After managing to do the impossible, I’ve decided to document what I learnt and what I had to do in order to live and work in Germany.

I have broken down everything into the following areas:

- Documents (all the official pieces of paper one might need)

- Places (where you can get the pieces of paper)

- Tips for getting jobs

- Visa specifics

- Bank requirements (for opening a bank account)

Other stuff:

- best resource!
http://www.toytowngermany.com
Best resource for foreigners. Everything in English (as a rule). Was a very valuable resource.. always the first place I looked for information. A lot of events too.

- finding a place to live
http://www.wg-gesucht.de/
Great site, found accommodation (get someone to show you how it works).

http://www.studenten-wg.de/
Didn’t really use, but an option.

- language schools
Axioma
http://www.sprachschule-axioma.de/german-courses/
This school was really good, but a little full on. Courses for all levels, be prepared to be frustrated and depressed.. German is complicated with more exceptions to the rules than rules.

- how things are done

You will notice fairly quickly that German has very specific ways of doing things.
For instance: if someone asks you a question, reply directly and exactly to what they ask. Do NOT ask another question or say something unexpected. You must wait for the appropriate point in the conversation to ask questions.
Also, in terms of official rules, there are way too many departments in Germany for managing everything, and not all of them know what’s going on. It is common to be booted from one person to another in order to find an answer. When you are waiting for a document to be processed, it’s probably because it has travelled across 4 desks and 3 different departments.

But people are generally nice. If you make an effort to be polite (and maybe a little desperate for help), smile and try and ask in German (use the Sie form), people will be happy to help you.
One important thing to know is that the German language is very complicated and old. There are many outdated words that no-one uses and I’ve found that there are more verbs that have 2 different meanings than in English. The use of verbs/words/gender/case is very dependent on the object you are talking about, the mode of use/travel and the style of conversation you are having.
For instance: if someone asks you a question, in order to reply you should note the gender of the objects they are talking about, the motion/use, the form (Nominative, Accusative, Genitive and Dative), who/what is the subject and then work out if you have to apply special rules for past tense (and what kind of past: one closed event or a continuing event, haben or sein) depending on your answer.

I believe all this structure is a result of the language. The language must look nice, sound nice, flow well and be precise in every way yet it is ironic that most foreigners consider German to sound very harsh and horrible. The result is a society that tries to do everything perfect and obviously fails. HOWEVER, during Sylvester (New years) I was apart of the fireworks celebrations on Olympia Berg. In München, it is possible to launch your own deadly eye destroying rockets up into the air where ever you want…. I think that only due to the precise, planned, perfect nature of the Germans, no-one got hurt.
So it’s not to assume that everything is done the wrong way here, just very different. It has it’s up sides and it’s downsides, but with any government, business or society, once you know how it works, it’s all about walking the walk and talking the talk.

Documents:

Arbeitserlaubnis (working permit… what I got in the end)
- kreisverwaltungsreferat

Meldebescheinigung
- from Bergebereau (kreisverwaltungsreferat)

Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung
- not required (free movement of labour)

Anmeldebescheinigung
- kreisverwaltungsreferat

ausländerbeschäftigung (type of visa)
- ?? from Ausländerbehörde? (in kreisverwaltungsreferat)

Places:

Berges Berau
Arbeitsamt?
———————————————-

Landratsamt

—
(u2 to Fraunhoferstr.from insbrucker ring then tram south (27), to mariahilfplatz left then right to 17)

Mariahilfplatz 17
81541 Au-Haidhausen, München
089 6221-0

Google map

———————————————-

kreisverwaltungsreferat (most common place… everything can be done here)

(I think they are moving more things online now, possibly website is better for applications now)
—
Ruppertstraße 19
80337 Isarvorstadt-Ludwigsvorstadt, München
089 23396000

München (near Poccistraße U3/U6)
Infotelefon: 89. 233-96000

Open (for walk in.. phones are other times?)
Mo/Di 8-12, 14-18:30
Mi – closed
Do 8-12
Fr 7-12

Please contact the Immigration Office Munich if you
have further questions (Group Telephone information: (89) 23396010
auslaenderbehoerde.kvr@muenchen.de
———————————————-

Finanzamt (important for Tax)

Responsible for Steurer (tax).

