Hi everyone,

I'm looking for an affordable way to transport a few furniture items, mainly like mattress, table, and chair, from one location to another within same city.

Does anyone know any cheap transport services, people with vans who offer small moves, or other affordable options?

I'd appreciate any recommendations, especially if you've used a service yourself.

Thanks in advance!

Hello, does anyone have experience with problems regarding the Rundfunkbeitrag? If so, please message me as I have some questions.

Ciao, I'm a PhD scholar. I'm stuck with something, my topic seems like it is on the birk of defeat. To survive, and sail I need to do some basic inquiry across various geographies.

I've no network, almost 0 friends at the University. And no one to even discuss about it. My only way out was this yes or no questions form. Am practically dying of exhaustion... Reddit seems like the only platform to talk with people and seek help.

University funds are tied up. They wouldn't pay me until I bring a strong topic. And I need some backing to talk about my topic.

Hence I need some help from you all for preliminary inquiry for my research project!!! I'll be deeply grateful for your time and energy 🙏🏻

18+ people are more encouraged and appreciated

Please help me out. I swear you'll be completely anonymous!

Link:

https://forms.gle/zRHfNh1k7oNWnFEu6

Hi all friends. It’s an Asian gay working in Germany now. I would like to get some dates or friends here.

But as an Asian guy, I’m quite reserved and shy. Tinder and Grindlr are just so horny. I know it’s really sex free here and most people would love to see if they are sex-matched first. But I don’t wanna have sex first. It feels uncomfortable for me to do it with someone I don’t have a deep connection.

May I have your advice?🐰

Hi everyone,
I recently had interviews with large German companies like DHL and Deutsche Telekom, and I’m curious about their hiring process.
Neither company asked about my salary expectations during the application process or in the first interview, which was mainly technical.
They mentioned that the next interview would be in person at their office.
At what stage do large German companies usually discuss salary expectations? Is it normal to reach the second interview without discussing salary at all?
I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has gone through a similar hiring process, especially at DHL or Deutsche Telekom.
Thanks!

Hello guys, I’m pretty new to Germany and I need some advice because I honestly don’t know what to do in this situation.
I wanted to get a SIM card and a phone contract, so I searched online for Vodafone because I’d heard good things about them. I checked Google Maps, found a store nearby, and went there.
Turns out it was actually an otelo shop, but I had no idea what otelo was at the time.
I used Google Translate to explain to the lady that I wanted to make a Vodafone contract. She told me to wait, and after a while, some guy came out of an office wearing a Vodafone shirt. The lady told me to go with him, so obviously I assumed he worked for Vodafone.
I explained that I wanted a contract with a device if possible. Since I have a Polish bank account, I wasn’t sure if that would work, but he told me it should be fine.
He started writing down different offers on a piece of paper. I originally wanted an iPhone, but the upfront payment was too expensive. Then he showed me an offer with an Apple Watch for just €1 upfront, and the whole thing would cost around €60 a month with the SIM card. I thought that sounded okay, so I went ahead and signed.
They took my Polish IBAN and address, and when they asked if I wanted the SIM card immediately or together with the device, I said I’d take everything together.
I went home and kept looking at Vodafone offers online, and that’s when I started wondering why their offers were so much better than the one I’d just signed up for.
Then I received an email from otelo.
I was like… WTF is otelo?
The next day, I went back to the shop and asked the lady what otelo was and whether I could get the Vodafone offer instead.
That’s when she explained that otelo is a smaller company under Vodafone and that I’d actually signed a contract with them, not Vodafone.
Okay, fair enough, maybe I should’ve checked everything more carefully before signing. But I asked if I could cancel the contract, and she told me NO, unless I paid her €80 in cash.
I asked her where it said that in the contract, and she literally told me it wasn’t written in the contract, but if I wanted to cancel, I had to pay her €80.
At that point, I was getting suspicious, so I just left.
I called otelo customer service to ask about the situation, and holy shit, the first guy was one of the rudest people I’ve ever spoken to. I asked if anyone spoke English, and he basically yelled at me that this is Germany and I should speak German. 💀

I called again later and got a much nicer guy who explained that I needed to deal with the shop and that they couldn’t really help me.
The thing is, I haven’t even received anything yet. No SIM card, no Apple Watch, nothing.
Now I’m wondering what happens if I simply refuse to pay that €80, especially since the lady couldn’t even show me where this fee was mentioned in the contract.

