ITT you can ask me anything about being a German guy living in the US

[Kyle.Gilmour]

Originally Posted by irpq11

Right but some places they take better care of themselves than others and come out more often. I can tell you this. I lived in the Seattle area for 7 years and here in the south there are more percentage of hot chicks walking around easily. I always told my Freind in Seattle this and he always said "whatever" but he came to visit last year and he damn sure mentioned it.

So I'm talking percentage wise.

This is SO true. Especially coming from a small town like I did. Northern Michigan has 1 hot girl for maaaabye every 20. Partly because it snows 5 months a year and they dont care what they look like under their snowsuits
I now live in Austin, TX. The environment helps, warmer the weather means the less they wear, which means they have to be more in shape to show off.

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by dbotsfordtat

What part of Germany are you from?

I grew up close to Bitburg and my parents still live there. Population is about 12,000. It's very close to the border of Luxemburg, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. When I turned 18 I moved to Cologne.

Maybe you've heard of Bitburg Airbase or Spangdahlem Airbase? It's like right next to where I grew up

[dbotsfordtat]

Originally Posted by diddiyo

I grew up close to Bitburg and my parents still live there. Population is about 12,000. It's very close to the border of Luxemburg, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. When I turned 18 I moved to Cologne.

Maybe you've heard of Bitburg Airbase or Spangdahlem Airbase? It's like right next to where I grew up

I lived over in Germany for nine years, love your country. What brought you to America?

[pinkcamaro10]

Originally Posted by irpq11

Right but some places they take better care of themselves than others and come out more often. I can tell you this. I lived in the Seattle area for 7 years and here in the south there are more percentage of hot chicks walking around easily. I always told my Freind in Seattle this and he always said "whatever" but he came to visit last year and he damn sure mentioned it.

So I'm talking percentage wise.

I'm gonna have to agree with you on that. I moved south from WI, and woman in general (well most of them, there's always a few skanky people here and there) take care about themselves more here and are much more concerned with their appearances.

[Emher]

Great topic! I've thought about moving to the US ever since I visited a few years ago (almost did back then but that's another story). As a fellow Norther European I want as some things.

What would you say is the biggest difference with living in the US vs Europe?

I got impressions that it's a bit harder to find healthy food alternatives (i'm talking stuff like butter and margarine, not meals), do you agree or did I just not look hard enough?

And finally, do you think the move is worth it? Asking because I'm becoming increasingly tired with some of the attitudes in my country.

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by dbotsfordtat

What brought you to America?

long story. I came over here as part of an exchange program in August 2006. I went to college in Southwest KS for one semester, then worked as an intern at a company in Miami, FL for six months. A few weeks before I was supposed to go back to Germany in July 2007, the company I was working for offered me a job, coincidentally my gf in Germany broke up with me the same week (i'm not making this up!), so that made my decision to stay and get some more international work-experience a lot easier. I then worked another 1,5 years in Miami before I was offered a different position in our office here in NJ a couple weeks ago.

Originally Posted by Emher

Great topic! I've thought about moving to the US ever since I visited a few years ago (almost did back then but that's another story). As a fellow Norther European I want as some things.

What would you say is the biggest difference with living in the US vs Europe?

I got impressions that it's a bit harder to find healthy food alternatives (i'm talking stuff like butter and margarine, not meals), do you agree or did I just not look hard enough?

And finally, do you think the move is worth it? Asking because I'm becoming increasingly tired with some of the attitudes in my country.

There's definitely a difference in lifestyles! Over here it's a lot more "learning by doing" whereas in Germany you have to study and practice a lot before you can get started in a job. It has its advantages and disadvantages. It certainly makes work a lot more interesting over here, because if you're interested and willing to take on new things there's a lot to learn.

The food is definitely different. Healthy food is expensive. Over here I pay about $7 or so for three red peppers. In Germany I used to pay maybe 2eur or so. That's pretty much the case for all vegetables etc. On the other side you get two huge bags of chips for like $3 I don't know what kind of bread you guys have in Sweden, but it's nothing like the bread we have in Germany. It might be called bread, but it's almost always more like toast. occasionaly you can find "my" kinf of bread at the bakery, but it's more expensive.
people also don't cook as much as what I'm used to from Germany and go out a lot more for lunch/dinner.

