I recently made the trek to Clayallee in Dahlem, near the border with Brandenburg, to register my new baby as an American born abroad and apply for a passport. Considering this is my third child born in Berlin you would expect I would be better prepared, but I am...
The GW Expat Blog
Category
Red tape and bureaucracy
Unemployment in Germany
Not the most upbeat topic for the day after Christmas, but one that has been on many people's minds as we emerged from the pandemic into an initial economic upswing, quickly followed by a collapse in many industries. I work as Talent Acquisition (an internal...
Comparing the Covid Response of the USA and Germany
After 2 years of not seeing my family, I was back in the USA twice at the end of last year. In October we booked emergency tickets and were back visiting a sick family member within 72 hours. A Christmas trip was planned. Both trips were a low-key shock to the system....
Marijuana in Germany
Christmas has passed and we are entering the truly dark days of winter between Weihnachten and Silvester, waiting for the weather to finally warm again in …. May? I was on a call with a new colleague from Turkey and she visibly blanched at the news that we have months...
Donations in Berlin
Germany is officially in the fourth wave of the pandemic. After a summer of poking our head out of our shell, feeling like maybe - maybe! - things were a little closer to normal, another lockdown looms. The new coalition government is doing their best to avoid this,...
School Supplies in Germany
After the uncertainty of applying for a Grundschule (elementary school) outside of our district, we have successfully waited it out. Our daughter got into our first choice! Considering how competitive finding a KiTa (preschool) can be, we had no idea if there was any...
Germany’s TV Tax: The Debate Over the Rundfunkbeitrag
Germany's Version of British TV Licensing North Americans newly arrived in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland are surprised to learn that they have to pay an annual fee to receive public broadcasting radio and television plus internet video streaming. Even if you don't...
Getting Tested for COVID-19 in Germany
Perhaps this post will be a bit of a time capsule, a reminder of a time when you needed to get a swab shoved up your nose to enter a store, but I still thought it would be interesting to share. In these strange times of a world-wide pandemic, my kids have looked to me...
Looking for Work and Starting a New Job in Germany
After a 2020 that threatened to end civilization as we know it, I allowed myself to be hopeful for 2021. Sure, Silvester (New Years Eve) was downsized to a quiet night at home (fireworks still blasting outside by people gloriously ignoring regulations) and we were...
COVID Vaccinations in Germany
The first vaccinations have been administered in Germany over the weekend with a flurry of publicity. The Local.de reports that a 101-year-old woman in a retirement home was the very first person to be inoculated against coronavirus on Saturday, December 26th. Though...
How the Pandemic Has Changed Germany (Forever?)
Looking at my last few blog posts, it is no surprise that there is little else on my mind than the ongoing pandemic. Even as restrictions begin to ease, there is an uneasy expectation that life may never be the same. It is worth debating whether this is actually a...
The logistics of leaving Germany
The decision to return to England, our home country, after three years in Germany took us a while to make. From the time we made the decision, it took seven months before we landed on home turf with our remaining belongings spread across eight suitcases. Although we...
German Names and Bureaucracy
One of the first questions people ask when you are having a baby is, "What's the name?" Rightfully so, as names play an important part in a person's future and say a lot about your hopes and dreams for your child. Are you raising a Sarah, or a Jasmine? A Hans or a...
Preparing to exit Germany
When I agreed with my partner that I would move to Germany, I specified I didn't want to stay longer than 18 months to two years, and there was no way I was going to live in Bremen for three years. Now I have to eat my words because almost to the exact day three years...
Questions about Having a Baby in Germany
Considering this is my second time having a baby in Germany, I expected to have fewer questions. In some ways, I do feel much more confident than the first time. My German is better, I am familiar with procedure at the Frauenarzt (OBGYN), and labor seems less...
How the new laws in Germany might impact you
As with each new year, there come changes. I'm not referring to the bid to take up a new hobby or cut down on eating chocolate, although great if you are doing this, I probably should. I'm talking about the changes that take effect in Germany. Changes to improve...
Dog essentials in Germany (and other pets too)
Only two things are certain in life: death and taxes. You can thank Benjamin Franklin for that life lesson which is still rings true today. Whilst both are interesting topics that (in my opinion) warrant further discussion I’ll only be talking about the latter today,...
Finding a Hebamme in Germany
Living abroad has thrown me a lot of curve balls, and never more so than when I navigated my first pregnancy in Germany. That's right - first. As in... I am having another baby in Germany! We are now 5 months in and even though I helped compile a full guide for other...
How not to get fined in Germany
Short answer – Don’t break the rules. Long answer – Know the rules. When moving to, or travelling in a country different from your own it is important to acquaint yourself with the basics. Ignorance is no excuse and your mistake could end up being very costly. From...
How to Pay Berlin Transport Fines
When I first arrived in Berlin I scrapped by, stretching one ticket to its full 2-hour limit. Then I learned the wonders of the 4 ticket (4-Fahrten-Karte) which offered slight discounts by buying 4 at a time. Finally, I caved and bought the 10-am ticket which offers a...
Recent Comments