What Living in Germany Is Actually Like After 6 Months
Video Overview & Insights
Six months ago my family packed up our lives and moved from North America to Germany.
Very interesting to hear your observations from the past few months! When do we get to hear you speak a little German???
Now that we've actually settled in, I wanted to share my honest first impressions.
Some things have completely exceeded my expectations. Others have honestly driven me crazy.
All the stuff you mentioned loving is exactly why I've loved Germany for so long. Well, also because my mother is German and I grew up being able to visit family and friends there since I was a child. It feels like a second home to me (and one where I feel "more alive" if that makes sense). . And, yes, the loving of the windows (and the design and construction) in Germany is definitely a thing! Also, Germans value being truthful and honest above almost anything else - and that comes across as "rude" and "blunt", especially to Americans and the British. They simply would rather have a truthful statement - whether it hurts their feelings or not - so that they are not mislead about opinions or plans or intentions; they like to know exactly where things stand, what to expect, and what someone thinks. To them it saves a lot of time and energy. They cannot stand anything fake. P.P.S Houses in America don't get dusty because of A/C???? UM. Perhaps you never had pets or never lived in the South because let me tell you....you can dust one minute and it's right back the next! And, believe me, A/C is on overdrive in the Southern states....
In this video I talk about:
âą Why Germany's quality of life has impressed me so much
Die Bahn ... Tja, beachte, daĂ die ihrerzeitige Deutsche Bundesbahn bis zur Bahnreform eine Bundesbehörde war und daĂ sie danach Deutsche Bahn AG heiĂt, mithin ein Privatunternehmen ist. Seither soll sie Gewinne machen, UND DAS GEHT NICHT, wie Kapitalismus ganz allgemein schlecht oder ĂŒberhaupt nicht funktioniert. Es ist in ungeheurem AusmaĂ Personal reduziert worden - wenn zwei LokomotivfĂŒhrer mehr als ĂŒblich krank sind, hat die Bahn ein Problem. Es ist nicht ins Equipment investiert worden, manche Stellwerke stammen aus dem vorletzten Jahrhundert und wegen der hohen Preise fĂ€hrt mit der Bahn nur noch, wer muĂ.
FrĂŒher, als die Bahn noch eine Staatsbehörde war, pflegte man zu sagen "PĂŒnktlich wie die Bundesbahn", ja, frĂŒher...
The railways ⊠Well, bear in mind that the former Deutsche Bundesbahn was a federal authority until the railway reform, and that it has since been renamed Deutsche Bahn AG (Aktiengesellschaft), meaning it is now a private company. Since then, it has been expected to make a profit, AND THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, just as capitalism generally functions poorly or not at all. Staff numbers have been slashed on a massive scale â if just two train drivers are off sick more than usual, the railways have a problem. There has been no investment in equipment; some signal boxes date back to the century before last (from the days of the Kaiser), and because of the high fares, only those who have to travel by train actually do so.
Back when the railway was still a state-run organisation, people used to say âAs punctual as the Bundesbahnâ â yes, back thenâŠ
Postscript: Incidentally, Germany is still littered with bombs from the World War, and every time a 1,500-kilo bomb like this is found, traffic in the surrounding area has to be halted and entire neighbourhoods evacuated until the bomb has been removed, defused or detonated on the spot. Such explosive relics pay no heed to timetables, and they are found almost daily during construction work; this is why forest fires are so incredibly dangerous in this country, because even after more than 80 years, the forests are still littered with (live!) ammunition, mines, grenades and bombs, which simply explode when the fires break out.
âą Walkable cities, public transportation, and being in the middle of Europe
âą German bakeries, grocery stores, and food quality
Ach ja - die Effizienz... da liegt ein kleines MiĂverstĂ€ndnis vor, was die Kommunikation angeht. Das schnellste und sicherste Medium ist das Fax (es hat u. a. den Vorteil, gerichtsfest zu sein), es erreicht den EmpfĂ€nger binnen SEKUNDEN,. gefolgt von der Briefpost, die einige, meist zwei oder drei TAGE lĂ€nger dauert. Das mit weitem Abstand langsamste Medium ist die E-Mail, es kann, wie ich aus eigener Erfahrung zu sagen weiĂ, vier bis sechs WOCHEN dauern, bis sie die Adressaten erreicht und taugt in juristischen Angelegenheiten, bei denen gesetzliche Fristen zu wahren sind, genau: nichts. Das Bundesverfassungsgericht beispielsweise sollte man tunlichst NICHT mit elekrtonischer Post zu kontaktieren versuchen.
