View Full Version : Son spending the summer in Germany - any tips
Hi, Everyone. My college son has a summer internship in Germany this year. This may be a bit premature because we don't even know where he will be working yet. We do know the first month he will be in an intensive language course. Then 2 months working.
So I am wondering if anyone has any tips that might make his stay there nicer. Or anything that he should do or see while there?
One thing we are wondering is about cell phones. The Verizon store told us his phone would not work in Germany. We will be skyping (just got that set up@) but he will need the cell also. Should he just get a pay as you go thing while in Germany?
Oh my goodness, what a wonderful opportunity! I've traveled around a fair amount of Germany and it is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. So many things to see, no matter where he is! Will wait to send specific thoughts til you post his location.
Verizon is correct a US cell phone will not work in Germany. I bought a pay as you go cell phone from T-mobile for use in Germany. Unlike US pay as you go you never lose your paid for min. I can go almost 2 years without using the phone and my min will be waiting for me as soon as I get to Germany.
He can probably get a cheapo pay-as-you-go phone in Germany. Or if you have an old one that is not locked in to a network, he may be able to just buy a sim card there. I've been able to use a couple of my UK phones in the US, so I assume some US ones will work also. I found this article on a travel website, which seems pretty informative http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/cell-phone-europe.htm. If the main purpose of the phone is to stay in touch with you all back in the States, it's definitely going to be more cost-effective to just communicate online. However, he'll probably want a cell phone to make socialising easier in Germany.
I don't know Germany too well so I can't advise on nice places to go, but just make sure he's out there getting to know people and making friends (primarily German-speaking if he can!).
Oh my goodness, what a wonderful opportunity! I've traveled around a fair amount of Germany and it is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. So many things to see, no matter where he is! Will wait to send specific thoughts til you post his location.
Thanks, Rosemary! I am very excited for him. I think it will be really good for him.
Learned tonight that he will be in Berlin for a month starting May 25th.
That's not necessarily true that Verizon phones won't work in Germany. It really depends on the phone. If it is a GSM phone and operates within the 900 to 1800 MHz frequencies, it can be unlocked to work in all of Europe.
GSM phones in the United States are typically configured for the 850 to 1900 MHz range with a strong preference for 850 MHz. My blackberry will work throughout Europe.
You will still need a carrier in Germany and Verizon does not service Germany. I fond it was easy to buy a cheap prepaid phone in Germany. The phones over there will cost about the same as here. When using skype to communicate remember the time difference. Six hours east coast and 9 hours west coast. Another thought he will need a German bank account. They do not write checks in Germany they do bank to bank transfers. Debt cards are used a lot and credit cards are gaining in popularity in major cities. The Germans do not use credit cards like we do and in small towns few shops may take them. When he pays rent he would give his land lord his bank account number and they will debit his account each month. If you are transferring money from the US find a bank that has low transfer fees.
Also make large transfers the exchange rate won't hit so bad as making small transfers. We maintain an account in Germany. My wife is German so we go there a lot and the bank account makes renting an apartment or a hotel room easy. We also use the debt card for shopping.
chrisgermany
3-12-12, 6:01am
Hi,
For internet I currently like the www.fonic.de offers. They have a flat rate of EUR 2,5 per active day.
The tarifs of the food discounters Aldi and Lidl are also said to be cheapo. Their stores are all over Germany and prepaid cards are easy to get. Aldi calls to US are 0,12 / 0,29 EUR per minute. Aldi internet for notebooks is 14,99 EUR/month + one time 39,99 for the stick.
I would not arrange anything in advance but go through the offers with the language teacher and co-students in the first week.
An account with a German bank might be helpful if he gets paid or to send him money from home. Traveller checks can be cashed at any bank. Credit cards are popular but smaller shops often refuse to take them.
My younger colleagues from abroad told that the couchsurfing network is now very useful in a new area. Not only for overnight stays but also to meet other people, exchange useful information and explore the area together.
I also like the servas network www.servas.org to meet people in other places.
Does he already have a bed? Airb&b is very popular in Berlin.
When he is in Berlin he should not miss the former CCamp at Oranienburg/Sachsenhausen, just north of Berlin.
http://www.stiftung-bg.de/gums/en/index.htm
It is often overlooked but very impressive, not only as it was one of the earliest and in use till 1950.
Wow, what a neat opportunity!
It is a neat opportunity. And I think I forgot to mention that it is a PAID internship! Woo hoo! lol
You will still need a carrier in Germany and Verizon does not service Germany. I fond it was easy to buy a cheap prepaid phone in Germany. The phones over there will cost about the same as here. When using skype to communicate remember the time difference. Six hours east coast and 9 hours west coast. Another thought he will need a German bank account. They do not write checks in Germany they do bank to bank transfers. Debt cards are used a lot and credit cards are gaining in popularity in major cities. The Germans do not use credit cards like we do and in small towns few shops may take them. When he pays rent he would give his land lord his bank account number and they will debit his account each month. If you are transferring money from the US find a bank that has low transfer fees.
