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Germany FAQ’s

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I have had lots of blog posts on Germany but there never seems to be enough information out there. One wonderful source:

Meet Jennifer:

Jennifer Hamrick is an Army wife living in Wiesbaden, Germany.  She has four sons and homeschools the three oldest, which gives them great opportunities to see Europe first hand.  Jennifer loves her new Nikon D300S, a recent gift from her husband after they worked for a few years to pay off all their debt.  While she loves music, the past few years she’s been filling her iPod with Dave Ramsey’s podcast which keep her motivated.  In short, she’s a debt-free, picture-taking, mom-to-boys, Army wife living in Germany, loving every minute of it!   You can keep up with her atwww.thehamricks.wordpress.com.

She allowed me to share her experience here on militarydutystations-blog.com as a kind of FAQ’s – her advice is extensive and I thank her very much for sharing it with the world!

Phones: We had planned to get at least one pre-pay phone right away.  Is it a process to get one?  - No, you can buy a $20 phone at the PX/shoppette and just add minutes to it as you go.  Some people live their entire time in Europe on these phones. Not me.  Matt and I happily went with iPhones as soon as we got here.  LOVE THEM![simpleAdPlacement]

Home phone and internet:  We bundled our internet and home phone service for a monthly fee.  Within that reasonable amount is unlimited calling to the states except for toll-free calls.

There are plenty of ways to get phones/internet and ‘plug’ in.

Is there air conditioning for most on-post housing? – Uh, no.  None as far as I know of. (Living in housing at Carson prepared us for that!)  Not in the off post housing either, though.  Similar summer weather.

Info on Wiesbaden Housing, Ramstein Housing, OffPost On Post Housing

Does the Army provide storage for excess HHG? I read you have a “storage shipment.” – My HHG storage items (washer/dryer, fridge etc) are in storage in Colorado, as they say that the lack of humidity helps the items last longer…) and yes, the Army pays for it.

Do you know how long the wait list is for housing? Of course, this answer is for Wiesbaden specifically, but my advice applies.  Have you ever heard of the saying, ‘the squeaky wheel gets the oil?’  Squeak.  And by “squeak,”  I mean, SQUEAK!!!!  Here’s my story.  But for a short version, we arrived on a Wednesday.  The next day was Thanksgiving so we weren’t able to do any “squeaking” until Monday.  Matt went in and started the in-processing.  By Thursday I was tired of living in a hotel with 3 boys and 20-some weeks pregnant.  I went in to the housing office and sat down.  After much polite but assertive squeaking we were told to come get our keys the next day.  And that was after being told a few times that day that there was just nothing available.  Squeak.

And how long does unaccompanied baggage really take? They told us up to 45 days, but a friend told me 2 weeks, so I wasn’t sure. – I have a different suggestion than most people.  Most people send their Unaccompanied shipment (smaller) first, with their HHGs at the last minute.  I suggest you reverse this…

So you’ll get to send two shipments:

Unaccompanied baggage, which imagine like this… camping in your
house for a few weeks.

Household goods:  EVERYTHING ELSE (except the kitchen sink)

We sent the unaccompanied baggage first, like, in October.  (10-7-09)
We had our BIG shipment with everything else picked up a month later
(11-4-09).  In the unaccompanied baggage we had things like:

a card table, folding chairs, 6 towels, 6 washcloths, a cheap set of
forks/spoons/knives, some games, etc.  I tried to think of anything I
might need to hold me over until my real stuff got here.  We sent this
stuff on ahead of us, when what we should have done was sent all our
big stuff first, keeping only the bare necessities with us in
Colorado…
The Army has this lending closet here that gives you a “tuff” box full
of stuff to borrow until your stuff arrives:  toaster, coffee pot,
kitchen utensils, pots and pans, etc.

SO… here’s what I recommend.

Say you’re leaving there June 1.

Have your entire house hold goods, EVERYTHING (minus the unaccompanied
baggage), picked up as early as possible.  As early in advance as you
could possibly imagine enduring in your current house without.  (You
can probably borrow items from the lending closet at your current duty station, or
at least from friends.)

Keep only the necessities.  Again, imagine camping in your current
house during the time that your main HHGs are already gone and you’re
just waiting until you drive away.

Then, a few days before you leave there, say… May 28, have the
Unaccompanied baggage picked up.  Spend a couple of nights in a hotel
or drive on to where you’re shipping the car from.

Does that make sense?  It’s backwards from what most people suggest,
until they’ve done it and realize it makes more sense to “camp” in a
place where you already have friends established and can borrow from
people you know.  You can get around your own town and make do much
easier there than you will be in Germany.

Let me know if this doesn’t make sense.  To me, I was just really
uncomfortable in this big, strange, empty house and would have been
more comfortable living in my familiar, Colorado house on the bare
necessities.  You’re going to live in a “camping” mode for a while.
Just decide if you want to “camp” in your current, familiar house or
in the new one, where everything is new, and you’re still trying to
get your bearings, as well as fighting jet lag.   There were temporary beds here to get us by, but I would have loved to have MY bed earlier!)

Should we sell one of our cars and buy a junker there?  First thing:  If you like both your cars, it pays to ship both. You’ll have to pay for the 2nd, but I wish we had just kept the Jeep.  Buying a junker over here is HORRIBLE.  It’ll cost you about $1200… (Note:  I don’t know how this works if you owe on your car.  Check with the place who holds the note.)

Second, ship that vehicle about a month before you are going to PCS.  Hopefully it’ll be here before you.  Wish we had done that.

Where did you drop your car for shipping? - any drop-off toward your destination (Germany)… We did Florida as we went to Disney World.  After our Disney Vacation, on the last night before our flight, we stayed in a hotel that was 1 block away from the shipping company and then took a cab to the airport.  Basically, you can’t drive to away from your PCS destination and have it shipped from there, but you can drive toward your destination and have it shipped from there.  That mattered to us because we had considered Disney Land in Cali but when we found out we couldn’t go away from our destination, that settled our plans.

