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Time on a student visa does not count towards permanent residency/citizenship. But if you study the right thing, you might be able to get a job after! There's always EFL. (That was a joke.)
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Oct 27, 2010 00:38
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So, can anyone fill me in on Dresden? My family moved to America from there around 1900 and it's always been talked about through the generations as this awesome place. I've loftily been thinking of making a visit for several years now, just to sight-see. I don't exactly have the funds to get on a plane right this minute or anything, but information-gathering is fun in its own way. I know about the firebombing and all that, but I'm sure the landscape and architecture has had time to get straightened out, haha. I'm more interested in the general feel of the city, if there's anything in particular I should check out if/when I get there, etc.
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Oct 27, 2010 07:58
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I live in Dresden, so I will give some general info, ask me for more details, if you like. First, the city isn't what it used to be before the war, so it might not live up to the glorification I'm sure your family has build up, but it still is one of the nicer cities in Germany. The historical city centre has been partly rebuilt and there are some really beautiful buildings, most famous probably the Frauenkirche (church of our lady). The city tries to set a focus on culture and art, so there are a bunch of good galleries and museums, then you have the Semperoper, theatres, etc. Mostly "older" stuff though, in terms of the contemporary art scene we can't keep up with Berlin or Leipzig. Nightlife can be so-so during the week, but on weekends there's plenty going on. I'd suggest visiting in the summer, there is often some festival and more stuff goes on outside. Right outside the city you have the Sächsische Schweiz, where the Elbe is winding through some cool rock formations that make a great place to go hiking (or climbing, if you're into that). The old fortress Königsstein is cool, too. In and near the city you can also find some nice old palaces. So yeah, it's definitely worth a visit. And if you get bored, Prague and Berlin are only two hours away with the train. 
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Oct 27, 2010 19:01
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^^ This. I'm in Berlin, and several times friends and I have headed to Dresden for the day, so the other way around is more than possible. quote:I can speak some German, but I'm hardly proficient. I think I could get a student visa, but I would rather get an actual residence permit, because I don't plan on being a student. Problem is, while I have money, it's not much, and I'm sure I would be rejected for such a permit, unless I had a source of income. You could always marry a German... *coughs* Okay, not the best idea. But yeah, I'd go with a student visa to start with. Don't ask me how to get them, because I don't have one. But I'd think that enrolling at any University in Germany would get you one, or at the Hochschulen or some other institute. Maybe even the Goethe Institute? I had a friend who was here on a student visa and then stayed by working for Berlitz, I think. In any case, try language schools. You can teach English (or other languages, if you know them well enough). And definitely work on your German. Immersion is the best way to learn, and you learn pretty quickly. It took me about six months until I could keep up in school halfway decently, and another six months to become somewhat fluent, and a year is the amount I've heard from other people too. If you can get into some kind of tandem class, that would probably be the best.
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Oct 27, 2010 23:46
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Allia posted:But yeah, I'd go with a student visa to start with. Don't ask me how to get them, because I don't have one. But I'd think that enrolling at any University in Germany would get you one, or at the Hochschulen or some other institute. Maybe even the Goethe Institute? As an American you can get a student visa in a hour by going to the Auslanderamt, bringing your Volkshochschule enrollment paper, proof of health insurance and a print out of your bank statement saying you have like $8,000 (or at least that's how it worked out for me, YMMV). I assume you can replace the VHS with a real university or the Goethe and be fine.
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Oct 28, 2010 16:35
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Even a Volkhochschule counts? Wow, that is freaking easy. Though I guess the 8000 or whatever Euros might be a problem, depending on what theLamer has saved up.
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Oct 29, 2010 00:47
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Here is a good exercise for all people trying to learn German: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmI2m06YFfc Great song, but I only understand about 10% of the lyrics and I'm from Munich.
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Nov 2, 2010 11:53
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The only song I know is that one that goes "Nein Mann, ich will noch nicht gehen. Ich will noch ein bisschen tanzen." cause they play it all the drat time in every single disco. But I can't really complain cause it's the same in the US too. Edit: Also that drat Barbra Streisand song. Ziir fucked around with this message at 14:14 on Nov 2, 2010 |
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Nov 2, 2010 14:11
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gently caress that song. It's also on the radio all the time.
