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DFW

(60,264 posts)

121. Complete fluency will not be required, but you do have to demonstate proficiency.

Thu Jul 3, 2014, 11:27 AM

Jul 2014

Most people know a few words of English, some speak it well, BUT.....

If you're going to move here without speaking German, it's like moving to Boston speaking only German. Sure, there are a lot of academics there, and you can always find someone who speaks German, but how far is someone going to get moving to Boston speaking ONLY German? That's how far you'll get trying to move to Germany without speaking German. Even though I'm married to a German citizen, I still had to pass a language test before they gave me a residence permit.

Also, like a German trying to move to the USA, you can't just get off the plane and say, "Hi, here I am and I'm staying." You need to show a steady job (or big personal wealth), a place to live, health insurance, get a background check, the whole nine yards. I had the job, the health insurance, a legitimate family reason (tired of commuting to my job, and to spend more time with my wife who stayed a German resident), language proficiency, financial security, and they still made me go through hoops.

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If you were to move to a European country... Which would you choose? [View all] Neoma Jul 2014 OP

Netherlands! zappaman Jul 2014 #1

Same here MrScorpio Jul 2014 #52

Italy JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #2

"Homes," PLURAL?! WinkyDink Jul 2014 #8

My husband is from there JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #86

Oh, MAAAAAN! I envy you to the Nth power! Firenze � bella! WinkyDink Jul 2014 #112

My family is from Florence and I often think of just showing up for Sunday dinner and... Walk away Jul 2014 #153

Yeah! Nice post, Rmoney! KamaAina Jul 2014 #174

I'm jealous!! choie Jul 2014 #55

France. onehandle Jul 2014 #3

I love Lyon JustAnotherGen Jul 2014 #5

I know someone who did move to Lyon a year ago mnhtnbb Jul 2014 #89

Probably the best food in France aint_no_life_nowhere Jul 2014 #146

Denmark. SummerSnow Jul 2014 #4

Me too! Squinch Jul 2014 #76

I lived there for three years, and I thought it was great. all american girl Jul 2014 #169

Omg, I'm so jealous and happy for you at the same time SummerSnow Jul 2014 #172

Thanks SummerSnow all american girl Jul 2014 #182

England, specifically to Devon or Cornwall. WinkyDink Jul 2014 #6

Portugal cerveza_gratis Jul 2014 #7

Wales, where my great grandfather came from csziggy Jul 2014 #9

Berlin Or Dusseldorf In Germany; Amsterdam In The Netherlands....... global1 Jul 2014 #10

What's Dusseldorf like? Neoma Jul 2014 #11

I Go There Every Few Years For A Big Medical Products Show.... global1 Jul 2014 #24

I live in Chicago-land. Neoma Jul 2014 #30

I visited a friend when he lived there. zappaman Jul 2014 #66

The problem I see with Germany... Neoma Jul 2014 #69

Looks to be the case dipsydoodle Jul 2014 #92

My daughters, 29 and 31 are dual citizens of Germany and the USA DFW Jul 2014 #98

I live in D�sseldorf now DFW Jul 2014 #102

I'd be happy PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #113

I've never been to that part of NM DFW Jul 2014 #114

I visit every so often PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #116

Different strokes for different folks DFW Jul 2014 #118

Be safe! PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #120

NEAR Frankfurt is as nice as IN Frankfurt sn't. DFW Jul 2014 #122

Amsterdam would be the last place I'd go frazzled Jul 2014 #80

interesting pov. My daughter in law is from Das Hague, and they're doing their annual holiday there 2banon Jul 2014 #139

My youngest son has been in Berlin since last September on a Fulbright mnhtnbb Jul 2014 #90

It'd have to be Luxembourg. greatauntoftriplets Jul 2014 #12

I'm a dual Irish and American citizen riderinthestorm Jul 2014 #13

If I could afford to go, back to Vienna. hobbit709 Jul 2014 #14

Me too. rogerashton Jul 2014 #43

Yes, see my post #90 mnhtnbb Jul 2014 #91

I would love to go back to Vienna! smirkymonkey Jul 2014 #187

FYI, I lived there for a semester in University. smirkymonkey Jul 2014 #188

France, as in Bordeaux Thinkingabout Jul 2014 #15

I think Sweden or Norway rurallib Jul 2014 #16

Both are fantastic! Rosa Luxemburg Jul 2014 #28

Saw a Rick Steves show sailing through the fjords rurallib Jul 2014 #33

Same here! cyberswede Jul 2014 #58

More than many, but still there are challenges for non-whites FrodosPet Jul 2014 #110

I have relatives in Denmark Germany and Switzerland, probably in Ireland and Scotland tularetom Jul 2014 #17

