There seem to be parental benefits coming out of your ears when you’re a parent in Germany. It’s just a bit of a nightmare figuring out what they all mean and whether you have access. We’ll take you through it.
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Christopher Street Day in Berlin (aka CSD) – Celebrating Pride in Germany
Germany not only celebrates Pride, but also its own European version known as Christopher Street Day (CSD).
Although most Pride Month celebrations happen in June, Germany (and Switzerland) celebrate another special day in July: CSD or Christopher Street Day. Christopher Street Day is a day to remember the Stonewall Riots. It was the first LGBTQ+ community uprising against police assaults that occurred at a bar in Manhattan in 1969. Since 1970 onward, parades and marches with various names evolved in the US to what we know today as Gay Pride. Germany stuck with Christopher Street Day and held its first celebration in 1970 in Berlin – natürlich!
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Berlin’s “Secret Park” hidden oasis – your 1-minute tour inside
Did you know there’s a completely secret oasis – aka Berlin’s “Secret Park” – concealed in the bustling Monbijou quarter of Berlin Mitte?
Einschulung: the German school-starting party to end all parties
Einschulung, noun: the process in which your little bundle of joy is initiated into the German school system. This is an absolute rite of passage in Germany and many deem it, rather poetically, “the end of childhood”. It may cost more than Christmas.
From the excavator cabin to the office: introducing our intern Hannah
What attracted you to the English language?
What attracts me to the English language is that the majority of the people on earth speak (at least a little bit of) English. Also, I love Great Britain and Canada, where English is spoken.
What made you decide to pursue a career in languages?
I knew that I wanted to work in an office one day so I googled specializations and found the office jobs specializing in languages to be the most interesting.
What are you hoping to get out of your 6-week internship?
I am hoping to gain insight into the role of a translator, practice my English and develop my technical competencies.
What’s your favourite quote in your native language? Explain it to us and tell us why you like it.
My favourite quote is “Übung macht den Meister” because it reminds me to keep practising and not to give up if something doesn’t work the first time around.
What kind of translating do you enjoy the most? Why?
I enjoy all kinds of translations, I don’t have a preference, I love the variety.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years I see myself working part-time in France, living on a houseboat and having a few cats.
Name an interesting fact about yourself that you’d like to share with our readers?
An interesting fact about me is that I know how to use an excavator.
Outdoor swimming pools in Berlin – How to get your VIP ticket entry
Have you tried visiting any of the outdoor swimming pools in Berlin on a hot day recently? ☀️ …Did you bring the kids and stand in line without a ticket? Were there tears? 🙈 Do you now require couple’s therapy?
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Registration Office appointment in 14 days?
The days of waiting weeks for a Registration Office appointment are over! Almost…soon…we hope…
Senator Iris Spranger told the Berliner Morgepost that they plan on opening 5 new Bürgerämter (registration offices) in the city. Typically, Berlin requires that you schedule a registration office appointment within 14 days of moving or else receive a fine. Thankfully, due to the complete lack of timely appointments, enforcement is rare. Many of us are familiar with the “refresh-button” game, hoping to snag a last-minute cancellation. Friends, those days are soon behind us!
All about being a Kleinunternehmer (small business) in Germany
You’re a small fish in a big pond. If you’ll only make a very modest turnover, you can benefit from a simple VAT arrangement: you don’t charge VAT, you don’t claim VAT. Welcome to life as a Kleinunternhemer.
Registering your dog in Berlin
If you have a furry friend in Berlin, it is now mandatory to register your dog in the city. I know what you’re thinking – another trip to the Bürgeramt, right? Noooo!
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What we can expect from Germany in 2022
It’s not all doom and gloom. Much of it is. But here is some hope to hold on to for bureaucracy in the new year in Germany.
Can you give blood? It’s kind of urgent…
Can I give blood in Germany? If you’ve ever thought about it, now is the time! Shelves are empty and the need for donations is immense. The DRK even created this cute little barometer to show the levels of different blood types:
Merry Christmas from the Zollamt
As much as we love sending and receiving care packages, there’s nothing less “merry” than opening a package in front of the Zollamt worker containing those cute undies your mom just had to include with her homemade cookies (true story). Or having a Zollamt worker sniff the armpits of your items of clothing (also a true story). Pretty funny in retrospect – but the trip to the public office and sitting in the waiting room was annoying. Even worse is when you have to pay a tax to receive your package – whether it was a gift or you ordered it yourself. Luckily, there are ways to avoid this trip and give you more time for baking cookies and watching your favorite holiday films.
Here’s everything you or your loved ones need to know about the Zollamt and how to avoid your package ending up there.
Gifts from non-EU countries
are duty-free so long as the material value is under 45 euros. It must be clear that the package is from a private person to a private person (i.e. if there’s a business address or custom/commercial packaging they may be suspicious). There are, however, exemptions on specific items like alcoholic beverages, perfume and coffee, depending on the quantity.
If the gift is worth more than 45 euros but less than 700, a flat tax rate of 17.5 per cent will be applied and you’ll need to pay this before obtaining your package. Unless someone sent you over 45 euros of beer. In that case, there is a special beer tax (of course there is).
If you’re sending gifts outside the EU…
How much does every item weigh and how much is it worth? Yes, this is necessary. You’ll need to fill out a customs declaration, which they provide for you there, or you can fill one out before you go. If you’re unsure, don’t try to leave anything blank, they won’t accept it.
Lastly, just like for packages entering the EU, other countries have restrictions on what goods or what amount of goods enter the country. Have a look at this list to see if what applies to your package and its destination.
With that, good luck and may the holiday force be with you.