MERKE: Nur und ausschlieĂlich das, was auf Papier vorliegt, kann im Fall der FĂ€lle juristisch verwendet werden; nicht umsonst ist im Gesetz (dem BĂŒrgerlichen Gesetzbuch BGB) fĂŒr viele VoegĂ€nge die Schriftform zwingend vorgeschrieben.
Und schlieĂlich MERKE: Niemals glauben oder sich darauf verlassen, was auf irgendeiner Internetseite einer Behörde ateht, gewöhnlich ist sie seit 10 Jahren veraltet, weil sich die Gesetzeslage schneller Ă€ndert, als man Webseiten Ă€ndern kann,; die angegebenen Telephonnummern gibt es nicht mehr, die Adresse des Amtes hat sich geĂ€ndert, weil es in einen anderen Stadtteil umgezogen ist.
Ah yes â efficiency⊠thereâs a slight misunderstanding here regarding communication. The fastest and most secure method is the fax (one of its advantages is that itâs tamper-proof); it reaches the recipient within SECONDS, followed by standard post, which takes a few â usually two or three â DAYS longer. By far the slowest medium is email; as I know from my own experience, it can take four to six WEEKS to reach the recipients and is, in legal matters where statutory deadlines must be met, exactly that: useless. The Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) for example, should under no circumstances be contacted via email.
PLEASE NOTE: Only and exclusively documents available on paper can be used in court if the need arises; it is not without reason that the law (the German Civil Code, BĂŒrgerliches Gesetzbuch BGB) stipulates that many procedures must be in writing.
And finally, PLEASE NOTE: Never believe or rely on what is stated on any government website; it is usually 10 years out of date, because the legal situation changes faster than websites can be updated; the telephone numbers given no longer exist, and the address of the government department has changed because it has moved to a different part of town.
âą German windows, quiet Sundays, and work life balance
âą Kita and our experience raising young kids here
7:15 [transl đ] Gut möglich, daĂ man das mit den Feiertagen nicht weiĂ, denn bis auf wenige, die an einem festen Datum stattfinden, orientieren sich die anderen am Osterfest, und da dieses bekanntlich jedes Jahr an einem anderen Datum gefeiert wird, sind auch jene beweglich. Weihnachten dagegen ist immer am 24.12. und die daran geknĂŒpften Feiertage sind immer am selben Datum (das Fest der Heiligen Drei Könige zum Beispiel, die im Kölner Don liegen - angeblich). Aber ist das nicht ĂŒberall auf der Welt ganz genau so (AuĂer in Teilen der Orthodoxie, die aus reiner Bosheit ihre Feste nach dem julianischen Kalender feiern, wĂ€hrend sie sonst selbstverstĂ€ndlich den gregorianischen Kalender benutzen - denn der funktioniert nĂ€mlich!)?
[DeepL has translated the text and made some changes; I donât know why] Itâs quite possible that people arenât aware of this regarding public holidays, because apart from a few that take place on a fixed date, the others are linked to Easter, and as Easter is, as we know, celebrated on a different date each year, those dates are also variable. Christmas, on the other hand, is always on 24 December, and the public holidays linked to it are always on the same date (the Feast of the Epiphany, for example, which is associated with the Three Kings buried in Cologne Cathedral â or so they say). But isnât that exactly how it is everywhere in the world (except in parts of the Orthodox Church, which, out of sheer malice, celebrate their festivals according to the Julian calendar, whilst otherwise naturally using the Gregorian calendar â because thatâs the one that actually works!)?
âą Bureaucracy, Deutsche Bahn delays, and learning German
âą The surprising kindness I've experienced
1:55 [engl transl by DeepLđ] Ja, irgendwo hakt's immer. Bei uns kommt z. B. die MĂŒllabfuhr oft nicht am richtigen Tag, manchmal sogar nichtmal in der richtigen Woche, um die Gelben Tonnen zu leeren, und die stehen dann in der Sonne und stinken, daĂ es sogar dem Lieben Gott davon schlecht wurde beim Hinschauen. Zum Elend ist noch der ungeimliche Windel erteiler unterwegs und schmeiĂt gebrauchte Windeln ĂŒberall in die (grauen) RestmĂŒlltonnen und das bei den gegenwĂ€rtigen Hitzewellen, und da diese Tonnen oft nur alle 4 Wochen geleert werden - je nach Vertrag - stinkt es so ĂŒbel, daĂ besagter Gott auf unbestimmte Zeit verreist sein soll.