Having a baby:
So I had an appointment this week and a nurse told me that if I should by any chance go into preterm labor (pre-37 weeks) that I should drive as far as it takes to get to a military hospital (not birthing unit necessarily).  She said Germans do not take any measures to stop preterm labor but rather see it as a nature’s course so just let it happen and then deal with the health of the baby afterwards.  Have you ever heard this??  (This answer is from a friend, as I didn’t experience pre-term labor.)  I can definitely understand your concern after hearing something like that about having a baby in Germany. Let me share my experience, and maybe you will feel just a tiny bit better. :) I knew all along I was at risk for pre-term labor, and my doctor here was extremely cautious about it. (I did not move here until 19 weeks, so she listened to my concerns and everything I told her about my pregnancy so far). She made sure to tell me at every appointment things I should and should not be doing to make sure the baby had the best chance possible of staying put! At about 25 weeks I was put on some activity restrictions, so that pre-term labor did not start. At about 29 weeks, I did go into pre-term labor. We went to the hospital, and everyone there was wonderful. I was put on an IV of something (not sure what) to stop contractions, and even though they got contractions stopped rather quickly, they kept me in the hospital for about 5 days just to keep an eye on me and make sure I would not have contractions again. After this, I was put on “partial bed rest”, to hopefully keep that from happening again. I was also put on high doses of magnesium at home, which helped! I saw my doctor every 2 weeks after this, and every week starting around 33 weeks. My daughter was delivered via C-Section (planned, not emergency) at 38.5 weeks, so all of the things the German doctors did to prevent/stop my pre-term labor worked! My doctor did have a certain week in mind that she was hoping I would get to before I delivered. She told me if I could just get that far, they they would let me deliver. I think that may have been due to my condition, though, and due to all of the recommendations and precautionary measures by the German doctors, I made it past that!

Regarding the actual hospital experience:  Because we don’t have a military hospital on post, I had to deliver on the economy.  The facilities were actually really nice, but for some reason the thought of standing in shower where countless other women had stood just after giving birth grossed me out so I took shower shoes.  I never found a single thing to consider dirty or gross in the actual hospital.  Everything seemed as sterile as a US hospital.  Take snacks with you.  The hotel food is so gross.

Can I please say, LEARN SOME GERMAN NOW!  Your doc/midwife will speak good English, but the nurses who will take care of you more than the doc/midwife don’t.

You will most likely be delivering by midwife and not by doc unless you have complications.  Never fear… I had ALL FOUR OF MY BOYS with a midwife.  Out of the 3 I had in NC, Sage delivered ALL OF them!  :)  I was only the 2nd woman she’d delivered all 3 of her babies… and the 1st was in a race with me and won on the day I had Bailey… she beat me by 3 hours.

So, be prepared to see a midwife and to love it.  They are so caring.

The midwife I saw for the pregnancy had given up delivering.  She was older and was done with the stress of it all.  So the midwife who ended up delivering Parker, Bettina, was my age, and WONDERFUL!  She didn’t have any children of her own but was amazing.  Just let that not be a fear…

Medical:

I also have lots of questions about medical care over there. I know that they don’t have an American hospital, and I have to seek civilian care – do you know anything about how Tricare works overseas and how I go about finding a pediatrician for my kids and a doctor for me? – This can be a bit confusing.  We don’t have a hospital so to have a baby, TriCare gives you a doctor on the economy.  If you aren’t happy with the doctor you are seeing, you can just ask for another one.  I had a diabetologist I wasn’t thrilled with so I went to the clinic on post (more on that in a bit) and told the TriCare referral people that I wanted a 2nd opinion.  Within a week I was set up with an appointment at another diabetologist.

Regular health care:  The pediatricians at the clinic on post are great.  I’ve been very pleased with our care.  Even with Parker having acid reflux, they were very careful with him.  They sent us off post twice to two different German doctors to see if there was something further wrong with him.  Everything came back fine and he eventually outgrew his condition.  You don’t have to do the research.  The peds call the TriCare referral (or, in one case, the doc walked down the hallway and talked to them in person) and they set up the appointment for me.  The referral people in TriCare (they’re located just inside the front door of the clinic) are German and speak English fluently.  They call the German docs and get everything worked out for you, then hand you a card, address, and date/time. All the German docs I’ve worked with speak great English.  And the ones I’ve dealt with have been instructed by TriCare to treat us well or lose TriCare’s business.  I have no complaints.  Our on-post clinic can do most normal procedures.  For other things, they can send us on the economy (as previous described) or to Landstuhl, which is an hour away. That’s the American hospital… we’re heading there soon for an allergy visit for Carson.  He needs to have the skin testing done and they do that there.  We will get the results back in days rather than months (on the economy).

Dentist:  I see the dentist at the clinic, no worries.  The boys I take on the economy, to the place the dental clinic suggested.  They all speak English and take good care of my babies. Again, you don’t have to figure this out… the clinic will direct you to where you need to go.

HNL:  TAKE NOTE OF THIS NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE MOVING!!!  HNL stands for Host Nation Liaison.  These people should be your best friends if you have to go on the economy.  They are people from the nation you are living in, and they speak English fluently.  Their job is to make our lives in the foreign country much easier. Remember I said I had to get a second opinion regarding my diabetes?  I took a host nation liaison with me for the second opinion just in case there was a language complication.  I also had a HNL go with me to the hospital both times I was induced and she was able to get SO much done in the process.  Utilize these often-overlooked, under-appreciated people in your area.  They’re amazing to have on your side.

