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VonSwoopington posted:I'm heading to Germany September 23-29 to pick up my BMW M3 (Euro Delivery). What are some good places to see by car? I know it's right in the middle of Oktoberfest but I won't be participating in any of the drinking and just want to enjoy the car and scenic views. There's this little thing called Alpen just south of Munich (1 hour or so). Closest would probably be Tegernsee, looked real nice last winter. Or go to Garmisch. Or Bodensee, Königssee, there is probably lots of other nice stuff, too.
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Sep 3, 2010 17:49
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Any chance we could change the Köln meet to Tuesday or Thursday? I just found out I have to go to my girlfriend's sister's birthday on Wednesday.
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Sep 4, 2010 21:41
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Gold and a Pager posted:Any chance we could change the Köln meet to Tuesday or Thursday? I just found out I have to go to my girlfriend's sister's birthday on Wednesday. Tuesday would work for me too. Thursday not so much.
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Sep 4, 2010 22:35
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Fasheem posted:Do you have any skills? What nationality are you? I'm Canadian. I would say my best skills are languages; I speak fluent English and French, I can converse in German and I have less than conversational Swedish.
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Sep 4, 2010 22:48
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Elindale posted:I'm Canadian. I would say my best skills are languages; I speak fluent English and French, I can converse in German and I have less than conversational Swedish. Are you under 35? If you are, as a Canadian you qualify for a working holiday visa. It's good for a year, some restrictions on where you can work, but it gets you into the country to scout out your options.
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Sep 4, 2010 23:08
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elbkaida posted:There's this little thing called Alpen just south of Munich (1 hour or so). Closest would probably be Tegernsee, looked real nice last winter. Or go to Garmisch. Or Bodensee, Königssee, there is probably lots of other nice stuff, too. Thanks for the response. Looking into it now.
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Sep 4, 2010 23:57
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I don't think I can make it to the Köln meet next week. I don't get my semester pass for free travel in NRW until October 1st when the semester starts (makes sense I guess...) so it would cost me something like €18,30 each way which seems like a lot for a few drinks. So I'll take a rain check for some other time! Can someone explain to me how this whole bottle deposit thing works? Every other time I was in Germany I never really cared much to get back x cents for my bottles so I just left my bottles standing by a trash can for someone else to take. But since I'm living here now I guess I should start caring a bit? I was at an internet cafe the other day and bought a coke, and they don't make you pay until the end so when I went back to pay the guy asked where my bottle was and kept repeating something about the Pfand and took the bottle back. I really don't know what happened so I just left. Other kiosks I go to to buy beer I see people returning their bottles as they buy new bottles. Am I suppose to keep them or what?
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Sep 5, 2010 00:55
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Fasheem posted:Are you under 35? If you are, as a Canadian you qualify for a working holiday visa. It's good for a year, some restrictions on where you can work, but it gets you into the country to scout out your options. Wouldn't it be a bit risky to just show up in the country looking for work without knowing in advance if I would even be able to get a job?
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Sep 5, 2010 01:33
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Ziir posted:I don't think I can make it to the Köln meet next week. I don't get my semester pass for free travel in NRW until October 1st when the semester starts (makes sense I guess...) so it would cost me something like €18,30 each way which seems like a lot for a few drinks. So I'll take a rain check for some other time! You just take them back to the store - any store, not necessarily where you bought them - and get back your deposit. (If you just put them wherever, somebody else is probably going to end up returning them because hey, free money.) Some places (like that internet cafe, apparently) if you buy a drink that comes in a bottle they don't make you pay the deposit on the understanding that you won't take the bottle with you.
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Sep 5, 2010 01:41
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Elindale posted:Wouldn't it be a bit risky to just show up in the country looking for work without knowing in advance if I would even be able to get a job? I'm not sure what you're asking for here. There is basically no chance you're going to get a job offer while outside of the country. Even if there are translator jobs available for North Americans, employers are going to want to meet you before they commit to anything.
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Sep 5, 2010 01:48
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Ziir posted:I don't think I can make it to the Köln meet next week. I don't get my semester pass for free travel in NRW until October 1st when the semester starts (makes sense I guess...) so it would cost me something like €18,30 each way which seems like a lot for a few drinks. So I'll take a rain check for some other time! I don't know if this changes your mind, but you can buy a SchönerTagTicket for €25 and it's good all day for any kind of train in NRW. DB posted:Gültig für eine Person am Geltungstag, Mo.-Fr. ab 9 Uhr und Sa., So. und feiertags ab 0 Uhr. Umtausch und Erstattung sind ausgeschlossen.
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Sep 5, 2010 10:14
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That ticket doesn't work for IC/ICE trains, now does it?
