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I am getting married next year, to a wonderful German gentleman... also das erledigt sich schon
I've been working in transportation/logistics/trucking all these years, and Germans do logistics on a grand scale (especially in Hamburg where I will be living, as there is a huge port there), so I would like to simply continue working in this area. However, in order to work for a German company I will most likely have to retrain. So I wonder, if they would be willing to take a 30-years-old trainee on board.
I don't know the company but I don't see a reason why not.
Fascinating. But a large percentage of the homelessness in the US is due to the government closing most of the mental health institutions, to save money and also because it was thought to be more humane to have people living in the community and getting their mental health care in clinics. This didn't take into account the severely mentally ill, though. Also, clinics were not funded to absorb the large influx of new patients, and it was unaffordable to pay for housing for so many mentally ill in expensive places like San Francisco. Now the mentally ill can't be institutionalized against their will (unlike how it was 50 years ago), so they live in the streets. Some end up in prison, because there's nowhere else for them to go, but the prison system isn't equipped to deal with them properly, either.
How does Germany deal with the mentally ill?
They lock them away.
They go into a psychiatry and tax payers pay for it.
A judge can institutionalize somebody against their will.
I had a friend who tried to commit suicide. She was in the hospital for two days. She said she would do it again so they took her into the locked area of the hospital where she stayed for a few months (I think it was about 3 months) until she felt more stable emotionally. She was locked up with lots of really crazy people who were there for years. She didn't pay a dime for her (involuntary) stay. They might have let her out sooner if a family member would have stepped up and signed paperwork and with a promise to keep an eye on her 24/7.
They go into a psychiatry and tax payers pay for it.
A judge can institutionalize somebody against their will.
I had a friend who tried to commit suicide. She was in the hospital for two days. She said she would do it again so they took her into the locked area of the hospital where she stayed for a few months (I think it was about 3 months) until she felt more stable emotionally. She was locked up with lots of really crazy people who were there for years. She didn't pay a dime for her (involuntary) stay. They might have let her out sooner if a family member would have stepped up and signed paperwork and with a promise to keep an eye on her 24/7.
I think this makes more sense. Obviously, closing the mental health hospitals and turning people loose hasn't worked in the US.
I think this makes more sense. Obviously, closing the mental health hospitals and turning people loose hasn't worked in the US.
tax payers are not very thrilled about the health system.
I have noticed that many procedures and habits that are normal in the US, will be adapted in Germany the sooner or later.
More and more fast food restaurants
more and more women working full time
more and more divorces
more and more single moms working full time
less people cook and eat at home
co pays are going up for doctors visits and health insurance coverage declines
hospital visits become shorter, people are in and out in no time
weight slowly becomes an issue due to the change of eating habits
you used to talk to a person immediately if you call somewhere - now they also have those automated machines answer phones.
less smoking areas, no more smoking in clubs and restaurants
more day care centers because more moms work
bigger cars - when I grew up, people with children drove station wagons. NO SUVs. I saw an BMW X6 in Germany in 2007 and it looked HUGE. Now it is almost normal. VW even developed a pick up truck. They did not have pick up trucks before.
You can pay more and more via CC there - it used to be cash only for most transactions, especially in retail.
STores are open longer - when I grew up in the 80's, the stores closed at 5pm, only open during a few hours on Saturday and closed on Sundays
I have noticed that many procedures and habits that are normal in the US, will be adapted in Germany the sooner or later.
More and more fast food restaurants more and more women working full time more and more divorces more and more single moms working full time less people cook and eat at home co pays are going up for doctors visits and health insurance coverage declines
hospital visits become shorter, people are in and out in no time weight slowly becomes an issue due to the change of eating habits you used to talk to a person immediately if you call somewhere - now they also have those automated machines answer phones.
less smoking areas, no more smoking in clubs and restaurants
more day care centers because more moms work
bigger cars - when I grew up, people with children drove station wagons. NO SUVs. I saw an BMW X6 in Germany in 2007 and it looked HUGE. Now it is almost normal. VW even developed a pick up truck. They did not have pick up trucks before.