Living in a foreign country:

Start taking some German classes.  If you can swing it, go to the community college and take a couple of classes.  I assure you, it will be worth it.  If not that, then see if ACS is offering any.  Last resort, see if you can take it on AKO for free, using their Rosetta Stone. I promise, it will be worth it.  Even if you end up not coming to Germany, you won’t have wasted the time. Learning is learning.  I used the “we’re not sure we’ll actually be sent to Germany” excuse to not take the classes and I regret it.  (Obviously, if you’re PCSing to Korea, don’t take German, take Korean.)

I’ve also read that the commissary takes expired coupons, is that true? Is it only for regular coupons or printed online ones too? I don’t want to be saving them if they’re useless :)  - The commissary and PX do accept them up to 6 months past the expiration date.  Not coupons specific to stores (Walgreens, Target, etc.) but they can be printed, as long as they’re manufacturer coupons.  Find friends to send them to you from the states.  You can’t save as much with coupons here as you can in the states, but they’re still worth it.

Homeschooling:

Can I continue to legally homeschool while in Germany? I know homeschooling is illegal for Germans.  - Yes, you can legally homeschool here. Don’t let that be a concern of yours. You fall under DOD and you are fine.

Homeschool groups:  WATCH is the Wiesbaden Christian Homeschoolers group and here is our official description:

We are a Christian led group of homeschoolers, located in and around the Wiesbaden, Germany military community. With more than 70 families, we have a lot of different needs, interests, and approaches to homeschooling. We welcome homeschool families to participate in our activities. Join us for field trips, learning fairs, Moms’ Night Out, and more. Whether you are a newbie or a veteran, this free group offers support and fun to all!

If you are moving here and want to get on this list beforehand so you can start receiving emails to get a good idea of what we do, that’s fine.  Lots of people do that.  It helps them to see that we are active and keep a fairly busy calendar.  The great thing about this homeschool group, as opposed to other groups I’ve been involved in, is that there is no guilt if you only do 10% of the activities.  No one makes you feel like you are supposed to participate in every single thing provided and there are no limits to what you can do.  No fees, either.  Come when you want, skip when you want.  Exactly what I needed in a homeschool group, especially with a new baby.

More homeschool information:  We have PE every Thursday provided by CYS (hoping they continue this next year!).  The kids DO have to be registered in CYS to participate, but they can have waivers for the immunizations if you have chosen not to immunize.  Just have to jump through this hoop for the Army to pay the CYS providers to teach our kids.

We have a monthly WATCH meeting.  There are about 6-10 field trips a year.

Our library system is actually pretty good, you just have to be willing to jump through a few hoops to learn how to “request” items from other libraries to be sent to ours.  Our library itself is quite small, but we can pull from all of US Army Europe’s libraries, so, with patience, you’ll be fine.  I have no complaints.

There are opportunities for your kids to participate in the schools for specials.  For example, if you really wanted your child to do “Host Nation” with the schools, you could. They are VERY VERY VERY homeschool friendly there!  When we were doing a unit on yeast, I needed a microscope.  One of the 4th grade teachers loaned me two microscopes along with all the necessary items to get the best results.  She told me not to rush in getting them back!  (Of course, I did, as I didn’t want to break them, but we watched yeast grow and eat, etc.)

Kids:

We don’t immunize our children.  Will this disqualfy us from being able to PSC overseas?  (This answer is from a friend as we do immunize our kids.) It is possible to PCS without immunizations.  If the family is active duty, all that may be needed is a note from her or her family doctor stating that they have chosen not to have them.  Families are not usually asked about immunizations.  (My information comes from an Active Duty family who doesn’t immunize their kids.)

If they are not active duty, no one will ask about immunizations.  The German government, and Germans in general, don’t worry about it. (We were never asked.)

The Child Development Center and the DoDDS schools require immunization.

Which stroller did you buy over there for the rough sidewalks, etc?  -  Be sure to get a stroller that has bike wheels, with a rubber tubing. The kind I got in the states (Chicco) and shipped here didn’t have good wheels.  It was a mac-daddy stroller for the states, but the problem is the roads and sidewalks here are SO bumpy that you almost always need one that is a jogger, or has serious shocks.  I bought a jogger a few months ago and actually use the jogger stroller 99% of the time and the Chicco infant carrier fits in it.  The nice Chicco sits gathering dust in the basement… :(  You will want to remember a few things:

a.  Buy one you can safely use the infant carrier to with a few straps.  I did this all the time until Parker outgrew his infant carrier.  Not a big deal, even if it isn’t as convenient as snapping the carrier into the  stroller it came with.  Being able to put him in the infant carrier IN the jogger was great, because he could stay warmer and totally covered from wind and rain.

b.  If purchasing a jogger, you MUST have a swivel front wheel.  Otherwise, do not purchase it.  (Looked at one really nice Jeep stroller that had great features but not a swivel wheel.  You will want to throw it in the Rhine if you have to keep lifting the stupid thing to turn.  I ASSURE YOU, it will drive you nuts.  I’d rather have a $100 swivel wheel jogger than a $400 fixed wheel jogger.

c.  You will want this quality or greater.  I am pleased with it and would recommend it.  If you want to go nicer, go for it.  I don’t know if the Jeep is nicer or not, but you do not want to go any less on the quality than what I have.  You have no idea what bumpy is until you ride you infant through a town that is 1100 years old with roads that were old THEN! :) (NOTE:  I have an InStep Safari, and it is great for walking around town, but not for running.  It worked well for running for the first few months but now the front wheel jiggles around and I simply can’t run at all with it.  If you plan to run, seriously consider a much higher quality jogger.  If I could afford a BOB I’d get one of those.)

d.  Just again, bike tire wheels.  Not plastic.  I’ve said that a few times.  No one told me this stuff and I wish they had.

