Tag Archives: Integration

Another kind of integration: participating in Carnival

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Its coming closer again – every year between early-February and mid-March there is no other topic as highly discussed and dividing as Karneval or Fasching or Fasnet.

First, it divides German society in those going jeck (mad, crazy) during Karneval and those fleeing from the country to either go skiing or enjoying sun in a far-away Karneval-escape. Next, this season divides those who love Karneval into different groups, calling it Karneval, Fasching or Fasnet, depending on where they live.
While North-Rhine-Westphalia is a carnivals stronghold where it draws serious consequences to call this week of drinking alcohol and running around in crazy outfits Fasching. In the south however, it is opposite: do not say Karneval in Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg! It is at least Fasching, however a true Swabian would never say Fasching but Fasnet!

And of course every carnival stronghold is the best, in their eyes. The title of being THE carnival stronghold is highly contested, especially Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz are competing against each other and make fun of the others’ attempts of celebrating.
A quick tip:
When you participate in Cologne’s Karneval: Never say HELAU, shout ALAAF whenever possible 😉
When participating in Düsseldorf’s or Mainz’s celebrations use HELAU and do not try out what happens if you shout ALAAF.

ICH-Will-Deutsch-Lernen

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 “ich-will-deutsch-lernen” new onlineplatform for refugees and migrants

The German „Deutsche Volkshochschul – Verband”  provides a tool to support migrants and refugees in learning German. Name of the webportal is “ich-will-deutsch-lernen”. The available platform implied a German language course which helps to learn and improve German language skills, starting from level A1 to level B1. The Volkshochschul – Verband want to support the integration of refugees and migrants in culture and social living.
The content of the digital courses is according to the rules of integration courses in Germany.
Furthermore the portal offers an extensive range of material for alphabetisation. And last but not least the portal provides also one tool to improve German professional jargon. The user can choose out of 30 cross-sectoral scenarios and 11 professional communication activities.
Everybody may use the tool: do-it-yourself-learner, teachers and professional learning classes.
Teacher of integration courses and German courses have to register and build up their own class online. Then they are able to supervise their participants. Learners who start on their own will be supervised by tutors of DVV.
ich-will-deutsch-lernen.de

update: there are new features available

Berlin shines

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Berlin shines in a new light. Days become shorter, weather is getting worse. After a rainy cloudy day you may see a wonderful shining Berlin at night. Superb light installations are projected at many buildings – it is so impressive.

Berlin festival of lights has started last Friday and will be in Berlin until the 16th of October. Take your chance going around Berlin have a look at that brilliant light installation. You can go on your own, take part at a guided walking tour or bus tour, by bike…

Don’t miss this wonderful festival of lights in Berlin.

Online-Relocation and the XpatVisor

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gohelp.y is a Relocation portal. You find your way to us as you are interested in moving to Germany – to Berlin, Munich or Stuttgart. Additionally, to more general information gohelp.y provides a completely free of charge XpatVisor, an online tool, providing services of a relocation-expert. This makes your move to Berlin/Munich/Stuttgart as smooth and easy as with a service provider directly by your side.
Until now online-relocation was not really online relocation. This is different now, with gohelp.y. Here online is indeed online and free of charge is free of charge, there are no hidden costs. How? The XpatVisor makes it possible.

Real and free of charge online-relocation services: The XpatVisor

The XpatVisor is the centrepiece of gohelp.y. Equipped with the experiences of professional relocation service providers, XpatVisor creates automatically, based on your profile details, an individual relocation-concept designed specifically for you and your needs. Now you can handle each of the steps one by one and whenever you want, following the relocation timeline.

FIVE handy hints for a successful Relocation

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This entry is part 4 of 6 in the series Relocation

Getting started in Germany to work, to study or to live here, you should think about important five things to do on your way to an immigration and successful integration to Germany

  1. Very important: paperwork, make sure you have all needed documents, starting with a valid passport and certifies copies of all certificates and diplomas…
  2. Flat hunt: make sure your new surrounding will fit with your interests.
  3. Make sure, which steps you will have to do, after moving to your new home: starting with registration, applying for residence and working permit, open a bank account etc…, it will definitely bother you to do all required administrative things.
  4. Get familiar with “DO’s and DON’Ts”
  5. Learning the language: this is the most effective way to become really integrated!!

Berlin registration

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Back to business as usual at Berlin’s registration offices

In order to get an appointment at the municipal registration office you have to wait up to two months. The hotline to get an appointment on a short term notice was closed right after the Berlin election. That means you have to wait again for minimum a month. You should keep that in mind when making an appointment with the foreign department to apply for residence permit or work permit.

Our tip: If you know when you will move to Berlin exactly, ask for an appointment. You can make it online.

Berlin Marathon – Integration at it’s best

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This weekend the 43rd Berlin Marathon will take place in the city of Berlin.
More than forty thousand runner and skater will participate in this competition. More than twenty thousand participants come from abroad countries to join the Berlin Marathon.

It’s great: people from all over the world, women, men, young and old people, professional runners and hobby sportsmen and handicapped person. They all will give their best on Sunday and the Berliners will cheer on them.

By the way, if your are new in the city, participating on Berlin Marathon gives you a superb overview of the streets of Berlin.

Munich „Oktoberfest“ has started

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The world biggest beer festival “Oktoberfest” had have it’s grand opening on Saturday. Many visitors will be there drinking beer, riding a roller coaster and walking around the “Wiesn” during the next two weeks.

Some hints for the “Wiesn”

  • The special beer “Wiesn Maß” costs Euro 10.40 to 10.70 this year
  • You can only enter the festival through one of the nine entrances (security reasons)
  • Backpack and bags are forbidden, you must deposit them at the entrance in a box.
  • the 14 large as well as many smaller tents provide for lots of beer, Bavarian food like Schweinshaxe & Co. and brass music.
  • Going to the festival by public transport

Everybody hope that the rain will stop and the weather will be fine again.

The “Berliner” have vote

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Now there will be a governmental change in Berlin.

The election makes clear, Berliner inhabitants want a new government. Berlin is likely to get a fist leftwing triple-coalition.
Angela Merkel’s CDU party and the ruling Social Democrats both plummeted to their lowest result in Berlin. Centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) came out top with 21.6% of the vote, ahead of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on 17.5%. Leftwing Die Linke came third on 15.7%, ahead of the Greens on 15.1%.  The liberal Free Democrats managed to get back into parliament with 6.7%.
The worst thing is, Anti-immigration populists Alternative für Deutschland are set to enter the Berlin parliament for the first time, with 14.1%.

But the good news is, that most of the voters 85,9% support the democratic parties, accepting Germany as a country of immigration.

Berlin gets ready for digital future

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The new ” Einstein centre Digital Future”  in Berlin will create a multi collaboration and interdisciplinary research environment for increasing digitalization. Scientist from all over the wolrd will work about digitalization.
By now are round about 75.000 people employed in digital economy in Berlin.

Berlin gets more than 50 new It – professors. They should help to promote Berlin with the subject of Digitization further about the new “Einstein-Zentrum für digitale Zukunft” (Einstein’s centre for digital future). The scientists should build up networks to other disciplines: from medicine to archeology, in clothes integrated chips up to researches to the digital town. Furthermore, the effects of digitalization i.e. world of work should be investigated. Christian Thomson, president of the University of Technology Berlin said, “such a concentration in It research, as it will be situated in Berlin then, will be unique in Germany and a big chance for Berlin as science location”. The scientists should start to work 2017.

Right now first calls for tendering are puplished.