I also gave them my Polish IBAN, so I’m not entirely sure how payments would work if they tried to charge me.
I know I should’ve been more careful before signing, and I’m not pretending I did everything right here. I’m just new to the country and genuinely thought I was dealing with Vodafone.
So, has anyone dealt with something similar in Germany?
Can they actually demand €80 in cash to cancel a contract when the fee isn’t mentioned in the contract? And what would you do in my situation?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Hello,
I have just gotten that letter stating my bank is closing my American bank account as I live in Germany. I was advised older accounts would be grandfathered in but I guess that’s not the case. The only thing I have left in the USA are 401ks and I don’t know how I’ll access that money in the future. What should I do? I assume not everyone does wire transfers and most institutions in the USA prefer ACH. Anyone have any advice or signposting?

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m a 25-year-old international student at Paderborn University and recently moved to Paderborn. I’m looking to meet some local people and make friends while exploring the city and Germany.

I’m interested in running, swimming, hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities 🏃‍♂️🏊‍♂️🥾🚴‍♂️. I’d especially love to meet German people so I can practice my German and learn more about the culture.

If you’re interested in doing some activities together, feel free to DM me! 😊

As a beginner learning German what advice or resources will you recommend to help me in this journey?
Sending greetings

Hey guys, I'm not sure which wire is which in Germany. What color should be connected to whatbother color?
Thankbyou in advance

It was purchased in Germany around 1990. It's my wife's and I'm trying to find an image of it in better condition or if there were similar animals made by the same company

TL;DR: I'm a non-EU student doing my master's in Germany and got a 6-month internship in Paris. I need a Convention de Stage signed by me, the company and my German university for my French residence permit. But my university says they can't sign anything that makes the university legally responsible. Has anyone been in the same situation and found a solution?

Hi everyone,

I'm currently doing my master's in Germany and recently got an internship offer from a company in Paris. I've been searching for months, so I'm really hoping I can make this work.

Since the internship is for 6 months, I need to sort out the French residence permit before I can start. One of the documents I need is the Convention de Stage, which has to be signed by me, my employer and my university.

The problem is that my university advisor has told me that neither he nor anyone else at the university can sign an agreement that creates any obligations or liabilities for the university.

I understand their concern, but I'm a bit stuck now. The French company needs the agreement, and my university doesn't seem willing to sign it under these conditions.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation, especially someone studying in Germany and doing an internship in France? Were you able to find a way around this? Did your university agree to a modified version of the agreement, or did you find another solution that worked for both sides?

I really don't want to lose this opportunity after spending so much time looking for an internship. Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I tagged this post as humour. But this has been playing in my head since I listened to his press conferences as a German national football team recently. How he talked about owning the flag for the team and his team with migrant background? I am a Liverpool fan and listened most of his press conferences. How he articulated the need for vaccine during COVID was better than any politician at that moment.. He projects hope and kind of positive aura that will bring positive vibe among Germans. He has demonstrated his leadership qualities in different jobs; different countries. Above all he has delivered what he promised. I wonder whether SPD would offer him to be a candidate for chancellor in next election. He would be brilliant not just for Germany but for the whole world. Why not ?

Hi everyone!

Has anyone recently applied for and received their Aufenthaltskarte in Germany as a non-EU family member of an EU citizen?

I’ve searched Reddit and the relevant subreddits but haven’t found much substantial information based on recent, firsthand experiences.

We’ve heard that Berlin may have relatively short processing times for the Aufenthaltskarte. Is that actually true based on anyone’s recent experience, or are there other cities where the process is faster?

I’d really appreciate insights on the following:

* Appointment: How did you get your appointment? Did you book online, submit an application first and wait for an invitation, or contact the Ausländerbehörde directly? How long did you wait?

* Required documents: What documents did they ask you to provide? For example, passports, marriage certificate, Anmeldung, proof of health insurance, employment documents, or anything else?

* Processing time: How long did it take from submitting your application to receiving the physical card?