Should we buy furniture we know we will need soon before we move?  (i.e. cribs, recliners, beds, bedding, etc.) - Yes, I would go ahead and buy your baby furniture there, and your stroller.  Or be super prepared to spend a LOT of money on a German one. Insane in the membrane.  You will want to go ahead and pick out your bedding there – you don’t have to buy it now, but go to Babies R Us and look at them in person, jotting down what you want. The selection here is horrible and if you know what you want (for boy vs girl) then you can easily order it.  It’s easier to know what you want when looking at them from the store than the website.  (NOTE:  This question came from a friend who was expecting.  Early enough that she hadn’t already picked a nursery theme, and might not find out the gender until later, but I though it would be a good idea for her to see the bedding in the stores up close and personal before moving here, then she could order the one she liked for the correct gender later.  The websites aren’t always really good for picking bedding, but if you know the one you want, it’s not too bad.)

Can you tell me anything about any playgroups or moms groups? – We have a current MOPS group that is run/attended by a very similar group to our PWOC group.  If you want to know more about it, you can ask one of them for sure.  I personally don’t participate in MOPS because homeschooling takes up 5 days a week and I already do PWOC.  I can’t sacrifice another day a week or the boys’ schooling would suffer.

Religious opportunities:

Our area has AWANA weekly during the school year.  We also have the following weekly services:  traditional Protestant, ChapelNext (contemporary Protestant), Lutheran, Gospel, and a few Catholic services.  We have MCCW and PWOC as well.  There are also several English speaking services on the economy but, being a chaplain family, we currently attend a chapel.

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Ramstein, Germany-Vogelweh Housing

July 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

vogelweh-ramstein-housingWe have already established in lots of other blog posts that moving overseas IS scary. To take some of this fear away I try to post as much information as possible. Here I dug up important housing and moving information about Ramstein AFB

First of all know that some bases in Germany are so close together that the services are connected. This is why you might or rather will see : Kaiserslautern Military Community or KMC a lot. It’s just the name for the area. It will make more sense once you have arrived and gotten over your jetlag.

 More than 85 percent of military residents in the local area live off-base. Housing on base is limited to key and essential personnel. So let it slowly sink in that you might  initially live off base, and may be on a waiting list for several months, up to two years.

I you would like to life on base  should submit an advanced application (DD1746) through their losing (housing office as your last duty station) housing office. The effective date of the application will be the date you depart the last permanent duty station. If your family is transferring from a Unaccompanied Restricted Tour receive credit (maximum 12 months) on the waiting list.

If you are not submitting an advance application(why not?) must apply within 30 days of arrival to receive the same effective date of an advanced application. If you apply 30 days or more after their arrival date, the effective date will be the walk-in date.

Consider house hunting off base the moment you arrive even if you  desire to live on base due to the long waiting period.

We offer Government Housing in three areas: Vogelweh, Ramstein and Landstuhl. Our inventory consists of 3 and 4-story multi-unit stairwell buildings and townhouses. All units have 110 and 220 volt electrical outlets, built-in dishwasher, mini-blinds or rolladens and ceiling fans.

Townhouses have small private yards and an attached garage. You will be responsible for yard maintenance and snow removal whether you decide to live on or off-base, so you may want to bring a lawnmower if you already have one. Cable television is available at resident expense (no satellite dishes or external antennas are authorized in base housing).

  • Waterbeds and outside storage sheds are not permitted.

  • Privately-owned outside recreation equipment may be installed inside the back yards of townhouses.

  • Schools and playgrounds are located throughout the housing areas.

Waiting Time
Waiting times for base housing vary depending on your preference housing category and number of bedrooms authorized. You will be offered housing based on your area preference and availability. If we cannot adequately house your family in government housing, we will help you find a home on the economy until base housing becomes available.

The following two lists are updated on the 1st and 15th of every month. For more current information, please contact the housing office.

Average Wait Time for housing

Waiting list

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Tips for your move to Germany

July 3, 2011 By 1 Comment

moving to GermanyBritney Brown is founder/creator of the Facebook Page: Military Wives of Wiesbaden. I previously shared the housing tips she mentioned in her Facebook page. In her notes she has a list of tips for your move to Wiesbaden, which she graciously let me use for others to see. Peruse my blog to see many more posts on life in Germany.

Here is a list of fantastic tips and ideas for your move to Germany:

- Make sure you call your bank and let them know you will be using your cards overseas. Many who do not end up having no access to their funds and/or credit cards upon arrival in Europe. [USAA has always worked really well for us overseas]

- It is worth going with your hubby during his inprocessing days (YES you can go!). It helps to understand how things work here a lot better. There are inprocessing briefings for literally EVERYTHING on base and they are there to answer your questions. Toward the end of your inprocessing, there will be a 3 Day German Headstart class that helps you acclimate and then they take a trip on the last day – well worth going!

- Make sure you have all the precscriptions for your family filled right before you get here. You can not refill anything here until you have been seen by doctor.

- It will take approximately a month and a half for your car to arrive if you are having it shipped – many people purchase a “hoopty” vehicle upon arrival. It’s usually a cheap-ish car that you use as a second vehicle after yours arrives. You will attend a German driving class for a 3 hour video then take a test to get your license. It is VERY dull but if you stay awake and learn the signs, you WILL pass. Don’t fret. And they drive on the right side of the road.

- Consider purchasing everything you can before arriving here – things are much, much more expensive in Germany, particularly buying things “on the Economy” (outside of the PX or Commisary).

- For cell phones options, you can go with prepaid (my husband has a prepaid phone and it is cheaper if you don’t use it much) or you can go contract (it will be a 2 year contract). You get a cheaper rate if you are 24 and under and it won’t go up once you turn 25, but you must ask for it. Before being allowed to get a phone contract, you MUST have a bank account in Germany (there is a bank located right next to the PX) and your post office box.