Denmark or Scotland. octoberlib Jul 2014 #18

Scotland! Rosa Luxemburg Jul 2014 #19

Scotland for me, too. 3catwoman3 Jul 2014 #23

Scottish people are very nice Rosa Luxemburg Jul 2014 #25

Scotland first choice for me also. northoftheborder Jul 2014 #36

English speaking? You sure about that? tkmorris Jul 2014 #106

On my one brief visit to Scotland, everyone I came in contact with spoke English... northoftheborder Jul 2014 #124

There are some who still speak Scottish Gaelic Rosa Luxemburg Jul 2014 #125

How delightful, to hear Scottish Gaelic. In my imagination it would sound lilting and musical. northoftheborder Jul 2014 #148

Here's a wee video Rosa Luxemburg Jul 2014 #161

Count me in theHandpuppet Jul 2014 #48

Same here. LuvNewcastle Jul 2014 #94

+1 Liberalynn Jul 2014 #71

North Berwick AngryAmish Jul 2014 #152

Warm ...Costa Rica Lochloosa Jul 2014 #20

I love Costa Rica. Blue_In_AK Jul 2014 #21

I can't find Costa Rica in the Mediterranean. kentauros Jul 2014 #45

Is Iceland Europe? Blue_In_AK Jul 2014 #22

It's....a weird europeon like island in the middle of nowhere. Neoma Jul 2014 #29

I think I would have to be somewhere Alaska-like, Blue_In_AK Jul 2014 #59

i think officially considered part of europe even though geographically JI7 Jul 2014 #42

Geographically, it's half European muriel_volestrangler Jul 2014 #93

Metz France nt el_bryanto Jul 2014 #26

Ireland, where most of my ancestors were from LibertyLover Jul 2014 #27

If it had to be Europe, it would be Spain or Italy. Vattel Jul 2014 #31

Why Spain? Neoma Jul 2014 #34

if you like warm weather, beach, food, art, other culture, spain would easily fit JI7 Jul 2014 #39

Might be an odd question... Neoma Jul 2014 #50

they have a lot of great literature, can't say how much people read right now JI7 Jul 2014 #65

I used to live in Spain long ago DFW Jul 2014 #117

Spain for the climate and the food. Portugal for climate and sane drug laws making low crime rate Warpy Jul 2014 #32

Norway JI7 Jul 2014 #35

Me, too. salin Jul 2014 #64

Spain, specifically Barcelona. Benton D Struckcheon Jul 2014 #37

Netherlands or France Tetris_Iguana Jul 2014 #38

Czech Republic JI7 Jul 2014 #40

Either Greece or southern Spain. kentauros Jul 2014 #41

Switzerland liberal N proud Jul 2014 #44

Most natives know about 3 languages minimum from what I understand. Neoma Jul 2014 #46

Three languages fluently liberal N proud Jul 2014 #61

Just "star" wars kentauros Jul 2014 #49

Italy 47of74 Jul 2014 #47

Germany, because I know a little bit of the language and most of my family still lives there MillennialDem Jul 2014 #51

My wife is originally from Poland, so..... vi5 Jul 2014 #53

Italy choie Jul 2014 #54

Switzerland. Adsos Letter Jul 2014 #56

Norway, probably, or maybe Scotland. The Velveteen Ocelot Jul 2014 #57

France ann--- Jul 2014 #60

.ch or .uk nationalize the fed Jul 2014 #62

Where I could be just another Euro-peon. tabasco Jul 2014 #63

Probably England Shankapotomus Jul 2014 #67

Switzerland. Terra Alta Jul 2014 #68

Switzerland for sure. Mister Ed Jul 2014 #81

UK only because it would be the easiest - TBF Jul 2014 #103

A popular question (which is fine): my auto-answer - France closeupready Jul 2014 #70

Marseilles? yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #128

OMG, I loved it there - the food, people, clothes, climate, on the Mediterranean. closeupready Jul 2014 #133

That what I love about all of us! yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #134

Germany oldhippie Jul 2014 #72

Mosel tabasco Jul 2014 #142

Oops! oldhippie Jul 2014 #144

I'd go.... Rod Beauvex Jul 2014 #73

Scotland Dyedinthewoolliberal Jul 2014 #74

GERMANY TheNutcracker Jul 2014 #75

First choice, Wales. Second, Scotland. Third, Norway. Except I love my state so much. freshwest Jul 2014 #77

I'd alternate between a apartment in Malta and a small lodge in Liechtenstein.... Rowdyboy Jul 2014 #78

The United Kingdom Glorfindel Jul 2014 #79

Norway bhikkhu Jul 2014 #82

Almost anywhere, area51 Jul 2014 #83

Not a biggie yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #129

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, or Finland. Stardust Jul 2014 #84