[pinkcamaro10]

What would you do if you won a million dollars today?

Where else have you been in europe?

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by pinkcamaro10

What would you do if you won a million dollars today?

Where else have you been in europe?

If I won a million dollars today I'd invite my family and friends over for a huge ass party in Vegas, then maybe buy a car and invest the rest.

I actually think I've traveled more in the US than I have in Europe because I moved out early and didn't have much time to travel. In college I had a lot of time I've never been to Berlin for instance. But I've been all over the south coast of France and Spain. I've been to Mallorca (Spanish island), Monaco/Monte Carlo and Austria. Since Belgium and the Netherlands are so close to where I used to live I've been to Amsterdam etc a bazillion times. I miss that camping spot next to the Six Flags Park in the Netherlands. Good times!

Since the distances over here are just a lot bigger than in Europe, people have a different approach to traveling. Everything over a two hour drive is pretty much a "huge trip" in Germany

[pinkcamaro10]

I want to go to the south of France! to like Nice and stuff. That will be my next trip when i go to spain and Italy.

Im going to Dublin, London, and Paris in September. super excited.

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by pinkcamaro10

I want to go to the south of France! to like Nice and stuff. That will be my next trip when i go to spain and Italy.

Im going to Dublin, London, and Paris in September. super excited.

See, I've never been to Dublin and London :(
I'm sure you'll have a good time. Make sure to hit up a pub in Dublin, those Irish folks are crazy!

There are beautiful places around the french riviera (cote d'azur). A little further west (Perpignan) is nice too. But don't go to Costa Brava in Spain or Mallorca in the Spring unless you wanna party with us Germans. It's kind of like our Florida for Spring Break

Enjoy your trip!

[pinkcamaro10]

I will definately be at the pubs... lol probably more than i should.

I wish i had backpacked in France for a year when i had graduated High School. ( i took class for like 6 years) and i would have loved to learn how to speak french fluently.

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by pinkcamaro10

I wish i had backpacked in France for a year when i had graduated High School. ( i took class for like 6 years) and i would have loved to learn how to speak french fluently.

I've had French for six years in school. Unfortunately I don't remember a whole lot. That's what happens if you don't keep practicing. Meh...

[Emher]

pink, I have been to London and it's fantastic! One of my favorite cities in the world.

Originally Posted by diddiyo

There's definitely a difference in lifestyles! Over here it's a lot more "learning by doing" whereas in Germany you have to study and practice a lot before you can get started in a job. It has its advantages and disadvantages. It certainly makes work a lot more interesting over here, because if you're interested and willing to take on new things there's a lot to learn.

The food is definitely different. Healthy food is expensive. Over here I pay about $7 or so for three red peppers. In Germany I used to pay maybe 2eur or so. That's pretty much the case for all vegetables etc. On the other side you get two huge bags of chips for like $3 I don't know what kind of bread you guys have in Sweden, but it's nothing like the bread we have in Germany. It might be called bread, but it's almost always more like toast. occasionaly you can find "my" kinf of bread at the bakery, but it's more expensive.
people also don't cook as much as what I'm used to from Germany and go out a lot more for lunch/dinner.

That sounds good, around here it's mostly that if you don't have a veeery good education and is under 25, you're shit out ofluck in the good jobs department.

We have all kinds of bread in Sweden, we specialise in hard bread though. Not my favorite kind of bread though, I prefer stuff like ciabatta, greek bread, french bread, corn bread. I'd probably bake a lot of my own stuff if I couldn't find a decent bakery in the US since I NEED my bread.

Also on the subject of bread I found it kinda disturbing that remains of the loaf of toast I bought when I got to the US still had not gone stale at all ten days later when I left. Somethings odd there.

And I couldn't stand not cooking. Sure I would go out a bit because I found the assortment of restaurants in the US to be excellent, but cooking is therapeutic for me. Sometimes there's nothing better then whipping up some pasta with a tomato, onion and basil sauce.


Got another one for you:

Do you find it difficult to be accepted as a foreigner? If so does it depend on the region (since you moved around a bit)?


Great answers so far btw

[Hylton]

Do Germans think Sidney Crosby is a whiney ass baby like Canadians do?