I had to go here a spend a long time filling in forms and asking questions. One of the hardest things was getting a tax number.. who would have thought they’d make paying tax difficult. (perhaps more difficult as a free lancer from OS).

———————————————-

Ausländerbehörde

Call visa (Aufenhaltserlaubnis) department
Ausländerbehörde – (Munich) 233 960 10
ausländerbeschäftigung
———————————————-
Australian Honorary Consul, Munich
—
Maximilianhöfe
Maximilianstraße 13
80539 München
Office hours: Tuesdays 9.00-13.00hrs
http://www.germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/consular.html

———————————————-

Getting a job tips: (freier Mitarbeiter)

Include certificates in Resume
Recruitment agencies
Meet employers for lunch
Meet freelancers for lunch!
Get local IT magazines
Look up local/online IT/Adobe/Career expo events!
Go to job post notice boards?
Sign up to XING

Visa

- Info

If you want to work more than 3 months, you must have a specific visa (Aufenhaltserlaubnis). You must go to the office for foreigners (Ausländerbehörde) with:

Your passport
You accommodation contract
Your work contract
Your registry at the town hall (Anmeldebescheinigung)
3 identity photos

Residence permit
- contract about flat
- health insurance
- income

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Infoservice/FAQ/Uebersicht.html
Have you not found the answer to your question? Give us a call (hotline number +49 3018 17 2000) or send us an email. One of our help desk staff will answer your inquiry as quickly as possible.

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Infoservice/FAQ/VisumFuerD/Uebersicht.html
Have you not found the answer to your question? Give us a call (hotline number +49 30 5000 2000) or send us an email. One of our help desk staff will answer your inquiry as quickly as possible.

Bank requirements:

(I went with Commerzbank in the end because they have a good online banking site in EN and offered 50€ bonus when I deposit more than €2000 per month for 2 months.. they also let me open an international account without any DE docs… I later changed it to a proper DE account later. Commerzbank are also part of a big group of banks which means more ATMs without charges)

Bank account
- girocontro (free postbank)
- postbank girokonto free if monthly income
banks
- stadt sparkase muenchen
- cashgroup (deutscher bank, postbank, tresdnerbank comertzerbank and etc….)
- volksbank

>1200 no fees

230 Leopold str.
Swabing
near Munchen freibeit.

Visa,
Passport,
Meldebescheinigung from Landratsamt or
kreisverwaltungsreferat

Bergebereau to register for Meldebescheinigung

“
Official proof of residence which you get as you register your address (Meldebescheinigung) or, if you have student accommodation, your contract of rental
“

–
We recommend that EU-students apply to the foreigners’ registration office for acertificate of free movement of labour (Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung). This certificate is not obligatory, but might be needed for example when applying for ajob in Germany

So, after 4 weeks and 8 lessons, what have I learnt?

Well, for 1.. You were right. Everyone was right. German is hard!

Here are some things I am now trying to learn, recall and use more often.

Past tense with gegangen and gearbeit n all those ge words (not so hard, but many variations on verbs). The hardest part is working out haben or sein for past tense.. I habe gesagt I have said

Ich bin aufgewacht I woke up

Prataritum (past) Ich hatte, du hattest, er hattetet and all those tricky variations like ging instead of gegangen and war instead of gewesen.

Konjunction II (future?) form 1: würde + infinitive … Ich würde das Filmsehen (?) Ii would like to see the film.

Form 2: es könnte sein It could be. Wir sollten schwimmen We should swim.

But you have to know prat. to transfer words into kon. form2.

Nominative, accusative, dative and genetive forms for der, die and das as well as plural forms for each gender. Uses of an, auf, in, zu etc. based on question to workout a response in the correct form.

And on top of all this grammatic, I have been expanding my vocab.

The good news is that I’m learning German better than the Germans like all those foreigners that correct the locals.. That could be me some day!

2010 will be the year of deutsche. I think my new years resolution will be to only speak German to German people for as long as I can!

Wish me luck! Oder viel Glück!

Looks like diving in Egypt is the next thing todo. Come the start of Jan, I will be heading off to Egypt for a week including training n diving and a kick ass hotel (if all the bookings work).

So.. Any would know any Egyptian? I just know the walk ; P

Wishing you all the best for Weihnnachten and the new year. Party like there’s no 32nd of December on Sylvester!

Cheers, Dan.

