You may have noticed that in general, I try not to be a naysayer. I like to look at life as if the glass is half-full, and think positively so that good things happen. I fully believe that if you focus on the negative all the time, you are only going to produce more negativity. But our trip to Florida over Christmas really got me thinking about what a miserable place Hessen can be to live.
I mean don’t get me wrong, we have some of the best neighbors a family could ask for…and have generally been very lucky when it comes to neighbors. But there are always one to two evil ones in the bunch that go and cast a shadow over the block…and we definitely have a big one of those here.
Neighbors aside, there is generally just a huge difference between living in Germany and living in Florida. I know the two places would usually never be on the table for comparison, but Stefan and I actually met in Miami while we were in college (Go ‘Canes!) and then we moved here to the Frankfurt area. Most people can’t quite understand what we were thinking but we were young and invincible then…and we definitely value the experience. But in retrospect, we do sometimes wonder what in the world we were thinking when we left The Sunshine State.
What makes Hessen so horrible?
- People usually won’t greet you on the street even if you greet them first — not even a super cute 3-year-old waving frantically and saying, “Hallo!”
- Germans are just not as open & friendly as Americans. This goes above and beyond greeting strangers…Americans can become instant friends with anyone, anywhere, and we don’t feel uncomfortable joining in on a random conversation we overhear. Americans also are often more social and want to throw parties, have friends over or entertain. We have thrown a lot of parties in our days, and almost never received a  invite to anything in return. Granted, it wasn’t our sole purpose in hosting, but it’s nice to have a friend invite you to dinner at their place or just to go hang out somewhere. Maybe we just have the wrong friends…
- The weather is the worst, especially in winter. I actually looked up the average number of rain days per year, which is 173. But after living here for 10 years, I would estimate that on average, our area gets about 150 days of rain, 150 days of weather looking like rain and 65 days where you get to see the sun for more than an hour. Not pleasant at all. And let’s not even delve into the temperature extremes and the total unpredictability.
- You can’t wear flip flops year-round. Perhaps I’m just spoiled because I grew up in Texas and Florida (although I did spend 4 years in Virginia in between) but I LOVE my flip flops and open shoes…and I hate that I have to put on big galoshes and snow boots a good portion of the year here because of the sucky weather. But LL Bean sure does appreciate it.
- Customer service is the pits (this is actually a bit of a Germany problem overall) and there are very few occasions when the customer is ever right or valued. For example, we have a restaurant down the street which has decent local fare. The business has been in the family for generations and the same 4 people are working in there every night. The owner lives literally around the corner from us and we pass him on the street regularly. Once while we were in there, we noticed a bunch of old photos on the wall, some of which feature our house, and we talked with the owner about them. Now if it were me, I would make sure I notice locals that are in my restaurant almost weekly during the summer. The Asian take-out place sure has no trouble remembering us even if we disappear for a month or six. But not this guy. Or perhaps being rude and impatient is how he shows he likes you.
- Everything in Germany is highly taxed. Your income is heavily taxed (up to 60%), your business is taxed (and do not even get me started on what a pain it is to run a business here) and nearly everything you buy is subject to the VAT (value added tax) at the whopping rate of 19%. Seriously, I can fully grasp a 7% tax (which does apply on some items like certain foods, books and magazines, flowers and things like mail services) but 19% is harsh. And the tricky thing is that it’s priced right into whatever you’re buying, so you just barely notice it. Which is good or I’d probably be angry about it all the time.
- I miss coupons & bargain shopping. Being able to use coupons and special offers to get something for next to nothing was always one of my favorite challenges. But here, coupons & sales at times other than the end of seasons were only recently introduced so they aren’t really that big. So going to the grocery store and actually having the store pay you to take their products or bringing home two huge bags of clothes for under $75 just doesn’t happen here.
Why Naples, Florida, may be the greatest place on Earth
- Of all the places we were in Florida, not one person was rude, impolite or in a bad mood. Yes, Mackenzie is very helpful for improving the moods of people — but somehow her powers are far greater in the US.
- It was warm enough to go swimming outdoors on Christmas Day.
- I got a sunburn on the beach the day after Christmas — where we were able to wade in the water without fear of frostbite.
- People say they live certain places because they need seasons….they can have mine! I’m happy with hot season, tourist season, hurricane season and rainy season (the latter of which means a
rain shower torrential downpour daily that lasts 30 minutes between 2 and 3pm.
Those of you who have lived in Hessen/Germany or currently live here — what do you think about all this? Did I just get spoiled being back in the US?
This post is linked up to Oh Amanda for Top Ten Tuesday
Let me add:
– Sunday EVERYTHING closures.