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Nov 2, 2010 14:28
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Hungry Gerbil posted:Here is a good exercise for all people trying to learn German:
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Nov 2, 2010 15:23
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I think this is even hard for Austrian mountain folk - As opposed to the rest of Austria, Vorarlberger speak not a bavarian, but an alemannic dialect. Swabians or Swiss would understand that better. The only reason Voralberg is still a part of Austria is because Switzerland didn't want them in 1919.
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Nov 2, 2010 15:34
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Hungry Gerbil posted:Here is a good exercise for all people trying to learn German: Holy gently caress, I can't even understand 10% of that.  I'm from the swabian part of Bavaria and for me Schwizerdütsch is much easier to understand than this.
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Nov 2, 2010 22:49
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Ich habe eine Hochdeutsche Übersetzung gefunden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS-MY7a0_Nc
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Nov 3, 2010 00:30
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Cool. Suddenly the gibberish makes sense.
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Nov 3, 2010 10:50
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Ziir posted:The only song I know is that one that goes "Nein Mann, ich will noch nicht gehen. Ich will noch ein bisschen tanzen." cause they play it all the drat time in every single disco. But I can't really complain cause it's the same in the US too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBjDZMJUduo
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Nov 3, 2010 11:09
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I'm really not sure if I like or ABSOLUTELY hate that Barbara Streisand song. I think it will be the later soon... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a21vD0s1bbc
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Nov 3, 2010 18:52
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Hungry Gerbil posted:Here is a good exercise for all people trying to learn German: Your loving with me right? This is German? Suddenly my Mittelstufe class seems really easy.
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Nov 4, 2010 07:54
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For people who want to learn German through music I suggest "Ferien in Algerien": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkFb124jQjw I guarantee you'll be able to sing along in no time and will grow to both love and hate this song.
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Nov 4, 2010 08:03
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I see we are destroying any associations people might have with Germany and high culture. Nice. 
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Nov 4, 2010 23:30
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elbkaida posted:I see we are destroying any associations people might have with Germany and high culture. Nice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4dCgcyU7Uo
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Nov 4, 2010 23:36
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Hungry Gerbil posted:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4dCgcyU7Uo Holy God  I would rather listen to Schoppornou over and over again.
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Nov 5, 2010 02:57
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quote:I see we are destroying any associations people might have with Germany and high culture. Ha! There is a reason I never listen to German music and rarely watch German TV The one awesome thing of German high culture (sort of), is the Classic Card that is offered by the operas in Berlin. Seriously, if you are in Berlin, GET IT. 15 Euro a year and then an hour ahead of each performance, you can get amazing tickets for 10 Euros each. You do have to be under 30, though. I've seen a bunch of operas sitting in the center of the first row, where the seats are like 80+ Euros and me and my friends paid 10 Euros.
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Nov 5, 2010 15:20
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Allia posted:There is a reason I never listen to German music Clearly you didn't intend to put great German bands like Birth Control, Kraan, CAN, Amon Düül II and '90s Tocotronic on the same level as Bro'Sis or Room 2012 
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Nov 5, 2010 18:31
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We actually did a SingStar evening with a bunch of "popular German hits" or something like that, and BroSis was one of them. I seriously wonder who made the decision on what was popular, and if they were stuck in 2001/2002.
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Nov 5, 2010 23:45
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One of the main reasons I want to go to Germany is that I love the poo poo out of a ton of German bands. I went to a music festival on my trip to Europe last year and that's when I decided to learn German and go to Germany. If I lived in Berlin, I could go to shows all the time.  I have no idea about popular German music though.
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Nov 6, 2010 01:38
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Where are some cool places to go hiking, preferably on a mountain and spanning a few days?
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Nov 6, 2010 17:47
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If you want proper mountains the alps, if something smaller but close by is enough Rheinsteig or Sauerland (Rothaarsteig) http://www.germany-tourism.de/ENG/nature_active_recreation/hiking.htm elwood fucked around with this message at 18:00 on Nov 6, 2010 |
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Nov 6, 2010 17:53
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Ziir posted:Where are some cool places to go hiking, preferably on a mountain and spanning a few days? 
