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Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

blog.alexanderdickson.com

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Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#71

Post by rayiner »

fefe23 wrote: post #44
chki wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>People from Africa or Asia routinely get held at extraterritorial prisons indefinitely. In case you have mixed ancestry and look like "people of color" be cautious. Not regarding anything else you are claiming this is quite an outrageous claim and I have no recollection of such things going on in Germany for the last few years. It would also be a severe violation of the German constitution if this would be happening…

Germany does not have extraterritorial prison colonies. I think this is a combination of hyperbole and choosing the wrong word. Germany does have housing for refugees and asylum seekers while they wait for asylum to be granted or denied, and the conditions there might be construed as prison-like depending on your political point of view. Technically it's not a prison. Asylum seekers are not permitted to do paid work,…

Your first point is extremely ignorant. The mess in the Middle East was mainly created by the Ottoman Empire consolidating disparate ethnicities and religions into one empire, and then Europe’s dissection of it after WWI (dividing it between Britain and France). The US inherited the mess afterward. Syria, for example, is ruled by an Alawite minority. The Ottomans oppressed them and tried to convert them to Sunni Islam. When the French took over, they favored the Alawites and created a separate Alawite state. The French encouraged them to join the Syrian military (because the Alawites were friendlier to the French than the more hostile Sunni). Eventually, that Alawite contingent in the military led a coup that led to the Alawite minority ruling over the Sunni majority for decades until the civil war.

Literally every ethnic and religious fault line in the Middle East that is now causing violence is the doing of the Turks, British, and French.

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#72

Post by john61 »

learnstats2 wrote: post #16
looki wrote: post #9

Regarding the trains, >They are usually on time and cover basically everywhere worth visiting in Europe. He has a very ungerman definition of usually on time :) There's probably not a bigger laughing stock in Germany than our trains (Okay, there is BER). The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time [1]. If you have tight transfers to make, that can get very annoying. I also thought the ICE and…

> The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time. By standards I am familiar with, that's good. Last time I checked, my local train station had trains arriving within 10 minutes only 50% of the time.

In Austria this number is 86,6% (long distance, max 5 min late) Austrians also travel the most by train in the EU. (a coinicidence?)

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#73

Post by DominikPeters »

PavlovsCat wrote: post #4

> the bottom floor is 0, not the ground floor In the elevator sure, though just as often it's abbreviated EG for Erdgeschoss, which does mean ground floor. We call the floor above that "erstes Geschoss" or "erstes Obergeschoss", whereas that would be the second floor in English, but we never say "nulltes Geschoss", always Erdgeschoss. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Erdgeschoss

Calling the ground floor “first floor” is a North American thing, and everyone else (including UK) agrees with German numbering. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storey

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#74

Post by Rebelgecko »

learnstats2 wrote: post #16
looki wrote: post #9

Regarding the trains, >They are usually on time and cover basically everywhere worth visiting in Europe. He has a very ungerman definition of usually on time :) There's probably not a bigger laughing stock in Germany than our trains (Okay, there is BER). The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time [1]. If you have tight transfers to make, that can get very annoying. I also thought the ICE and…

> The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time. By standards I am familiar with, that's good. Last time I checked, my local train station had trains arriving within 10 minutes only 50% of the time.

I was in Switzerland recently and they put German trains to shame. I dont think we were ever more than a minute behind schedule. As soon as we crossed into Konstanz the scheduling went to shit

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#75

Post by cookie_monsta »

BFLpL0QNek wrote: post #68
fefe23 wrote: post #45

I would be interested in the other direction. Would anyone from the EU who moved to Australia care to tell us about their experiences?

Trains are meh. The average train speed is 50km/h, so living out in the suburbs is a long slow commute. What should be a 20-30 min journey can be 1hr plus. Forget interstate travel as each state has different line standards. "She'll be right mate" the stereotypical image of Aussies, not so true at least these days. Highly litigious, lots of red tape, and following strict rules, love their fines, if they can fine it t…

Maybe this is how lame Sydney has become, but from a Melbourne perspective there are a few points here that don't really ring true - in fact it kind of sounds like you're describing the Australia that my parents grew up in...

> Forget interstate travel as each state has different line standards

While there are remnants of narrow and broad gauge tracks around, all the mainland capital cities have been connected by standard gauge tracks since 1995.

> It's impossible or near impossible to eat out after 8 pm.

This is true way out in the suburbs, or in regional areas but the closer you get to downtown the more places there are serving until 10pm (particularly Asian food) and a plethora of 24 hour places.

> Shops close at 6 pm so no after work shopping.

The two major supermarkets open until midnight. Shopping centres (malls) open until 9pm Thu-Sun. K-Mart is generally open until 10 or midnight, sometimes 24 hours. The rest I don't know - I don't really shop recreationally.

> You have two grocery stores, Coles and Woolworths

... and Aldi, plus the IGA's as you say.

> it's a long journey to travel outside of Australia

Not if you're going to New Zealand from Melbourne, or Asia from Darwin :)

> The prime minister denies climate change and walks into parliament with cole saying don't be afraid it's only cole

Agreed, that was a shameful moment - the only mitigating factor is that he wasn't Prime Minister at the time.

> They've yet to discover double glazing/insulation

Um, no. We have the internet and we can read, too. Possibly you missed the scandal a few years ago when the govt was subsidising insulation. Another shameful moment.