– Apotheke closures. Ever walk to the closest Apotheke sniffling and sneezing in the pouring rain only to find out itÂŽs closed and the only one open is about 2 miles away from the sign on the door? I have.
– Explaining to the lady at the Apotheke EXACTLY whatÂŽs wrong…yes, I have a cold. How bad? Pretty bad. Do you sneeze? yes. Can you breathe from your nose? No. How long has it been? Can you sleep? Lady, have YOU tried sleeping when you canÂŽt breathe out of your nose????? Give me a CVS with stocked shelves any day.
When we first moved here 10 years ago, not only was everything closed on Sunday, but all stores were only open until 2pm on Saturday and until 6pm during the week. Needless to say shopping was a complete nightmare if you worked a real job…because we were rarely home before the stores closed during the week. Thankfully that changed a few years ago…but after a few years, you start to appreciate being forced to find something other than shopping to amuse yourself with on Sundays. And at least the bakeries are still open!
Our whole town shuts down from 12:30 until 2. Definitely frustrating, especially when I was really sick a few years ago and had to drive 30 minutes to get to the next open Apotheke. I do find the system with listing emergency Apotheke’s kinda nice, though — for when your local one is closed on weekends.
I totally miss over-the-counter medicine and being able to just go to one store to get vitamins, aspirin, food and whatever else I need. I don’t think I’ll ever get over all the convenience things that are missing over here.
I haven’t gotten the chance to go home yet since becoming an expat and while I am currently trying to make that trip happen, I worry the German expat blues might come on with a vengeance upon our returning.
Hopefully you feel the German love again soon.
My two cents’ for what it’s worth–I wonder if the reason for everyone’s bad nature is the oppression of the taxation as well as the weather. You know–seasonal affective disorder (SAD). That lack of vitamin D can surely make one unhappy. Are you planning to homeschool your daughter? I hear the laws there are not friendly to it. God bless…
I definitely think that the vitamin D deficiency has something to do with it…because I’m certain that the average number of days of rain doesn’t include the number of days it’s just overcast here. My mom always had a theory that people which live in colder climates and have to put on 5 layers of clothing to go outside just generally weren’t all that friendly or happy. I think that coupled with the lack of sun makes a huge impact on the people.
Definitely won’t be homeschooling her because it’s more or less illegal here. But you can at least send you child to any school in your area that you choose (as far as I understand it.) Obviously if it’s a private school, you’d have to pay for that luxury but there are some decent public schools around as well. The school system in Germany is wildly complex to begin with…
I’ve been in Hessen just over two years now – and I couldn’t disagree with you more. I love it here! Sure, people could be a little friendlier and customer service is an absolute joke, but I quite like everything else you mentioned. It does rain a lot, but every time I’m outdoors and I see all the green it affords us, I think it’s worth it. Our last trip out to CA, we were told it had been raining torrentially (probably about 3 days, by CA standards), only for us to get there and be surrounded with BROWN. The landscape was so ugly by comparison! While tax seems like an unbearable amount here, every time I go to the doctors and don’t have to empty my savings, or enjoy the smooth, clean streets while driving or walking around, or realize that if people here lose their jobs they’re not immediately out on the street, it all seems worth it. In CA, unfortunately the opposite was true on all accounts. You pay for what you get, and I think we get a lot. And I must say, personally, I’d take a cute pair of boots over flip-flops any day! đ
@mandy: I now LOVE that everything is closed on Sundays – it forces relaxation I would never otherwise enjoy. In the states, weekends were for errands, chores and house projects, here it’s for walks in the forest, leisurely meals and time with friends.
It’s funny, as we just had friends that were back visiting in the south and experienced the American friendliness – to the millionth degree. A waitress at a restaurant came over and asked to hold their baby – and then, without asking, took off with her, parading around the restaurant. I couldn’t imagine a German doing something like that, and that’s just the way I like it! There’s something to be said for boundaries.
There are certainly things to be missed where we’re from, but I think we’ve got it pretty good – most of Europe just a car ride away, 30+ days of holiday a year, healthcare that won’t bankrupt us. I hope you find some of the things you loved about first being here soon!
Oh, I’m not saying I’m going to off myself or anyone nearby — it’s just that after being back in the States for a while after a nearly 4 year absence, I realized I really do miss it a lot. Maybe it’s the 11-year-itch or something. đ
As a gardener, I can appreciate the rain in the spring, summer (although it’s been a drought lately then) and even fall…but all winter long as well is harsh. Plus the insanely short days and dark at 4:30pm. Even though that only lasts a month or so, it’s just awful.
At this point in time, I’ve found the streets to be better in the US and way less congested. After 8+ years, the construction around WĂŒrzburg is finally mostly finished, allowing one to actually make use of the Autobahn again…but the quality of the streets thanks to the truck super highway has seriously decreased.
