Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with germany

International Freelance Taxes -Canadian in Berlin /w US clients?

Anonymous — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:41:57 -0800

Calling all internationally mobile, 'creative-class' freelancers- how do you determine who taxes you, if your design clients are in one country (for me, USA) you live in another country (Germany) but are a citizen of yet somewhere else (Canadian)? Does everyone get a piece of my income? I am a Canadian graphic designer with clients in the United States (I lived and worked there with a TN work permit for 4 years), but have recently moved to Berlin. I have a Canada-German youth mobility visa, so I can legally get a German job, but am concentrating on taking language classes. My work for US clients has switched to freelancing, so I've been billing them as a Canadian freelancer (in USD through Paypal which I transfer to a Canadian bank account), and plan to pay Canadian taxes on the income.

The work I do has nothing to do with Germany, other than the fact that my computer and I are sitting in my German apartment while I do it (and I draw money out from a Canadian account to pay rent/groceries here). Is it reasonable to assume that I don't need to 'declare' this income to any German authorities, or give them a piece of the action? I make so little as it is, and 3 countries worth of employment paperwork sounds like tangled web of horrible.

If anyone has any experience in dealing with this sort of situation, or has advice regarding freelancing & tax laws for US/Canada/Germany, it would be hugely appreciated!

International Smart Phone?

bodgy — Sun, 12 May 2013 09:13:18 -0800

I am an AT&T Customer with an iPhone 5. I am traveling to London, Paris, and Dusseldorf this summer and don't want to get killed with international data and cell charges. Plus I want good apps for translation, maps, etc. What's the best way to do this, and would I be better or worse off with an Android phone (Galaxy S4 or HTC One)? Any first-hand experience would be awesome. In a few years I have come to rely heavily on my iPhone for travel. Texting friends we're meeting, using the maps, taking photos and video on trips, plus just keeping up on eMails etc. while gone is vital to me personally and professionally.

But I rarely travel internationally. This summer, though, I'm going to England, France, and Germany. I've been trying to research pre-paid international SIM cards and such to keep costs down on the trip.

But then I read recently that Android, specifically on the Galaxy S4, has great translation apps where if I'm in Paris I can hold it up and it will tell me in text what someone is saying, and I can speak English into it and it will then say it in French, etc. That would be awesome in a pinch (though annoying for regular use).

I also really love the S4 having interchangeable batteries (I'm a battery hog when traveling and the iPhone 5 juice packs are not as inexpensive as they were for previous generations of iPhone)

Given that I'm under contract to AT&T that is my current limitation, but what phone would be the most helpful as a personal travel companion?

American toys for German kids

plantbot — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:47:48 -0800

What are some great gifts I could bring from the US (northeast) to kids in Germany who range in age from 3 to 8 years old? What cool kid stuff is available in the US that might be novel for kids in Germany these days?

Budgeting for Berlin trip - how much for food?

GenericUser — Sun, 05 May 2013 06:10:19 -0800

I'm planning on taking a solo trip to Berlin for a week. As a general guideline, if I stick to cafes (and the occasional doner kebab) how much should I expect to spend on food?

Can you help me plan my trip to Germany, France and Italy?

BitterYouth — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:29:22 -0800

I will be in Berlin, Prague, Venice, Florence, Rome, Marseilles and Paris this summer. I've never been to any of these places before. I will be spending about 2 days per city apart from Prague which is only 1 day. I realize it is a hectic trip and hard to see so much in such a short time, but that's the way the budget and time worked out. I will be traveling with two other students.

Advice I could use: where to stay (good hostels that you've stayed at?), tips/tricks to make things cheaper or easier to see (for example in Rome, I'm told that getting the bus tour package allows me to skip lines at the main tourist spots). We’re students and on a small budget and limited time in each city, so any ideas for making things efficient/cheaper would be awesome. Also things to see that I definitely don’t wanna miss in any of these places?

I have been using lonelyisland, ricksteves and seat61 but I was looking for more personalized advice.

THANK YOU!

Transportation - I'm traveling by train between most cities (already booked). So EuroRail pass is a nonissue at this point.

