Looking back, or what I would have done differently, having moved to work in Germany now. Part 2
The first part is here .
So, you have settled somewhere and are already marking the move. Early rejoice. No matter where you live, you need to register - in fact, this is an analogue of Russian registration, only a stamp is not put in the passport, but a special piece of paper is issued (yes, in Germany, “without paper, you ...” you know, you know). You go to your Rathaus (city hall, village council, etc. - in general, local government), carry with you Mietvertrag (when re-registering in case of a change of housing in the same village, I have never been asked to do it, but when you are only from an airplane - yes) and ask you to register at this address. If you come with your family - show the whole family, because it is necessary to sign, and adult children are issued a separate piece of paper.
After that (depending on theweather on Mars and the phase of the moon, the speed of your Rathaus and ABH), your registration data will go to ABH. In theory, everything happens electronically, but in our case, when we changed an apartment, the data in ABH hit me and my wife a week later, and on an adult son only after 3 weeks (he had to go twice, and our ABH didn't quite close - 60 kilometers will be). Make a term and go to the appointed day and time to your beater to apply for a residence permit / blue card, since Initially, you entered on a short-term visa (3-6 months). All beraters in ABH speak English, so if you don’t have a relocator assistant from your new employer (and I strongly advise you to have it at first, it will greatly simplify adaptation in a new place), then calmly speak English there, if German is not very / missing as a class.
Before you start working directly (you can, of course, be in the process, but before receiving your first salary) you need to open an account (contu) in a bank, because the salary will be transferred exactly there - no "envelopes". Again, the banks are full of beraters who speak English (I even got a Russian one). I will not give you advice on which bank to choose, everything is individual. Just look at the largest ones (Sparkasse, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Volksbank, etc.). Over time, you will understand the intricacies of the banking system and you can easily change your contour to payroll. The opening of the envelope itself does not cost anything - in 1-2 weeks you will receive an envelope with a pin-code in another mail, in another week - the card itself. Depending on the bank (and your salary in the contract) you can immediately offer to issue a credit card (MasterCard). For the first year or two, as a rule, it is free. In principle, it is not particularly useful here, but if you do not have a car yet, and you want to travel around the country, you will rent it. And without a credit card, no one will give you a rental car. So, think for yourself.
')
I had a relocator who helped in everything, communicated with all the authorities in German, and with me in English. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, you miss a lot of nuances without knowing the language, and the “assistant” can forget something to translate. I recommend in this case to go to ABH with a friend who speaks both Russian and German (if there is one) - it will be much easier to settle all the nuances and not to miss anything.
I recommend to study the "ATM card" of banks located in the city where you are moving. There are several groups of banks, in the network of which I eat cash is not subject to interest. When withdrawing, there will be a commission in a “foreign” bank. Plastic is not as widely spread as it may seem. Credit cards are not accepted for payment anywhere except McDonalds (maybe even where they are accepted, but in our area I have not seen any precedents anywhere else). As a rule, in small stores only with the amount of the purchase of 10 euros you can pay EC Karte (Maestro), to which your contract is attached. If the amount of the purchase is less than 10 euros, they either refuse to pay with a card, or they do not like it very much. So you still need to cash.
Another note to smokers - cigarette machines are almost on every corner (Germany is generally a very smoking country). To buy them, you need either Ausweis (which you will not have for a long time), or EC Karte with a chip. The bottom line is that on Ausweis and on EC Karte (in a chip) your age is stitched. If you are under 18, the machine will politely “send” you. Then either pay in cash or pay with Geldkarte (the same chip). You can top up Geldkarte at an ATM - money is deducted from your account.
Germany, I think, a paradise for shopaholics. If you let your wife go, say, “walk” on Zeil in Frankfurt am Main with a card tied to your conte ... You can say goodbye to money (just kidding, of course). This area of Frankfurt is also called the “5th Avenue of Germany” or the “golden mile”. But the prices, of course, there are appropriate.
On the other hand, there are a lot of discounters, where you can buy anything at really very low prices (discounts go up to 70-90%). Not once watched the crowds of Russian "shuttle traders" emptying such discounters, sweeping away everything in their path. Then, at Frankfurt Airport, they also receive a tax refund. In Russia, I think, they sell it as “brands from Europe” in the respective boutiques - they are not badly welded.
Grocery stores are also very different in price categories. For example, Aldi, Penni, Real, Kaufland, Lidl, Netto - large networks of discounters, where people are bought for a week or two ahead. But they are usually on the outskirts or in industrial zones, so that without a car / bicycle, it is often not possible to get there. Shops of the so-called “walking distance” such as Edeka, REWE, Toom are quite expensive, often not high-quality products. Sometimes they even cheat at the checkout.