Perhaps it’s just a difference between California and Florida in general…everything in FL was immensely green and gorgeous, even in December. And the streets…ah the streets. How I’ve missed wide streets and parking lots that you don’t require you to crawl out of the back of your car once you’ve squeezed into them. đ
The healthcare system is pretty good here, but it’s got its own serious flaws. Ask your doctor (or my husband the healthcare analyst) what he thinks of the system some time and I’m sure you’ll get an earful. Yes, what people on the public system pay is pennies — but the doctors also receive nothing in return. And it shows. After recently becoming a privately insured individual, the difference is like night and day. The German system will not be able to continue like this forever. And I definitely won’t talk about the US system because it’s just gone from bad to worse lately.
Welfare /Hartz IV systems…I think I’ll leave those discussions for another day because this will really turn into a novel. đ
Like I said, I tend to look at the bright side most of the time — you’ve got to make the most of whatever situation you have. But Hessen is not the state I would choose to live in if I had a chance to move elsewhere in Germany.
I am a Floridian (Gainesville) who currently lives in Berlin, and I identify with everything you have posted, it’s all true to an extent. However, I wouldn’t trade living in Berlin for living in Florida again. Germany has so many benefits including lower cost of living, better education, better health care, better working hours, more consumer protections etc.. etc… What does this add up to? — Way less stress than the U.S., way fewer worries about “what if”, more time to spend with family and just a better quality of life.
Tax being built into prices is the only consumer friendly way of letting folks know what it’s gonna ACTUALLY cost them before they buy. In the U.S. you have to think “OK, it’s that plus about 10% taxes, fees, B.S”. Prices for daily necessities in Germany (except energy) are low compared to the U.S. and quality is FAR better.
Germans are often quite friendly, just not extra-efusively so like is the habit in the U.S. In Berlin you do get a bit of “New Yorker” attitude, but hey, mostly they’re telling you like they see it.
Germans also value deep long term friendships over being overly warm to a person they just met. They are loyal, warm and spend a lot of energy cultivating their friends who they see as most important to them. They are sometimes suspicious of someone who seems to be trying to become their best friend while selling them a sandwich.
Lovely post, and like I said, you’re right! There just is another side to the coin!
Never been to Bradenton but you’re right, I definitely wouldn’t say just anywhere in Florida. Orlando for example– never in a million years. Back to Miami? No, Senor. Naples, FL — definitely đ
I guess the cost of living in Berlin could be cheaper than some parts of the US, but over here near Frankfurt, it’s pricey to live. Buying a home is way more expensive and forget getting something with land (I’m a Texas girl so I like my space lol.) And of course there’s gas being almost 4x the price of gas in the US. Quality food in the US varies greatly by area so I’d estimate it’s about the same. Clothing is far cheaper in the US (and more stylish IMO too.) Again, just speaking from my experience here near Frankfurt. Where my in-laws live, cost of living is a lot lower — but still probably mostly on par with Naples.
I’m really appreciating hearing from so many expats from various parts of Germany and who have been here such varied lengths of time. Maybe I’m just too jaded after 10 years and the grass is always greener lol. The fact that we run our businesses over there also plays a huge role in my interest to one day go back there (although I have no clue when that might ever be.)
Very interesting post and replies. I think it all boils down to what you make of your situation. No location is perfect. You’ll be happiest in the place where your priorities (whatever those are) are taken care of the best. And, no matter where it is, there will always be times when you want what you can’t have — like the curly haired girl who carries a flat iron or my German neighbor who drives an American car and wears GAP clothing. I’ve lived in lots of places and have tried to appreciate each location for whatever it has to offer. Over time, I’ve learned what my priorities are and hunted for where I’ll be happiest. Until I settle there, I will try to make the most of my Hessen home.
Hi Tiffany, I’ve been living near you in Baden-WĂŒrttemberg since 2001 and I can relate (except about the weather – I’m from Seattle)! The service is the pits, except in restaurants where I find it better here. No over-enthusiatic in-your-face waitresses, for example. đ The lack of dinner invitations is striking, isn’t it? We invite a lot and as our international friends have also noticed, most of our German friends NEVER invite us to their places. We’ve had many a discussion about this and have come to the conclusion that most people have such high expectations for a dinner party (spotless house, ironed table cloth, table decoration, who knows) that they’re exhausted by the mere thought of inviting. We Americans are a bit more relaxed about some of those things. For example we’ve shamelessly had colleagues over Fri. night for take-out Thai and beer. Do tell if you discover other theories on the invite problem.
