@DanieMarie
Canadian expat in Germany
Forum
40 posts
Contacts
1
About me
Canadian
Lives in Berlin
Registration: 09 March 2012
Activity
Heater On October by Chihaya
I have a question. I share with someone else apartment. And now Cold season not yet snowing. Is it good to leave the heater on? Or better to on it when someone is around? I am having argument on this not tho leave the Heizung on and the smell in the ...
I wouldn't turn it up a lot when no one is home, but you should leave it on a bit. The reason is that it actually is more expensive to heat rooms from scratch each time...it's better to just leave it on low so that you get sort of a base ... Read More
German Citizenship through ancestry by EF1504
Hello everyone! I am interested in applying for a German citizenship through ancestry but I have no idea what kind of documents I need or how should I begin with the process. Currently living in Israel and have only an Israeli passport, my ...
I'm not really sure about your case because your ancestors weren't German citizens and did not live in Germany. It's not really enough to be ethnically German... Usually, they only give you citizenship if you have a parent that was born ... Read More
How to be happy as an expat in Germany by Cheryl
Hi everyone, Being happy is surely our common goal, whether we are living in Germany as an expat or somewhere else. We would love to know your tips and tricks to be fully fulfilled and happy as an expat in your host country. New environment ...
I think being happy here involves the same actions as being happy anywhere – achieve a healthy work-life balance, build up local connections, eat healthy and get enough exercise, and just generally take care of yourself. We are lucky here in ... Read More
Krankenkasse-Which health insurer can you recommend for good service by HawkLane
My employer is demanding that I find a health insurance to join urgently. I contacted DAK and thought that everything was settled, but they have not returned to me. Which health insurer can you recommend for good service and quick response times?
If you are looking for a public scheme health insurer (as DAK is), they are all more or less the same. Since there is no competition on price and changing is difficult, there is no competition, no market forces and thus no motivation to serve you ... Read More
Investing in Germany by Grussgot
Hi Everyone i have recently started to search for ways of investing, as i think its just better to move around your money than having it sitting in a bank account devaluating. First i started with cryptocurrency and now i wanted to diversy a bit ...
^^ LOL put bluntly, but yeah....this. If you're interested in diversifying your assets and want something that will give you more returns than a savings account (and I agree, the interest rates are just sad) but still has some level of ... Read More
How are you sending money to yourself in Germany from the US? by iksobarg
I started looking at paypal but I did some research and so far transferwise and currencyfair are looking attractive. And after some further research transferwise looks like a winner. But as this was just an hour worth of research I ask: What service ...
I came here back in the day so I'd converted all of my money into traveller's checks, opened a bank account here and deposited them. But I somehow feel this is probably an obsolete way of dealing with things now... I think as others have ... Read More
Following your life partner in Germany by Loïc
Hi everyone, If love can move mountains, it also makes people move abroad, in countries such as Germany. Following your life partner in a country with different customs and rules is an act of absolute trust and may require a period of ...
I never personally followed my partner here. I moved here on my own and met him after I'd been here for years. HOWEVER, a few years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) moved away to study in a different city. We were living together at the time and ... Read More
Adopting a pet in Germany by Loïc
Hello, Are you a dog or a cat person? A pet can add life to a home and make an ideal travel companion during your expatriation in Germany. However, formalities or regulations might put you off traveling with your pet making adoption a better ...
I have adopted two cats since I've been here (one after the other). The first I sort of inherited from a roommate...her life circumstances had changed and she couldn't take care of him anymore. She moved away and I kept him and took him with ... Read More
Searching for shared flat in Berlin (from june) by Pilarsp
I will come to Berlin next summer to study and practice german. Acommodation in academies are so expensive. So, I´m searching on my own. I´m 42 years old. Maybe, I´ll search for a job and could stay for long time. I prefer flatmates ...
I'm assuming that "accommodation in academies" means accommodation offered by private language schools, which is usually just a step cheaper than a hotel. So no, not the cheapest option. It's not uncommon in Berlin...a lot of people come here to ... Read More
Negotiating salary and benefits in Germany by Bhavna
Hello everyone, Better job prospects in Germany can most certainly be an incentive to leave your country of origin. Securing a contract with the right salary and benefits for you can be crucial to make your move successful. Is salary and ...
As beppi mentioned, you can negotiate somewhat during the hiring and contract negotiation process. Usually, companies want you to state your salary expectations, so it helps to do your research here and to not be afraid to ask for what you're ... Read More
Divorcing in Germany by Diksha
Hello everyone, Reaching the decision to seek divorce can be hard. Filing the papers as an expat in Germany can be as taxing since a good grasp of legislations is needed and the process can prove to be tedious. Where and how do you apply for a ...
So, I've never been divorced and I'm not so familiar with the process, but I can give some advice in terms of support. I've struggled with depression for a good chunk of my life, so I'm pretty familiar with mental health support in ... Read More
Kita & Flat search in Berlin by andres_ar00
Hi Everyone! I moving to Berlin on July with my daughter & wife. I have read it is hard to find a place at a Kita & a Flat. Do you have any recommendation that helped you archive this matter? I´m going to study an MBA programe at ...
i'm probably late on this, but since I live in Berlin (and have for a long time), I thought I'd weigh in in case you haven't sorted this out or someone else has the same issue. It's a *little* more complicated, unfortunately. ... Read More
Intern salary as a Data scientist by Vandermir
Hello all, I have an internship in a fairly well situated start up in Berlin with investments of around 10 million euros. I did research on the intern salaries and the minimum wage in Germany, and I'm aware that in order to have the minimum ...
Internships are not normally paid at market rates - after all, the idea is not for the company to benefit, but you to learn and get valuable first work experience. That's also why internships and traineeships are exempted from the minimum wage ... Read More
Advice - Making Friends in Germany by Bhejl
I’m not sure if this is allowed here because I don’t have a question. I have some advice for expats in Germany who say they can’t find friends because Germans are cold and distant. I’m in several online expat communities, and ...
I definitely second this advice! Great post :) Read More
Accommodation in Germany: scams you should look out for by Bhavna
Hi, Committing to renting or buying accommodation when youre new to or have not moved to Germany just yet is always a stressful endeavour. Would you like to help us in putting together a handbook of what to look out for when house hunting in ...
^^^ Yep, scams are generally pretty rare. That being said, I've seen -quite- a few listed on websites like Craigslist that were/are popular with internationals but not so popular with Germans. Generally, it's better to look through a German ... Read More