Vielleicht sollten wir den Abfall in den FluĂ werfen, dann landet er bei Konz in der Mosel und dann in Trier, wie die Leute, die bei uns hier und da von den BrĂŒcken springen, um sich zu ersĂ€ufen.
Yes, thereâs always something going wrong somewhere. Here, for example, the refuse collection often doesnât come on the right day â sometimes not even in the right week â to empty the yellow bins, and theyâre left standing in the sun, stinking so badly that even the Lord God would feel sick at the sight of them. To make matters worse, thereâs that disgusting nappy-dumpers out and about, chucking used nappies into the (grey) general waste bins everywhere â and that during the current heatwaves. And as these bins are often only emptied every four weeks â depending on the contract â it stinks so badly that the aforementioned God is said to have gone away indefinitely.
Perhaps we should throw the rubbish into the river; then itâll end up near Konz in the Moselle and then in Trier, just like the people who jump off the bridges here and there to drown themselves.
âą The contradictions that make Germany such a fascinating place to live
These are simply my personal experiences after six months. Every city and every person's experience will be different, but I hope this gives you an honest look into what life has been like for our American family.
Ask someone in Walmart when something is. Good luck with that. That worker was unfriendly. There are plenty of workers here who will help you.
If you'd like to see more Germany videos, travel vlogs, frugal living, or life abroad, let me know in the comments!
Thanks so much for watching.
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. đ
The "Abendbrot" (cold cuts for dinner) has its origin in the fact that many workers ate a warm lunch at work. Their bosses wanted them well fed and satisfied and built mess halls where they served them warm meals. And because one warm meal is enough for one day people ate some bread, butter, cheese and cold cuts for dinner.
Deutsche BĂŒrokratie: Passierschein A38. đ€Ł
#Germany #LivingInGermany #AmericanInGermany #LifeInGermany #MovingToGermany #GermanyVlog #ExpatLife #AmericanAbroad #GermanyTravel
I'm an American. I notice you said you're trying not to look through "American eyes", however you keep saying "in America.... in America." Just remember that it's not America and not to compare what you've experienced in other places.
More User Perspectives
Hello from Bellingham Washington! My daughter will be going to college in Munich and we just returned from traveling through Southern Germany and we all loved it! Now I am interested in moving there also! Munich is too expensive for me personally, so I'll be looking for more affordable places. Anyway I'm glad I found your channel!
@runtheyrcomingI hear you on the mandatory school thing. However, just for clarification, your child is not required to go to a public school. It is required to go to a school, be it public or private. There are a bunch of schools such as Waldorf, Montessori, freie Schulen, whatever happens to be in your area (and of course, living out in the country the next alternative school mught be too far away and you end up sending your child to public school). But, it is true, you can't homeschool. School is mandatory
@MsKjeansRegarding the weather, of course Germany has cold winters. Berlin is further north (in latitude) than the western US-Canadian border. In other words, itâs at a Canadian latitude. Hamburg is further north than the southernmost parts of Alaska. And northern Germany is right across the strait from Scandinavia, home of the Vikings. Yes, itâs cold!
@DouglasJWilkeningGerman here: You are right in your criticism of the bureaucracy. While there is often a purpose behind it, it is almost always a bit of a nightmare, too. The employees at the agency usually see and feel the same way.
@algermbiI have lived in Germany, I absolutely loved it, but let me tell you, German efficiency and hard working are a myth đ Germans will not do one thing out of their role at work, and almost nothing is efficient in Germany. As far as school as a European I can't understand homeschooling at all... But I don't like that in Germany kids are put in a box at 9 or 10yo, and labeled as smart or not smart enough to go to university (yes I know there are options to go to university anyway, but it's a lot harder for a teenager to change the course later). And fyi religion in Europe is about culture and traditions especially for holidays and main events, but almost no one folloes all the rules, go to Church every Sunday, preaches abstinence etc... đ Last but not least, now in the US so many people smoke weed, I live in MD and you can smell it everywhere, sometimes even when sitting in traffic in my own car đ€ą
@silmuffin86The reason why many institutions like Kitas, hospitals, schools etc. are catholic is the fact that in the Middle Ages all these institutions came from the church. Hospitals were built and run by no monasteries. So were schools, so was housing for the poor. Social responsibilities fell onto the church, often through donors of considerable means (Stifter). These were not public or even private institutions. As you're living in an old country with two millennia of history, you have structures and systems going back that long. The church is financing that Kita, that hospital. It's nothing to do with living a religious life. They just fund it. I, for example, come from a catholic family, went to a protestant Kindergarten and left church a few years ago. All in all, Germans aren't cery religious in their everyday life. I see that a lot more in the US. It's always freaking me out, tbh.