Hi Tiffany,
I have been following your blog for a couple of years now but have — I am embarrassed to admit — never left a comment so far. I appreciate all of the work you put into the blog and into sharing helpful information with your readers. I am struck by your latest post and feel moved to comment because I had SUCH a different experience and perspective upon returning to Florida for the first time after moving to Berlin. (For full disclosure: Ryan — who commented on this post as well — is my partner.) After that first trip back to Florida, I wrote a blog post on our little private blog that I wanted to share with you:
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Quality of life comparisons
Submitted by Nicole on Fri, 2010/02/26 – 9:43pm
Here is a link to a post that I came across several months ago on a well-known expat blog that I follow, and I never got around to sharing it. It is called “America for the Americans, Europe for the Europeans” and contains a response to another author’s article on the topic. The response makes some interesting observations about quality of life comparisons between Europe and the U.S. in light of the differing value
ascribed to the concept of “comfort and convenience”:
http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/german_joys/2009/08/bryan-caplan-on-what-american-and-european-tourists-get-wrong—-where-american-tourists-go-wrong1-in-european-countries.html
The differences in European and American attitudes toward “comfort and convenience” hit home for me on our first visit back to the U.S. after moving to Berlin. I had more of a culture shock going back to the U.S. after nine months of living in Europe than I did when moving to Berlin after well over ten years of living in the U.S. I had planned for the
latter and was surprised by the former.
What hit me the most was the size and superlative nature of almost everything we came across — the size of cars and trucks (and the number of cars and trucks on a single piece of property), the size of supermarkets and parking lots, the number of brand new houses standing next to each other in a new development, the size of houses used by small families, the size of roads (as compared to the size of sidewalks or bike paths, if any exist at all), the number of Christmas decorations and lights on a single house, the size of soda cups in a restaurant (and the availability of unlimited refills), and the attitude that goes along with it all (like describing a house as “small” when it’s bigger than most large-family homes in Europe or “needing” an SUV or minivan for a family of four). All in the name of “comfort and convenience.” There are lots of things I love about life in the U.S., but I must say that the priority ascribed to “comfort and convenience” (often above all else) is not one of them.
I had obviously seen and experienced all of these things before, but the contrast to Europe was stark for me this time. When you live in the midst of a culture that values “comfort and convenience” highly, you of course come to appreciate the benefits of it (big cars with relatively cheap gas, huge stores that are open at all hours and carry everything you could possibly need conveniently in one place, big houses with a separate room for everyone in the family plus more), you begin expecting it and start viewing other cultures where things are a little less convenient (due, for example, to higher value ascribed to time off for employees on Sundays and to the environmental consequences of big cars and cheap gas) as having a lower standard of life. When Ryan and I were visiting his grandparents a little over a year ago, we watched a debate on C-SPAN about the financial crisis where someone from the CATO Institute made a comment to the effect of: “Well, if you want to do that [can’t remember any more what the specific topic was], you will soon end up with the kind of [impliedly lower] quality of life you have in France.”
Ryan and I both looked at each other in disbelief and started laughing. To us, the standard of life in France and many other places in Europe is WAY higher than in the U.S. People have many more vacation days, have universal health insurance (and no, the quality of care is NOT lower under a public health plan), are not required to work for a month and a half before giving birth, can take a year or more off after having a baby, and are not threatened by homelessness if they, say, lose their job and suffer a terrible illness at the same time because there is an extensive social welfare system that will catch them. What you give up in exchange is a little bit of “comfort and convenience”. I’ll take that trade any day. And I wish more Americans had the opportunity to see this different way of
life, see that it is possible to live with a little less “comfort and convenience” without giving up that much, and see that one can really come to appreciate the beneficial effects that small choices in one’s own life have on society at large. For me, anyway, moving to live in a culture that strikes a slightly different balance on these issues has made me feel
more at peace.
Of course, this is not to say that Europe is perfect. FAR from it! ALL of us who live in industrialized countries have a VERY long way to go to change our habits and the underlying societal structures to create a more sustainable way of life for everyone on the planet. And for the planet itself. But I dare say that the U.S. has a longer way to go than (m)any other country(ies) in the world. (The worldwide comparisons of per capita energy consumption and CO2 emissions are striking!) Examining the high value ascribed to “comfort and convenience” in comparison to countervailing values would be a good start.
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Great comment! I definitely admire Europeans for doing a lot better job of living within their means and not chasing after the Jones’. And the Super Sized culture of America is certainly crazy a lot of the time.
So glad I managed to bring you out of hiding. Hopefully you won’t be so shy in the future. đ
I lived in Orlando for a few years. And you are right. Nothing beats wearing shorts/sandals all thru winter!
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!!!!REBUTTAL!!!!
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(Somebody has to defend poor ol’ Hessen)
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I live in the middle of the 3rd most favourite tourist spot in Hessen, so I think I should give Hessen a fair rebuttal.
