h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have saved this from a forum which might be in danger of being removed, as a lot of thought went into it.

These are some tips and ideas for someone moving to Germany from England, which I have gathered over the years:

The red tape is incredible. You have to register with the local authorities to live here, and get a
residence permit (but I should check up on that one, the laws might have changed). It is not
necessary to register with the local Consulate. This just has the advantage that if anything
happens to you while you are in Germany, and you have some means of identification with you
(presumably British or similar), the police can contact your nearest and dearest via the nearest relative as registered at
the Consulate.

Do try and learn the language as quickly as possible. Always carry a dictionary and/or something
to write with. And join a class. This may be organised for you if you are working or a student or an
au pair. It is also a good place to meet people of the opposite - or even the same - sex - who you
can speak in your mother tongue to. And start learning before you leave. Practice converting
prices into your own currency so you don't get caught out shopping.

If you're coming from Britain, you will miss:

Tea (bring at least 1000 teabags - this is well over the limit, but hardly likely to be discovered, if
they are all in separate socks.
Branston pickle
Dettol
Marmite
Radio (bring tape recordings of Radio 4 programmes and make sure someone back there in
blighty can keep you supplied.
smoked haddock

(Others are welcome to enlarge on this list... can't wait to see what you all write)

In Germany give the following things a try:

- Coffee flavoured with vanilla, chocolate, and exotic things like amaretto, orange cream, cherry,
.... are available in sachets. Surprised these are still not available in England, where on the other
hand they have the sachets of cocoa with orange and mint flavours.
- Sauerkraut you must try. It is absolutely vital to counteract the inordinate amounts of pork the
Germans eat. They also add mustard, which has the same effect of breaking down the fat.
Sauerkraut must be cooked for at least an hour, you can't just pop it in the microwave.
- the Bavarian form of pork is Haxen - a leg of pork, or weisswurst - fat, white sausages
- Beer here in Germany is subject to the rigorous "Reinheitsgesetz" which forbids any additives.
Once got used to, it's probably quite addictive.
- riding a tram
- a football match (?) have never been, but it must be a good way of meeting people and you'd
have something in common, if it's your sort of thing.
- Try and find a cinema which shows the films in the original version - or at least the original
version with subtitles - watch out for "OV" (means Originalversion) or "OmU" - Original mit
Untertiteln - original with subtitiles.

Do take notice of what it rather patronisingly says about separating your rubbish somewhere else
on this site (not sure where, sorry). It is a perfectly sensible and normal thing to do. Find out exactly what the local system
is. You separate tins, plastic packaging, glass, paper, biological stuff for composting, and the rest
produces about a small bag per week. Where possible try and avoid it altogether by using
returnable bottles, buying fruit & veg loose, etc, etc., as it may be charged by weight.

People are shocked about the price of petrol now just having topped the 2 DM mark. It is cheaper
from "Freie T" petrol stations or from the stations attached to supermarkets. It is almost always
self service.

Err, ...some things which you report from my home country sound familiar. Well observed!

Learning german might appear to be the hardest part. Especially, because I don't know too many other people (may be the scandinavians as well) who appreciate to leave their mother tongue for the English. If a german fellow can speak english he will switch to show and practice it. You only can avoid this by speaking german securely and fluently, which is the thing you might rather intend to do anyway. In this case people start to teach you the expressions you'd better keep out of your business conversations.
If you just started to learn german and you meet people who don't speak your language, the'll explain things to you very loud and in a worse (=wrong) german.

Well, at the cinema, there might appear the OF as well, which means exactly the same as OV, but stands for Original-Fassung.


With no sense of advertising, what is you favourite beer type? This might depend on where you live.
What do you say about the bread?

Viel Spass noch, und keine Panik!
Siggi

Hallo Siggi, habe gerade mal wieder deine Nachricht gelesen.

BIER UND BROT

Bei uns trinkt man Bellheimer - das Bier soll gut sein wegen dem Wasser, das aus dem Pfälzer Wald kommt. Ich trinke auch Eichbaum (Mannheim) aber ich glaube, den Biersnobs ist das nix. Was wirklich gut jetzt ankommt ist das Öko-Bier aus dem Kuhkaff neben Bellheim - Ottersheim.