@MelLa_CompetentVoterI agree, the racism is worse than people realize and it's gotten worse over the past 20 years. And I am really, really sorry for that. We're doing what we can to keep the fascists at bay. It's getting harder....
@MelLa_CompetentVoterIt is often said that we in Europe are halfway in between Americans and Asians when it comes to spacing and communal living. We live closer together than Americans, but not nearly as close as, say, Japanese. We are halfway in between the extremely Individualist Americans and the extremely communal Asians.
@MelLa_CompetentVoterNoooooo! As others have said before, you did get the school thing wrong. Until fourth grade it's Grundschule. From fifth grade on kids go to 'weiterfĂŒhrende Schule' based on their individual needs and skills. That does not determine their career path at all. The idea is to find the fitting school form for each child. My parents were given the recommendation to send me to Gymnasium. If they had said I'd better be off at Realschule, after tenth grade I could still gave gone to Gymnasium, get my Abitur and study. Many have done that. If they had recommended Hauptschule, I could later gave switched to Realschule and, again after 10th grade to Gymnasium. However, I went to school with people who started Gymnasium but after a few years went to Hauptschule. They did a lot better there and they're living a good life. I think you're looking at this through a very American lens. In Germany we don't consider a career in trade or craftmanship as something less than the academic path. On the contrary, we very much value that kind of work. Might be the reason we're famous for our Ausbildung-system. After Grundschule schools try to determine what path might fit your child's needs best for the next few years. They're not put on a street they cannot escape anymore. Relax đ
@MelLa_CompetentVoterAFAIK, the St. Martin thing is only a church thing today. Meaning it would be good if you joined the church that does it in your region. And since it's celebration of a saints day, I'd think it has to be a catholic one. That said, it might be no problem to take part as a non-member, as long as you communicate with the priest or the community manager.
Just a heads up, just joining on the day, when they walk by your house might be seen as krass.
Private schools exist, AFAIK there are a whole slew of specialty schools in the public system. So you can advocate for your child. It just has to go to school, doesn't matter which one. And one can switch between paths. Look into how that works in Berlin, school is a state thing.
A big thing in German compared to English are the cases. I feel that is not explained enough. Cases are just relational forms. As an example: the grocer's apostrophe and "whose" are the genetive case. It denotes that the subject "owns" the object. "Whom" is a remnant of the Dative case. What English uses always is the Nomative. There is one more case in German.
Religious? OK I live in the north, there are also kindergartens that have a connection to the church, but I canât remember that excessively religious things are conveyed there. Of course, we celebrate Christmas and Easter in kindergartens and also the childrenâs birthdays, you could certainly denounce that, but we also celebrate that, although we are not part of the church. I also donât feel like these things are being exaggerated. The children are also told the Christmas story , but it is also part of our tradition.
Even in kindergartens that are not affiliated with the church, people celebrate Christmas and Easter, simply because it is a huge part of our lives, whether religious or not. On the contrary, in the meantime we try to better integrate children with other faiths and often forget our own traditions. But thatâs just my personal feeling.
If you have a Waldorf school nearby, then this might be a concept that you might like. Personally, this would not be stringent enough for me, but that also depends on the respective child.
Interessantes Video!! đđžđ
@lebenindeutschlanderklÀrenThere's always a way to higher education even if you don't go straight to a Gymnasium.
People aren't rude or not helpful, they're efficient.
You don't want to pay for a course for learning German? You could have learned it ahead of time and got the certificate.
You're irritated by religion? Don't move to the south of Germany, where the religious regions are. Most parts of Germany are protestant, only the south is catholic. The further north you go the less religion is practially a thing.