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Nov 6, 2010 23:31
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elwood posted:If you want proper mountains the alps, if something smaller but close by is enough Rheinsteig or Sauerland (Rothaarsteig) Thanks, I'll look into that. I've already hiked part of the Rheinsteig (just a 20km day hike) and it was quite fun, but I want something with more mountains. Does pancake syrup exist in Germany? I've no luck finding it in Netto, Aldi, Lidl, etc, or the bigger stores like Galeria Kaufhof and Kaufland. My flatmates want me to make them an American breakfast but pancakes aren't the same without syrup.
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Nov 7, 2010 19:00
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Ask for Ahornsirup. If everything fails it should be available in a Reformhaus or Bio-Laden.
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Nov 7, 2010 19:14
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That's strange, every supermarket I've been a regular customer of has had maple syrup, even the smaller ones. Where are you looking? It's usually either near the honey with other syrups, or near the baking ingredients.
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Nov 7, 2010 19:33
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Maybe I keep overlooking it then but I'm pretty sure I've turned over everything by the honey section in the Netto right next to my flat.
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Nov 7, 2010 19:45
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Ziir posted:Maybe I keep overlooking it then but I'm pretty sure I've turned over everything by the honey section in the Netto right next to my flat.
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Nov 7, 2010 20:20
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westborn posted:Most discounters like Netto, Aldi or Lidl won't have it. Try a better assorted supermarket like a Rewe, Real, Marktkauf or at least a Feneberg. Ah, he said even the smaller ones would have it. I guess I'll swing by Rewe whenever I'm in that area.
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Nov 7, 2010 22:00
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REWE should be a good bet. We only have a small REWE around here, but even there I can get stuff I can't get everywhere like taco shells, oreos, ben and jerry's, skittles...
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Nov 7, 2010 22:17
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elwood posted:REWE should be a good bet. We only have a small REWE around here, but even there I can get stuff I can't get everywhere like taco shells, oreos, ben and jerry's, skittles... Speaking of taco shells, has Mexican -- or really any Central American -- cuisine taken any kind of noticeable foothold in Germany or the rest of Europe? To me, it seems like it would be completely out of place and probably looked down upon very harshly. Like every little Mexican cantina would be on the same level as a Taco Bell. In the same vein, I would love to have the opportunity to cook an American breakfast for someone from... elsewhere. The joke would be on them when I cook up a batch of grits and manage to convince them that everyone loves it here. At least I would be able to eat all the leftovers.
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Nov 8, 2010 07:35
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Brokyn posted:Speaking of taco shells, has Mexican -- or really any Central American -- cuisine taken any kind of noticeable foothold in Germany or the rest of Europe? To me, it seems like it would be completely out of place and probably looked down upon very harshly. Like every little Mexican cantina would be on the same level as a Taco Bell. Also it can be tough to find more exotic foods in supermarkets, I'm having the hardest time finding things like Indian mixed pickles. The store in my neighborhood, which otherwise caters exclusively to septua- and octagenarians, started carrying some recently which is nothing short of a miracle and I'm seriously considering buying every single jar. And one time in a supermarket I found some alleged Thai red curry paste with apricots in it so buyer beware. My Lovely Horse fucked around with this message at 10:04 on Nov 8, 2010 |
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Nov 8, 2010 07:57
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There are quite a few asian stores popping up around here, so you can finally get your hands on spices and curry paste etc. (usually patak).
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Nov 8, 2010 08:04
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Mexican's pretty rare in Germany I think - usually Mexican is sold in bars with an American theme, but you're lucky if you get anything more than just nachos & cheese. I spotted one Mexican take-away somewhere nearby my place in Berlin, and one in Flensburg. But most delivery services will make Mexican stuff - most of those sell anything from sushi to pizza. It's really weird seeing fast food booths at railway stations - they often sell döner, pizza, asian stuff and slightly suspicious sushi all at once. They even managed to cross over döner and noodle boxes, i.e. that you'll get one of those "Asian" noodle boxes but with fries (or rice, potatoes, what have you) and döner meat. Oh, speaking of which, I like how now that those noodle boxes that used to be US-exclusive have become popular around here, they're in every German movie! I guess it's practical because you don't have to show the - in the movie - non-existant food.
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Nov 8, 2010 11:19
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Zwille posted:Mexican's pretty rare in Germany I think - usually Mexican is sold in bars with an American theme, but you're lucky if you get anything more than just nachos & cheese.
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Nov 8, 2010 12:43
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