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1) People won’t greet you on the street. Strange – must be where you live, because they do here. In fact the rudest thing you can do is to fail to say “Guten Tag”. But it has it’s protocol. If you are younger than the other person, you are expected to say “Guten Tag” FIRST.
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2) Germans are just not as open and friendly as Americans. First of all this doesn’t just apply to Hessians, and secondly it depends on where you go. People in Cologne are more open and friendly than people in Frankfurt; and people in Leipzig are less open and friendly than people in Frankfurt; and people in Berlin are much more open than Frankfurt and Cologne, but less friendly than all of them put together. So there! LOL! Contraversely, Germans don’t really care for what they think of as this syphocant-suck-up-to-your-neighbours-give-everyone-in-the-world-a-hug-so-they-luv-me sort of attitude. It’s not bad the way the Germans are; it’s simply different. When I go to the states, it makes me paranoid the way people like waitresses keep coming to your table asking if they can do anything for you. I have to bite my tongue before I blurt out: “Yeah! Get a life!” I forget that that’s normal in America. It’s not normal here. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s just different. (I don’t mean you have to like it, but I thought I might explain.)
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3) The weather is the worst! There is a German saying that goes, “There is no such thing as bad weather. There are only people who are poorly dressed to suit the weather.” I would suspect that the weather is perfectly normal for anywhere on the planet in the Northern Hemisphere at 50°. Seriously, you would have to complain about the weather if you moved to Montreal or New York too, wouldn’t you? đ
Florida is in the Caribbean. Think of it this way: Laugh at the others in Florida sweltering under the humidity in July, while you can move outside without melting in the sun!
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4) You can’t wear flip-flops year round. Heck, you can’t even buy flip-flops here, but then every place has it’s drawbacks. It doesn’t snow for Christmas where you can wear flip-flops year round, and that’s a bummer too, or?
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5) Customer Service. I onced worked in retail in Frankfurt, so I know the other side of customer service, too. Germany has lots of laws, which clearly regulate business relationships. Customer service is part of this, and a factor added into the price calculation of a product or service. It’s naive to think that customer service doesn’t cost anything. It costs quite a bit when it comes to taking back products, and it cuts into profits. Now, one of the things Germans are, is competitive. They calculate their prices tight, with little room for defects. So to remain in business, you have this constant “war” between consumers and product/service providers. Who is responsible for what? So you cannot apply standards which are normal in America to Germany, because the consumer laws are completely different. For instance, stores do not have to give you a brand new T.V. broke after two months. They do have to repair it for free, but they are not obligated to take it back, and give you a new one; and they are certainly not obligated to take it back and give your money back just because you don’t like it. Customer service is here, but it’s just not as an important factor as it is in the U.S. Some things are a blessing. Did you notice how no telemarketers call you at dinnertime trying to sell you crap? That’s because telemarketing is illegal in Germany.
As for the example you named, most Germans consider it rude behaviour to ask you your name point-blank. For them it’s being a nosy-parker. Your restaurant owner probably does recognise you, but he doesn’t know your name, and since you didn’t introduce yourselves formerly, he probably thinks it would be rude and none of his business if he asks your name. For him, good customer service means minding your own beeswax, and keeping his social relationship to you on the professional level by not asking you anything personal whatsoever, including finding out your name.
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6) The taxes are high. 60% income tax is baloney. You can’t include health care deductions, welfare insurance and unemployment insurance deductions as “tax”. When it comes down to income tax, your net-net federal income tax is actually lower than most states in the U.S. AND you didn’t even mention the fact that Hessen (like all German states) has no state taxes. Besides, you probably like the idea of having clean water in one of the most industrial countries in the world, and great Autobahns, and very clean streets, and free public education, including free college education. How do you like the idea of being able to collect unemployement for six months? Or the fact that you will not starve to death if you lose your job? Or how about getting an allowance from the government for the cost of raising your kids? How about having full medical coverage for the entire family when only one parent has a job? That all costs money, and it has to come from somewhere.
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7) I miss coupons and bargin shopping. Let’s face it! Coupons are bogus. They’re a scam, a smoke-screen that Germans see as a form of consumer fraud. No manufacturer can manufacture stuff for more than what it costs. So would your prefer that a manufacturer gives you a tiny little present and makes his product a few cents cheaper for two weeks out of the year, while he gouges you for the other 50 weeks? That’s why Aldi, Lidl and Norma are so successful. These stores have already clipped, collected and deposited your coupons at the cash register 365 days a year, by making their prices cheaper than Real, Edeka and Rewe. If you believe in coupons, then you probably already have a couple of the German “Payback” cards at home, anyway. And you haven’t found any bargains yet? Haven’t you heard of the German world “SchnĂ€ppchen”? That’s the word they use for special offers and bargains. Just Google “SchnĂ€ppchen” and look at how many millions of entries you’ll find.
