Team-BHP > Travelogues


Reply
  Search this Thread
43,164 views
Old 29th October 2014, 00:03   #46
BHPian
 
alavandar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Chennai
Posts: 171
Thanked: 129 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Thanks for the informative thread. This made me recollect my three years stay abroad about 30 years back. Wish you a great stay in Germany.
alavandar is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 13th December 2014, 16:21   #47
Senior - BHPian
 
Jignesh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Near Frankfurt
Posts: 1,609
Thanked: 965 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Hello All,

Today as I write this, I complete 11 months in this country and it had been wonderful staying here till date.

I have been to couple of places - Munich, Saluzurg, Paris, Lucerne (Switzerland) and I have lots of photos to upload and information to share. But work pressure and laziness restricts me from doing so. Also going ahead I will restrict posting the number of pictures of the places I have been to.

Current it is Christmas time here and holiday mood is catching up. Also winter has set in, most of the trees have shed the leaves and climate is normally below 5 degrees everyday.

There is a concept of Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) in Germany and Austria. Few years back I first read about Christmas Markets in Sam Kapasi's thread on T-BHP and when I went of one of the markets before two weeks, the first person I remembered was Sam Kapasi.

More infromation about Christmas Markets available here -
http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/
http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/planatri...rkets?page=all
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_market

It is amazing to see large number of people visiting these Markets in freezing temperatures. I have been to Mainz and Wiesbaden markets and I present below some pictures from these places:

Living in Germany-20141130_165416.jpg

Living in Germany-20141130_183018.jpg

Living in Germany-20141206_170128.jpg

Living in Germany-20141207_172238.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07960.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07961.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07966.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07970.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07972.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07974.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07975.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07976.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07979.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07983.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07986.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07987.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc07991.jpg

With lots of local savouries to eat and drink Christmas Markets here remain best outing for families, friends and office colleagues. Only issue for us (myself and my family) the cold becomes unbearable after couple of hours.

Thanks,

Last edited by Jignesh : 13th December 2014 at 16:25.
Jignesh is offline   (6) Thanks
Old 14th December 2014, 21:37   #48
BHPian
 
dar3dev|l's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Munich, DE
Posts: 290
Thanked: 98 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Thanks Jignesh for keeping the thread alive.

My life here in Germany is now just over 4 months and it has been a mixed feeling for me so far. However, I agree the life here in Germany is completely different from India.

I wont compare apple to apple with each countries as that would not be the right thing to do. I still love India for a lot of reasons more than Germany :-)

Talking about Christmas market, I have been to Nuremberg market and it indeed is lovely.

You can read here more on the christmas market: http://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/en/


Below are few pics from the christmas market.

Living in Germany-img_3875.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3885.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3877.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3883.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3888.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3890.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3903.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3904.jpg

Living in Germany-img_3884.jpg
dar3dev|l is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 15th December 2014, 14:46   #49
Senior - BHPian
 
SPIKE ARRESTOR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,854
Thanked: 1,529 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Quote:
Originally Posted by dar3dev|l View Post
I still love India for a lot of reasons more than Germany :-)
dar3dev|l, could you share the reasons why you don't 'like' your life here in Germany, may be in a separate thread if you like?

I have been in Germany for a little more than 2 years and plan to settle down here. May be your views could help me take a wise decision. I've turned half German now.

Prost
Spike
SPIKE ARRESTOR is offline  
Old 15th December 2014, 17:57   #50
BHPian
 
dar3dev|l's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Munich, DE
Posts: 290
Thanked: 98 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Quote:
Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR View Post
dar3dev|l, could you share the reasons why you don't 'like' your life here in Germany, may be in a separate thread if you like?

I have been in Germany for a little more than 2 years and plan to settle down here. May be your views could help me take a wise decision. I've turned half German now.

Prost
Spike
Hello Spike,

Firstly, I am really happy you are considering to settle here.

The "liking" to be honest is all about an Individual and thus can differ, so its just from my personal POV and should not influence your decision and long term goals. Also, I really dont want to make this or start a new India vs Germany thread, everyone has their own views and I respect that. So we can meet up some day during christmas holidays and discuss this in details. Remember, I am just over 4 months old here against your 2 years and already half German, so may be you could me tell me your points for your decision

I currently live and work near Nuremberg, which is not one of the top cities in Germany, this makes a lot of difference since I come here after living more than 30 years of my life in a city like Mumbai. I am used to a certain things which seems different and like a task for me here. Having said that, I do believe I would like it more in an greater international city like Frankfurt or Munich, but yea again India for me will remain "MY" country instead of Germany where I dont think I will ever be able to call for feel like its "MINE". E.G: The feeling you have when you are in your home and the feeling you have when you visit strangers or acquaintance for a longer time. Also, If ever I could make it BIG or have an opportunity to make it, I would always want to be represented as an 'Indian' and not 'German' or anyone else.

Another point is, I am a family person who house back in India was always filled with relatives and friends on any given day and here I dont even know who lives next to me. May be that differs from where I live, or neighbors I have, e.g: I could have Indians, Asains, or even germans who could be friendly and behave like typical Indian neighbors. But yea, my apartment seems more empty which is what I am not so used to.