- You will not be able to get your post office box for mail forwarding until you arrive. Put your mail on hold with your local post office and you can forward it the first few days you are here.

- Upon arrival, you will go through the Frankfurt airport. A group of soldiers will meet you (in civilian clothing) at the baggage carousel who will walk you through the rest of your time at the airport and get you on the bus to Wiesbaden. After getting dropped off at the Welcome Center, Mr. Reed will come aboard the bus and introduce himself. You will check into the base and then your sponsor will arrive and take you over to the Wiesbaden Army Lodge. It is a BRAND NEW hotel where you will be staying. If you are Army, you don’t have to pay for the room – the Army will take care of it. If you are Air Force or Navy, they do things a little differently. A light breakfast is free and there are microwaves and refridgerators in every room.


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Military Teen Visiting A German School

July 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

german school

Some of you know: I am German – hence some oddly shaped sentences at times. In order to infuse my boys, 12 and 16, with [even] more German heritage, we sent them to Germany this summer. Now, I will admit , we are missing them and not only, because we now have no one to baby sit our daughter.

Today my oldest left a note in his Facebook page about his day in a German school. Read his interesting AND funny report on his impressions:

“Boy, have I a lot to say today. This morning I went with Shaaron to her school to sit through a day in the life of a German student. First of all, the school system is REALLY different. They have an “Elementary” school up until 4th grade, then they have the option of going to either “Gymnasium” or some other type of school whose name I’m hitting my head up against a wall to remember. The difference between the two is a bit like the difference between Junior High and Middle School, for those who know what I mean. Anyway, We walked from her house to the school which took a grand total of five minutes to accomplish (and I’ll admit is something I miss about Washington). Apon entering the building I realized one very unwelcomed fact: no A/C. Now bear in mind, it’s a refreshing 34 degrees celcius inside, and for those who don’t understand the metric system, that’s roughly 97 and a half degrees fahrenheit. So we are walking through the hallways and I notice that had there been bars on the windows and doors, and the floor had been gray, this could be mistaken for a prison. I think they only had one wall made out of plaster in that whole building. Anyway, we get to her classroom and its is FILLED with people, and coming to find out many weren’t even in that class. The bell finally rings and about half the people shuffle out. Then the teacher comes in and I could tell by the look on his face that he would not want to be anywhere else, which is a good thing I guess. The first lesson was geography, and it was about global warming. He gave us all a handout with some graphs on it that showed the countries that pollute the most. Who was number one? The U.S. of A. of course. Germany was, I think, 4th or fifth. The teacher asks the class “Why do you think America is at the top?”. After a few minutes of someone warbling on about how americans have so much to uphold the guy next to me says: “A bigger machine, takes more oil.” Which I think is a good way to describe the States: just a bigger machine. Anyway, after that lesson the teacher leaves and after another five minutes of futzin’ around the next teacher walks in. She was the nicest so far, I think. Problem was, this lesson was to learn…. French. So, naturally, I just sat there and listened to the funny grunting noises coming from the people around me. After the next bell rang we went to “lunch” as they call it. However, they didn’t have a cafeteria. The kids either left to eat, or stayed and sat around under trees. It was hard for me to get what they were saying, because from my perspective it sounded like they were pasting words together. I often had to make them repeat what they said if they asked me so I could answer them. One guy asked: “Are there a lot of sl*ts in America?”.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I told him yes.

ESPECIALLY in Las Vegas*.

So after a half hour lunch ends and we go to astronomy. Yet another unbeleivably hot classroom. A girl ate up the whole class period with a ridiculously in-depth presentation on the big bang theory (not the show) and the bell rings so we all just left.

I’ll admit, I had a lot of fun though. I was really impressed by how little gossip traveled. It was all so… mellow.”

Filed Under: Germany, Military Kids, OCONUS Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wiesbaden, Germany Housing Low-Down

June 13, 2011 By 4 Comments

wiesbaden housingI know lately there has been a lot of information on Germany on here…working on getting more and other information posted. Britney Brown owner and founder of the Facebook-group “Military Spouses of Wiesbaden” has put together a wonderful post about housing in Wiesbaden. If you are headed to Wiesbaden join their group so that you already know someone BEFORE you get there. First read Britneys report at the bottom I have added information coming from Stars and Stripes.

There are 3 housing locations on base — Hainerberg, Crestview, and Aukkum.

Hainerberg is the housing area that is closest to all of the “stuff”. The commissary is literally in it and the PX is just a few blocks down the way which includes a shopette, a movie theater, a laundromat, a book store, a USO location and many more. The high school and middle school are also located here as well as one of the elementary schools. As for housing comparisons, it’s very difficult because they are literally doing renovations as we speak. A group of soldiers is getting ready to PCS so there are many many more leaving and having those apartments updated. On the whole, the Hainerberg apartments have been renovated but are a bit on the smaller side. Hainerberg is also the closest to downtown.

Crestview has a bad rap for having the “crappy” apartments but our sponsor and his family have a renovated apartment there that is HUGE and GORGEOUS. So truthfully, it entirely depends on the apartment and whether or not that building has been renovated yet or not. Crestview is just down the way from Hainerberg so isn’t far at all from the other items.

Aukkum is primarily the “quiet neighborhood” of the group and is also where all the officer housing is located along with many of the higher enlisted members. The actual apartments aren’t much different than the other locations – just quieter. There is also an elementary school there. This areas is the furthest away from the PX and Commisary but is located near a lot of German businesses and is still easily accessable.