* Temporary documentation: Did you receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung or another document while waiting?

* City comparison: If you applied in Berlin or another German city, how long did the entire process take, from getting an appointment to receiving the card?

* Delays and practical tips: Was the process straightforward, or did you encounter significant delays?

I’m particularly interested in recent experiences from 2025–2026, as procedures and waiting times can vary considerably between cities.

Any firsthand experiences or practical advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hello all, I will try to keep it short.

I live in a capital city in East Germany and have passed my Driving License few months ago. I have purchased a small 14 year old Hyundai also. So far so good.

Here starts my confusion. When I drive within my city, I try to stick with max 50 Km/h. I always use the right lane, so that the left lane is not occupied. Now most people who in their flashy and fast cars overtake me, always give me a brief (weird!?) look through their window as I am doing something wrong. Earlier, I could have thought I am too slow but I now keep my eye at Speedometer and speed limit. Their gaze makes me uneasy as If I am doing something wrong, not legally but culturally. Or driving faster (within tolerance) is normal and people do not care about the speeding tickets?

The backside of the car looks normal. No stickers etc, everything seems normal. Is it my Shitbox car?

Thanks for the input.

I'm a permanent resident in Sweden (I'm a non-EU citizen) and I'm visiting family in Germany in December. I don't have enough vacation days left so I'd like to work remotely for 3 days during that time for my Swedish employer. Am I allowed to do that? Do I need some special permit? I'm having a hard time finding a clear official answer online.

I am a Japanese who moved to Germany in a small town 5 years ago and now have a 2 year old child. I have a basic level of German but working in a corporate job (now part time 25 per week) and having a child, it’s very hard to find enough time to study to become fluent or to come into a high level. Is there anyone who came to a high level while having kids & work? Is it even possible? I feel like I can only do this if I quit my job.

I often see people going to intensive courses for months or years to get fluent but who is stay at home mom or in their studies and I just feel unmotivated and lose hope to think I am never going to be comfortable living in this country as I cannot join native conversations, make mom friends in German , etc. I find it very hard becoming a mom in a foreign country where you are not comfortable in the language so I have to keep learning but struggling.

Let me know if you have any advice or have same experiences. Thanks

For context, I am originally Canadian (with Canadian citizenship), but I have a residency permit in the Netherlands as I'm studying there. Part of my degree includes an internship at a German university (in Heidelberg) and they also arranged for me to stay at the university guesthouse. However, I haven't received anything else regarding moving to Germany the same way I did when moving to the Netherlands, probably because its only 3 months. I doubt I need to fill out any residency paperwork due to the short period, but just in case I thought I should ask around.

I also wanted to know if there are any useful apps I should download, perhaps for local transit (I have the DB app) or maybe apps for grocery stores? Any information is welcome.

possibly not online. but i do accept that as well. please do let me know :)

International student here., Paid IFS Bonn €1,645 for a German course, visa got denied, and their own email says they refund the fee. They ignore my emails but reply instantly when I mail from another account asking about a course. Anyone got any ideas?what should i do?

I am really wanting to go up in the Kehlsteinhaus and I know the date it closes for sure(I think) is Nov 8th but can close earlier due to weather. How has the weather been and does anyone know if it is likely going to be open on the 8th still? Thanks!

looking for absolutely crazy things to do when we visit for 2 days in 2 weeks. I wanted to do wing walking but they have a limit of 196lbs (atleast in the UK, not sure if germany does it), i am 260-265, Wanted to do bunjee jumping but most arent open until the weekend and we will be there during the week. what else could i do? ive done skydiving before and want to keep doing crazy things like that, that make my family sick lol.

I started to learn german and one day I am planning to move there and,

I'm looking for a german friend preferably 20-25 years old and girl (Because I already have a lot of male friends and I aim find a balance) to practice german / english and cultural exchance.

I am from istanbul Turkey 21-22 years old studying civil engineering. My hobies are fitness-bodybuilding,self improvment, I used to watch series like atla,got, friends after watching and finishing many series and movies I had enough with watching stuff. I rarely watch movies when I am with friends and family now.

Does anyone know about connecting the PS Portal to a hotspot? Nothing I’ve found or tried online works—I’m at my wit's end.