On the flip side, this country has a lot of offer which I am really happy about and could make me stay here for longer, e.g: safety of my family, retirement benefits, etc. So yea, in the end it all about our personal decisions, long term goals, how they want to see their next generation grow up in and the place they want to see themselves leave this world

Last edited by dar3dev|l : 15th December 2014 at 18:05.
dar3dev|l is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 15th December 2014, 19:24   #51
Senior - BHPian
 
SPIKE ARRESTOR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,854
Thanked: 1,529 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Quote:
Originally Posted by dar3dev|l View Post
Hello Spike,
Hallo dar3dev|l,

I completed my Automotive studies in Germany and have worked for 2 automotive giants in Munich and Stuttgart region. So staying in Germany becomes a logical option for me. If you are somewhere near Stuttgart region, do give me a shout. I think we can discuss further via PM and not on this thread, sending you my contact number via PM.

Ich kann dir auch bisschen Deutsch beibringen, falls du magst.. (I could also teach you a bit German, in case you like).

Prost
Spike
SPIKE ARRESTOR is offline  
Old 15th December 2014, 22:09   #52
lsp
BHPian
 
lsp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 381
Thanked: 188 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Jignesh,
I got to attend the Christmas market in Bonn with my girlfriend (now wife) in 2010. Do try out the drinks and delicacies. What fun is Christmas if you don't put on a few pounds!!

Do try the Glühwein, which is a hot wine with spices. Makes one glow from the inside. I am sure it will drive away all your chills. Actually the wine is so hot I doubt it has any alcohol left in it, so you should be fine in case you don't consume alcohol.

This is me having the same from the special cup they serve it in. Also having a bite of the steaming hot fried fish sandwich. Soul food, I tell you. Again I think being a gujju this might be a challenge but if it isn't then I absolutely recommend it.

Living in Germany-img_6051.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6052.jpg

Some more pics from the same.

Living in Germany-img_6001.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6006.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6011.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6013.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6015.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6020.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6023.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6024.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6031.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6037.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6040.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6043.jpg

Living in Germany-img_6049.jpg


Quote:
Originally Posted by Jignesh View Post
Current it is Christmas time here and holiday mood is catching up. Also winter has set in, most of the trees have shed the leaves and climate is normally below 5 degrees everyday.

There is a concept of Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) in Germany and Austria. Few years back I first read about Christmas Markets in Sam Kapasi's thread on T-BHP and when I went of one of the markets before two weeks, the first person I remembered was Sam Kapasi.
lsp is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 16th December 2014, 02:15   #53
Senior - BHPian
 
Jignesh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Near Frankfurt
Posts: 1,609
Thanked: 965 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Quote:
Originally Posted by dar3dev|l View Post
Thanks Jignesh for keeping the thread alive.
My life here in Germany is now just over 4 months and it has been a mixed feeling for me so far.
Thank you very much dar3dev|l for your pictures. I hereby request you to keeping on posting your pictures and experiences here.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR View Post
I think we can discuss further via PM and not on this thread, sending you my contact number via PM.
Hello dar3dev|l & SPIKE ARRESTOR,

I accept that is a truly a personal choice & I respect both of yours views, but given a chance I will DEFINITELY prefer to live here for rest of my life. Period.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lsp View Post
Do try the Glühwein, which is a hot wine with spices. Makes one glow from the inside.
Thank you LSP for your pictures.

Yes I had Glühwein and it was really great in freezing cold. Since I am vegetarian, fish is out of option, but I did had Reibekuchen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibekuchen), which is deep fried Potato paste served with apple sauce.

Thanks,
Jignesh is offline  
Old 29th December 2014, 19:33   #54
Senior - BHPian
 
Jignesh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Near Frankfurt
Posts: 1,609
Thanked: 965 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Hello,

Today is 29th December 2014 and temperature outside currently is (freezing) -3 degrees. Cold wave has gripped almost entire Europe and it's snowing since last three days.

Only white color visible outside, here, there & everywhere. Below are a couple of before and after snow pictures:

Look outside from my apartment:

Before

Living in Germany-1.jpg

After

Living in Germany-2.jpg

Wiesbaden Central Station:

Before

Living in Germany-3.jpg

After

Living in Germany-4.jpg

I will upload more pictures of snow in next post.

Thanks,

Last edited by Jignesh : 29th December 2014 at 19:37. Reason: Information added
Jignesh is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 29th December 2014, 20:30   #55
Senior - BHPian
 
Jignesh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Near Frankfurt
Posts: 1,609
Thanked: 965 Times
Re: Living in Germany

What is amazing to see though is life continues normally even in this harsh climate. Everything still works as scheduled. Garbage pickers come early in morning, buses and trains operate mostly on time, people go to office all geared up to protect themselves from snow.