Lovely video. You were spot on with most things. Buying a house or at least an apartment is an ambition for most people who can manage financially. Itâs also the no. 1 form of pensions security - if you can afford to buy with the way the housing market has been going in the last 10-20 yrs. we build houses to last not just our own lifetimes. The remarks on the way people dress was so funny. We really are slobs (but the Brits are worse).
@stevenbuxton2780Religion is only in the south a thing. The North of Germany is totally different. The south is the Texas of Germany.
@sonyphotoguy6601Great achievement to live and settle down with the whole family in three different countries in such a short time. Everyone who has dealt with the authorities in Germany agrees: the bureaucracy is frustrating. Itâs a shame you have to go through this experience.
The visa issuance was probably relatively straightforward since your husband works for a public employerâconnections certainly help.
Luxembourg is a tax haven where a lot of money from Germany, Europe, and other parts of the world is invested. With negotiable tax rates (VAT around 1â3 percent), many international companies have set up shop there. Even the largest US shipping company with an A* rating runs its European business from Luxembourg. To sweeten the deal for bankers considering a move to ânowhere,â salaries there are higher.
Trierâand really almost all of Rhineland-Palatinateâfeels more like the German provinces. Life there is more laid-back, and thatâs reflected in every aspect.
When considering the school system, itâs worth taking a look at Wikipediaâpossibly with the help of a translation. The options have been quite flexible for a long time, so thereâs no need to panic. Thereâs always a solution.
Primary school (Grundschule) is mandatory and assigned by the local municipality based on your place of residence or street. The available options naturally vary depending on the neighbourhood you live in. There are also private schools these days, though they usually require parents to pay tuition fees.
Rhineland-Palatinate has one of the highest home ownership rates among all German federal states, at around 56â57 percent. However, the prices for plots of land, building materials, additional costs, and construction interest rates (currently between 3.7% and 4.5%) have risen so sharply that many young families can no longer afford to buy a home.
In cities, where amenities are more abundant, purchasing a house is even more expensive, which is why many are currently giving up on their dream of owning a home.
If you look toward rural areas, the situation is slightly different. However, mobility costs are naturally higher than in the city.
I truly hope that the unfamiliar way of life in and around Germany doesnât weigh too heavily on you and your family, and that you can lead the life you desire. Wishing you all the best!
When you visit Italy and France you will see tons of men, women and kids very well styled.
Nice put together clothes, they look like models.
Prepare for that.
The best clothed men are from Italy.
Love the outside in view. "Deutsche Bahn" is the best example where difference between German image and reality is shown most prominently đ. And the other infrastructure is crumbling as well (no money spent in past decades to not go into government debt takes it's toll brutally)...
@WurstWasserWertschÀtzerThere's this saying here you might have already heard about: "There is no bad weather, only the wrong clothes." "Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur die falsche Kleidung."
@Kivas_FajoYou definetely hit the spot concerning the German attitude towards fashion. Especially if you are well educated and have a nice job, it is the habit to enjoy an I-don't- care-style. You just spend more money on the quality of your stuff.
@lauretiawollschaf9778Another youtuber I follow, A to Zen, mentioned her sons had trouble in their German school. I wonder what happened. I wonder how they handle neurodiversity; my son is autistic and it's been a struggle. Really appreciate these honest takes.
@amylikeswombats17:25 - you have not arrived: a fax is accepted by the court as document that had arrived - an email is not accepted that way.
Huge difference. You have to wait for a letter cause they want you to sign a document and that way the contract is safe for both sides.
It is not about the nonsense idea that germans have no clue about email. Why, if mp3 for example is a german invention, not an american. And that german laboratory did not the american greedy stuff to patent it in a way of protection but made it freely available ...
Investigate before you are judging wrong about a country that is giving you so much in advance compared to what the US offers to a german immigrant.
Just an ice raid even for those who have a visa or green card. Quite a difference.
Did you forget to mention that all your family members got a health insuranace and that you do not have to insure and pay for each child ?
10 children and 10 payments ... no, all pay the same for the whole family based on their gross income and that payment is just 50% cause 50% are paid by the employer. Did you forget to mention that in case you get older and need daily care it is covered by elderly care insurance ?
Social insurances were the opposite of what american think if they hear the word social. These were inventions from the oldest party in the world and finally introduced by the Chancelor Bismarck himself who had to convince emperor Wilhelm to introduce these as the german industrial age needed qualified, skilled workers more and more and that a misery should not throw a family into poverty. Bismarck warned the emperor if he would not got that way the risks of another uprise and revolution woould increase as seen before in the 1848 revolution of the early march.