Almost in every city there are Russian or Turkish shops with their own national assortment and very often with much better vegetables / fruits. Yes, the taste and color ... But personally, we avoid buying vegetables in discounters - they are completely tasteless. Even bioproducts so popular among Germans also do not shine with taste qualities (and sometimes cost twice as much as usual). For example, we, in Darmstadt, have normal white cabbage, from which you can make normal-sized cabbage rolls, you can buy either in a Russian store (Lackmann) or in Turkish (Yazgülü). In MixMarkt, I do not advise to go to ours - either spoiled or rude as in a scoop.
As already mentioned in the previous post - you need to examine the map of your city, Khaimah and / or nearby cities, before breaking into the first available store. Otherwise, then you will bite your elbows.
Do not be afraid to buy things (not products) on the Internet - it's all over the place. Technique, clothing, whatever. As a rule, if something does not fit, you send it back for free without any problems - the seller pays the return. You in this case pay delivery to you. For example, Otto's friends, and we ourselves often take clothes — deliver a bunch of boxes, measure things, leave something, return something. Payment for what is left is done later. Those. in fact, they deliver you “on measure”, and pay later.
That's what's the trouble with the internet. I have never met symmetrical speeds anywhere. Those. You can have 10 and 100 Mb / s speed to you, but from you usually does not exceed 2.5-5 Mb / s. So you don’t shake the torrents - the rating will fall (sarcasm).
If you came here with your handy (cell phone), then I think that in the beginning you will not want to change it and therefore you will have to use prepaid tariffs. You can buy sim cards in many cellular stores, as well as from the largest cellular operators (and even in supermarkets at the cash register and at gas stations). I got the impression that it is more profitable to take from retailers than from the mobile operators themselves - it is much cheaper. Forget about unlimited on mobile Internet. More precisely, it seems to be unlimited, but the speed is cut to 64Kb / s after 100, 200, 500, 1000 MB of traffic (depending on the tariff).
It is often very beneficial to connect your home phone, TV, Internet and handy to one operator - you always get discounts.
Very common DSL (hello, 90s!). Cable Internet is far from being everywhere, so when looking for an apartment, I advise you to specify in advance on the sites of cable providers whether this house is connected to their network.
As I was advised in my time - I repeat this advice here - if you connect a TV, then do not put Russian-language programs at least in the first year - watch and listen only to German ones. Otherwise, why did you come here?
In our first apartment we were connected to O2 via DSL. At that time I did not know that cable Internet is not very common here and that when renting a house, it’s worth checking first if the house is connected to any cable provider’s network (Unitymedia, Kabel Deutschland).
At first, I bought a couple of SIMs at the gas station - then it turned out that the tariff was just draconian (15 cents a minute, 10 cents SMS). By the way, billing here everywhere in minutes. Constantly suffered from the purchase of cards to replenish the balance (go to the salon Euroset and throw a couple of rubles at the expense here is not a ride). Cards are sold at gas stations and supermarket cash registers. The balance can be replenished by 10, 15, 20 or 50 euros. After finally taking a new handy with a contract for myself and my wife - life has become easier, life has become more fun. About 60 euros are spent per month to pay for a contract, but an unlimited number of calls and SMS to anything is already included. I also have 1GB of mobile Internet enabled (4G is almost everywhere), my wife has 200MB - we have enough (well, yes - I have more, but I have to read Geektimes with a habr, right?).
This is the passion of this country. Together with beer, nipples, potato salad (muck), apple wine (another muck) and football. Almost everyone has cars, even those who are sitting on the social. If someone doesn’t have a car, either he doesn’t have the money to buy it, or he isn’t right, or he is a very strange type (joke).
You can buy a car to ride the first time or, say, shopping or children in kindergarten / school (but not for long trips) for 500 euros. Even for 100. It will not be killed - do not worry (with the killed machine, you THAT will never pass, but with this, oh, how strict it is). For the purposes described above - it is suitable for all 100. Yes, yes, I was not sealed and you see exactly the amount of 100 (one hundred) euros.
Diesel is extremely popular, but here there is a double-edged sword: the tax on a diesel car is higher than on a gasoline engine and therefore, if you are not going to drive it over long distances, then it is better to take the petrol version. Otherwise, diesel simply does not pay off. We don’t have a car yet (earlier I wrote about how I “got lost” with the rights), but according to the stories of colleagues and friends, let's say the Opel Zafira diesel “costs” 2,500 euros of taxes and insurance per year (of course, the amount of insurance depends on the total length of service and trouble-free, as well as on a particular brand and model of car). Consider, so yourself - if you only travel from home to work and shop once a week, it may be better to take a hybrid (I read that by 2020 they are going to significantly increase the number of electric refueling stations and also make all sorts of bonuses to owners of electric hybrids).
To be continued (there will be a separate post about kindergartens and schools later - I hope, not very long, because for us it is very topical)
UPD: following the advice of batja84 , I specify specifically: all the tips, cases, “facts” refer to my region of residence - Bundesland Hessen, Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg. Other regions, and especially lands, may have their own characteristics .
The great and terrible ABH (Ausländerbehörde)
So, you have settled somewhere and are already marking the move. Early rejoice. No matter where you live, you need to register - in fact, this is an analogue of Russian registration, only a stamp is not put in the passport, but a special piece of paper is issued (yes, in Germany, “without paper, you ...” you know, you know). You go to your Rathaus (city hall, village council, etc. - in general, local government), carry with you Mietvertrag (when re-registering in case of a change of housing in the same village, I have never been asked to do it, but when you are only from an airplane - yes) and ask you to register at this address. If you come with your family - show the whole family, because it is necessary to sign, and adult children are issued a separate piece of paper.
After that (depending on the
Before you start working directly (you can, of course, be in the process, but before receiving your first salary) you need to open an account (contu) in a bank, because the salary will be transferred exactly there - no "envelopes". Again, the banks are full of beraters who speak English (I even got a Russian one). I will not give you advice on which bank to choose, everything is individual. Just look at the largest ones (Sparkasse, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Volksbank, etc.). Over time, you will understand the intricacies of the banking system and you can easily change your contour to payroll. The opening of the envelope itself does not cost anything - in 1-2 weeks you will receive an envelope with a pin-code in another mail, in another week - the card itself. Depending on the bank (and your salary in the contract) you can immediately offer to issue a credit card (MasterCard). For the first year or two, as a rule, it is free. In principle, it is not particularly useful here, but if you do not have a car yet, and you want to travel around the country, you will rent it. And without a credit card, no one will give you a rental car. So, think for yourself.
')
What would I do differently now:
ABH
I had a relocator who helped in everything, communicated with all the authorities in German, and with me in English. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, you miss a lot of nuances without knowing the language, and the “assistant” can forget something to translate. I recommend in this case to go to ABH with a friend who speaks both Russian and German (if there is one) - it will be much easier to settle all the nuances and not to miss anything.
Bank
I recommend to study the "ATM card" of banks located in the city where you are moving. There are several groups of banks, in the network of which I eat cash is not subject to interest. When withdrawing, there will be a commission in a “foreign” bank. Plastic is not as widely spread as it may seem. Credit cards are not accepted for payment anywhere except McDonalds (maybe even where they are accepted, but in our area I have not seen any precedents anywhere else). As a rule, in small stores only with the amount of the purchase of 10 euros you can pay EC Karte (Maestro), to which your contract is attached. If the amount of the purchase is less than 10 euros, they either refuse to pay with a card, or they do not like it very much. So you still need to cash.
Another note to smokers - cigarette machines are almost on every corner (Germany is generally a very smoking country). To buy them, you need either Ausweis (which you will not have for a long time), or EC Karte with a chip. The bottom line is that on Ausweis and on EC Karte (in a chip) your age is stitched. If you are under 18, the machine will politely “send” you. Then either pay in cash or pay with Geldkarte (the same chip). You can top up Geldkarte at an ATM - money is deducted from your account.
The shops
Germany, I think, a paradise for shopaholics. If you let your wife go, say, “walk” on Zeil in Frankfurt am Main with a card tied to your conte ... You can say goodbye to money (just kidding, of course). This area of Frankfurt is also called the “5th Avenue of Germany” or the “golden mile”. But the prices, of course, there are appropriate.
On the other hand, there are a lot of discounters, where you can buy anything at really very low prices (discounts go up to 70-90%). Not once watched the crowds of Russian "shuttle traders" emptying such discounters, sweeping away everything in their path. Then, at Frankfurt Airport, they also receive a tax refund. In Russia, I think, they sell it as “brands from Europe” in the respective boutiques - they are not badly welded.
Grocery stores are also very different in price categories. For example, Aldi, Penni, Real, Kaufland, Lidl, Netto - large networks of discounters, where people are bought for a week or two ahead. But they are usually on the outskirts or in industrial zones, so that without a car / bicycle, it is often not possible to get there. Shops of the so-called “walking distance” such as Edeka, REWE, Toom are quite expensive, often not high-quality products. Sometimes they even cheat at the checkout.
Almost in every city there are Russian or Turkish shops with their own national assortment and very often with much better vegetables / fruits. Yes, the taste and color ... But personally, we avoid buying vegetables in discounters - they are completely tasteless. Even bioproducts so popular among Germans also do not shine with taste qualities (and sometimes cost twice as much as usual). For example, we, in Darmstadt, have normal white cabbage, from which you can make normal-sized cabbage rolls, you can buy either in a Russian store (Lackmann) or in Turkish (Yazgülü). In MixMarkt, I do not advise to go to ours - either spoiled or rude as in a scoop.
What would I do differently now:
As already mentioned in the previous post - you need to examine the map of your city, Khaimah and / or nearby cities, before breaking into the first available store. Otherwise, then you will bite your elbows.
Do not be afraid to buy things (not products) on the Internet - it's all over the place. Technique, clothing, whatever. As a rule, if something does not fit, you send it back for free without any problems - the seller pays the return. You in this case pay delivery to you. For example, Otto's friends, and we ourselves often take clothes — deliver a bunch of boxes, measure things, leave something, return something. Payment for what is left is done later. Those. in fact, they deliver you “on measure”, and pay later.
Internet, handy, tv
That's what's the trouble with the internet. I have never met symmetrical speeds anywhere. Those. You can have 10 and 100 Mb / s speed to you, but from you usually does not exceed 2.5-5 Mb / s. So you don’t shake the torrents - the rating will fall (sarcasm).
If you came here with your handy (cell phone), then I think that in the beginning you will not want to change it and therefore you will have to use prepaid tariffs. You can buy sim cards in many cellular stores, as well as from the largest cellular operators (and even in supermarkets at the cash register and at gas stations). I got the impression that it is more profitable to take from retailers than from the mobile operators themselves - it is much cheaper. Forget about unlimited on mobile Internet. More precisely, it seems to be unlimited, but the speed is cut to 64Kb / s after 100, 200, 500, 1000 MB of traffic (depending on the tariff).
It is often very beneficial to connect your home phone, TV, Internet and handy to one operator - you always get discounts.
Very common DSL (hello, 90s!). Cable Internet is far from being everywhere, so when looking for an apartment, I advise you to specify in advance on the sites of cable providers whether this house is connected to their network.
As I was advised in my time - I repeat this advice here - if you connect a TV, then do not put Russian-language programs at least in the first year - watch and listen only to German ones. Otherwise, why did you come here?
What would I do differently now:
the Internet
In our first apartment we were connected to O2 via DSL. At that time I did not know that cable Internet is not very common here and that when renting a house, it’s worth checking first if the house is connected to any cable provider’s network (Unitymedia, Kabel Deutschland).
Handy
At first, I bought a couple of SIMs at the gas station - then it turned out that the tariff was just draconian (15 cents a minute, 10 cents SMS). By the way, billing here everywhere in minutes. Constantly suffered from the purchase of cards to replenish the balance (go to the salon Euroset and throw a couple of rubles at the expense here is not a ride). Cards are sold at gas stations and supermarket cash registers. The balance can be replenished by 10, 15, 20 or 50 euros. After finally taking a new handy with a contract for myself and my wife - life has become easier, life has become more fun. About 60 euros are spent per month to pay for a contract, but an unlimited number of calls and SMS to anything is already included. I also have 1GB of mobile Internet enabled (4G is almost everywhere), my wife has 200MB - we have enough (well, yes - I have more, but I have to read Geektimes with a habr, right?).
Cars
This is the passion of this country. Together with beer, nipples, potato salad (muck), apple wine (another muck) and football. Almost everyone has cars, even those who are sitting on the social. If someone doesn’t have a car, either he doesn’t have the money to buy it, or he isn’t right, or he is a very strange type (joke).
You can buy a car to ride the first time or, say, shopping or children in kindergarten / school (but not for long trips) for 500 euros. Even for 100. It will not be killed - do not worry (with the killed machine, you THAT will never pass, but with this, oh, how strict it is). For the purposes described above - it is suitable for all 100. Yes, yes, I was not sealed and you see exactly the amount of 100 (one hundred) euros.
Diesel is extremely popular, but here there is a double-edged sword: the tax on a diesel car is higher than on a gasoline engine and therefore, if you are not going to drive it over long distances, then it is better to take the petrol version. Otherwise, diesel simply does not pay off. We don’t have a car yet (earlier I wrote about how I “got lost” with the rights), but according to the stories of colleagues and friends, let's say the Opel Zafira diesel “costs” 2,500 euros of taxes and insurance per year (of course, the amount of insurance depends on the total length of service and trouble-free, as well as on a particular brand and model of car). Consider, so yourself - if you only travel from home to work and shop once a week, it may be better to take a hybrid (I read that by 2020 they are going to significantly increase the number of electric refueling stations and also make all sorts of bonuses to owners of electric hybrids).
To be continued (there will be a separate post about kindergartens and schools later - I hope, not very long, because for us it is very topical)
UPD: following the advice of batja84 , I specify specifically: all the tips, cases, “facts” refer to my region of residence - Bundesland Hessen, Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg. Other regions, and especially lands, may have their own characteristics .
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/285692/
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