Zum Brot. Könnte ich nochmal Bücher schreiben - aber das interessiert keinen, bis er mal in Deutschland (o.ä) gelebt hat und es hier probiert hat. Weißt Du, wenn man aus dem angelsächsischen kommt, hat man keine Brotkultur. Es ist nicht ein Thema, über das man redet. Brot ist nur da, damit man sich die Butter nicht direkt auf die Finger schmieren muß. Zugegeben, es hat sich da auch was getan (jedenfalls in GB) und Granary Bread ist ganz lecker und herzhafter - aber das dichte kackbraune Zeugs, das hier verkauft wird (angefangen vom einfachen Mischbrot über unzählige diverse Teige und Formen mit fantasievollen Künstlernamen), das kriegt man nicht.

Das ist also, noch ein Thema, das nur von Interesse ist für Deutschsprachige. Wir können es mal versuchen, eine Brotkultur weltweit in Leben zu bringen. Wie wäre es erst mal mit einem Rezept für Sauerteig - so richtig aus der Hexenküche

Alla do hersch' es, do kummt äni vun de Palls!
Auch wenn ich, rein sportlich gesehen, mit Monnem net viel anfangen kann, es Bellheimer und es Eichbaum is ok. Da gibts doch bei Euch jetz auch des annere mit dem verdrehten Hals (grüne Flasche). Nicht zu vergessen die Woinemer Hausbrauerei.
Ei jo, weisch, moi Schwescharin kummt vun Verne, un do wohnt seit 8 Joa moin Bruda...


Hier gibts nur das Baguette in lang und dünn, kleiner und dicker, integral,...
Ja das Brot aus Good Old Germany, vermiss ich hier in Spanien ugf so sehr, wie maan Äppelwoi. Dem hab ich jetzt wenigstens zu einem Hinweis in den Guide verholfen.
Gibts sowas schon übers Brot???
Der Sauerteig-Vorschlag ist gut. So mit Anis, Kräutern der Provence....
Mit Dinkel, Roggen zum selber mahlen

Was heisst *könnt ich nochmal Bücher schreiben*???

Naja, weil ich an anderer Stelle mich ad nauseam über das Teetrinken ausgelassen habe und die Leute im H2G2 nicht zu Tode langweilen wollte. Und bei Tischmanieren habe ich mich auch kräftig ins Zeug gelegt.

Bis vor kurzem habe ich in Hessen gearbeitet (gebe ich jetzt zu), also gerade mal, und zwar in Lampertheim. Die Fahrerei wurde allmählich zu viel und ich habe das Handtuch geschmissen. Destewesche hock ich jetzert dahoim und sörfe tagein tagaus im Indanett.

Hörst Du eigentlich HR3 über Internet? - Ich weiß nicht ob es geht, aber SWR3 geht auf jeden Fall, mit MP3 oder Realplayer software. Die Infos auf SWR3-Homepage sind auch sehr interessant, die interessantesten Radiobeiträge werden nochmal abgeschrieben mit Links nochunnoch.

Nach meinem Urlaub vielleicht, werde ich die Ärmeln hochkrempeln und die Urdeutsche Backstubb eröffnen.

Nicht schlecht für eine Zugereiste, häh?

Teetrinken und Tischmanieren, das hört sich in deed nach Deinen englischen Ursprung an. Got it at your mother's breast, hm?
Kammer Dei Zeusch aach erschednwo lese? Wann de schon Bücher geschrieben hast...

Soso , da magst Du auch Indarnett.
Zum Internet-Radio hab ichs noch net gebracht hier. Sollte ich zur Promotion hierbleiben, was ich will, krieg ich konkret eigene Platze mit eigene Reschna. Dann kann ich auch Webradio hoeren.

Ich war mal im ElchClub, aber seit Spanien (April) bin ich da auch raus. Irgendwie hat das SWR3 hoeren nicht mehr so viel Spass gemacht wie zu SWF3 Zeiten. Die tragen die Nase derzeit ziemlich hoch, und produzieren/inszenieren sich kolossal selbst.
Ich hab deswegen auch wieder etwas mehr HR3 gehoert.
Zu den Events hat es mich wegen der Entfernung (von Hessen ins SWR3-Land...) leider nie hingezogen.