So social insurances are a democratic deal of the society and even supported by the emperor - quite the opposite of what americans believe.
They love to fall back into poverty, they love high crime rates and high risks in life or havent you compared the best example ? 42000 killed in traffic in the USA in 2024 ... compared to 2700 in germany. Adjust that by 81 to 325 million population then USA would have 11 000 killed in traffic instead of 42.000 ...quite a difference considering that you can drive unlimited speed on the Autobahn ... driving faster and safer in germany should make people think twice that a lot in the society must be going wrong, horribly wrong if it is a factor of 4. So the government and society does not care about traffic safety if that is 4 times worse.
Hmmm. There are regions in Germany that are very Catholic and very Protestant. Why? Martin Luther introduced Protestantism. At that time, there were many principalities in Germany. And so one prince decided that all the inhabitants of his principality should be Catholic â whilst another, possibly neighbouring, prince declared his principality, including all its inhabitants, to be Protestant. And even today, this division is still evident. There are still areas where the population is largely Catholic or Protestant!
Kind regards from Germany
Hmmm. Letâs see how long it takes Becca to get some mud trousers for her children.
Kind regards from Germany
There is no "but" đ
@cartmann227The apartment search is maddening, the food outside of big cities like Munich and Berlin is blah and the graffiti everywhere is disheartening. However, the groceries are cheaper, people are more helpful, the quiet hours are respectful of your neighbors. Itâs a complicated place with frustrating, inflexible rules but itâs beautiful and the public transportation is wonderful. Iâve been in Bavaria since March.
@hikingviking859The reason compulsory schooling exists is that there are parents who wouldn't send their children to school otherwise, or who simply don't care whether they learn anything. That is the case in some countriesâor at least it used to be. Many children are unable to read or write.
@mery.811Hey Becca, I also have to comment on the german school system: As someone with ADHD I really struggeled with the regular system, my husband (also ADHD) did struggle as well. We both managed to get our Masters degree, through different paths, though it was tough. We choose a Montessori school for our child, because there they don't have to fit in the "mold", which we consider better for their mental health and development. As a private school it is expensive though. Maybe still worth looking into that one.
There is also the private Waldorfschule with a different approach, but if you're not a fan of religiousness, I wouldn't recommend that one as it can be quiet esoteric from my experience.
You can also get lucky with a regular school, if the teachers are great, but from our experiences it is rare. Good luck and hopefully a good time for your kids at school! :)
About Holidays: not every month, it also depends highly on the state you are living in. Most catholic states do have way more holidays then we do in the north.
@ViviNorthbellBecca, the holy days started like that. We praised the Saints of the Roman Catholic Church and had a day off work to do that. Today its just a free day. And remember the Bible, on the 7th day, after creating the world, God rested. Today thats Sunday. We do not thump our chests and shout "we are religious", like a nation I know đ€Ł , some of us just try to live right and help our next humans. Carrying groceries for an elderly, holding the door open for a mother, helping the neighbors kids in any way you can.
Elmar from Swabia
I see many, many comments here about the school system and how it can be more flexible, which is great. But I think you're right about children who just don't fit the mold that most schools anywhere, not just in Germany, expect them to. My son was one of those kids, and here in Canada I found that the school system just wasn't equipped to deal with a child who wasn't what I always called a "cookie cutter kid". He struggled through his entire time in public school, not with learning issues, he always understood things, but with just thinking differently and approaching things differently and acting differently from the other kids and the teachers expectations. If you are still finding this is an issue for you, I strongly encourage you to look for alternate schooling for your child, or consider home schooling, which is something I wish I had done. Unfortunately where we live there just weren't an other options and it broke my heart to see his happy, joyful, quirky little personality slowly being extinguished by a system that just didn't care enough to understand or accept him.
@JanetJohnson-y6zHi Becca, I am a native speaker assistant in an Austrian high school (Gymnasium). I cannot 100% say how it is in Germany, but ...
1) speak to your kindergarten teacher - they will "test" your child and give their educated opinion on whether they should go to 1st grade primary, or pre-school (Austrian system!). Depending on their level of maturity... this is a great "soft-start" to school.
Also; there are Waldorf, Montessori, SteinerpÀdagogik - all different kinds of schools that the kids can go to...