I have read some previous relevant threads, particularly this one about staying in Rome.

PS - I've never asked a Q before so I might be doing this all wrong....have mercy.

A trip to Hamburg and Berlin

dubold — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:40:41 -0800

Our family is heading to Hamburg and Berlin. What should we see? I'm interested in things that aren't necessarily top of the list in guidebooks; I can look up tourism websites to find out where the major landmarks are, etc. I'm thinking more of street markets, interesting architecture, neighborhoods to walk around in, or things that might interest a 4 year old.

Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland Travel Ideas

murrey — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 07:26:16 -0800

The Murrey family is heading to Germany this July and staying in Stuttgart with friends. They have a car. We need your guidance on what to see and where to go. I will be there with Toddler Murrey for the whole month and Mr. Murrey will be there for the last 2 weeks. Our friends are game for whatever we want to do (they have a toddler too). However, they suggested renting a home on the French coast (Eze/Nice/Cannes/Villefranche-sur-mer/Monte Carlo) for 4 or 5 days. This sounds lovely but it is a bit of a haul and am wondering if it would be worth doing all of that traveling on top of the long flight from Texas. But I love the beach!

Basically, we are looking for suggestions as to what we should do/see. Our lodging is free in Stuttgart and would like to keep costs down a bit but we are willing to stay somewhere if there is a must see place to go. In other words, if there are day trips around Stuttgart, great. But we are also willing to go to France, Austria, and Switzerland if there is something great to do and see.

Here is what we have on our paltry itinerary so far:

One night, 2 days in Paris for me and Mr. Murrey (our friends will watch our son while we bullet train it over there).

Last 2 or three nights in Amsterdam.

That's it!

Also, bonus points if you can give information about whether to rent a car to get to Amsterdam from Stuttgart or take a train -- are great things to see along the way there where a car would be better?

Overnight in Oberhausen

dmvs — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:17:30 -0800

My husband and I want to drive from Berlin to Oberhausen soon to visit Christo's Big Air Package. Where should we stay overnight? It doesn't need to be in Oberhausen, but ideally within about a 30 minute drive. Restaurant suggestions also welcome.

What to do for two weeks in SW Germany?

Fister Roboto — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:37:23 -0800

I'm going to be in SW Germany (an hour south of Stuttgart) for around two weeks in April (from the 8th to the 18th). What are the must-sees? I'm staying with a friend, and I'm sure she'll be able to provide advice, but I'd like more opinions. I did see this thread: http://ask.metafilter.com/120937/Stuttgart, but I'd like advice on things outside of Stuttgart as well (and more ideas about Stuttgart).

Things I Like:
art
museums
cities (and hip/arty neighborhoods in cities)
flea markets/shopping
college towns

Thanks for your advice!

Interviewing etiquette with German companies

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:21:41 -0800

I'm an American interviewing with several companies based in Berlin. These are small Internet companies with fewer than 100 employees. In both cases, the first Skype interview has (seemingly) gone well and I've followed up via email to thank them for the opportunity and reiterate my interest. However, I have not received anything in return after 10+ days. Is this typical? Does silence on their end indicate a lack of interest in proceeding any further? Or should I continue to follow up until I receive an explicit reply, as is typical in the U.S. (in my experience)? You can reach me at interviewing@fastmail.fm if necessary. Thanks!

Where can I get posters/flyers printed in or near Heidelberg, Germany?

kyrademon — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:46:11 -0800

I live in Heidelberg, Germany and I need to print a number of posters and flyers for an upcoming show. But I've been having a lot of problems doing so. Where can I get large posters and double sided flyers printed in Heidelberg (or deliverable to there within a reasonable time frame)? Last year, for a similar show, I used the service flyeralarm.com. We had a number of problems with them (they rejected our files several times for various reasons before they finally got a version they deigned to take, and then they were slow to deliver.)

Nonetheless, not knowing any better options, we tried them again this year. We've been trying since Tuesday, and no matter how much we attempt to tailor the files to their standards, the site refuses to let them upload for one reason or another. Time is starting to become an issue - I must have these in hand two weeks from today at the absolute latest, which sounds like a reasonable amount of time -- but given several business days to print, a few business days to deliver, and our experience last year, I'm starting to get very nervous.

