February 9th, 2010
It seems every post I write has to do with kids, but that is how my life looks right now! At the moment, both of my little ones are in the midst of the Eingewöhnung process in their respective nursery schools (Kindergärten). My youngest is starting Krippe (loosely translated as daycare) and his sister is starting nursery school. When I signed them up, I was told to prepare to be available during the acclimitization process. Little did I know, they have it down to a science. (more…)
Categories: Daily life, Expat issues, Tips, advice, suggestions, Work and employment matters |
Tags: Berliner Modell, Daycare, Eingewöhnung, expat, Germany, kindergarten, Krippe, Sarah | 1 Comment
November 18th, 2009
I’m quite positive that no one wants to read anything else about the swine flu at the moment, but unfortunately, the swine flu is the reason my blog was two days late this week. It has been a hard week for our family, because all four of the kids have been sick, and the au pair as well!
Before it hit our house, I thought all the bluster about swine flu was just that, bluster. I do have to say now that part of it is just that, bluster, but that it can get scary pretty fast. Ever since the news started in about the swine flu, I have been talking to my parents about the differences in news coverage in the US and in Germany. I assumed that the US would blow things up pretty large and sensationalize it as well, but it isn’t too far behind that here in Germany either. In the US it is clear that more people are dying, but the US is a much bigger country and seems to have been hit first. Here I’ve noticed more news about preventing the flu, and especially about whether the vaccine was dangerous or necessary. People in general seem to be more sceptical about vaccines over here, so it doesn’t surprise me that this is the case. (more…)
Categories: Expat issues |
Tags: conflicting information, expat, flu, Germany, h1n1, press, Sarah, sick kids, swine flu, vaccine h1n1 | No Comments
October 19th, 2009
Because I have to go back to work earlier than anticipated thanks to the recession, we had to think about childcare for the little ones earlier than anticipated. With two kids under three, daycare (Kinderkrippe) was not an option due to the cost involved. Although an earlier attempt with an au pair didn’t work out very well, (too much partying and too little working) we decided to take the plunge and try again. Our au pair arrived from Canada last week, and it was interesting to see what kinds of questions he asked and what he finds intriguing (yes, he is a guy) about Germany. He’s 18 and has been to Europe before, but not to Germany. I had sent him Hyde’s book before he arrived, so expected some things, but others were a surprise.
The second night he was here, I took him with me to my expat meetup group here in Heidelberg. I had to explain to him beforehand what an expat was. If you have never been one, you most likely haven’t encountered the word! The first person he talked to wasn’t technically an expat either. He asked her where she was from and she said “Bavaria”. He said, “Where’s that?” To him, it sounded like a country, but of course he had never heard of it. She made him feel silly for not knowing that it was a state in Germany. Of course, we’ve all heard the stereotypes about Bavarians being like Texans, wanting to secede from the Union and all. I still felt bad for him. Not very welcoming. (more…)
Categories: Expat issues, History and culture, Miscellaneous, learning German |
Tags: au pair, Bavaria, childcare, expat, Germany, recession, Sarah | No Comments
May 3rd, 2009
Having spent the past week dealing with jet lag in small children, with my mind still fuzzy and my eyes still bleary from lack of sleep and too many espressos, I only have one thing to talk about this week: recovering from a cross-time-zone trip.
(more…)
Categories: Expat issues, Miscellaneous, Tips, advice, suggestions |
Tags: expat, Germany, heia, jet lag, melatonin, Sarah, sleep, traveling with babies | 1 Comment
November 10th, 2008
One of the more important items on the pre-departure checklist for expats or travelers headed to Germany concerns any prescription drugs they may require during an extended stay. Those who need certain medications can bring their own prescription drugs with them when they travel to Germany — in their carry-on or checked luggage. That’s not a problem. The hassles only begin when you want or need to “import” your own prescription drugs to Germany from the U.S. or some other country. I have some personal experience with the complications that can arise when you have your own medications sent to you in Germany by a friend, spouse, relative or anyone outside Germany. You may also want to do this, since your U.S. prescription plan may not cover you in Germany, but it is fraught with peril.
First, let’s talk about how you can avoid such complications and related hassles up front. (In other words, what I should have done, but didn’t.) Then I’ll tell you what happens if you don’t follow this advice! (more…)
Categories: Expat issues, Medical matters, Red tape and bureaucracy |
Tags: Apotheke, aspirin, Berlin, customs, doctors, drugs, expat, FedEx, Germany, Goethe, health insurance, laws, medical, medicine, pharmacy, prescriptions, red tape, regulations, shipping, Zoll | No Comments
October 25th, 2008
I will never understand international currency exchange rates. Hell, even Alan Greenspan says he doesn’t understand why the world economy has suddenly gone down the drain. How are we mere mortals supposed to grasp even the basics of economics, much less the finer points, if Greenspan is befuddled?
The one-euro coin (Münze) makes you wonder why Americans can't use a dollar coin.
But I do know one thing for sure about the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the euro: If I go to Europe, the euro will climb and the dollar will fall. When I return to the good ol’ USA, the dollar will come back. I call it (modestly) the Flippo Factor. (more…)
Categories: Expat issues, The euro and money matters, Tips, advice, suggestions |
Tags: ATM, banks, currency, dollar, EU, euro, euro zone, Europe, exchange rate, expat, foreign exchange, Germany, money, Nevada | No Comments
October 18th, 2008
The new U.S. Embassy in Berlin. Photo © H. Flippo
Welcome to our new GW Expat Blog! We’re still getting organized, but soon you’ll be able to join us for discussions of life in German-speaking Europe. We’ll talk about all sorts of expat issues, plus general ramblings on topics related to travel, business, history, and living in a culture that is different from the one you grew up in. We’ll also be looking for regular contributors - with expat experience and a love of writing. Bis bald!
Categories: Miscellaneous |
Tags: Europe, expat, Germany | 3 Comments