I’ve now been here 3 months. I’ve managed to make friends, get a job, extend my work contract (soon visa) till end 2010, found a WG and some swing clubs. As a special treat, I’ve also found a lovely Bavarian girl that makes me happy.

I thought this post might give you an insight into how I’m feeling..

What I miss: Nice almonds, aust gold sultanas, real museli bars, those nice chicken and vegetable soups from the Asian take away places, butter chicken with salad and garlic dressing from the vic market, the VIC!.. Buying good fresh cheap meat.. Roasts, SALMON! A wide range of fresh veges. Having friends around for dinner, my parents and friends from every shiny chapter of my life (you know who you are) Bike rides, tennis with my dad, catching up with crazy cool design ppl at rmit, My clothes and blue inside jacket, Swing dancing Thursdays!! Social dancing Thursdays!! Catching up with friends on Thursdays!! Friday funpit, Sunday blues. The summer!! The St Kilda promenade Watching rage, dc who, catalyst, Aussie comedy/comedians and bands on tv. Flying my helicopter. Ealry nights ; )

What I love:

Nugart crossaints, the baked apple desert across from where I work, plum cake, shnitzel and roasts from the buthcher for lunch, My colleagues and life at Publicis, the ease of travelling by subway, the warm subway when it’s cold, The wonderful, generous and good spirited people of München, swing dancing and all the events (when I have time), the people I have come to call friends and have spent many times having a laugh going out or playing games! Singing random lyrics from the flight of the conchords (“mango!”) My iPhone (dict, maps, music from home, vids from ozi tv), bionade (tasty german softdrink.. same feeling as LLBs), Aimdudler (Austrian LLBs), Christmass lights and strong Chrissy spirit! Kicker (even if I suck), sleeping in during the week.

And last but not least, my girl friend Anja. Without her I would have no cross cultural jokes and the feeling of home. “home is where the heart is”

To all those missing me.. There’s a tradition here when drinking and ‘cheersing’. When you pick up your glass and clink while saying “prost” and looking each other in the eyes (so to ensure good sex for the next 7 years), you also tap the table with your glass before drinking. This is prosting for all those that have either passed away or are not able to make it (in memory of). So as I drink the very fine beer or bionade, I am remembering all of you and wishing you were here.

Prost!

(Day 1)

Schazlik + crepe + glüwine !!

Plenty to see, plenty to eat, here’s some photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/pettetd/Chistkindlmarkt26112009

It’s a good question.. Which one is quicker to walk to work from?

As i’ve hears from my colleagues, IS is closer by perhaps a few meters, but PS is in the direction I need to take the train. Therefore, if a train was coming at IS and I’m running late then my chances are better at PS.

PS does have it’s dangers though. Firstly the bridge one must go under leaks, and secondly it is required to take out an additional health insurance policy incase you are run down by a bicycle!

This morning I managed to avoid the mob of 5 bicycles competing for poll position as I hugged the wall for safety only to be tackled by a dog accompanying one of the riders. I continued to watch the riders race off only to see one of them cross the road straight in front of a car! Luckily the car must be familiar with the area and swerved just in time!! (the bike lane is on the footpath in Munich)

IS has a fruit store along the way which is convenient but has no escalator when leaving the underground. Could be a potential slipping hazard in winter? There’s also a rather funky smell that comes from some dark laneway along the way which sometimes is ok for curiousity sake but can also be an incentive to walk faster (perhaps also good).

At the end of the day, it’s only a 3 min walk and regardless of which way I go, I still end up late for work or arrive home late.

I hope this gives some insight into the important issues concerning my life. Stay tuned for my next big story entitled “Buying a jacket in Munich”.. It’s set to be an absolute ripper!

Dan out.

Am I high enough to make jumping through that window worthwhile?

Why did I want to learn German again?

Is that the feeling of my brain trying to squeeze out my ear?

If I was god, would creating German be a nice comedic experiment?

If hell is self enducing, am I in it?

Just how many exceptions are there in German? More than 1000?

Are there more exceptions than rules in German?

How many laughs can I get out of “ich verstehe nur bahnhof”?

Is this the most self masochistic thing I’ve ever done?

Does learning german cause seizures?

There are only 3 things that are certain in Germany. Death, taxes and excessive process and form filling.

It’s cold. Thinking happy thoughts!