English and German were once the same language. England was settled by Germans. The languages diverged over time and English took on a large number of Latin words, first from the Roman Occupation of Britain but more so from the Norman Conquest.
English and German were once the same language. England was settled by Germans. The languages diverged over time and English took on a large number of Latin words, first from the Roman Occupation of Britain but more so from the Norman Conquest.
Bottom line should be that German will be easier for most English speakers to learn.
I watched a German soccer match yesterday on Direct tv and it was supposbly 14 F and the players didnt seem cold at all. From what everyone says Id love to go to Germany even though I am no young blood.
How about dress ? Do Germans dress in t shirt and jeans or are they more formal ?
Stylin baby wrote:
I watched a German soccer match yesterday on Direct tv and it was supposbly 14 F and the players didnt seem cold at all.
14F in Europe ain't like 14F in the U.S. It feels a lot warmer - more like 30F. It has to do with an air moisture blanket that we don't have in NA.
Are you serious ? I thought Germany was really cold in the winter. Do lakes and ponds freeze over ?
Before the British Empire, England knew of distant lands from the thousands of invading armies from across Western Europe, Central Asia, Far East Asia, and North Africa which ravaged the British Isles since the end of the Ice Age. England has been conquered by hundreds of tribes each of which brought thier own language, genetics, and culture. Vandals, Goths, Normans, Mongols, Huns, Visigoths, Moors, Romans, ... each left their permanance upon Britain. Observe an unabridged English dictionary for proof of the encompassing world heritage which makes up today's English language.
Can people on visa's get health insurance or do you bring your own ?
I have been to Germany on a few occasions with the military. Once for 3 months and the other times just a few weeks.
If you learn the language and are open minded you should not encounter very much culture shock. Physically you will blend in with the population. I am assuming you are a white person of course. Not like Japan or other Asian countries where it is obvious that you are a foreigner.
Some small things, as previously stated, might irritate you but be flexible and maintain an interest in a different culture. Things like food, beverages, driving aren't all that different than the states. I don't think it would be that hard to adjust to at all.
I would put Germany near the top of the list as easiest, non-English speaking European countries to visit / live.
HRE wrote:
English and German were once the same language. England was settled by Germans. The languages diverged over time and English took on a large number of Latin words, first from the Roman Occupation of Britain but more so from the Norman Conquest.
Please read up on Germanic languages and the history of Great Britain. Nothing you wrote was correct, although it was not 100% incorrect. I'm not chiding you, just informing other reader of this thread.
Folklore aside, you can get a hap map verifying your ancestry for $100 these days.
Forgot to add.
The hardest thing about traveling in Germany was finding Ausfahrt. I took every exit I saw to Ausfahrt but could never find the town.
Anyone been there?
Lived in The Netherlands for four years and have traveled back and forth to Europe at least 3-4x/year. Drawback for Americans=thinking we are still in America and the rest of the world is the same as our country. Once you get over that, you'll learn to appreciate their lifestyle. I plan of retiring in Europe in about 5-6 years. You will need to learn their language, even though their school system starts teaching English at about age 7. (Common courtesy). Easy to get around. Bicycle paths, walking paths, great bus/rail system, fun to drive the Autobahn(153mph the fastest I went). Ruuning is great. Races are realtively inexpensive compared to US. Some are in a series, First Saturday of every month. I loved those. Great running clubs. Need to get dual voltage electronics or buy some converters to 220. Their is other great advice out there also. Good luck.