10 Facts To Make Your New Life in Germany Easier

October 26, 2012 by 3 Comments
photo credit: Werner Kunz via photopin cc

If you are considering moving to Germany in the near future or have recently moved here, there are a lot of things you need to keep in mind. The following list is just a small sampling of information that you will need to know when you move here, and you can find additional tips on the Germany removals firm, Schepens, website. Opening a bank account is a straightforward process in Germany. However you often need to show some proof of earnings so it isn't a bad idea to bring along your … [Read more...]

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So you want to move to Germany… Moving with Pets

May 2, 2012 by 4 Comments
moving overseas with pets

Happy Wednesday friends! And what a cool one it is. Mom asked me to do something super useful today which is talk about moving to Germany with your pets. I'm not actually one of those pets because my ancestors were imported to Germany long before I was ever born. But mom and dad did bring our two cats with them all those years ago when they moved here...for better or worse. In case you've ever wondered, Germany is generally very pet friendly. There are a lot of hotels that allow pets to … [Read more...]

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So you want to move to Germany… Driving A Car

March 28, 2012 by 4 Comments
german drivers license reciprocity

When people think of Germany, a lot of them think of driving on the Autobahn without a care in the world, as fast as their car will take them. Unfortunately, that dream isn't quite as realistic anymore thanks to trucks, traffic and speed restrictions in a lot of places. But let's just say it's possible all over Germany -- so you'll be wanting to get a license so you can drive like the dickens, too. As I've mentioned in the past, the first couple of years we lived in Germany, we had no car. … [Read more...]

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So you want to move to Germany… Walking & Bicycling

March 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
Bikes keep to the left; pedestrians to the right

Unlike many places in the US, Germany and Europe in generally built to allow people to get from point A to point B without using a car. They may not always walk there, but instead use bikes or even public transport -- but for the most part, people do a whole lot more walking over here. And they also sometimes just walk...wait for it - I promise it's going to blow you way... because they enjoy it and want to experience the weather! Have you ever heard of something so ridiculous? Ok, before … [Read more...]

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So you want to move to Germany… Public Transport

March 5, 2012 by 3 Comments
germany public transport

Imagine this if you can... You move to a new country and some of the first things you buy are a washing machine and a kitchen (a topic I will later get into), but not a car. And you don't move your car over with you either. But you've grown up in a place where it was always necessary to have a car and people rarely walk or bicycle anywhere, because it would just take forever since most towns and cities are really sprawling. And using public transportion like trams, buses and subways isn't even … [Read more...]

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So you want to move to Germany… Housing

February 28, 2012 by 1 Comment

Last week, I went into a long discussion about the legalities of moving to Germany as a foreigner and how to go about getting a visa. So today, I'm going to assume you're allowed to be here, and jump right into finding a place to live. When Stefan got his first internship here and even when we moved over here, the rental market for apartments was extremely competitive in and around Frankfurt. You would go to an apartment and there would be 20 other people there and if you like what you saw, … [Read more...]

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So you want to move to Germany… Visas & Permits

February 20, 2012 by 27 Comments
german_flag

Over the last few years, I have gotten more and more emails from people who want to move to Germany or other places in Europe but would appreciate a bit of advice before they take the leap. From singles to entire families, there are a wide range of folks who want to  experience the culture, take some language classes, and take an adventure into an unknown world. Some may be considering participating in a few university level studies, others may have a job here they'd be moving to, and others … [Read more...]

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