Spain or Portugal BlindTiresias Jul 2014 #85

I loved Barcelona. Without a prescription you can walk into a pharmacy and ask B Calm Jul 2014 #101

Spain, Portugal, Italy or Greece maddezmom Jul 2014 #87

Ditto! eissa Jul 2014 #131

I hear maddezmom Jul 2014 #137

United Kingdom OwnedByCats Jul 2014 #88

As much as the country has taken crap for immigrant's families mistreatment of girls and women davidpdx Jul 2014 #95

Life is pretty good Quantess Jul 2014 #143

Necessary to learn German to move to Germany? GOLGO 13 Jul 2014 #96

Complete fluency will not be required, but you do have to demonstate proficiency. DFW Jul 2014 #121

Corfu, Greece I spent a month there when I was in the Navy. Check out this video B Calm Jul 2014 #97

Canada. LWolf Jul 2014 #99

Probably Finland, because it's much like Karelia... HereSince1628 Jul 2014 #100

Argentina, I've always wanted to walk Patagonia. nt bemildred Jul 2014 #104

Aw, you're playing teabagger here now, aren't you? nt valerief Jul 2014 #111

I did. Spider Jerusalem Jul 2014 #105

I've Heard Denmark is Nice RadicalGeek Jul 2014 #107

I'd go cruising all around the Mediterranean for a year or two DinahMoeHum Jul 2014 #108

Reunion cvoogt Jul 2014 #109

Scandi countries are too pro-natalist PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #115

They are large, sparsely populated countries. PlanetaryOrbit Jul 2014 #165

England, because we're familiar with it. And, it's lovely. Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2014 #119

It is that. dipsydoodle Jul 2014 #147

Don't come to France, because it's no more the beatifull land mylye2222 Jul 2014 #123

To Scotland or Sweden. Frustratedlady Jul 2014 #126

Finland n/t Scootaloo Jul 2014 #127

How do you know they'll want you? brooklynite Jul 2014 #130

Interesting assumption. Neoma Jul 2014 #171

The island of Corsica, France aint_no_life_nowhere Jul 2014 #132

If I had the financial resources: London, UK emsimon33 Jul 2014 #135

Probably the same for me, too. Scotland would be next on the list. SMC22307 Jul 2014 #180

Traveling from London is very inexpensive--another good reason emsimon33 Jul 2014 #185

Lillyhammer! nt Broken_Hero Jul 2014 #136

My plan is for Spain. Chan790 Jul 2014 #138

Germany. Aristus Jul 2014 #140

Luxembourg SCUBANOW Jul 2014 #141

Italy or Norway I have family in both countries and enjoyed my time visiting those countries Arcanetrance Jul 2014 #145

I've never been, and I live in Canada which I like fine but I'd choose the UK or France laundry_queen Jul 2014 #149

If it were more calm there, Jamaal510 Jul 2014 #150

Ireland AngryAmish Jul 2014 #151

Ireland BainsBane Jul 2014 #154

I love to dream Lifelong Protester Jul 2014 #155

HOGWARTS Tetris_Iguana Jul 2014 #156

Is there a place where it's usually around 74 degrees and mostly sunny and there are no Dark n Stormy Knight Jul 2014 #157

I have zero desire to move to Europe. ohheckyeah Jul 2014 #158

Does already moved count? Veruca Salt Jul 2014 #159

Vermont underpants Jul 2014 #160

Which language do you want to learn? n/t moondust Jul 2014 #162

I'm in Guatemala learning Spanish at the moment. Neoma Jul 2014 #163

That would help moondust Jul 2014 #166

There isn't a civil war here at the moment if that's what you mean. Neoma Jul 2014 #167

If I knew the language, Iceland or the Ukraine. PlanetaryOrbit Jul 2014 #164

It's a bad idea to be in Ukraine at the moment. Neoma Jul 2014 #168

Sunday we are moving to Brussels, Belgium all american girl Jul 2014 #170

Are Belgians fat, like Americans are fat? SMC22307 Jul 2014 #181

No, I think we are the only ones this fat.... all american girl Jul 2014 #183

Sounds wonderful. SMC22307 Jul 2014 #184

Well, the UK has the edge at the moment KamaAina Jul 2014 #173

Luxembourg... JCMach1 Jul 2014 #175

France, the Pas de Calais area, where my g'parents were from benld74 Jul 2014 #176

In Europe? Probably Germany. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jul 2014 #177

I don't know if there'd be any European country I'd want to *live* in, but plenty I'd like to visit. Tommy_Carcetti Jul 2014 #178

Norway mindem Jul 2014 #179

One of the Scandinavian Countries.. annabanana Jul 2014 #186