As promised in earlier post, below are some pictures snow, snow and snow everywhere:

Living in Germany-dsc08087.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08089.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08095.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08097.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08098.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08099.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08101.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08107.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08108.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08111.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08117.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08119.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08120.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08122.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08123.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08125.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08127.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08128.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08130.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08131.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08132.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08133.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08157.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08158.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08159.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08161.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08163.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08164.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08166.jpg

Living in Germany-dsc08168.jpg

Thanks,
Jignesh is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 12th January 2015, 20:43   #56
BHPian
 
dar3dev|l's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Munich, DE
Posts: 290
Thanked: 98 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Attaching few pics from Winters in Furth, the place around where i live.

Living in Germany-img_4035.jpg

Living in Germany-img_4027.jpg

Living in Germany-img_4028.jpg

Living in Germany-img_4029.jpg


New Year 2015:
Life in Germany is getting business as usual with the start of the new year. We (me, wife + son) have started to get used to the places we visit for our daily groceries, Son has started going to Krippe (kind of daycare) and enjoying it there. Wife is picking up some language (she is already an A1 level) and will start her intensive german B1 level soon.
dar3dev|l is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 22nd January 2015, 12:35   #57
BHPian
 
Arunshek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 68
Thanked: 40 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jignesh View Post
I accept that is a truly a personal choice & I respect both of yours views, but given a chance I will DEFINITELY prefer to live here for rest of my life. Period.
Well, no doubt considering all the standard of living, value of a life, education system, work-life balance. Wishing you good luck

Quote:
Originally Posted by dar3dev|l View Post
Life in Germany is getting business as usual with the start of the new year. We (me, wife + son) have started to get used to the places we visit for our daily groceries, Son has started going to Krippe (kind of daycare) and enjoying it there. Wife is picking up some language (she is already an A1 level) and will start her intensive german B1 level soon.
So your son also started saying German, I'm sure he'll be 1st to learn fluent among 3 of you

One question to Jignesh and dar3devil
Considering that you both moved from Mumbai, a place where we get sunlight 350 days if not all 365 days of a year (adding 10 days for Mumbai rains), to a place where annual sunny days are in range of 75-85 days; how did your body and mind react to a complete change. Read in some article that it sometime it causes depression, change of mood. Have you or anyone known like that. Clinically mentioned as S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Not to scare you, just for my clarificaton
Arunshek is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 22nd January 2015, 14:06   #58
BHPian
 
dar3dev|l's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Munich, DE
Posts: 290
Thanked: 98 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arunshek View Post
So your son also started saying German, I'm sure he'll be 1st to learn fluent among 3 of you
Yeap he sure is. Infact he had picked up a lot of german words which he keeps saying and I thought he was just blabbering. But since my wife is an A1, she confirmed those to be german words


Quote:
Originally Posted by Arunshek View Post
Read in some article that it sometime it causes depression, change of mood. Have you or anyone known like that. Clinically mentioned as S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Not to scare you, just for my clarification
Well its just that you are blocked within 4 walls (with closed airtight windows) during winters that causes the depression factor. Specially for guys like us in Mumbai who are used to seeing crowd and ears used to hearing noises 24*7. If you are alone than yes the depression factor hits you as you do not have anything to do and feels like trapped (add the language barrier to it). But with a kid and family, you have something or other to do to keep yourself busy. But at times even my 3 yr old feels bored and starts cranking up. Luckily I have brought along with me some indoor games like Jenga, Monopoly, snakes & ladders, etc from India to keep ourselves busy
dar3dev|l is offline  
Old 22nd January 2015, 14:13   #59
lsp
BHPian
 
lsp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 381
Thanked: 188 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Hello Arun,
Let me answer that for you. Lack of sunlight does impact you. How much is the impact depends on each individual. I haven't seen a acute case of SAD in my team of 20 people when we were living in dark winters in Denmark. Maybe because of the work and keeping mind busy with that. However the urge to skip office was much more as compared to normal sunny days.

That being said few things will help you keeping the blues away. Eat right, exercise, keep your mind occupied, get good amount of sleep and keep your surroundings well lit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arunshek View Post
Well, no doubt considering all the standard of living, value of a life, education system, work-life balance. Wishing you good luck



So your son also started saying German, I'm sure he'll be 1st to learn fluent among 3 of you

One question to Jignesh and dar3devil
Considering that you both moved from Mumbai, a place where we get sunlight 350 days if not all 365 days of a year (adding 10 days for Mumbai rains), to a place where annual sunny days are in range of 75-85 days; how did your body and mind react to a complete change. Read in some article that it sometime it causes depression, change of mood. Have you or anyone known like that. Clinically mentioned as S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Not to scare you, just for my clarificaton
lsp is offline  
Old 22nd January 2015, 18:30   #60
Senior - BHPian
 
rajeev k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Emerging Metro
Posts: 3,351
Thanked: 1,945 Times
Re: Living in Germany

Excellent text, narration covering all aspects of living in Germany and equally complementing pictures which educates one about Germany.
Now can you add aspects and pictures relating to cars like common and favorite ones, and about public transport buses, please.
Enjoy the stay.

Last edited by rajeev k : 22nd January 2015 at 18:38.
rajeev k is offline   (1) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks