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You will experience a full range of emotions, the excitement of living in Europe, the stress of the move and the fear of the unknown. Here are some tips for PCSing to Germany!
Once you receive your orders you should be assigned a sponsor. Utilize your sponsor. They should send you a welcome package, provide helpful information and be available to answer your many questions.
If you have pets and plan to bring them there are some important things you should know. Most of the information will be provided in your package but keep the following in mind. If you are flying a military flight to Germany, only cats and dogs are allowed and space is limited. Make sure that you make reservations for your animal well in advance of your departure. If you arrive through a United States military facility there should not be any extra fees required with importing your animal but make sure that you have all of the proper documents needed (health certificates, shot records) to pass through customs. On the contrary, if your animals fly separately via commercial cargo (i.e. Lufthansa cargo), expect a more involved process to obtain your animal. You will experience a lengthy process that includes visiting 3 different offices and will be required to pay extra customs and German vet/animal control processing fees. This scenario is only if the animal arrives separately from its owner and into a German airport. I suggest utilizing the military transports where possible.
Once you arrive in Germany, you are not authorized to drive any vehicle, including rental cars. The regulations state that military members with orders to Germany must have a USAREUR POV license before driving a USAREUR plated or rental vehicle. Make sure that your sponsor schedules your driving test as soon as possible. Be aware that automobile insurance costs in Germany are much higher than in the states.
The first couple of days that you arrive in Germany are going to be hectic. You will be exhausted and want to sleep as soon as you arrive but try to resist the urge. If you make yourself stay awake the first day until a normal bed time hour, your adjustment to the different time zone will be much quicker.
If you plan on keeping a stateside banking account to use as your main account, utilize off base ATMs to withdrawal German Deutsch Marks. Your bank stateside will be able to provide you with the commercial exchange rate while the banks on base have a different, not as favorable, exchange rate. Furthermore, while local machines do have them, I have not yet been charged a fee for using a German ATM. Be careful though, German ATMs very often do not provide paper receipts.
If you decide to live on the economy, be prepared for certain customs and requirements. Telephone rates from Germany to the United States are surprisingly inexpensive. Currently it costs about 8 cents per minute to call the U.S. Unlike the U.S., there is a charge for all calls, including local. Furthermore, if you call a cellular phone, the caller is charged, not the recipient, and the fees are quite high.
Internet service fees are also more expensive than in the U.S. Expect to pay around $30 a month for service with limited hours. Fortunately, prices are decreasing as more Internet providers become available. Although most peoples' housing allowance covers Utilities, in Germany the cost can be high and Germans are very environmentally conscious. Recycling is mandatory and very involved. Wastefulness is frowned upon and any abuse to the environment, such as changing your automobile oil at home, is frowned upon.
Germans are very proud people and demand the respect of their personal property including their homes and cars. Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. are considered quiet hours. While this does not pertain to on base activities, it is expected that all people off base will not make loud noises, such as lawn mowing, construction, and glass recycling, during this period. Also very important is the idea that Sunday is the day of rest. If you reside off base, do not perform any tasks such as lawn work, car washing, and home maintenance on Sunday. A typical Sunday in Germany involves outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, biking or social gatherings. Again, this does not pertain to on base activities.
Shopping in Germany is fun and exciting yet inconvenient compared to American standards. There are few large department or mass-type stores (e.g. Target, Office Max, Joann's) and most are small, specialty shops. It is common to visit many stores to acquire all of your needs. The hours for German stores vary greatly. The larger stores will remain open until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday while the small shops will often close around 5 or 6 p.m. During the week, small stores often close for an hour or two during the lunch hours. On Saturdays, shops are usually only open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is illegal for stores to be open on Sundays so if you need something from the economy plan ahead. Another consideration while shopping in Germany is that many stores do not take credit cards. It is slowly becoming more popular but there are even huge furniture stores in the area that accept only cash. Unusual to Americans, is that most German stores, especially grocery and hardware stores, do not provide plastic or paper bags. Either remember to bring your own bags or prepare to purchase them for a small fee.
Dining out in Germany is an experience not to be rushed. Service is at a more relaxed pace than what Americans are used to. Along with German food, there are numerous ethnic restaurants in Germany such as Italian, Mexican and Indian. There are few chain restaurants, most being small family owned establishments. It is customary to seat yourself but do not sit at a table with a "Reserviert" or "Stammtisch" (reserved seating) sign. It is also common for more than one party to occupy the same table. If a restaurant is crowded, it is proper to ask the table occupants whether the table may be shared. It is not uncommon to see dogs in restaurants in Germany, but this does not suggest that the restaurant is unclean.
Things to remember when going out to eat are that high chairs are usually not available. Also, non-smoking sections are very infrequent in German restaurants, unless the restaurant is in a highly Americanized area. Many Germans smoke and the restaurants are usually small with limited ventilation. During the winter months going out to eat can be a health hazard but the outdoor cafes during the spring and summer months are a great way to experience the local cuisine. Service is included in the check so there is usually no tipping in Germany. It is customary, though, to round the bill up to the next DM or to add 1 DM per person. It is considered rude to leave any money on the table so ensure that you hand the money directly to your server. Other notable differences in German dining are the small volumes of their drinks, refills are not free, ice is not used unless asked for, and water is not provided unless asked for and is not free. Most of all, plan ahead, the meal is an event. The time to go out to a German restaurant is not after you are already hungry.
Concerning German people, often they tend to look formal, possibly stern. This is usually a false façade. Most Germans are very friendly and gracious. Smile or wave to a German and you will usually receive one back. They are extremely social people and are partial to "hanging out" and chatting. They are, however, strict in obeying certain social rules such as promptness and using formal titles such as Mrs. or Frau and Mr. or Herr.
Some web sites that may provide you with helpful information are SITES at
www.dmdc.osd.mil/sites, AAFES at
www.aafes.com, Armed Forces Recreation Center Europe at
www.afrceurope.com, and Crossroads at
www.famnet.com.
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