Anyone in the Villach area?

Welcome to Expat.com, Sarah and John!

Hi Sarah and John

We know that 'now or never' feeling too!

We moved here at the end of June, here being Paßriach near Hermagor.

How have you found life in Villach?  We come to Villach quite regularly - Atrio, XXXLutz etc and go to evening classes to improve our German at the Volkshochschule.

David & Kate

Hi David and Kate

Great to hear from you! - we are settling in more to life here now - its been nearly three months and we are managing to get the guest house looking a bit more presentable! still a bit to go though. We are in a small holiday resort - Feld am See, near Bad Kleinkirchheim and Lake Millstatt? - we know Hermagor quite well - its lovely.

We really love the lifestyle so far. We used to holiday here before moving permanently, but the language barrier keeps us on our toes - keep trying my best but people speak back so fast sometimes that it goes right over my head, but practice is the only way to get any better so doing my best!

How about you? - do you like life here? How is the german going?
Keep in touch,
Sarah and John

Hi Sarah and John

Thanks for your reply.  Glad to hear you are getting to grips with it.

We have enjoyed our time here but some of the bureaucracy can be 'challenging'!  Registering the car here was an exercise in itself when you are so used to dealing with the DVLA on-line.  Everything seems to involve endless pieces of paper and, just when you think you have the right piece, someone wants another form!

Fortunately we have bought a house in a small village and the neighbours have been wonderful.  Our nextdoor neighbour speaks a little English and is very patient whilst we search for the right German words and try to get them in the right order.  Other neighbours lent us 4 sheep to keep the grass under control and then cut the field with a tractor for us.  They also helped us haul our new sofas up onto the 3rd floor balcony when they wouldn't fit up the stairs.

We visited Feld am See last year when we were staying near the Millstattersee and think you made a good decision buying there.

If you would like to contact us directly, our e-mail address is info@petalshell.co.uk

Regards

David and Kate

Hi again

Thanks for your reply - just felt I had to add that we had a bad time doing the NOVA etc for our car reg also - v. unfriendly at the finanzant! - not an experience we want to repeat - just so you know you are not alone!.

Thanks for your words about Feld am See - yes we hope it will work. Currently waiting to sort out our concession - so more forms and bureaucracy!

Your neighbours sound lovely! - how nice to give you sheep etc. wow! we have nice ones too and romanians on the other side, so are v. lucky.

Thanks for your email - will email you ours and our website once we get it all sorted! (hopefully not too long) and if you feel like a trip out be nice to meet up if you fancy sometime in the future.
All the best, Sarah and John

Hi Sarah and John

Would like to meet up but I have to go back to UK on business, so it may be 3 or 4 weeks before we can do so.

Will get in touch when I get back. 

What about this snow!  Have you had it in Feld am See?  I was wondering why they were frantically putting in all these 2 metre high orange and black poles this week.  Now I know!  It was a bit spooky driving on roads that I know quite well and just aiming between the poles.

Regards

David

Hi there David

Great - no worries - whenever you are free drop us a line. A little snow here - we can see alot has fallen in Bad Klein - but we are slightly lower down. Yes it could get quite hairy in the car, which reminds me we haven't sorted our winter tyres yet! - another one on the to do list.

Speak soon and enjoy the UK!
Sarah and John

Hello David and Kate, nice to see more Brits around here.

There are alot of us, (I have seen the thickness of the folders for UK people, at the Gebitskrankenkasse!) My business partner (an Austrian) says we're all hiding in little villages, which would appear to be accurate! Although, I have not met a single Brit in Austria, as yet.

Austria loves its paperwork, get used to that. It's strange reading these posts, because the opinions you are sharing are almost word-for-word what myself and my parents have repeated many times in the past.

Hi everyone,

I'm an American living in the San Francisco Bay Area with my wife who's from outside of Villach.  Nice to find you all here online!  Shoot a message our way if you're ever in California!

Ois Gute!