Does anyone know if there is either (1) a local print shop I could use, or (2) another service in Germany that we might have better luck with? They MUST be able to print:

A2 posters (gloss, probably somewhere between 120 and 170 GSM)
A6 double-sided flyers (gloss, probably somewhere between 210 and 300 GSM)

So just a normal copyshop that can do nice A3 posters isn't going to work for us, unfortunately.

Germany intern visas

threeants — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:35:15 -0800

Can / how can a US American get a visa to work a specific paid internship in Germany? I'm considering applying for an internship in Germany that says it welcomes non-EU nationals to apply if they can be granted a work permit prior to starting. My understanding of European immigration policies leads me to believe that there is almost no way to just get a generic work visa in most countries. I know that entities like BUNAC will arrange your legal situation if you land an internship in the UK or Ireland-- is there a similar broker for Germany? What would be the options here? Thanks!

Joymany

cloeburner — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:29:36 -0800

My friends went to Germany on a whim and now they are cold and miserable until their flight back in early February. I don't want them to give up hope. What are some truly awesome things that they can do in Berlin and the surrounding areas in the coming weeks? Museums, concerts, sights, hidden nooks and crannies of Berlin, people to meet, oddities, murals, etc. They aren't big on bars, and they don't have a lot of money but they are huge on culture. I know there's tons of cool stuff in Berlin, so divulge if you know it!

Thanks.

What is this kind of shoe brush called?

chillmost — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:05:47 -0800

What is this kind of shoe brush called in German and where can I order it online? I saw this one on a horse farm and a few other places in the Netherlands and I would like to give it to my girlfriend for Christmas. I have found a few brushes online that look similar but they don't have the metal grate to stand on. What's in the picture is exactly what I am looking for. Is it a common farm implement?

Berlin, when the wall fell?

meronym — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:35:22 -0800

What was it like to be in Berlin when the Wall came down in 1989? I'm interested in learning about the events which took place leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and especially, what was the experience of ordinary (West and East) Germans who lived through that time. I'd be grateful for recommendations of non-fiction books, preferably more along the lines of popular history rather than weighty academic volumes. Are there any movies which capture the mood of the time? I'd also be fascinated to hear any eyewitness accounts from Mefites!

Germany Travel for Dummies

shortskirtlongjacket — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:52:13 -0800

Getting around and staying connected in Bremen, Germany: your tips, tricks, and general advice for a semester abroad. A younger sibling of mine, a sophomore in college, will be spending the upcoming spring semester in Bremen, Germany with fellow students from his college (they will be housed together in a dorm-type living facility that includes a cafeteria). He has never traveled to Europe/anywhere requiring a passport before but is cautiously excited about this opportunity. He will have had one semester of German upon arrival and will continue to take German as one of his courses there. He anticipates devoting most of his time to his studies and isn't anticipating a lot of side excursions - but I am gently trying to encourage this.

As the family member who has most recently traveled abroad, I am the go-to resource for the black hole of information his college has somehow failed to provide. He's a great kid but not always completely on top of things organizationally so I'd love to take advantage of some hivemind wisdom. Relevant blog or forum resources are also appreciated!

Specifically:

1. Cell phone logistics. He will be bringing an iPhone 3GS that is not currently attached to a US contract plan. His plan is to purchase a SIM card and install it upon arrival in Germany, and then top up as needed during the semester. He plans to use WiFi for data needs and Skype to call home; he mainly wants to be able to keep in touch with traveling companions as needed. How does this sound? Any recommendations for vendors/places to purchase/top up ? I saw this link from this post - recommendable?

2. I don't know that he is signed up for an ISIC student card. I had one a few years back when I spent some time in London and found it very useful; should I recommend it?

3. General (Bremen- and Germany-specific) travel tips for the uninitiated? I haven't traveled extensively but things I learned quickly and wasn't initially "aware of needing to be aware of" included personal item vigilance, always carrying cash vs. using a debit/credit card to pay for everything, and being mindful of communication costs (e.g., is it cheaper to text or call my family in the US? what about people traveling with me?). Anything else you'd recommend?