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Sep 5, 2010 10:55
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Zwille posted:That ticket doesn't work for IC/ICE trains, now does it? Unfortunately not. It's only valid for RE, RB and "below", including bus, S- and U-Bahn. Das MicroKorg fucked around with this message at 11:30 on Sep 5, 2010 |
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Sep 5, 2010 11:28
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Holy poo poo, the McDonalds here has motherfucking chicken wings. CHICKEN WINGS. The last time I've had these was in a coastal city on the Mediterranean in Spain and I thought they were the most delicious things ever. I figured it was served only in Spain, so you bet I was excited to have them again when I went to Barcelona later on in the summer, only to find out that no McDonalds in Barcelona has even heard of chicken wings. (Blown out picture taken in Spain, but it's the same wings) Ich weiß, was esse ich jetzt.
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Sep 6, 2010 21:36
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Also:  The McDonald's Nürnberger Burger
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Sep 6, 2010 21:52
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Since I've been here, I tried to test into a German course offered to Erasmus students. I tested A2 level which was "too low" because the lowest course offered to Erasmus students is B1. So instead, they put me in a regular A1 course for international masters students who are required to take the course (I'm not required). I really don't think I belong in this class because this is seriously the very basics. It's like German 101 back in undergrad all over again- me sitting there "getting it" while wanting to constantly pull out my hair because the rest of the class is too slow. Only this time I don't have to "get it" because it's all review for me, so I'm just sitting there in class bored out of my mind and finishing all of the worksheet handouts before she's even done passing them out to the rest of the class. Now that I think about it, I'm almost sure I tested A2 which meant I was ready to start B1, but they took that as it being "oh this guy tested at A2 so he should go in an A2 course" except they apparently don't have any A2 courses right now. I think the furthest this class will get (all 100 hours of it) is modal verbs and the perfect tense, both of which are already deeply engrained in my mind. So I can either pay the 200 EUR and continue this class which I really don't think I'll get anything out of, or buy a book how ever many euros and just dedicate a few hours a day reading it/doing worksheets and then practicing conversations with people. I'm really tempted to just do the second. Can anyone recommend any good books with a lot of worksheets (as opposed to silly activities and games) that would be right up in my alley? It has to be something that would be readily available at a bookstore locally. Edit: Hell, I'll even take the 200 EUR and find a private tutor once/a few times a week and I think that would be better than this class. How much do private tutors go for here typically?
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Sep 6, 2010 22:22
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Ziir posted:Since I've been here, I tried to test into a German course offered to Erasmus students. I tested A2 level which was "too low" because the lowest course offered to Erasmus students is B1. So instead, they put me in a regular A1 course for international masters students who are required to take the course (I'm not required). Condolences. The A1 courses kind of bored me, and I didn't know any German at all when I started. They move really slow. Yes, A1 only goes up to the perfect tense. Drop it, or try again to get into B1. 200 euros is a great price for a class, if it's the right level. I'm doing B1 now and it's a lot more challenging. I never find myself sitting there waiting for the slower half of the class to catch up (cause the slow people have been weeded out at this point). We're doing subordinate clauses.
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Sep 6, 2010 23:59
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B1 seriously just starts with subordinating clauses? poo poo, I thought that would be early A2 stuff cause that was German 101/102. drat it, I'm definitely going to see if I can get in first thing tomorrow. I'm pretty sure what got me on the placement exam was me having been awake for 30+ hours, several plane flights and I didn't review any of my adjetive article endings. Hell I didn't even know I would be taking the placement exam until I got there.
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Sep 7, 2010 00:34
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Just insist on taking the B1 class, even if they say no. Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein!
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Sep 7, 2010 01:30
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Ziir posted:B1 seriously just starts with subordinating clauses? poo poo, I thought that would be early A2 stuff cause that was German 101/102. drat it, I'm definitely going to see if I can get in first thing tomorrow. I'm pretty sure what got me on the placement exam was me having been awake for 30+ hours, several plane flights and I didn't review any of my adjetive article endings. Hell I didn't even know I would be taking the placement exam until I got there. Some of them are in A2, weil and obwohl were covered at the beginning. I'm not as up on my grammar terms as I should be. Right now we're working on the ones that start with relative pronouns.
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Sep 7, 2010 04:31
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So, we still on for the Köln meet this afternoon? I'll be wearing a blue shirt with a cardigan, jeans and grey New Balances. And most likely a rain jacket.
Total Confusion fucked around with this message at 06:59 on Sep 7, 2010 |
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Sep 7, 2010 06:32
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Gold and a Pager posted:So, we still on for the Köln meet this afternoon? I'll be wearing a blue shirt with a cardigan, jeans and grey New Balances. And most likely a rain jacket. Jup, I'm still in. 18:00 in front of the Tag und Nacht Café. I'll be wearing a dark-green/brownish jacket, jeans and almost-yellow shoes
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Sep 7, 2010 08:24
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FLX posted:Also: Holy poo poo, I thought the picture of Hoeneß with the sausages jammed inside that bun were a joke and that you'd actually get the Nürnbergers on a plate or something. Seems like a breakfast-only thing though.