Wow…I really didn’t expect this post to ruffle so many feathers. đ
1) We do greet first. Often. And some do reply. But a majority do not. Which is just bad form.
2) I like the overly friendly attitude. It’s not about being fake — it’s about just seeming like you actually enjoy your life instead of hate it and want to die. Bavarians will greet you, but they also are quite reserved until they get to know you. I’m fine with that. But in my neck of the woods, we like friendly people who don’t act as if you don’t exist.
3) Weather is weather. I’ve been here 10 years and clearly have made the most of it. But I would much rather have more sunny days each year and could do without the constant drizzle. And for the last years, it has been so blazingly hot here that we also couldn’t move. Over 95 without A/C is rough, regardless of where you live. Perhaps it’s milder in Rhön than here — but the last few summers were far from comfortable.
4) Can’t buy flip-flops? Now you’re the one exaggerating. And if it did actually snow here at Christmas I would enjoy that a whole lot more. But aside from last year, we don’t really get snow in Frankfurt. We get the drizzle. That is winter in Frankfurt.
5) By customer service I do not mean the ability of a customer to change their mind or “rent” a product from a store for a few months and bring it back. I think that practice is absurd and in many stores in the US that is also no longer possible. What I am referring to is the complete lack of employees who have an interest to help you in any way if you go into their establishment. Clothing stores, electronics stores, restaurants. I have been into many a store where the employees had no interest in actually selling products and even if asked wouldn’t give you a hand. Whether they were poorly trained or badly motivated I don’t know…I didn’t stop to ask.
Maybe you’re on a do not call list or are out of the house all day, but telemarketers most certainly do exist here and I get to talk to them about once a week.
As for the restaurant which doesn’t acknowledge us, I actually don’t mean him greeting us by name. I mean he looks at our faces and simply doesn’t even seem to recall he’s ever seen us before. Ever. Which I really find hard to believe. We’ve been here 6 years. If you can’t remember someone after 6 years, that’s just not normal. Many of the places around here are like that…and personally I think if you’re going to be in a customer service industry like that you need to at least recognize a face. My hairdresser on the other hand, is actually fussed at by customers if she can’t remember them after the first time and doesn’t greet them on the street because she simply doesn’t see them.
6) I mis-typed. 60% is taken home. Taxes and insurance account for 40%: 27.3% income tax, 2.3% church tax, 1.4% solidarity tax, 5.7% social security + 4% heath & social insurance. But no state taxes is irrelevant in the case of Florida as it also does not have one. Many autobahns have seen better days and are not only overrun with cars & trucks but totally under construction for years. Yes, improvements take time. But 30 years to build a bridge is a bit absurd, no? And that was actually the case of one stretch between Frankfurt and WĂŒrzburg on the A3 which was under construction since my husband was a baby.
I think if people are going to have kids, they should do it because they can afford them — not because they get a kickback. Yes, I think it’s a nice gesture that in most cases one can take 25+ days of vacation (30 is not a requirement but an option) and that parents can take off work around births. But I’m also privately insured and fully aware that there are serious hardships on companies because of these privileges. I’m also fully aware that the healthcare system here is in shambles because everyone wants something from nothing. Many of the people that receive 2 weeks off in the US don’t even take that time because it’s a completely different work ethic.
What about the 7% of the German population on Hartz IV…and the nearly 18% of foreigners? Many of these people are completely manipulating the system and stealing money from every tax payers’ pocket. Yet no one really seems to care in the end because, oh it’s so great that we can support people whose only goal in life is to have someone else pay their way. People on Hartz IV get more spending money than the average German who works 35-40 hours a week and many of the perks in life included — because we wouldn’t want them to stand out in the crowd for being slackers. There may be some perks, but there are also some huge problems with this system as well.
Naw! You didn’t ruffle my feathers. đ I never ever bother to make comments to people who upset me.
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“Maybe youâre on a do not call list or are out of the house all day, but telemarketers most certainly do exist here and I get to talk to them about once a week. ”
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Oh… is your home a business at the same time? And are these telemarketers calling you from Germany? Because if your home is also your place of business, then that’s allowed (if you don’t have a separate phone), and it’s allowed if you already have products or services from a particular company (like when the Telekom rings you up). Telemarketing to businesses is permissable, but unsolicited cold-calling to your private home is not allowed, and you can stop them, as soon as you get their name and number and report them. I am not on a do-not-call list, and the only people who call me are from Turkey or they’re from my IP provider.
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Where do you buy flip-flops??? WANT! NOW! YESTERDAY, in fact. Har-har! I wear my last pair of quality flip-flops 15 years old and almost worn out to the garbage can and back in winter, as long as there’s no snow on the ground. (But I run all the way!) Are they real flip-flops? They’re not those “Badeschuhe” are they? (The ones with no toe thong?)