You (unfortunately) probably won’t get a choice about where you get to live. You will be in the hotel (which is brand new) when you arrive until they have an apartment to show you and then you will be given that apartment’s keys to go have a look at it. Unless you have a good reason for not wanting it (you have a bad knee and it’s on the 3rd floor, etc) then it will be yours though apparently there is some wiggle room with that. Though, keep in mind that when you are in the hotel, you are making money (a per diem rate of $120ish per day for 2 people) every day you are there. It may be cramped and stressful but it will be a nice addition to your paycheck! Also, when you are in the hotel, request a suite with a kitchenette. They do have them but they won’t necessarily automatically put you in one. When you make your hotel reservations, request this feature.

Army members (even a lot of senior officers) are not allowed to live off post so don’t plan on that being an option. The Air Force and Navy have different rules so you may be allowed if your sponsor is in one of those branches. Regardless of where you live for housing, you will have to drive to get to the WAAF (Wiesbaden Army Air Field) which is where most of the sponsors work and most of the rest of the post commodities are — there is a shuttle bus that goes there every week day as well but it is not within walking distance. Something to bare in mind when deciding on vehicle choices.

7/6/2010 article

Junior enlisted soldiers arriving in Europe with their families this summer will be given priority for on-base military family housing, following a policy adopted earlier this year for U.S. Army garrisons in Europe.

The policy requires garrisons to house 100 percent of all accompanied personnel from private to staff sergeant on post, along with up to 10 percent of accompanied senior enlisted troops and officers, according to Installation Management Command-Europe officials.

Currently, there are approximately 11,875 junior-enlisted families in Europe with 8,699 of those families living in on-post housing and the rest living off-base, or “on the economy.”

-Key personnel is also mandated to live on base.

Day said senior enlisted troops and officers can live in on-post housing only if there are vacancies after all the junior-enlisted families have been moved in. He added, however, that exceptions can be granted on a case-by-case basis, such as families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program. That program caters to family members who have special medical or educational needs.

Groupon: Get the Best Deal in Your City Today!

Filed Under: Germany, OCONUS States and Countries Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

BRAC schedule for Germany

June 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

heidelberg germanyIf you want to be stationed in Germany and experience life in this country then you better hurry. Several of the German bases are scheduled for closure or rather turn over to the Germany government in the next five years. Heidelberg was headquarters for the US ARMY Europe, which will move after Heidelberg closure to Wiesbaden. Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Mannheim-where are they? (little maps)

More Info about living in Germany:

U.S. Army Garrison Mannheim

2010

  • -Mannheim Class III Point
  • -Taylor Barracks

2014

  • -Sullivan Barracks
  • -Benjamin Franklin Village family housing
  • -Funari Barracks

2015

  • -Coleman Barracks
  • -Lampertheim Training Area
  • -Edigheim Beacon Site
  • -Spinelli Barracks

U.S. Army Garrison Heidelberg

2010

  • -Schwetzingen Training Area
  • -Hammonds Barracks

2015

  • -Campbell Barracks
  • -Patton Barracks
  • -Tompkins Barracks
  • -Kilbourne Kaserne
  • -Heidelberg hospital
  • -Heidelberg community support center
  • -Heidelberg golf course
  • -Heidelberg Army heliport
  • -Mark Twain Village Family Housing
  • -Oftersheim small-arms range, including Heidelberg Rod and Gun Club
  • -Patrick Henry Village Family Housing

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden

2015

-Giessen General Depot

Filed Under: Germany, OCONUS States and Countries Tagged With: , , , ,

Using your Cell Phone Overseas

May 31, 2011 By 2 Comments

using cell phone overseasTake a look at your current phone and try to find out if it is one that uses GSM (Global System Mobile) technology. T-Mobile and some AT&T phones are equipped with this technology, among others. If you are buying a new phone make sure that GSM technology is integrated.

Most cell phone service providers electronically ‘lock’ the phone so that it can only be used with their service. There are obvious reasons why they choose to do this – in particular, to force you to pay what are usually very high roaming charges when you take your phone out of their network and use it elsewhere in the world.

Fortunately, this locking is reversible. With some phones, it is possible to simply enter an unlocking password code into the phone and it is immediately then unlocked. Other phones need to be connected up to a special unlocking data terminal.

For $5, you can get the codes from thetravelinsider.info.
You will need a country-specific SIM card to buy pre-paid minutes for the country in which you are traveling. You can buy pre-paid minutes from telestial.com. The company will send you a SIM card that you use to replace the current SIM inside your phone.

If you have valuable data on your SIM card you can get a SIM Backup and Saver Unit, this will help you transfer all your date safely from one phone/ one SIM card to another.

via

Filed Under: Alaska, Belgium, Europe, Germany, Hawaii, Italy, Jordan, Korea, OCONUS, OCONUS States and Countries, Travel, UK Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

On base, off base or close to base in Germany

February 1, 2011 By 1 Comment
The Kaiserslautern Military Community Center

Ramstein Community Center

While Jennifer recently has told us a lot about German housing, and more here and here, Amanda of “Calm Crazy” Blog – has gone into [important] details about living in Germany and I feel honored that she took the time to write down her thoughts and shared them with the readers of the militarydutystations-blog.

Jennifer also mentioned that everyone experiences housing differently in Germany, that’s why it is important to me to shine a light on all facets of life there. After all, whereu live can very much decide HOW happy you are while you are staying in Germany.Maybe you have never given any thought to living on post, off post or close to post. You might not necessarily have a choice, but if you do, you want to be prepared and know the pros and cons. Read all about it here.

Amanda writes:

“In the seven years my husband was stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, we encountered countless couples moving into the area.  Nearly without fail, deciding where to live was the single most stressful event for everyone with whom we came into contact.  Think about it!  You are moving thousands of miles from your current home to a country you have (probably) never been, you (most likely) don’t speak the language, and each of the couples you know who have been there have (almost certainly) given you conflicting advice about the living situation there.  Who wouldn’t be stressed?!