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Sep 7, 2010 10:55
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Zwille posted:Holy poo poo, I thought the picture of Hoeneß with the sausages jammed inside that bun were a joke and that you'd actually get the Nürnbergers on a plate or something. Seems like a breakfast-only thing though.
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Sep 7, 2010 11:00
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That's too bad but they look like they're a mess to eat anyway and make me wonder why McDonalds doesn't offer Currywurst or Bratwurst anywhere. Or Pommes Spezial.
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Sep 7, 2010 11:12
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Zwille posted:That's too bad but they look like they're a mess to eat anyway and make me wonder why McDonalds doesn't offer Currywurst or Bratwurst anywhere. Or Pommes Spezial. Because we got enough native frittenbuden for that and don't need our Currywurst from McDonalds? Thank you very much! 
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Sep 7, 2010 12:11
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Yeah, I guess it's some sort of morbid curiosity as to how absolutely generic they could make Currywurst and the likes. I'm imagining something like Chicken McNuggets, only with pre-formed sausage pieces made to look like they were cut and dips of your choice. Ew gross. Didn't they offer pizza at some point in time?
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Sep 7, 2010 13:19
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Gold and a Pager and me had some beers at the Tag und Nacht Café yesterday evening. We decided to do this again some time, maybe with a few more Kölngoons and maybe somewhere else, where we won't be the only ones under 60, not playing chess competitively 
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Sep 8, 2010 20:39
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FLX posted:Gold and a Pager and me had some beers at the Tag und Nacht Café yesterday evening. We decided to do this again some time, maybe with a few more Kölngoons and maybe somewhere else, where we won't be the only ones under 60, not playing chess competitively Definitely, once I get my semesterticket in October .
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Sep 8, 2010 21:17
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Heidelberg goon checking in, let me know if anyone wants to come here and get shitfaced with me. Studying abroad: parents buy your beer!
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Sep 9, 2010 17:49
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Why is everything in Germany so slow? Opened a bank account last week, still waiting for the bank card to be sent to me. Until I get it, I can't do anything and I'm running out of money (I have all of my other money in an online account in America, but I'm waiting for the German one to open to transfer it over). Bought insurance too, and I'm also waiting for the card in the mail. Bought a bus pass the other day, and they told me to come back the next day to pick things up. Meh. I'm used to getting things when I pay for it. I want it now drat it. (Not really ranting, it's probably the biggest difference in culture I've noticed)
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Sep 9, 2010 18:31
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Ziir posted:Why is everything in Germany so slow? Opened a bank account last week, still waiting for the bank card to be sent to me. Until I get it, I can't do anything and I'm running out of money (I have all of my other money in an online account in America, but I'm waiting for the German one to open to transfer it over). Bought insurance too, and I'm also waiting for the card in the mail. Bought a bus pass the other day, and they told me to come back the next day to pick things up. Waiting a week for you bank and insurance cards is normal, but what kind of bus pass did you get that require a day to ... print?
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Sep 9, 2010 18:39
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Ziir posted:Why is everything in Germany so slow? Opened a bank account last week, still waiting for the bank card to be sent to me. Until I get it, I can't do anything and I'm running out of money (I have all of my other money in an online account in America, but I'm waiting for the German one to open to transfer it over). Bought insurance too, and I'm also waiting for the card in the mail. Bought a bus pass the other day, and they told me to come back the next day to pick things up. Hah. I had the same problem when I moved to Germany. Now I'm in Switzerland and would you believe it's even slower here. Settle back and enjoy the ride.
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Sep 9, 2010 19:54
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My girlfriend and I were planning a trip for late October, and so far we're leaning towards 2 weeks in Germany. We're still in the early stages of planning, but I figure now would be the best time to ask some questions. My original plan is to start in Berlin and work our way down to Munich for the end of the trip, but I wasn't sure if it would be wise to stop in several cities along the way or just start in Berlin, make our way to somewhere like Frankfurt, and then finally end up in Munich. Idealistically, we'd like to either start or end in Munich, as her Dad was born in Nonnenhorn, which is 2 hours south of Munich and she would love to visit. This trip is also for our anniversary so being able to tour the country with each other seems like a nice, quiet getaway. I know the price will vary depending on where we go, transportation we choose, hotels, and a variety of factors....but what seems to be a range to aim for in terms of saving up for 2 weeks in Germany? I have other questions but I'll just start here and go from there. Thanks!