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Yeah, I know what you mean about customer service. But I usually only see that kind of “service” in the Douglass Parfumerie chain – you know… when that snot-nosed 22 year-old beauty-school dropout with the caked-on mascara rolls her eyes when you walk in the shop, and says “Kann ich Ihnen irgendwie helfen?” in such a pissed-off voice that you would think I had just spoiled her chances of scoring with Dieter Bohlen on Germany’s Idol. That kind of customer service (or lack of it), right? They don’t get my business.
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You know… it almost sounds like you live in Niederdorfelden. LOL (well maybe not that bad)… But there are places there are places. Some people here asked us when we moved to this village. “We moved here in 1996.” And they say, “Really? I’ve never seen you guys before.” And my husband says, “Yeah, but I sat next to you in the 4th grade. Don’t you remember?” “Ohhhh… Really?” LOL! What can I say?
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Ugh.. health insurance accounts for 13-15% of your gross paycheck. Hey! And did you know I even had to pay solidarity tax when I worked in ThĂŒringen. They deducted because I live in Hesse, and I was the only employee that had to pay it!
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I came from California, and I have to pay California state income tax to this very day, even though I haven’t lived in the US since 1989. That makes me grind my teeth.
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Boy! If only the Germans who could afford to have kids had them, then there would be about 30-70% less kids in Germany, and there would not be enough people left over to support the senior citizens. The amount of people on Hartz IV is about 12-18% depending on the region. The unemployment rate is 7%. This sounds confusing, because people who are on Hartz IV are not all considered employable. Those who are not considered employable are not included in the statistics (for example single moms). Germany fudges on their unemployment statistics. It’s estimated that every fourth child in Germany is growing up in relative poverty.
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Some people are manipulating this Hartz IV system. Not many people, but some. And when they are caught, they’re punished. I live in area where about 15% of my neighbours are recipients of Hartz IV. They are German – not foreigners. And I wouldn’t exactly call 325 Euro per month, from which a normal person is supposed to buy all his food, clothing and hygiene products, “living it up”. All of the people I know want to get off Hartz IV because it sucks! But they just can’t. The ARGE won’t help them. And how are they supposed to find work, if they can’t afford newspapers, or even a telephone connection. Hartz IV pays your rent, not your phone. One of my neighbours has sent out 200 job applications in the past 18 months. What is she suppose to do? Sure I heard about the woman who was hiding the fact she had a condo on Mallorca, and that guy in NRW who had a sailboat – but those guys are not everybody. Yes, there are a few people who really don’t want to work, but what do you do with them? Put them in jail? Put them in concentration camps, and make them work. I don’t like supporting them either. Who does, but it’s the price of society. I don’t think you like your German tax money bailing out Greek millionaires, either, but what can you do? That’s life! Why make someone work who really, really doesn’t want to? You gotta figure he’s crazy anyway, and it’s cheaper to feed him than to not feed him. If you don’t feed him, he’ll steal, and then he’ll go to jail, and keeping him in jail is much more expensive than feeding him in the first place. How else can you effectively get rid of slackers without resorting to the Hitler method? BTW, don’t you find it funny how some of these slackers support the NPD?
Check out the end of season sales at globetrotter.de — I bought a bunch of Teva flip-flops for 10-15 euros a pair and they last forever. Absolutely adore my Tevas and they are definitely not those nasty plastic things you pick up for 5 bucks at kik. đ
I don’t dare go in Douglas. I cannot stand the smell of that place. Horrific. But yes, those are definitely the kinds of customer service reps I’m talking about. They’re way too good to help you and don’t even know why you bothered to come in the store. I mean, ugh, how dare you make me get off my butt and help you? Eee gads? đ Naturally you have them in the US too, but since a lot of retail people work on commission over there (I used to be one of those also) and the restaurant staff mostly earn zilch aside from tips, it usually gives them more reason to actually do their jobs.
When you have a kid over here you get a bunch of stuff thrown at you and you land on calling lists for them. The Telekom is one of the absolute worsts when it comes to telemarketing. They put people on the phone who don’t have a clue what services you actually have and they’re trying to pitch you stuff that isn’t even available in your area. Insane.
I almost fell out of my chair when you said Niederdorfelden…it’s one town over! đ
The solidarity tax is just priceless. Especially when you go over there and so many parts of East Germany are desolate and definitely not seeing any of that money.