These schools also sometimes go to the age of 14... Also international schools (paying) have different methods of teaching - baccalaureate - and can go from 6 - 18.
Then 4th primary : tests to determine whether you go to High school (gymnasium) or middle school (to 14). I can only speak for Austria. We have this system... Middle school has different learning streams - AHS or standard for the three main subjects. German / English / Maths. If you are evaluated as AHS you automatically get the opportunity to enter higher schools (14 and above) and you can also do your A-levels then OR go to a different school to do a trade. If you are in Standard, you have to do an entrance exam to achieve the grade to enter a higher school (above 14).
Talk to your teachers!!!!!! Important!!!!
I really love how much you love it in Germany. I have lived in Austria for many years and still think "I live in a place where people travel hours and hours to go on holiday!!" It is wondrous to live in such a beautiful place.
The school system:
Yes, it does seam bad. But, donât take it too seriously.
1. if you donât like it/ want something else for your child, look at a private school, like Montessori. Yes, you will have to pay for that, but the fee is dependant on your income.
2. yes, the kids get sorted after 4th grade. But that is not final. You can switch any time, if your kid shows the necessary skills.
3. Even if your kid gets sorted into the âlowestâ school, they can still go to university. Either special ones for people without Abitur or they can just get their Abitur first.
I am speaking out of personal experience here. I came to Germany when I was 3. My parents spoke their native language with me and that led to me lacking German vocabulary. So, I got sorted into Hauptschule (which was basically the idiot dumping ground). Itâs the lowest school form in Germany. You probably think, that I had no chance after that. But no. I had really good grades and went on to a Berufsfachsche, where I got my âMittlere Reiceâ (equal to Realschule). After that I did a vocational training and started working. For the next 2 years I visited an Abendgymnasium. An evening school. I got my allgemeines Abitur there (and it wasnât trade bound or anything). So now, I could study whatever I have a fancy for, if I wanted. On any university. I might even get extra points, as I already did a vocational training and have worked for some years.
There is a way for everyone. And Germans donât put too high stakes on university. A good vocational training can even be better.
Ich freue mich immer ganz generell, wenn ich sehe wenn Menschen aus anderen LĂ€nder hier ankommen und es ihnen gefĂ llt. Die Dinge die dir hier gefallen, werden sich, auch mit der Zeit, nicht wesentlich Ă€ndern. Auf der anderen Seite, kann es bei den Dingen, die dir nicht gefallen, es sich deutlich Ă€ndern..... auĂer bei der db..wobei auch hier das Deutschland Ticket war eine riesen Verbesserung.
@reko726420:15
It has no use forcing your child to do higher education if the kid can't do it.
If you don't have the intelligence, university is impossible.
Your kid will lower the educational level of the university.
Your kid will be frustrated by trying to make his/her parents goal!
America listen up... the holidays ..sunday closed... sick days for yourself and children. Love this
@PamelaShunkIt sounds like you don't much like Germany.
@TheJAXguyHi Becca, really great to see you back online, see you and family made another big move, you sure get around. Assuming hubby has got a position in Germany with an orchestra over there.Good to see the kids are certainly a lot bigger, your Kiwi daughter appears to have inherited mums hair colour. Will follow with interest, take care. From NZ.
@paigetaniaEfficient doesnât necessarily mean fast ;) it means using the least amount of time and energy to complete something. Doesnât say anything about doing other things in the mean time đ
@iPhonesuechtlerThe girl telling you off at tk maxx was rude even by German standards I think ^^ on the other hand itâs very normal for people on minimum wage to be pissed off at their job and also display that and do âDienst nach Vorschriftâ. (Meaning exactly what you described, not doing the tiniest bit more than is in you job description.)
@iPhonesuechtlerWhat you have heard about the school system is obviously influenced by you (or the person whoâs opinion this isâŠ) thinking that people in trades are âworseâ (even with quotes itâs not appropriate imo) than people who study. What the early split and testing is about is to see what you show promise in.
Thereâs lots of ways, and itâs VERY possible to switch your career in any direction, at basically any point in your life. (Youâre not gonna start as an apprentice at 50 years old but you know what I mean.)
You can do school again and then study, or switch to learning a trade.
My mom did that to me all my life, forced me in higher education, only for me to then learn a trade. Wasnât fun. Everyone who didnât study is some kind of second class citizen to her.