The truth is it doesn’t have to be as stressful as you would think.  There are really only three main options when it comes to finding a home in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC).  You can live on-base, live close to base, or live far away from base.  That’s it!  Once you figure out which one is right for your family, the decision isn’t nearly as difficult as it feels at first.  And, as luck would have it, my family did all three during our time in Germany.  Let me fill you in on some of the pros and cons for each.”

Living On-base

There have been so many changes in the past five years; chances are you have heard ten conflicting opinions about on-base living in the KMC.  As of August 2010, there were still many families living in stairwell housing but the area bases are doing a decent job getting all housing areas converted to the new townhomes.  Will you get a townhome?  What kind of waiting time are you looking at?  I don’t know.  It is going to depend on your family dynamic and the rank of your servicemember.  Those things change so often–it’s impossible to make a guess.  My suggestion would be to put yourself on the waiting list as soon as you can and then see what (if anything) you are offered upon your arrival.  I can tell you that stairwell housing is not as terrible as you might have heard.  We spent 18 months living on the third floor of some of the older housing and we really liked our place.  Our move out of our three bedroom unit was prompted by the arrival of our third son.  It just got too crowded in there!

Why you may decide this is the right decision for you:  Do you have several children?  They may feel more at home with the pack of American children on base.  Are your children very involved in sports and other organized activities?  The bases have a ton of activities for children and the closer you are, the easier it is to get them involved.  Does your servicemember need fast access to his or her place of work?  If your new base is Ramstein, this may be your best bet.  Traffic getting on and off base can be a bear.

Why this choice may not be a great fit for you:  Are you newly married with no kids?  There are a ton of kids in housing and most of the housing units available for you are going to be stairwell units.  Are you really wanting to experience living in Europe?  That isn’t going to happen living on base.  Do you like to “get away” from the military environment at the end of the day?  That isn’t going to happen either.

Living Close to Base

Our last home in the area was a townhome about two miles away from the main gate.  It was not as nice as our other off base townhome (see next section), but it was huge and we enjoyed living there.  We were close enough to base that we could run to the commissary if we ran out of milk or needed diapers, but my husband was able to drive off the base at the end of his day.  There were days when he really needed that.  We didn’t have to deal with some of the hassles of living on-base (base-wide detail days, regulations stating how long the grass could be, etc.) but were still surrounded by Americans and had fast and easy access to base amenities.

Why you may decide this is the right decision for you:  This is a very popular option.  Many, many families decide that they want the separation from the base but want to maintain easy access.  If you are a “best of both worlds” kind of person, this will probably appeal to you.

Why this choice may not be a great fit for you:  Honestly, it’s difficult to find a decent place close to the base.  Many of the homes close to base are tiny.  If you want a yard, you are much more likely to find a home away from the base than close by.  (It’s not impossible; just difficult.)  Traffic can be a pain; there were days when my husband would spend an hour looking around the BX because sitting in the after-work traffic for 45 minutes to drive two miles just doesn’t make any sense.

Living Far Away from Base

The further away from base, the more authentically you will be living.  If you plan to completely immerse yourself into the culture of your host country, this is the way to go.  Your German neighbors will (overall) be a little rustier with their English than the ones living closer to the base; this will force you to learn a little more of their language.  You’ll expend too much gas driving back and forth to pick up bread, milk, or diapers; this will force you to shop in their stores.  And, much like any other military base, you tend to get “more bang for your buck” on housing the further out you go.  (Translation: Home owners jack up the rental price for homes close to the base.)

Why you may decide this is the right decision for you:  If your main goal for this assignment is to truly experience living in Europe this is your only real choice.  There is no better way to learn about a people than to dwell amongst them, living as they live.

Why this choice might not be a great fit for you:  The further you get from the base, Germans can be a little less tolerant of American differences.  There is a mandatory quiet time every day from 1300-1500 and throughout much of the weekend.  Closer in to the base, these rules are more like suggestions.  Many neighborhoods are so American-heavy that they aren’t observed at all.  If you plan to live far away from the base, be prepared to really and truly live in the German culture.  Keep in mind that these rules will apply to your children as well.

We truly enjoyed our time in Germany and each one of these living arrangements contributed to our experiences there.  No matter which decision you ultimately decide best suits your family, I hope you enjoy Germany too!

Filed Under: Germany, Guest Bloggers on MDS, Guest Blogging, OCONUS States and Countries Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Getting the right charge in Europe…

January 27, 2011 By 3 Comments

Get it? ” The right charge”? Oh my, I crack myself up. “Veteran Military Wife” added this following comment to Jennifers’ blogpost. I found her comment so important to share that I decided to re-post it here and here . The 110 – 220 Volt thing has always baffled me and I am glad that together we can get a little closer to making it clear:

Funny, I was getting ready to write up a blogpost on the electricity issues and have one on using American lamps in Europe coming up….great post!

A few things to add to your post:
Furniture – the military actually has IKEA-like loaner furniture…we were able to use it our whole tour (tables, lamps, couches, hutches, etc)….BUT I know they are starting to scale back and stuff may only be available temporarily, such as 6 months or so….so check the post where you are going. It’s called the CFMO office that loans this stuff out. If you live off-post, you are authorized to borrow a washer and dryer too…they have both American and European styles…European ones are smaller (so smaller loads), take less electricity/more efficient but take longer. The German dryers also don’t use heat but basically “sling” all the water out. I opted for the American dryer, cause I like hot fluffy stuff coming out of there (and to kill any lingering germs w/high heat)…gotta make sure your home has access to run the dryer hose outside though (many do not). Off post people are also authorized the other furniture from CFMO.

Many appliances are dual voltage these days…just look at the charger or back of the appliance. Laptops are dual voltage automatically, meaning you just need an adapter to change the plug. Most desktops have a little switch in the back where you switch from 110 to 220 volt…don’t forget! Always check the back of everything before plugging it in or you’ll see smoke and sparks and a dead appliance!