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Sep 10, 2010 03:40
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Tiko posted:My original plan is to start in Berlin and work our way down to Munich for the end of the trip, but I wasn't sure if it would be wise to stop in several cities along the way or just start in Berlin, make our way to somewhere like Frankfurt, and then finally end up in Munich. quote:I know the price will vary depending on where we go, transportation we choose, hotels, and a variety of factors....but what seems to be a range to aim for in terms of saving up for 2 weeks in Germany? I have other questions but I'll just start here and go from there. Thanks! Personally if I had to tour Germany for an anniversary, I would stay in decent hotels (4 star), use fast trains, eat out at a decent restaurant maybe every three days... I would budget about 120 EUR/day/person.
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Sep 10, 2010 08:15
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Ziir posted:*slow cards stuff* Well, I don't know how it's handled over in the US, but the banking cards / insurance cards etc. are being ordered at your local bank and then printed at some central place or with a subcontractor of the bank. That just takes its time, I can't see how it could possibly go faster than 5 days.
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Sep 10, 2010 08:49
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Ziir posted:Why is everything in Germany so slow? Opened a bank account last week, still waiting for the bank card to be sent to me. Until I get it, I can't do anything and I'm running out of money (I have all of my other money in an online account in America, but I'm waiting for the German one to open to transfer it over).
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Sep 10, 2010 09:01
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Shimmergloom posted:Well, I don't know how it's handled over in the US, but the banking cards / insurance cards etc. are being ordered at your local bank and then printed at some central place or with a subcontractor of the bank. That just takes its time, I can't see how it could possibly go faster than 5 days. I don't know about insurance cards cause I've never bought insurance before until I moved here, but in the US every bank I've been to has piles of temporary bank cards that they activate and give you when you sign up so that you can start using the ATM/online banking right away. schoenfelder posted:Of course you can do something: Go to the bank with your account number (which you should already know, otherwise go to the bank and ask for it) during business hours, go up to the teller and tell him you want to withdraw X EUR. Voilà. It's a complicated and long story, but I need online banking access to do what I want to do, and I can't access online banking without my bank card because they gave me this machine that's kind of like a WoW authenticator. I need to slide my card through it to get a code to log in to online banking every time. It's a pretty neat idea. Edit: The bus card was just a 1 month student discounted bus card since I'm taking a language course at the university. I guess they had to wait for my name to be printed on it which took a day... or something. Speaking of bus cards and busses, am I suppose to always go in busses in the front door so that I pass the driver (and then wave him my bus card as I walk past like I see others do?), or is it OK to go in on the back/middle doors too? I see people doing both, but I'm pretty sure the doors say to please go in front. Also, when restaurants/cafes have tables set up outside in the plaza, can I just go sit down at one of them and a server will come to me? Or do I go to them first and tell them I want a seat like in the US? On a similar note, do people tip here? I've never tipped before when I was in Germany, but I spent a month in Switzerland where it was considered polite to tip there on top of the outrageously expensive food. Ziir fucked around with this message at 09:48 on Sep 10, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 09:42
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Ziir posted:Speaking of bus cards and busses, am I suppose to always go in busses in the front door so that I pass the driver (and then wave him my bus card as I walk past like I see others do?), or is it OK to go in on the back/middle doors too? I see people doing both, but I'm pretty sure the doors say to please go in front. quote:Also, when restaurants/cafes have tables set up outside in the plaza, can I just go sit down at one of them and a server will come to me? Or do I go to them first and tell them I want a seat like in the US? On a similar note, do people tip here? I've never tipped before when I was in Germany, but I spent a month in Switzerland where it was considered polite to tip there on top of the outrageously expensive food.
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Sep 10, 2010 09:56
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Ziir posted:Also, when restaurants/cafes have tables set up outside in the plaza, can I just go sit down at one of them and a server will come to me? Or do I go to them first and tell them I want a seat like in the US? On a similar note, do people tip here? I've never tipped before when I was in Germany, but I spent a month in Switzerland where it was considered polite to tip there on top of the outrageously expensive food. Yes you can just sit down and someone will come and ask you what you want to drink/eat. As for tipping: It's definitely not like the US. Usually you just round up. Let's say you bought a beer for 2,70€. You can then pay with a 5 Euro bill and tell the waiter "to make it 3". He will then give you 2 Euro in return. Of course you can give more, especially if the total sum is larger. Let's say the total sum is something like 17,30€. You just give the guy/gal a 20€ bill and say "stimmt so (keep the change)". It really depends on how much you want to tip, but those two examples pretty much show how I usually do it. Except for when I'm drunk, then I tip too much...  Edit: beaten to it... But I like how we used the same beer example 
bronin fucked around with this message at 10:05 on Sep 10, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 10:01
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