Total immersion (?) German in Germany on a budget?

[petergriffin]

Background: I'm on the lowest end of contracting in UK, money is tulip, my German is conversational but definitely not ready for production, can't find contracts in Germany through British agencies but have a few contacts with local agencies over there who say they would consider me if my German was a tad better, no time to study German over here.

So I am thinking of taking a break and wasting money of mine (not much) to learn the improve the language over there for a, say, 6 months period.

Because I won't be working in that period I will need to be on a budget. I am thinking of attending a course for foreigners at the VHS (Volkshochschule) to get the "zertificat Deutsch", which I believe is also necessary if you want to work in Austria and Switzerland.

So my questions for who are already in Germany and speak German are:
1) Is the VHS a good school?
2) Where can I find cheap accommodation for 6 months? Is the east cheaper than the West? I was some time ago in Aachen (NRW) and rents were not so bad.
3) Which parts of Germany to avoid if I don't want to develop a thick regional accent?

Thank you.

[chef]

1) I studied with Tandem in both Munich and Cologne and found them very good. I know friends who studied at VHS and also say it is a good school but as always it depends on the teacher and their individual styles of teaching and if it suits you.

2) I would guess the east is cheaper but I don't have much experience as during my time in Germany I have either rented long term fully furnished apartments or lived in Cologne. I am not sure about VHS but Tandem did offer good rates to stay with a local family in a rented room as part of the course if required, rates were apparently very good and you would definately get total immersion that way. Alternatively look at renting in a WG (wohngemeinschaft / shared flat), similar to student renting whereby you share a house and much cheaper than renting on your own. WG's for professionals are very common and you're unlikely to find the sh!tholes that the uk pass for shared housing standards.

3) You will develop an east accent living in the east which isn't the worst but maybe not the most desirable, I have been told that true hoch-deutsch comes from around central northern parts of Germany (i.e around Hannover) which would give you the German equivalent of an Oxford English accent and far easier to be understood across the german speaking world. I would say to avoid the far north and south as both have strong accents, especially the south as the Bavarian accent most Germans equate to a south western british accent (devon, cornwall etc.).

[BlasterBates]

Don't worry about the accents, if you actually do develop an accent then it's because you're completely fluent. In fact you'll have an English accent. I learned German in Rhineland and I don't have their accent.

Choose the place where the work is and where you want to live. If the contracts are in Münich and you like skiing...then go there. I wouldn't recommend East Germany, a) there's no work, b) there's no international community.

Choose either Münich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Köln or maybe somewhere oop North like Hamburg or perhaps Berlin, I wouldn't really go anywhere else, other than a small town near these places. Hannover is pretty zzzzzzzzz I reckon. For example if it's cheaper maybe go to Darmstadt, which is near Frankfurt.

[chef]

Don't worry about the accents, if you actually do develop an accent then it's because you're completely fluent. In fact you'll have an English accent. I learned German in Rhineland and I don't have their accent.

Choose the place where the work is and where you want to live. If the contracts are in Münich and you like skiing...then go there. I wouldn't recommend East Germany, a) there's no work, b) there's no international community.

Choose either Münich, Frankfurt, Köln or maybe somewhere oop North like Hamburg or perhaps Berlin, I wouldn't really go anywhere else, other than a small town near these places. Hannover is pretty zzzzzzzzz I reckon.

All very good points BB, you're right about the accent and therefore being fluent, I was thinking extreme long term.

[alreadypacked]

I would look for a job in an English speaking company in Germany or Switzerland and do night classes for German.

Or do what I have done, worked in Germany and Switzerland with no German

HTH

[darmstadt]

1) Is the VHS a good school?

I've heard good and bad reviews about them. I think a lot depends upon where you do it as well. Many years ago I knew some Brits who taught in our local one which at the time was considered very good as there were a lot of Brits in the area. I've recently heard that no Brits go there anymore and the classes tend to contain no Brits but a lot of people who are using it to get through the immigration test (as it tends to be the cheapest school.) The VHS as a whole is actually very good. Have a look on Toytown for peoples reports on language schools.

(I actually do regret not going to one and will, one day soon, go to one but only to learn how to write the language correctly.)

I came here 22 years ago with no Germany and have not been to any language schools but work in German speaking environments. I learnt my Germany by not hanging around with the Brits but with Germans wherever I work which can cause some problems as I tend to pick up the dialect and local idioms and my language can sound strange to many people. I quite often get asked if I'm from Hamburg though. I spend nearly all my free time with Germans (have no Brit TV) and I think that helps a lot.

2) Where can I find cheap accommodation for 6 months? Is the east cheaper than the West? I was some time ago in Aachen (NRW) and rents were not so bad.

The WG is actually a pretty good idea but make sure you get a decent one. I've visited people in a few and there have been problems. Alternatively if you do find a town that you fancy, look for the student areas as rents are cheaper although places are smaller. You're going to need money up front, typically 3 months rent, as a deposit and you must be registered (apparently.) Many landlords won't let you rent without a job, or a letter from your employer or even a bank account, at least proof that you are earning.

The east is cheaper that the west, I've just got back from Dresden but is slowly getting more expensive, particularly in the cities. Out in the country, even near Frankfurt though you can rent very cheaply. It depends upon what you want, city or country life?

3) Which parts of Germany to avoid if I don't want to develop a thick regional accent?

Everywhere! Actually around Hannover is pretty good but even in most towns in the mid to northern part of Germany the dialect is pretty much the same with the younger generation but as soon as you move out a few klicks, the dialects come in. Most people in Darmstadt have a pretty neutral accent but the local dialect as spoken by some friends is pretty difficult to understand. There are villages in the Odenwald where the dialect changes between them!

[scooterscot]

I would look for a job in an English speaking company in Germany or Switzerland and do night classes for German.

Or do what I have done, worked in Germany and Switzerland with no German

HTH

WSS.

I'll be the first to admit my German is nicht sehr gut but I get by order food however my verb order!. Being able to speak German was never a prerequisite to working in Germany but agents shall always say otherwise, better spend the time learning the right skills.

[milanbenes]

I'll second that

Milan.

[OwlHoot]

I'll second that

Milan.

Second what? There's been about 20 posts in this thread.

I spent a year contracting near Hamburg, and swore I'd devote every waking free hour to learning the lingo. But at the end I'm ashamed to say I'd barely learned a word.

[darrenb]

Being able to speak German was never a prerequisite to working in Germany but agents shall always say otherwise.

True.