You can use some 110 volt appliances over here IF you buy a transformer…a heavy metal box…the more expensive, the heavier the load it can carry. I’ll blog later about how you can tell if the transformer can handle the load of whatever appliances you plug into it (or maybe Jennifer, you can add that?)…for TVs and such, many use the 700-1000 watt transformers…you can get them second hand over here from a variety of sources….don’t buy them new…very expensive as opposed to used. You’ll only need a few in the house…maybe one or two….and then maybe a 300 watt transformer for little stuff…many don’t like using their standmixers or anything that cycles, as even with a transformer, they can get damaged…even in housing, where you have both 220 and 110 volt, I’ve seen appliances ruined.

Another TV choice is SkySat, satellite…google it. Many also use Slingbox.com. This means you need someone in the US willing to put a Slingbox in front of a dedicated cable box at their US home as your Slingbox will transmit signals over the internet for you to watch over here (you can’t both change channels, just one of you). You can watch on your computer or you can run cables from your computer to your TV or use something called a Slingcatcher to get the signal to your TV. All those Hulu.com sites and all you can’t watch over here cause we are not in the US, although some people will mask their IP address to access them…don’t know if this is legal or not!

I’ve got blogposts on my blog about German contracts (yes, be careful) and also choosing a cell phone, so I won’t repeat that here….also lots about living in Germany too.

I believe Susanna at this blog has the info on her site on the offpost housing choices in Stuttgart military community if you are heading that way…you can narrow down by location, # of bedroom, square footage, etc…

Again, awesome article…thanks for taking the time Jennifer! We need more spouses like you, willing to write down what you have learned:-) If only I can find a few more to write about Belgium, where I am now…that would be great!

Filed Under: Germany, OCONUS States and Countries Tagged With: , , , , ,

Recycling in Germany and no A/C in houses

January 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Recycling in GermanyAfter reading about

We are commencing now with the last part of Jennifers’ expose about living on Germany the “Extras”

Extras:

German rentals are entirely unfurnished, which means that they are commonly quite literally empty buildings. They generally do not have fitted kitchens or built-in closet space, actually it’s fairly uncommon for anywhere in Europe to have built-in closet space. They do have bathroom fixtures. If you are off post and your rental does not have a kitchen, one will be provided for you from the Army Lending Closet.

When you arrive, it is very unlikely that your furniture will arrive at the same time or before you. The Army Lending Closet found on post will be able to provide you with the basics for a maximum of 30 days. They have things from couches, beds and end tables, to small things like silverware, pots and pans etc. You cannot keep these for your entire stay and they will ask for them back after 30 days or when your own things arrive, whichever is soonest. If your own things haven’t arrived after 30 days, then you can apply for an extension on the borrowed furniture.

It has been my experience that there are a large number of German spouses living on post who are more than willing to help out and provide translation if you have any problems with anything on the economy, for example if you particularly wanted a German phone provider but can’t read your contract. If you are off post, contrary to popular belief the Germans are usually very friendly and willing to help if you need it.

In Germany, recycling is strongly encouraged. In Heidelberg (and probably a few other places) it is law. Each apartment building has it’s own trash area, we are given an illustrated recycling guide and the trash is separated into 5 categories. Glass, Paper, Plastic & Metal, Organic waste, Trash (e.g. everything else). We have found it easier to have 2 trashcans, one for plastic & metals and the other for regular trash, then a small box on the counter for organic kitchen waste with an airtight lid so it doesn’t smell, 2 crates by the door for paper and glass. The good news is that you don’t have to wash the recycling like you have to in some places in the States. A lot of people find it annoying, but even my 3 year old knows which place to put each thing so it’s not difficult. IKEA also sell divided trash cans to take up less space.

This might be a big one and I know a lot of Americans find it shocking but there is no A/C in houses or apartments in Germany. From a European point of view, it just rarely gets hot enough in most parts of Europe to warrant it. However for a few weeks in the summer it gets hot enough for you to probably wish you did have A/C. The Germans get around this by keeping their windows and blinds closed during the day and then letting them open at night to let the cool air in because it still gets cold at night. They also usually have a few fans around the house for air flow, some apartments have ceiling fans. That is what we do too, it is still hot but is bearable. If you think you will need A/C you should buy a freestanding unit (not a window unit as they usually don’t fit the windows here) to ship with your household goods, there is not much choice here on A/C units and you will most likely get a better deal Stateside.

Yards. If you are in an apartment on post you wont have a backyard of your own. Generally each set of apartment buildings has a shared yard. In our case, the apartment buildings are in a “C” shape with a big playground in the middle. The army is responsible for the playground area and we are responsible for the areas just outside the building. Being responsible for it means doing as much or as little as you like, at the minimum you need to mow the grass every few weeks. On our post they have a competition for the “best” stairwell, who has the nicest yard. People dig flower beds and plant anything they like. Last year we dug and planted a vegetable garden which was used by my whole stairwell. We also have a few flower beds. In the playground area there is a lot of playground equipment, as well as plenty of grass space for walking dogs, playing soccer setting up a grill etc.

Speaking of dogs. You’re allowed a maximum of 2 pets in on post apartments, but they’re usually pretty lenient depending on the size and behaviour of your pets. Before bringing large dogs, bear in mind that they will probably not have easy access to a yard where they can run around without a leash. Dogs on post are required to wear a leash at all times. But off post, the Germans LOVE dogs. You can take your dog pretty much everywhere with you, including into some stores. It’s also fairly common in the warmer seasons to see a dog sitting with its owner at outdoor restaurant seating.

Filed Under: Germany, Guest Bloggers on MDS, Guest Blogging, OCONUS States and Countries Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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