Continuing to pay US taxes while abroad is the worst. On the other hand, you could always give up your citizenship. đ
Nothing we really can do besides bend over and take it, right? All the systems are screwed in one way or another, regardless of the continent you’re on. Maybe your neighbors should put their heads together and find a company they can form. There are lots of grants from the Germans for things like that. I know Americans are generally more prone to being entrepreneurs, but there just might be something they can pull off if they do some brainstorming!
You are absolutely right about the welfare queens (especially those from third-world toilets) who scam their way in as “Asylbewerbers” and then let us taxpayers finance their breeding. Socialism works OK as long as you have a homogenous hard-working population. I expect it’ll fall apart eventually.
You know what I hate about the states? Idiots who homestead the left lane of the interstates. I also hate state sales taxes, so you have to add that to anything you purchase. I also hate shallow people who smile in your face while stabbing you in the back.
Sorry – In N° 7 I meant to write, “No manufacturer can manufacture for LESS than cost”.
I have read your blog for many years and for the most part enjoyed it. I donât always agree with what you say, but your blog about âwhat you donât like about Hessenâ prompts my reply.
I understand that your Florida vacation was wonderful. After all you were in Naples for 2 weeks in December, I might add and of course it was wonderful. Naples is a wonderful town. Every time I am on vacation I fall in love with where ever I am, but thatâs not reality.
Do I need to remind you that Florida has the highest foreclosure rate in the Nation? And unemployment is around 10%. All these families with out jobs are also without healthcare.
I have worked with people that had insurance and still could not afford to have their prescriptions filled and I have seen insurance companies cancel coverage for people that needed expensive care.
For these people universal healthcare would be a blessing. I know that your mother was taken care of very well when she had her accident in Germany, no questions asked. No Doctor in this country would see you without insurance or a credit card. People have to go to the emergency room and wait for many hours before they get seen.
Donât get me wrong. The US has many things that I like, but itâs not perfect and neither is Germany.
You complain about the lack of friendliness and I would have to agree to a certain degree. Germans are much more reserved and not everybody will be your so-called friend. Once you make friends however, they will be your friend for life.
You talk about people not greeting you on the street. I donât ever recall walking on the street and being greeted by some one walking by. This would probably be very difficult here, because most people shun walking, they prefer to plant their âsuper sizedâ ass in their âsuper sized” cars.
Thanks for letting me âventâ.
Irene,
well – no country is perfect – but I think what Tiffany contrasts is life in Florida, not vacation in Florida. After all, she lived there for 5 years and probably knows it quite well.
I find it funny how everyone in these responses brings up the great social aspects of Germany – particularly the healthcare. But what most people looking in from the outside don’t realize is that this part of the country is quite seriously messed up in terms of funding. Much like social security in the US really. But where it gets really dramatic is in healthcare – I ran an analysis on the German healthcare system last year for work and our conclusion was that in order to keep basic government healthcare at the same level it is now healthcare premiums would need to increase to more than 50% of gross pay by 2030.
Just to leave a health system in a “workable” basic care system premiums need to go to 23.8% of gross pay in that time. I am not sure that is a system to be envious of.
Another thing which strikes me as funny is that everyone mentions social benefits, hartz4 and all those shenanigans. Absolutely someone can lose their job – but assuming everyone else should pay for preventing foreclosure, pay for housing etc. Is preposterous…. where is the individual responsibility for living within ones means or “putting away some nuts for wintertime”?
I am not sure where we got our wires crossed. I do not advocate people living beyond their means. Never have and never will!! Nor was I talking about hartz4, I donât even know what that is. I have always believed that people have to take responsibility for their own stupidity, such as buying a house they canât afford with the help of irresponsible mortgage brokers.
I was merely making a point that the US has many social problems, as does Germany. Healthcare in this country is out of control and it is frightening and I also realize that German Healthcare is not sustainable in its current form.
Peace brotherâŠâŠâŠâŠdidnât mean to get you all exited on your well-deserved weekend.
I’ve been compiling my own (short) list, too! It must be this January weather. đ Maybe the weather is affecting the customer service people, too? My German is not great, but I understand “Pffft..das ist mir egal!” I understand not taking things back because of profit margins, I like that they don’t sell me stuff I don’t want/need, but there is no excuse for rudeness!
I’m a Kansas girl that’s lived in Germany 12 years now. I love your blog! I’m in “decluttering” mode myself! We’re thinking about moving from Bavaria (Augsburg/Zusmarshausen) to Hessen! My husband has a new job at a company in southern Darmstadt. Can anyone give me any advice about this area? We’re thinking it might be nice to live somewhere between Darmstadt and Seeheim-Jugenheim. Are the people very open in this area? Does anyone have any experience with the schools in this area? German or International? I have a 5th and 7th grader…currently in the Bayern school system. If Hessen’s not so great, we could stay here and hubby could get an apartment in Darmstadt and be home on the weekends. Not sure what to do……