Also make large transfers the exchange rate won't hit so bad as making small transfers. We maintain an account in Germany. My wife is German so we go there a lot and the bank account makes renting an apartment or a hotel room easy. We also use the debt card for shopping.
I had no idea that people did not write checks in Germany. Interesting. I will definitely share this info with him. Thanks.
chrisgermany
3-13-12, 6:06am
Checks were popular for business use only. For private use bank transfer and direct debit cards connected to your bank account are the methods of choice.
We all receive the salary by money transfer, directly into our bank accounts.
If it hasn't already been mentioned, he might want to look into getting a rail pass while in Germany. he can get a German rail pass www.germanrailpasses.com or something like a Eurail pass www.eurail.com. I lived in Dachau for about 6 months with my Oma (grandma) and then spent alot of time many years later travelling thru Europe on a Eurail pass and found them to be invaluable for getting around.
Also, I found the best way to get money and deal with exchange rates is just to use an ATM. You don't need to open a German bank account as you can access your own account via the ATM. It does everything automaticly and you generally get a fair exchange rate with a minimum fee.
And if he plans to do any local travelling while there make sure to have him check out hostels for cheap digs. In Germany they use to have an age limit of 26 (most hostels thru out the world don't have an age limit) but that was just in the summer months and may not even be the case any more. They are great places to meet people from all over the world, find travel and recreational companions, and just have a warm bed, shower and a bit of comradarie at the end of the day for not alot of money. Many of the bigger hostels in Germany have full restaurants, bars and even discoteques in them. many are in historic settings like castles. Also many historic sites, museums, etc... have one day per week that is a free entrance-fee day. Usually mid-week. Same with concerts, etc.. germany has huge free outdoor concerts all summer long in most cities.
Here is a link to a website that can provide a lot of info on living in Germany. They have a recent article on banking in Germany.
http://www.expatica.com/de/main.html
Hey, everybody! Sorry to be AWOL for so long. Been crazy busy. And TIRED! Anyway.... Ian will be in Berlin for the language course for the 1st month. Got a scholarship to cover it - Hooray!. He will be staying with an elderly woman while in school. Still does not know where he will be working, but there is a university in Aachen that is interested in him. I hope we will know before he leaves but it is possible he won't know til after he is in Germany.
So does anyone have any ideas of Michigan-centric gift ideas he can take along for his hostess? And anyone else he might need one for. We were talking about a nice coffee table book with photos of Michigan. Or does anyone know Aachen?
Thank you!
chrisgermany
5-14-12, 5:35am
Congratulations! Aachen university is one of Germay's "Ivy League" universities, esp. for the technical field.
http://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/bdz/
Having worked there will be great on his CV.
Aachen is an interesting town with a nice old town, a famous cathedral, lots of tradition and student atmosphere.
http://www.aachen.de/EN/ts/Current_information/index.html
It is also well connected to Cologne, Brussels, Paris.
I would be surprised if your son doesn't love it at Aachen.
As for gift: a coffee table book on Michigan could make a nice gift, specialty food from your area might be appreciated, too.
It is official. He'll be in Aachen!
Thank you for the info Chris. I bet he will love it. He did get the coffee table book & we'll keep looking for something to go along with it.
awakenedsoul
6-14-12, 8:38pm
This is an exciting opportunity for you son. I lived and worked in Berlin for a year when I was 28. The wall had just come down. It is a beautiful city. Oh, I just realized, you said he will be in Aachen. Eurail passes are great. There are wonderful cafes and restaurants. So much history. Our producer was German, so we also worked in Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Hamburg, and I taught in Stuttgart. Baden Baden is a nice day trip. European work and travel was the highlight of my life! Hope you can go visit him!
chrisgermany
6-20-12, 6:43am
The university of Aachen has just succeeded again in the excellency challenge among German universities:
http://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/main/root/Die_RWTH/Exzellenzinitiative/~eob/Exzellenzinitiative/?lidx=1
I hope your son will enjoy his time there.
How is he doing in Berlin?
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/582684_473124796040490_1732478248_n.jpg
Ian at the tri-borders area of Germany. He loved Berlin. Aachen was harder for him with housing issues and such. But it has been a good experience. And he's coming home Saturday!
chrisgermany
8-15-12, 4:21am
Thanks for this update.
I am sure it was a valuable experience for him and I hope he will think back fondly.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.