> I've never walked down a street or through a suburb that's felt unsafe

Generally agreed, but if you want the counterpoint I'll take you on a walking tour sometime. Just don't bring your good sunglasses ;)

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#76

Post by climb_stealth »

BFLpL0QNek wrote: post #68
fefe23 wrote: post #45

I would be interested in the other direction. Would anyone from the EU who moved to Australia care to tell us about their experiences?

Trains are meh. The average train speed is 50km/h, so living out in the suburbs is a long slow commute. What should be a 20-30 min journey can be 1hr plus. Forget interstate travel as each state has different line standards. "She'll be right mate" the stereotypical image of Aussies, not so true at least these days. Highly litigious, lots of red tape, and following strict rules, love their fines, if they can fine it t…

This rings true to me. Some other thoughts:

Online-banking is great. Commonwealth Bank for example has a great app and website experience. It is very much living in the future compared to Germany for example.

Dealing with the city council is mostly great with lots of transactions being possible online. Drivers license, parking permits and things like this. Also, paying the numerous fines is very straightforward.

Winters feel freezing cold inside due to lack of insulation. At the same time winter feels super pleasant outside with mid twenty degrees centigrade and lots of sun.

You'll bring a woollen jumper to work in scorching summer due to blasting aircon.

Lots of interactions are on a first name basis where it would be strictly Mr/Ms LastName in Germany.

There are lots of mosquitoes but they are huge and mostly silent. Compared to the ones in Germany that are practically invisible and noisy and keep you up at night. Australians ones will bite you plenty at night without waking you up.

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#77

Post by chrisco255 »

RileyJames wrote: post #70
looki wrote: post #9

Regarding the trains, >They are usually on time and cover basically everywhere worth visiting in Europe. He has a very ungerman definition of usually on time :) There's probably not a bigger laughing stock in Germany than our trains (Okay, there is BER). The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time [1]. If you have tight transfers to make, that can get very annoying. I also thought the ICE and…

We have low standards. The Victorian “high speed rail project” cost $750M to increase our regional (long distance enough) trains to a whopping 165 km/h. Here’s the kicker, when it gets hot, they have to slow down. And when I say hot, I mean, 36C (96F). And by slow down I mean 90km/h. Welcome to Australia, that’s half a month per year. And it’s getting hotter. [bom]( http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/cvg/av?p_stn_num…

You linked climate data that included 1981-2010. When you actually search all of the historic data in the drop down, you'll find that there's no significant trend in # of days >35C since 1861. 1981-2010 did show 10.8 for that figure, but the periods 1871-1900, 1881-1910, 1891-1920, and 1901-1930 all showed around the same figure, at 10.8, 11.2, 11.1, and 10.2 respectively.

It looks more like a cyclical trend in Melbourne heat.

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#78

Post by RileyJames »

chrisco255 wrote: post #77
RileyJames wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have low standards. The Victorian “high speed rail project” cost $750M to increase our regional (long distance enough) trains to a whopping 165 km/h. Here’s the kicker, when it gets hot, they have to slow down. And when I say hot, I mean, 36C (96F). And by slow down I mean 90km/h. Welcome to Australia, that’s half a month per year. And it’s getting hotter. [bom]( http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/cvg/av?p_stn_num…

You linked climate data that included 1981-2010. When you actually search all of the historic data in the drop down, you'll find that there's no significant trend in # of days >35C since 1861. 1981-2010 did show 10.8 for that figure, but the periods 1871-1900, 1881-1910, 1891-1920, and 1901-1930 all showed around the same figure, at 10.8, 11.2, 11.1, and 10.2 respectively. It looks more like a cyclical trend in Melbo…

“It’s getting hotter” was based on “all data” vs 81-2010. Which shows an increase. (>30, 30 -> 32.1 & >35, 10 -> 10.8)

Additionally based on an abc podcast, the signal, which stated that since 1987 summer temperatures have been above average.

[the signal](https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/the-signal/changing-su...)

Let’s not get into a climate change debate. It’s not going to get significantly colder to the point where these trains are going to run on time more often.

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#79

Post by bitL »

looki wrote: post #9

Regarding the trains, >They are usually on time and cover basically everywhere worth visiting in Europe. He has a very ungerman definition of usually on time :) There's probably not a bigger laughing stock in Germany than our trains (Okay, there is BER). The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time [1]. If you have tight transfers to make, that can get very annoying. I also thought the ICE and…

Heuristics for train delays: Does the train pass Frankfurt? Add 15-30 minutes. Otherwise expect your train within 5 minutes of its scheduled arrival/departure.

Re: Moving to Germany as an Australian (2016)

#80

Post by bitL »

RileyJames wrote: post #70
looki wrote: post #9

Regarding the trains, >They are usually on time and cover basically everywhere worth visiting in Europe. He has a very ungerman definition of usually on time :) There's probably not a bigger laughing stock in Germany than our trains (Okay, there is BER). The long-distance ones only arrive within 5 minutes 75% of the time [1]. If you have tight transfers to make, that can get very annoying. I also thought the ICE and…

We have low standards. The Victorian “high speed rail project” cost $750M to increase our regional (long distance enough) trains to a whopping 165 km/h. Here’s the kicker, when it gets hot, they have to slow down. And when I say hot, I mean, 36C (96F). And by slow down I mean 90km/h. Welcome to Australia, that’s half a month per year. And it’s getting hotter. [bom]( http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/cvg/av?p_stn_num…

You have the same problem as Russia. Only a tiny part of the country/continent is populated, the population is spread along coasts, and even that not continuously. Building advanced trains is not economical, they won't service sufficient population per km traveled.
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