don’t know how, but we got on Swimmingly! I am now accepted by her family, and all of that. When I cannot remember her mom’s name, I just call her Mom. ha. It really surprised her at first, but she answered to it. Her mother doesn’t speak a lot of english. However, the German friends you make, they will be THE BEST friends you ever have. That’s my experience anyway. Maybe you should think about moving down to the Bavaria area, Germans are a little nicer down this way. :)

Comment on Germans, the notoriously direct by AdrienneRose

AdrienneRose — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:41:45 +0000

I read the link you had in there about being upset because Germans have totally high expectations of dogs.

It’s really rough here! I have been living here with the husband (Army) since April 2011. Luckily (? well, I am not sure if it’s really lucky), we live on post, but, I could just imagine how many Germans would upset because of my dog! He barks when he wants something, or when he is excited. *sigh* And he is never mean, but it’s difficult to let people know when he looks vicious. (not). I know how you feel! :)

Comment on Expat Life and Loneliness by The Week in Germany: David Bowie and the Pope | Young Germany

The Week in Germany: David Bowie and the Pope | Young Germany — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:00:49 +0000

[...] you moved far from your native shores? Have you dealt with feelings of lonliness? In a post on The German Way Expat Blog, Ruth talks about dealing with feelings of lonliness in an expat [...]