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I can answer a couple of these questions, although not the important (work-related) ones, it's not really my field. Maybe some German goon with a background in the finance industry can help out there. Generally, being of Asian descent shouldn't be a problem in Germany. There are the oft-mentioned areas (parts of Eastern Germany usually get thrown around for this) that have a fairly high percentage of people who vote for far-right parties and a higher number of hate crimes, but in general you should be safe. Given that you are interested in working in the banking field, you'll probably end up in either Bonn (BaFin) or Frankfurt (also BaFin and pretty much all banks) anyway and those cities are safe. They also have fairly large Asian communities, which is comparatively rare in Germany as most immigrants here come from the Balkans, Turkey, Eastern Europe and then to a lesser degree the Arab countries and Africa. Asians, at least in the public discourse I have witnessed, don't feature as a separate entity, so, no, they aren't model minorities, mostly because when Germans think minorities, they don't really think Asians. Australia to us is, for the most part, very far away, exotic and full of kangaroos. Well, there's more to it, but the way it's usually presented is with beautiful nature, lots of outdoors activity in nice, warm weather and easy-going Australians. Australian politics or domestic issues don't feature in the media very much. And yeah, German culture is probably more formalized in a way and Germans tend to seem fairly rude and cold at first, probably because they are fairly direct. This also very much depends on the region you are in, Cologne and Hamburg would for example be a fairly noticeable contrast. Also, don't be put off by what many Germans perceive as a perfectly normal service attitude, which involves ignoring the customer and being sort of cranky. It doesn't happen everywhere, but compared to my experiences in the States or Asian countries for example, you do notice the difference.
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Sep 25, 2009 03:24
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aunt jemima posted:I'll be in Germany at the end of August with my wife to speak at a conference in the Bonn/Köln area. I should have 3 days prior to the conference and 1 free day after. We're trying to determine if there is enough to see/do in that area that we should just stay there the whole time, or if we should try and mix it up. We'll most likely be flying in and out through Frankfurt, so that would be a natural place to spend the first three days in country if we don't just go straight to Bonn. We're generally both pretty interested in history and museums and other generally touristy things. Advice welcome There's also plenty to do and see in Frankfurt, from old buildings to museums and the usual touristy fair in between. The German architecture museum is cool, as is Caricatura, a museum that specializes in caricature and satire. Not sure how enjoyable the latter is if you don't speak any German, though. If you are into art, especially modern art, Städel, Museum für Moderne Kunst and Schirn are all good bets. Kunstverein is also great and they currently have an exhbition by Trevor Paglen. There's also the usual old buildings and stuff, including the Paulskirche, where the first attempt of a democratic German constitution was drafted in 1848. Sachsenhausen is also nice, if a bit touristy. Check out more old buildings, drink apple wine and wonder why anybody likes Handkäse. Wiesbaden is also nearby and has more old, pretty buildings. Darmstadt is another nearby option and has the Mathildenhöhe, which is definitely worth a look if you are into art nouveau. e: If you are in Cologne, definitely don't miss out on going to one of the many local breweries. It's worth it just for the chance of getting insulted by the waiter there, which is ~a thing~. Malzmühle is alright, as are Pütz or a number of places that serve Päffgen. Given that you are at a conference, I'd just ask one of the organizers, though. They can also reserve a table, which is probably a good idea. Babies Getting Rabies fucked around with this message at 16:32 on Jun 20, 2015 |
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Jun 20, 2015 16:27
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If they're into cooking, Dr. Oetker has an English book full or traditional German recipes. Basically everything from bread to cakes to a billion ways to prepare pork. It's definitely not high cuisine, but might be worth a shot. It's available on Amazon.
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Nov 28, 2015 19:15
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Don't grab food at the Marktplatz. There are way better options nearby. Depending on what you feel like, I'll try and give better suggestions. Just pm me with your preferences. In terms of beer, the best beer in Darmstadt is at Grohe by the way. Their Kochkäseschnitzel is also dope, although Heiping has a better one.
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Apr 16, 2016 21:12
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I'm not sure it's worth it, not necessarily because of the price but because your time is likely limited. Getting there will take a while. Don't get me wrong, Neuschwanstein looks nice, especially when viewed from a distance in the setting it's in. But the interior remains only partially finished and honestly, if you are into culture, Munich and surroundings offer plenty of better options. When I went there, it was a distinctly meh experience. It's pretty Disneyland and does feel very touristy.
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Jul 17, 2017 22:33
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