You can pay more and more via CC there - it used to be cash only for most transactions, especially in retail. STores are open longer - when I grew up in the 80's, the stores closed at 5pm, only open during a few hours on Saturday and closed on Sundays
And that is very sad. Goodbye, Deutschland, you were beautiful. And welcome to the Americanized dystopia.
In Germany, my German friends think all my clothes from the US are cool, because they are way more modern and stylish there.
In the US, my American friends think all my clothes from Germany are cool, because they are way more modern and stylish there.
In the US, people talk about going to Germany for medical procedures because medicine there is so advanced.
In Germany, people talk about going to the US for medical procedures because medicine there is so advanced.
Eve, the reason stores are being kept open longer in Germany is, in part, because more women are working. If the store closes right when everyone gets off work, how would they ever be able to do their grocery shopping and other shopping? In Eastern Europe, stores were always open late. In fact, in some countries, they'd close in the middle of the day, and open for the after-work hours, because EVERYONE worked full time. It's so much more practical to have stores open after 5 pm. I don't agree with all-night stores, but evening hours are necessary for working people.
Does Germany have single dads? When there's a divorce, does the father ever take custody of the child/ren?
Eve, the reason stores are being kept open longer in Germany is, in part, because more women are working. If the store closes right when everyone gets off work, how would they ever be able to do their grocery shopping and other shopping? In Eastern Europe, stores were always open late. In fact, in some countries, they'd close in the middle of the day, and open for the after-work hours, because EVERYONE worked full time. It's so much more practical to have stores open after 5 pm. I don't agree with all-night stores, but evening hours are necessary for working people.
Does Germany have single dads? When there's a divorce, does the father ever take custody of the child/ren?
I know from Spain and Italy, that some stores are closed mid day for a few hours.
In Germany they debated for years about having the stores open longer and if it is worth it. The politicians who were against it said that people will not eat more or buy more food when the stores are open longer and it will just lead to more staffing costs and not more revenue overall. Also, they WANT certain days and hours to be for resting purposes. That's why you are not supposed to wash your car on Sunday's.
I remember back in the day you had to buy everything for the weekend until Saturday at noon. If you discover Sunday morning there is no milk left for the coffee ... uh oh!!! You forgot baking powder and want to bake Saturday at 3pm ... better have nice friends who can borrow you some.
There are lots of single dads but the most are weekend dads only. I worked for a divorce attorney in the 90s and most battles were because the dads didn't want to see the kids often enough or didn't want to pay enough support.
American dads are - IMO - more interested in hanging out with their kids. I am not sure why ... maybe because German men are often too strongly manifested in the provider role so they can't let lose and play with the kids on their level? It could be that because moms usually work part time and spend a lot of time with the children so when they divorce, the dads don't have that much emotional connection with the kids? Or it could be that the dad works full time usually and just doesn't have the time for full time custody.
People working full time and having kids are not really seen as good parents there. They rather work part time, have less money and more time for the children.
People working full time and having kids are not really seen as good parents there. They rather work part time, have less money and more time for the children.
Really? In Germany? I knew Germany had less than-average percentage of mothers working full-time, but wow...
Really? In Germany? I knew Germany had less than-average percentage of mothers working full-time, but wow...
The mom usually stays home for the first two years the baby is born. If they want a second child, they often time it right after that so they stay home for 4 years. The law says that they can have their same job or equal job back after the baby break. For the first two years, they get an additional amount to the regulard amount they get per baby (only if they stay home). I am not sure, I think it might be an additional $300, but I think it depends on the job.
They usually go back to working part time after those two years. Dads stay employed full time.
That's why they have more home cooked meals, are more dependent on each other, not all couples have two cars, no nannies.
Like I said, it is slowly changing towards the American way.
A couple where both work full time and the child grows up in daycare is not seen as "good" parents. They will get questions why they have children if they don't take the time for them. It is seen as selfish if you keep the same life after you have given birth. You won't see many moms at happy hour or following their hobbies after work and going home late, hanging out with coworkers.
Women who have a high education often don't have any children at all. Putting all this effort in a good education and job and then staying home for years or working part time .... is seen as a waste of education.
Like I said, 8 births per 1,000 people. The higher the education of the woman, the less likely she has children, even though the education is way cheaper as compared to the US.
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In Germany? I knew Germany had less than-average percentage of mothers working full-time, but wow...