Thanks in advance hive, look forward to hearing your tips!

Christmas in Bavaria

pallas14 — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 08:39:12 -0800

Can you help us with cool things to do in Germany (specifically Munich - Nuremberg - Rothenburg - Frankfurt) in early December? Snowflake details inside. We have often gotten many good travel ideas from AskMe in the past, but for this trip, we seem to be having trouble finding info that is relevant to our specific situation.

We have about a week, are flying into Munich and out of Frankfurt, and have hotels and flight reservations booked already. We know we will be spending a couple of days at Christmas markets in Munich and in Nuremberg, but other than that, our itinerary is pretty much open.

We are a group of four adults - me and my husband (around 30) and my parents. We like good food and good beer, museums, castles and historical buildings (the older the better). We aren't really into nightlife, our style is more to head to bed early and be up early to be at places when they open. We are looking for suggestions of neat things do to or see while we are there.

Complicating factor - I will be about 27 weeks pregnant at the time of the trip and have been dealing with some pretty serious exhaustion so far. I am anticipating that I will have to move slower and take more rests than is usual for us. (We usually are pretty much continually on the move when we travel.) This also means that some outdoorsy activities we would normally do are off the table for this trip.

Specific questions:
- Any suggestions for traveling in Germany while 27 weeks pregnant?
- My doctor has given me the ok to have a few beers as long as I don't overdo it. This is something I would not usually do in public in the US, due to the horrified looks I would get. Am I going to raise eyebrows in Germany if I have a beer or a mug of mulled wine?
- Opinions on Neuschwanstein Castle? I know that this is usually considered a "must see", but my parents have done it several times, and we are generally less interested in "newer" castle, so I'm going back and forth on this one.

Thanks, AskMe!

What is Munich like at the end of November?

eurandom — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 11:38:41 -0800

What is München (Munich, Germany) like at the end of November? I have an opportunity to go to München (Munich, Germany) for a weekend at the end of November, 24-25 November to be exact. I would definitely go see Cirque du Soleil's Immortal show while I am there. I love Cirque du Soleil and am sure that I will enjoy the show, but I could also see the same show later in other locations.

I am therefore wondering, what is Munich like that time of the year? Would you recommend going there at the end of November? From what I can gather, it is just before the start of the famous Christmas markets, and I would think it would be cold and bad weather that time of the year. Is it worthwhile to visit the city at that time? What would you recommend to do that time of the year?

I have never been in Munich before if that makes a difference.

Driving in Germany and low emission

outlier — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 04:42:59 -0800

What's your advice for a driving holiday across Holland into Germany, particularly regarding low emission zones in cities? So, Dr Girlfriend and I are going on a driving holiday in a week: partly to catch the Essen game fair, partly to celebrate her birthday. We're catching the ferry from the UK to the Hook of Holland, making our way to Essen (where we have a hotel booked for a few days) and then have a bunch of unplanned days before catching the ferry back.

The auto and driving sites have been useful in finding out how our car must be equipped (country sticker, first aid kit etc.) but we still have a few questions about driving and touring:

* A large number of cities on the continent are now labelled as Low Emission Zones, which means your car needs a sticker to be used within them. Fortunately, Essen doesn't adopt this until next year, but the scheme seems very confusing. If I understand right, our car (a Ford KA) would be eligible for a sticker, but the registration schemes are run by each individual city - meaning we would have to find a garage in ecah city to register our car. Surely this can't right, or do we have to actively avoid low emmission zones?

* Essen, Spieletage asides, seems a little ... dull? Guidebooks and tourist advice for the region is a bit light on. What can be done around there? My partnet is a mad cyclist, so cycle paths or trips around there would be good.

* General tips for driving in Holland and Germany? I've driven on the continent before (and on the right side) and looked at overviews of driving laws.

* Where to go on our unplanned days? We've thought about south to the French/German border and Luxembourg or north to Bremen. Caveat: I don't want to spend too long driving each day.