Genung des Truebsals, morsche fliesch ich haam fuers Wocheend, Mondach bin ich wieder in Spanien.

Dann guten Flug!

Gracias!

Vorher darf ich noch mit dem Autobus durch halb Spanien tuckern,
um dann so gegen ölf Ühr nachts dehaam in Frankfort zu landen.

Just loved your opinions on graffiti (wow you actually have an open mind about the "problem") I just was wondering how pervasive the graff scene is in Germany. I have heard that it is both nowhere and also people have told me it is EVERYWHERE! I just want one city/country to be a model for how graff can beutify it into something original and inspiring and not just white building after white building. I am sure you are familiar with Daim(translation?) Loomit, Bates and The Stick-Up Kids (If not go to www.graffiti.org and look up there names... Please reply because I am writing a thesis on the subject.....Thanks

Just look out in any larger city in Germany, and you will find Graffities.
Some gangs spray little marks on houses to sign their area. These are pretty much anoying. Whereas big colourful on grey walls, pale looking trains etc they're really art-like. Cities I'm thinking of are Frankfurt (and the surrounding), Berlin, Köln, Hamburg, Hannover... anywhere!

Olà Siggi

ich habe endlich einen Eintrag über Brot geschrieben. Ist viel zu lange. Guck mal rein, falls Du Lust hast. http://www.h2g2.com/A419861

There's a limit on how many tea bags you can bring into Germany? That's inhuman!!! When moved to America last year, I brought five boxes of 240 Ty-Phoo tea bags with me, and I've had several more sent over since then (in return for which, my friends get Betty Crocker brownie mix, Aunt Jemima pancake mix, A.J. pancake syrup... good, healthy, wholesome American food ) The only other things I can remember bringing with me were Marmite, and some tapes of Radio 4 and Radio 2 programmes which I've collected over the years (Kenny Everett and John Peel on Desert Island Discs, 'Lake Wobegon Days', 'Sir Henry at Rawlinson End', documentaries about Spike Jones, John Arlott, The Goons, Kenneth Williams, and of course, all episodes of The Hitchhiker's Guide), both of which you already mentioned.

I would have brought a little short wave radio with me, as I did when I used to come here to visit, so that I could listen to The World Service, but as all 5 national, and most local BBC staions seem to webcast now, that one's no longer neccessary. The only problem with that is that theBBC don't yet have the rights to webcast everything they broadcast, and some of the things they can't webcast seem a little odd. Last time I tried to listen to I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue, and Just a Minute, they weren't being webcast You'd have thought they wouldn't have any problems with two of Radio 4's most popular and longest running series. Maybe they've got it sorted out by now. Ah well, I can still bask in the warm glow of the shipping forecast, although because of the time difference, it's a bit strange listening to it at 6.45 in the evening. I find myself feeling very sleepy and ready for bed by 7pm

Perhaps the limit was also abolished at Schengen - I'm not sure. But I think it was fairly recently that some friends of mine got nabbed for a helluva lot of customs duty on their way back from Strasbourg (our nearest Marks & Sparks), as they had bought more than 150 g of tea.

There ought to be a law against that

I've taken to listening to BBC webcasts over the last few days, but, as you say, just as it gets to the programmes you really want to hear, the transmission stops and you get a recorded announcement. Why? It can hardly be anything to do with copyright.

You'd have thought so, especially with the loger-running shows, but I suspect that it's because of the fact that John Birt allowed outside production companies to make programmes for the BBC, so that after a programme, you will hear an announcement "XXXXX was a production for The BBC by YYYYY production company." I would imagine that if the BBC are broadcasting it, then they must have copyright, the way that a record company or a publishing company retain copyright of a song, and can do what they want with it, like use it for a tv ad against the songwriter's wishes, but I know very little about these things. I do know however that I couldn't listen to Test Match Special on the web last winter, or this summer because of webcast rights issues