Considering a move to Cologne

Hi Chitrek,
I've been here with my husband (here for his work) for about 6 months, but unfortunately only have about 3 months left on his expat contract. We're hoping it gets extended, but we won't know for a few weeks.

First, Cologne is a lot of fun, but DUS is too, the few times we've visited. There's construction going on now between Cologne and Dus on the Autobahn, but I'm not sure how long it will last. It may put a damper on the commute, or is he planning on taking the train?

Second, start learning German. There's a free app called DuoLingo that is a great option. There are a ton of free resources online that you should start taking advantage of. If you're serious about the move, I'd suggest devoting at least an hour a week to it, or some daily/every other day increment to get started. How long with the transfer/assignment be? Will his company pay for language classes? If not, you should try to negotiate for them. We've been taking lessons since Oct/Nov and moving at a fairly fast pace, and are trying to schedule our A1 exam at the end of July.

Cologne is a great city and we love it. Both CGN and DUS airports have great connections for traveling and there's a TON to see and do within driving distance too (Paris ~6 hrs).

I'm happy to help/answer any questions you may have.

C. Shof

Hi Chitrek

I've been going back and forth for a while and made the move to Germany in January. I found work (relatively) quickly  and was able to get around easily.

My first question is why live in Cologne? Why not live in Dusseldorf. Its a nice area and if you're not used to commuting down the Autobahn, it could take a LOT to get used to. Plus, your American license will only be valid here for 6 months before you need to replace it and that can be costly and difficult.

My next question is, why move to Germany if you've got no intention of learning German? If you follow a partner, you can apply for help from the Stadesamt (they may not speak English) to enter a German integration course. So you can get some basic info and lessons from the state. Its not that I think you have to totally integrate, but its wise to make a plan to at least explain who you are, where you're from, common things you might want, ask for the toilet, know how to say please and thank you in German. You're going to want to know what the lady on the cash register means when she barks "Bar oder Karte" at you.

I started with websites like Busuu.com which has a conversation element, but there are lots of courses to choose from. I recommend language exchange, and getting your hands on a good textbook. I can recommend "Deutsch Na Klar". Universities offer free language courses to enrolled students so if you're keen to study again, you can consider that.

Life in Germany is pretty easy, enjoyable, beautiful, full of great things to see. Living overseas is always amazing. Take the opportunity, don't be scared, you can do many things on the ground here (And Americans seem to get extra perks from the state)

Send me a message if you've got any questions, or check out my blog where I post about my LDR and life in Germany in General.

http://msbeesy.typepad.com/ldr/

Best wishes, lots of luck!
Lisa

Dear Chitrek, You'll be able to find work in the Cologne area without German - teaching English is only one option, and it's quite easy to get started. I know that Learnship (learnship.de) is currently hiring for both online teachers and teachers in-company in the Cologne area, for example. Important will be if you get a work permit along with your husband's (if he has a Blue Card for example) or if you'll need to get your own permit, for example as a freelance English teacher.

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Best,
Tia