Films about discovering the truth about Germany's past

Holly — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:27:05 -0800

I just saw a new film called "The Dead and the Living" (Barbara Albert), about a twenty-something girl uncovering the truth about her family's history in Nazi Germany. It reminded me of Costa-Gavras' "The Music Box". Does anyone have any other recommendations for films on a similar theme, specifically about Germany, and specifically about the process of uncovering of the past rather than (as in say "Downfall" or "Das Boot") the past itself?

Ich bin ein frankfurter

ootsocsid — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:49:52 -0800

Asking for a friend: I have a day and a half or so of sightseeing time in Frankfurt, Germany this Saturday and Sunday. What should I do and see while I'm there?

lost and found

laptolain — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:16:34 -0800

Found a wallet with a bunch of German identification (passport, drivers license, ID cards). How can I get this stuff back to him? Is there a better way than just mailing it to the address on his passport? If I do mail it should I use USPS? I'm in NYC.

seeing germany in six days

swimmingly — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 06:39:48 -0800

Germany, seven days, mid October. Beginning in Berlin, ending in Frankfurt, but what in the middle? Also, are there any seasonal things to eat or drink at that time we should look out for? My friend and I would love to have suggestions for cities in Germany to see when we visit in the third week of October. Too late for Oktoberfest I think. Itinerary is currently quite up in the air and looks something like,

Day 1: Berlin
Day 2: Berlin
Day 3: maybe Dresden?
Day 4:
Day 5: Munich? (is Munich worth two nights?)
Day 6:
Day 7: leave from Frankfurt

We like good food/drinks, gorgeous scenery, and the occasional awesome castle. I don't know if the temperature will be appropriate for light hiking but that would be an option too. History is cool but not a priority since we don't have much time. Not big on museums/nightlife either. And we won't be driving, so unfortunately can't have any autobahn adventures.

We probably won't be heading to the southwest portion of the country, unless there's something there that's a must-see. Have already been to Heidelberg and Freiburg which were both fantastic.

Thanks a lot in advance!

19th Century Dueling Societies

yankeefog — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 02:53:49 -0800

Is it possible to find detailed, English-language information on the initiation rituals, and other rites and customs, of 19th-century German dueling societies, or "burschenschafts"? I've found some excellent overviews (like this one) but I'm looking for a step-by-step account of exactly how a new member would be initiated. Online and print sources are both helpful, as is any other source of information on other aspects of burschenschafts.

Best way to stay in touch with family back in the States?

photo guy — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:00:09 -0800

Moving to Germany next year, how best to stay in touch with everyone back in the US? So my employer has given me the opportunity to move to Frankfurt, Germany for two years; a move which, after some deliberation with friends and family, I have decided to accept. While the move isn't for several more months, I'm trying to get a jump on the details. As my girlfriend is probably staying behind in the States for work (at least for a while), one major concern is finding the best way to stay in touch with her - not to mention to keep up with the rest of my family.

Ideally, what I'd like is the ability to easily make calls/texts from Europe back to the States, (and vice-versa), just like I do now. I've used Skype in the past - it's great for PC-to-PC video communication and the "skype-out" feature is useful but there's no easy way to message people unless you're both logged in simultaneously.

I briefly looked into Viber today and it's starting to sound like the best bet. However, I'm a bit new to all this and have a few questions:

1. If I get a German SIM for my phone, will I be able to use Viber in other EU countries? Am I good anywhere, so long as I have an Internet connection? My new position entails a lot of regional travel, so I'll be spending a good portion of my time in surrounding countries (France, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, etc).

2. For those who have used Viber, any issues? If it matters, I have an old Galaxy S (but I'm considering upgrading to a Galaxy Nexus); girlfriend has a brand-new Verizon iPhone 4S.

3. I really like my current US number and am thinking of porting it to another service - either a prepaid US sim (for trips back to the States) or to Google Voice. Would Google Voice gain me anything used in conjunction with Viber? I'm not that familiar with GV but as I understand it can't be used overseas, nor can it (supposedly) forward to a non-US phone number.

4. Are there any better ways to do all this? Anything I'm forgetting?